Independent School District...a traditional, face-to-face environment. Each family in our school...

*Due to the unique circumstances surrounding Fall 2020, this document is subject to change at any time

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(3rd Edition)

Independent School District


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August 4th, 2020 Dear Porcupine Family, As the final weeks of our students’ summer vacation winds down, Springtown ISD’s teachers and staff are working very hard to prepare two learning environments for our students: an online, virtual environment and a traditional, face-to-face environment. Each family in our school community is being asked to weigh their options and determine which learning program best suits their individual needs. So that the District can allocate resources appropriately and in a timely fashion, we ask that parents enroll their child through Skyward Family Access at their earliest convenience. The online registration portal opened this week and will remain open through August 9th; please visit the District’s homepage for more information and hyperlinks to begin this process. Students enrolling in our traditional setting will return to campuses with a slightly different setting compared to prior years.

Visitors to the campus will be greatly restricted; until further notice, lunchrooms will be closed to anyone other than employees and students.

Special attention will be given to cleaning classrooms and common areas during and after each school day. Electrostatic sprayers will be deployed on campuses to help sanitize classrooms at night.

“Social distancing” will be enforced whenever feasible, but keep in mind that our schools were not built with such a plan in mind. Few classrooms are large enough to provide six feet of space between each student’s desk. We will do the best we can, but it is important that we be transparent and acknowledge our physical limitations.

Alternative schedules are being explored; in some instances teachers will transition between rather than students. *This is not an option at the secondary campuses, as each student’s 8- or 9-period schedule is complex and unique.

A few things to consider before submitting your enrollment for either program:

A commitment to “Face-to-Face” OR “Virtual Learning” will be for, at minimum, the first grading period (six weeks at secondary campuses, and nine weeks at elementary campuses).

Through Governor Abbot’s Operation Connectivity, the District has invested considerable fiscal resources to provide technology resources. Using the purchasing power of TEA and grant funds, over 1500 Chromebooks/laptops have been ordered, as well as over 900 WiFi Hotspots. These devices will not be immediately available at the beginning of school. Virtual learners may initially need their own devices and connection, particularly at the elementary campuses.

As we move closer to the beginning of school, please look for notifications in email, text, and phone messages regarding school activities. The District will also continue to utilize our website, social media, and local newspapers to advertise important items such as surveys, registrations, orientations, and the like. As previously mentioned, things in our small circle are changing rapidly and we ask for your patience and support while we collectively strive to ensure every day is a great day to be a Porcupine! Sincerely, Mike Kelley, Supt. Springtown ISD


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Back-to-School Overview…………………………………… ................................... 4

1.1 Learning Environment Options ................................................................ 4

1.2 Considerations Prior to Selecting ............................................................ 4

2 Face-to-Face Learning on Campus .................................................................... 5

2.1 Selecting the Face-to-Face Option ......................................................... 5

3 General Health and Safety Protocols .................................................................. 6

3.1 Personal Protection ................................................................................ 6

3.2 Safety Screening .................................................................................... 6

3.3 Limitations and Protocols for Campus Visitors ....................................... 7

3.4 Cleaning and Disinfecting ...................................................................... 7

4 Transportation ..................................................................................................... 9

5 Student Meals ................................................................................................... 10

6 Student Arrival, Dismissal, and Transition ......................................................... 11

6.1 Classroom Configuration and Procedures ........................................... 11

6.2 Use of non-Classroom / Common Spaces ........................................... 12

7 Co-curricular and Extracurricular Activities ....................................................... 13

7.1 Student Recess and Activities .............................................................. 13

8 Suspected and/or Confirmed COVID-19 Protocols ........................................... 15

8.1 Campus Protocols for Confirmed or Suspected Cases ........................ 15

8.2 Return Protocols for Confirmed or Suspected Cases ........................... 16

9 Intermittent “School-to-Home” ........................................................................... 18

10 Virtual Learning ................................................................................................. 19

10.1 Academic Courses and Extracurricular Activities ............................... 20

10.2 Engagement Expectations and Daily Assignments ............................ 20

10.3 Virtual Course Offerings ..................................................................... 22

10.4 Assessments ...................................................................................... 23

10.5 Social-Emotional Learning ................................................................. 23

11 Methods of Implementation ................................................................................ 24

11.1 General Overview of our Virtual Learning Plan………………………. 26

11.2 Devices and Internet Access…………………………………………… 40

11.3 Selecting the Virtual Option……………………………………………... 40

12 Special Education ............................................................................................... 42


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BACK-TO-SCHOOL OVERVIEW Springtown ISD is looking forward to welcoming back our students and excited to share our “return to learn” plans for the reopening of school. Based on current guidance (as of July 16) from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the District plans on offering these two learning environments:

● Face-to-Face Learning o Students attend classes (on campuses) in a traditional setting. o Teachers provide direct instruction and utilize technology resources with increased

frequency, consciously preparing for potential interruptions to the traditional on-campus calendar.

● Virtual Learning o Students who choose the Virtual Learning option will be enrolled in online courses. o Students who choose the Virtual Learning option will not be permitted to return to the

campus during the school day to visit with peers or teachers. ***Exceptions may exist for courses that cannot be replicated virtually, i.e. welding, athletics, band, etc. After coordinating with TEA, the District will share information regarding which courses are available.

Learning Environments: Face-to-Face vs. Virtual Learning

SISD will provide...

Face-to-Face Learning (On-Campus)

Virtual Learning (Remote)

A learning environment that is responsive to your child’s social and emotional well-being.

X X

High-quality instruction designed to meet your child’s needs.

X X

Rigorous face-to-face learning that follows a traditional school schedule.

X

Rigorous virtual learning that requires digital meetings with teachers and DAILY completion of independent coursework in each subject.

X

Information for All Families to Consider Prior to Determining an Option

Both on-campus and remote classrooms will: ● use large- and small-group instruction for remediation and enrichment

activities. ● demonstrate mastery of concepts using traditional methods as well as

assessments emphasizing application over memorization. ● have the same level of rigor regarding mastery of the grade-level or

course curriculum. ● utilize the same grading guidelines and attendance requirements.


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FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING ON CAMPUS Springtown ISD will be ready to meet the needs of students through face-to-face, on-campus classroom instruction in the 2020-2021 school year. A number of enhanced health and safety protocols will be in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The protocols include, but are not limited to:

● All students and staff will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms regularly, and any individuals determined to be presenting symptoms will be separated and sent home.

○ All staff members will be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms, (including temperature checks) prior to reporting to work each day.

○ Parents/guardians will be expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day prior to sending their student to school. ***The newest TEA guidance does not require that temperature checks be administered to students, but the District (locally) is planning to do so each day.

○ Teachers will monitor students and refer to the nurse if symptoms present. ● The use of masks and/or facial shields will be required for students in

grades 4-12 as well as all staff (the basis for this protocol is found in Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29).

● Individual class sizes will depend on the number of students who choose to participate in on-campus learning. Desks or tables will be socially distanced as much as feasibly possible. Partitions will be used on a limited basis.

● Students in grades k-3 will wear masks or shields in hallways, but at this time the requirement to do so in classrooms does not apply.

○ The likelihood of a classroom-wide quarantine will be greatly reduced if the parties involved are all wearing masks.

○ While k-3 students are not required to wear masks/shields in class, doing so would help increase our chances of keeping classes and campuses open.

Students participating in on-campus learning may need to attend a “virtual” class session with remote instruction if the teacher is unable to lead classes directly in-person. We anticipate that there will be instances in which a

teacher might be required to quarantine, and substitute teachers may be difficult to secure. Situations such as this will require flexibility from all parties.

Selecting the Face-to-Face Option Families are asked to commit to remaining in the face-to-face instructional setting for at least one grading period. Details are subject to change based on guidelines from local, state, and federal authorities.


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General Health and Safety Protocols

Campus staff will be trained in COVID-19 safety protocols, and students will engage in lessons focused on handwashing and social distancing practices at the beginning of the year. SISD will provide instruction to students on the first day a student attends school on campus regarding appropriate hygiene practices and other mitigation practices.

Personal Protection

● Students (as developmentally appropriate and per the District’s published guidelines), staff, and visitors will wear a face mask/covering when entering a Springtown ISD campus, in common areas such as hallways, cafeterias (when not eating), and whenever a physical distance of six feet from another person cannot be maintained.

● Teachers will arrange their classrooms in such a way as to maintain a 6-foot distance between students whenever possible. It is important to acknowledge that social distancing guidelines MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE in many of our classrooms. When social distancing in a classroom or common area is not possible, students and teachers will be expected to utilize a face covering. As per district guidelines, individual needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Requests for accommodations should be submitted in writing to campus administrators and be accompanied by a doctor’s note.

Safety Screening

● All staff will be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms daily prior to coming to work. Individuals who have symptoms throughout the day will be assessed, isolated, and sent home if necessary.

● Parents will be asked to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day, and temperature checks should be conducted before sending students to school. It is imperative that parents keep their children home from school if their child is symptomatic in any way. Students will be monitored during the school day for symptoms of illness and will be referred to the school nurse if symptoms are suspected or present.

● Individuals who develop symptoms of the COVID-19 illness will be sent to the school health clinic, secluded, and sent home as soon as possible. Parents/guardians will be asked to retrieve their student within 30 minutes of being notified their child has displayed any COVID-related symptom(s).

● Students and teachers will be temperature checked routinely and as often as feasibly possible; perhaps twice each day.


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● Students and staff will follow current COVID-19 Return to School/Work

Guidelines.

● Students will be instructed on methods to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 at school.

● Students will be trained on proper handwashing techniques and participate in scheduled handwashing times throughout the daily (minimum of twice daily).

● Students will keep personal hand sanitizer at their desks or in their backpacks for use throughout the day.

Springtown ISD is permitted to prohibit any individuals who fail the health

screening criteria from being admitted to the campus until they meet criteria for re-entry to the campus.

Protocols for Campus Visitors Campuses will utilize online meeting options to reduce the number of visitors to campus whenever possible. All visitors who enter the building will be required to wear a face covering (per published district guidelines).

● Individuals who proceed beyond the reception area will follow specific guidelines for visitors including completion of a symptom screening form.

● All visitors entering the building must sanitize their hands upon entry.

● Visitors and staff will follow safety protocols (including physical distancing

whenever possible) for meetings and conferences.

● Cleaning/disinfecting will occur after each meeting.

● Volunteers will be limited to those providing essential functions and approved by school personnel prior to arriving at the school. Any volunteers scheduled for work at a campus will complete a Symptom Screening Form prior to entering the building.

● Visitors to cafeteria breakfasts and lunches will not be permitted.


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Cleaning & Disinfecting Protocols Custodial employees have been trained on COVID-19 safety protocols. EPA-approved disinfectants will be used for deep cleaning campuses on a regular and ongoing basis.

● Frequent cleaning and disinfecting will occur throughout the school day in

high-traffic and frequent-touch areas (i.e. doorknobs, bathrooms, etc.).

● Deeper cleanings on campuses will occur after each school day, and will include the use of electrostatic sprayers historically utilized with frequency during the flu season.

● Each classroom and restroom will be cleaned/disinfected at the end of

each day.

● Cleaning supplies will be provided for each classroom and common area to maximize room-to-room cleanliness.

● Custodians will wear masks and gloves during work hours.

● Staff will have access to supplies to clean/disinfect working surfaces and

shared objects after each use and during breaks in instruction. ○ Custodians will provide disinfectant spray bottles for each teacher’s

classroom prior to the beginning of school each day, and refill the bottles each evening.

○ Gloves will be provided in each classroom for teachers or students to wear if they so choose.

● Sanitizing stations will be located throughout all buildings in common

areas.

● Distancing and shielding protocols will be added to reception areas, attendance desks, etc.

● Markers outlining social distancing expectations as well as other safety

signage will be added and visible throughout District facilities.


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Transportation In response to COVID-19, Springtown ISD encourages all families, with the ability to do so, to transport their children to and from school. Bus transportation will be offered to all students meeting eligibility requirements. Parents and students must realize prior-year ridership numbers will prevent us from providing an environment that meets current CDC recommendations regarding “social distancing;” students having their own seat, spaced six feet apart on a typical bus will be highly unlikely. For this reason, all students utilizing bus transportation (regardless of age) will be required to wear a face mask/shield at all times while on board.

● Eligible bus riders may register for bus transportation by completing a bus ridership form during registration.

● Students will be required to use hand sanitizer as they board the bus.

● All bus drivers will wear face covering and or face shields

● All students will wear face covering/masks while riding the bus.

● Electrostatic sprayers will be utilized to disinfect buses between morning

and afternoon routes.

● All Springtown ISD vehicles will be equipped with cleaning and disinfecting supplies.

● Bus windows will be opened when feasible to allow for increased air

circulation.

● Bus riders will be encouraged to sit apart from one another and will be required to sit facing the front of the bus, keeping their hands to themselves. ***Riders from the same household will be grouped as much as possible.

● It will be especially important for students to remain in assigned seats so that, in the event of an outbreak, contact tracing can be possible.


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Student Meals To minimize interactions and limit risk as well as allow for maximum physical distancing for students during breakfast and lunch, visitors will not be allowed in the cafeteria for breakfast or lunch. These restrictions may loosen as the year progresses, however, it is important to allow campus staff the flexibility to space out students throughout common areas so that social distancing is possible.

● Cafeteria eating and serving areas will be cleaned between uses.

● Campuses will maximize social distancing opportunities by staggering lunch times and locations as much as possible.

● Staff will reinforce social distancing as students move through the serving

line and throughout the cafeteria.

● All SISD Child Nutrition staff will use face coverings/masks and gloves while performing job responsibilities and will be trained to practice new health and hygiene regulations.

● Students will not be required to enter student ID numbers via keypads.

Instead, either Child Nutrition staff members will manually enter student ID #’s or scanners for student ID’s will be utilized. Student ID’s often arrive several weeks after fall pictures are done.


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School Arrival, Dismissal, and Transitions

Parents are asked to assist campus staff in the implementation of campus arrival and dismissal procedures. When transporting students to school, please follow all signage, drop off and pick up students at the appropriate locations, and quickly exit the parking lots.

● Dropping students off on campuses before buildings are open will be prohibited. Our staff will need to be in place to help ensure that students do not congregate outside entrances. Exceptions would need to be specifically arranged with campus administration.

● Visitors to the campuses (including parents) will not be permitted to walk students to classes inside the school building.

● Parents are asked to have their students bring a filled water bottle to

school. The District is working to ensure that water bottle refilling stations will be available as soon as possible. The District will strongly discourage the use of “traditional” water fountains.

● Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available in every classroom, and

dispenser stations will be placed at entrances, exits, and common areas throughout the building.

● Campuses may implement a staggered release schedule to prevent large

gatherings at the end of the day. Parent pick-up procedures will be shared with stakeholders. Loading procedures for students riding buses will be coordinated to maximize efficiency and reduce the amount of time students might not be socially distanced.

Classroom Configuration & Procedures When feasible, without disrupting the educational experience, students are encouraged to practice social distancing. As much as instructionally possible, teachers will arrange classrooms so that students are socially distant while sitting in desks.

● Visual reminders of distancing requirements in all classrooms, marking off areas for common spaces and distancing best practices.

● Teachers will plan for/encourage frequent hand washing and/or hand sanitizing

● Multiple locations of hand sanitizer, tissues, and trash cans will be available in

several locations throughout classrooms and common areas to limit student and staff movement.


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● Access to disinfectant supplies to sanitize working surfaces.

● Use of shared supplementary aids or manipulatives will be intentionally limited; instances in which shared use must occur, such tools will be cleaned between uses.

● Students will have individual/personal school supplies.

● Whenever possible, students and staff will maintain consistent groupings of

people to minimize the spread of the virus.

● In an effort to reduce the number of daily transition periods and interactions, course scheduling for secondary students (grades 7-12) may move to a block schedule. Students might then be able to attend odd-numbered classes on “A” days and even-numbered classes on “B” days; a “Modified Block” that allows some courses to meet daily might also be utilized. Guidance from TEA regarding “block” or “hybrid” scheduling will be utilized as it becomes available.

● When possible, technology tools will be utilized in place of traditional hands-on

teaching tools.

● Lockers will not be assigned.

● Each classroom will have a door stop to facilitate “no-touch” entry between classes.

Use of Non-Classroom Spaces and Common Spaces As each campus includes a somewhat unique physical layout, staffing pattern, and set of resources, individual campus leaders will determine the use of non-classroom and common space and create procedures for the use of those individual campus spaces.

● As the likelihood of a virus spreading while outdoors is lower (compared to indoors), it is preferable for students to gather outdoors rather than inside when possible and appropriate.

● Campuses will plan for entry, exit, and transition procedures that reduce large

group gatherings in close proximity.

● Assemblies and other student activities that bring large groupings of students and/or teachers and staff together should be eliminated.

● Campuses will develop schedules and protocols for the use of common areas, including how to sanitize space between uses. All students and staff should use hand sanitizer when entering or exiting common areas (including computer labs, flexible spaces, libraries, conference rooms, and other meeting rooms).


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Co-Curricular and Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular/Co-curricular activities, practices, and competitions will be conducted following safety protocols provided by SISD, UIL, and TEA. Protocols include health screening, group size limitations, use of equipment and locker rooms, etc.

● Hand sanitizer will be available in common areas and equipment will be sanitized on a regular basis.

● Locker room use will be determined by TEA/UIL guidelines.

● Bus travel will follow transportation guidelines provided by SISD and TEA.

● Spectator attendance at games and contests must be limited based on

TEA and UIL guidelines.

● Ticketing for events may be utilized to limit attendance at extra- and co-curricular events and activities.

● Protocols will be developed in an effort to maximize efficient use of space

and feasibly allow for social distancing.

● Separate entrances and exits may be utilized and event doors may be propped open to minimize physical contact with handles.

● Spectator seats may be marked and/or configured in a way to support

social distancing.

● Concessions and/or concession sales may be limited to encourage social distancing and to follow health and safety guidelines.

Student Recess and Activities Numerous studies support the idea that providing elementary students opportunities to simply “play,” (especially outdoors) is an important part of a school day. Including scheduled recess time fosters a more effective learning environment when students are back in the classroom. Recess

● Campuses will work to limit the number of students per recess group. Staggered schedules will be utilized when feasible.

● All students and staff will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer before entering the playground and upon returning from the playground.

https://www.uiltexas.org/policy/covid-19/2020-2021-uil-covid-19-risk-mitigation-guidelines

https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/health-safety-discipline/covid/covid-19-support-public-health-orders


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● “Brain breaks” and mask breaks will be utilized as frequently as feasible. Physical Education

● Physical education classes will be conducted outdoors whenever possible. Appropriate social distancing measures will be followed.

● Locker room and class size will be determining factors when it comes to dressing out for secondary physical education classes.

● Students should be placed in smaller, appropriate groups for instruction and activities for appropriate social distancing.

● Students should provide their own water bottles. ● Any activities bringing students into close physical contact should be

avoided. Activities requiring multiple students to touch or handle the same equipment will be especially restricted.

● All equipment should be sanitized and wiped down after each use. ● Efforts will be made to provide sanitizing areas and access to hand

washing prior to/after P.E. Other “Specials” / Electives

● “Specials” and elective teachers at the elementary level should travel to classrooms on a rotation to prevent unnecessary transition/movement through the campus.


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Suspected and/or Confirmed COVID-19 Protocols

Springtown ISD will immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms and remove the student from the classroom. Remaining students will be relocated to a safe area with the teacher while the room is cleaned and the school nurse contacts district officials.

Campus Procedures for Confirmed or Suspected Cases

When a student or staff member has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the school nurse will provide a clinical assessment to determine if and when a student needs to be sent home.

● Students who are ill will be separated from their peers and should be picked up within 30 minutes (no later than one hour) from the time the campus contacts the student’s parent/guardian. A room on each campus, outside of the school clinic, will be dedicated for ill students or staff members who need to be isolated while waiting to be picked up by a family member.

● Other students will be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus so that the classroom can be disinfected.

● The District will notify our local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Notification must follow confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

● Consistent with other communicable diseases and legal requirements,

schools must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students and/or staff in a district facility of a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case.

● Students and staff members displaying COVID-19 symptoms will follow

district protocols including isolation from students and other staff members. Students or staff who come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days and may not return to campus during that time.


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Re-Entry Protocols for Confirmed and/or Suspected Cases Any individual who themselves are either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual to determine any of the following conditions for campus re-entry have been met. Symptoms may include:

Temperature of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher;

Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain;

Sore throat;

New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever; or

New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever; or

New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (or, for students with a chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline).

Self-isolation allows individuals who may have been infected with COVID-19 to recover while trying not to infect others. Based on medical professionals’ understanding of how long an individual is infectious after fever and other symptoms disappear, self-isolation can end when a symptomatic or lab-confirmed individual:

Meets all three of the following conditions for return to school:

24 hours with no fever;

Symptoms improved; and

10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared Or:

Obtain an acute infection test at an approved testing location (https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/) that comes back negative for COVID-19.

Or:

A doctor’s note indicating an alternate diagnosis In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19 and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same criteria as those a diagnosed COVID-19 patient must meet.


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Staying Home / Self-Quarantine Staying home allows individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to monitor their symptoms during the period in which they may be infectious. These individuals should separate themselves from others outside their home, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health entity. Because doctors believe a positive person can infect others with COVID-19 for two days prior to experiencing symptoms, and symptoms may take 14 days to appear, if an individual is made aware that they are a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, they should immediately begin to stay home and continue to do so during the virus incubation period. It is important for schools to keep track of the individuals who have been directed by local public health entities or asked by the school to stay at home so they can temporarily remain home. In most cases, local health entities will notify close contacts that they should:

Stay home until 14 days after last close contact with confirmed positive COVID-19 individual

Check temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of COVID-19

If possible, stay away from people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19


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INTERMITTENT “SCHOOL-TO-HOME” INSTRUCTION

In the event a classroom or campus has a percentage of students/staff population with COVID-19 at one time, students will move to intermittent “School-to-Home Learning” (a threshold/percentage will be determined by the Superintendent after collaboration with stakeholders, and certainly within TEA Guidelines). A shift from face-to-face instruction to a temporary, remote instruction mode is not the same as our virtual learning option nor will it mirror the Spring 2020 emergency closure. In a “School-to-Home” learning model, students will temporarily learn from home and their teacher(s) will work remotely to deliver instruction in a self-paced format (asynchronous instruction).

● Daily attendance, measured by student engagement, course progress, and/or student/teacher communication will be required in each class to fulfill the 90% compulsory attendance requirement.

● Students will receive instruction from their teachers through SeeSaw (K-2) or Schoology (3-12).

● Students will be required to submit assignments through SeeSaw (K-2) or Schoology (3-12).

● Springtown ISD’s traditional grading system will be maintained, mirroring the policies in place for face-to-face learners.

● Internet and computer access will be necessary. Individual technology needs will be addressed.

● By design, any intermittent shift to “School-to-Home” learning will be short intervals in response to COVID-19 outbreaks or quarantines.

● The District submitted their order for 1485 Chromebooks and 920 WiFi hotspots through TEA and Governor Abbott’s Operation Connectivity program. The new hotspots are expected to arrive between August 28th and September 11th. Estimated shipping time for Chromebooks is 2-10 weeks from August 14th.

● We do hope the new devices are available should any intermittent shift occur. Students enrolling in virtual learning at the beginning of the year will need access to the internet through their own devices.


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VIRTUAL LEARNING

In Springtown ISD, our virtual instruction will require support from adults at home. Instruction will take place via an online classroom environment. Activities will facilitate our students’ continued learning at a pace mirroring the current on-campus learners’ scope and sequence, as well as develop appropriate academic and social-emotional skills. We will strive to ensure open lines of communication between teachers, students, and parents. Be assured that the level of rigor, workload, and time commitment in the Virtual Learning program this fall will be more significant than what we were able to provide last spring.

General Overview of the Asynchronous Learning Program The goal of this plan is to provide ongoing rich and robust TEKS-based instruction while maintaining instructional delivery that furthers student academic success, as well as to advance learning by progressing through the state standards. We realize that learning will be modified in a remote and digital environment. Springtown ISD will provide access, resources, and academic learning opportunities for all students in the remote setting through an asynchronous model. Guiding Principles Supporting students’ academic and emotional wellness while maintaining home and school balance All students and families will have access to quality educational materials aligned to the TEKS and to the supports needed to successfully access those materials Empower educators to design learning experiences in order to continually assess and meet the individual learning needs of each student Educators, students, and parents need support, encouragement, compassion to ensure their success. Asynchronous instruction refers to self-paced instruction where students engage in the learning materials on their own time, interacting intermittently with the teacher via the computer or other electronic devices or over the phone. For students engaged in the day, they would be marked as present. Engagement is defined as:

Progress in the Learning Management System (LMS) made that day

Progress from teacher to student interaction made that day

Evaluating the completion and understanding of assignments that day.

Springtown ISD will implement the model of Asynchronous Instruction. Our LMS in Springtown ISD is SeeSaw for PK-1 and Schoology for grades 2-12.


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Academic Courses / Extracurricular Activities Core academic courses will be offered at all grade levels. Elective options are being explored but are not guaranteed to mirror those offered to students attending classes on campus. Some courses require significant “lab” time (i.e. Cosmetology) and may not be an option. Current guidance from the UIL reflects that students enrolled in Virtual Learning (off campus) will be permitted to participate in UIL activities. The District plans to permit eligible students to participate in practices for UIL team sports and other co-curricular/ extracurricular group activities so long as Health and Safety Guidelines are followed.

Engagement Expectations & Daily Assignments Students and teachers will have time to interact and build a community of learners in both on-campus and remote pathways. Students in remote settings will have schedules provided that matches or exceeds the following daily minimum across all grade levels. While we understand this schedule is dependent upon the percentages of remote learners and the evolving confirmed cases in our county, the proposed schedules are a guide for planning purposes. The implementation model provided is subject to change.

SISD teachers are deployed based on their strengths to be instructors in either remote or on-campus pathways. In the event that circumstances change in our community, all SISD teachers will quickly pivot to virtual learning if needed. From the beginning of the school year, all teachers will design lessons in our LMS for on-campus learners, remote learners, and intermittent learners. There is likely to be student movement across models, and we at SISD are prepared to make this as seamless as possible

Virtual Learning Sample Schedules

Component Explanation

What are the expectations for daily student interaction with academic content?

Virtual Learning lessons will cover the same TEKS as the face-to-face class and teacher lesson plans. Teachers will record a lecture or presentation and post to LMS or post TEKS based modules and/or videos from district-purchased curriculum resources.

Lessons taught virtually will be aligned with the District Scope and Sequence and subject to unit assessments, virtual classroom walkthroughs, and work sample calibrations.

Activities such as group discussions and questioning will take place on the discussion board or through Zoom. Teachers will set parameters to require students to interact with other students on the discussion board and/or Zoom. This will be in lieu of face-to-face classroom discussions.

Group activities will be modified, but still occur in the virtual

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classroom. Individual assignments given in face-to-face instruction will be posted in the LMS. Students will submit the assignments through the LMS and teachers will provide grades and/or feedback.

Teachers are responsible for marking attendance and monitoring discussion boards daily, as well as responding and answering questions.

Each teacher will host a synchronous class and/or office hours daily. All lessons should include an approximate or estimated Time To

Complete that will be noted in the instructions. This should align with the designated in-class instructional period and number of days to complete as face-to-face instruction.

How will you ensure all student groups and grade levels will have the opportunity to engage in approx. a full day of academic content every day?

Time allocated is measured by the estimated equivalent time the activity, lesson or discussion would take in a face-to-face instructional setting. All work will be given with the same time allocated to the face-to-face implementation. Time will be allocated for discussion posts, completing activities, background reading and watching videos/live lectures.Teachers may document this by stating estimated time to complete activities in plans and/or directions for students.

Required Daily Engagement Minutes for Virtual Learning:

Half Day PK 90 instructional minutes K through 4th Grade 180 instructional minutes 5th through 12th Grade 240 instructional minutes

The schedule above represents the minimum number of minutes in an asynchronous instructional setting. Instruction and activities will be completed primarily asynchronously, though students will receive direct synchronous instruction and support through interventions, small group instruction, and office hours.

What are the expectations for teacher/student interactions?

Secondary teachers will be given a virtual learning period to interact with and respond to student posts and discussions, take attendance, and monitor engagement.

Elementary teachers will arrange regular check-ins with students - either one-on-one, small, or large group settings. At a minimum, students and teachers will check-in at least once a day.

Students will be given a schedule with the virtual learning classes/office hours that they must attend weekly. Teacher office hours will be posted in the LMS as well as in class syllabi and/or beginning of the year teacher letters.

All teachers with one or more virtual learning classes will be required to host office hours daily.

Teachers will schedule synchronous sessions for tutorials, small group learning, guided reading groups or other forms of special services or intervention.

Students will be expected to attend scheduled synchronous sessions. Teachers may also schedule synchronous sessions for certain types

of assessments, including but not limited to universal screeners, unit assessments, benchmarks/interims, and classroom tests.


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How will teacher/student interactions be differentiated for students with additional learning needs?

IEPs and Other Student Accommodations Special Education & Section 504 Guidance

Classroom teachers are responsible for accommodating/modifying work done in the remote setting the same as in the virtual setting.

Special Education teachers will either host multiple office hour forums per week to allow students access, or attend the teacher’s office hours if there are students receiving in-class support.

Special Education Teachers will keep a log of the time spent in remote, in-class support and direct instruction.. This will be commensurate with the time designated on the IEP. Students will also receive the Special Education IEP Progress Report and all Related Services while enrolled in Remote Instruction. This schedule will be devised by the Case Manager, Special Education Teacher or Service Provider and provided to both the student and parent.

All other services such as Dyslexia, ESL and RtI will occur at designated times and scheduled as a blend of Synchronous and Asynchronous instruction. Activities such as Amplify Reading or DreamBox will take place Asynchronously, while small group or one/one instruction will take place synchronously. The schedule will be provided to both the student and parent.

All special services Synchronous Instruction will occur at times that either coincide or do not interfere with general education teacher office hours.

Students will be expected to participate in daily virtual instruction with follow-up assignments. Assignments will need to be submitted to the teacher through their virtual classroom environment (via ClassLink and SeeSaw). Students must show proof of participation in daily activities in order to be counted ‘present’ for the school day. Compulsory attendance law still applies to virtual learning; students must attend class for 90% of the time to receive credit or a final grade for the course. More information on attendance can be found in the Student Handbook. Grades for virtual instruction will follow district grading guidelines.

Virtual Course Offerings Teachers will design online courses with the guidance and support of the SISD Curriculum & Instruction Department. These online courses will be housed in one of the learning management systems described below:

● Pre-K – 1st Grade: Teachers and students will work within the SeeSaw platform. Teachers will deliver lessons in a variety of methods including whole class ZOOM sessions, small group ZOOM sessions, pre-recorded lesson videos, and other selected embedded videos, etc. Assignments will be submitted via the SeeSaw App.

● 2nd – 12th Grade: Teachers and students will use Schoology to facilitate instruction and the submission of assignments. ZOOM will be used for whole group and small group direct instruction. Applications utilized in our Virtual Learning Program will (for the most part), be accessible through the Porcupine Portal (our ClassLink login portal).

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JsnLqU8kIwZeJvDaN2_e6bfytb_P2I2jgGW9612wSHc/edit?usp=sharing

https://launchpad.classlink.com/springtowntx


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Virtual Teachers

Current Springtown ISD teachers may apply to become virtual learning instructors. Preference will be given to teachers who meet requirements to be a virtual teacher based on the staffing needs of the district. Applicants will be expected to have certifications to teach courses in which they will be the teacher of record. All teachers will receive training specific to online instruction in the event that a school closure is necessary during the 2020-21 school year. The District’s virtual learning teachers will receive ongoing training in instructional technology. The District understands the importance of flexibility in this atmosphere; virtual learning teachers will be expected to be flexible in the event there is a change in the teacher workday’s start and end times, or in instances when parent contact or student feedback must occur outside of the traditional workday. Virtual teachers may be asked to work from their campus classrooms or another designated area in the District, and will shift back to in-person teaching at their home campus in the event it is no longer necessary for them to instruct virtually.

Assessments

Virtual learning students will take all local district assessments, and may be asked to complete proctored exams on-campus in certain situations. In addition, students will be required to take state assessments at designated times and locations. Students in grades 5 and 8 must meet the Student Success Initiative requirements for promotion.

Social-Emotional Learning

We understand the social and emotional impact this pandemic has had on our students. All students enrolled in virtual learning will have access to their home campus counselor. Additionally, social-emotional learning (SEL) will be built into the curriculum delivery for virtual students.


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Methods of Implementation for Consideration Using our data from the parent’s decision form, SISD will reconfigure the campus staff to assign teachers as either virtual or on-campus instructors. As the number of students may change over the course of the year, teacher assignments may also change to accommodate serving each student in either remote or online instruction. In the schedules provided, family input and perspective in their selected pathway was collected through family engagement surveys, emails, and virtual parent meetings. In order to maintain the movement of students between remote and on-campus learning it is paramount that we maintain fidelity in the classroom. As students potentially flow from remote to on-campus or on-campus to remote, our goal is to maintain a consistency in learning so students will maintain growth.

Material Design SISD staff will implement TEKS Resource System, Texas Home Learning (THL) 3.0, and various other TEKS-based, state-adopted instructional materials locally adopted by the district will be used. These resources will work to ensure vertical alignment is maintained and teachers are adhering to the standards. Student’s understanding of the content will be monitored in accordance with the campus assessment calendars to check for mastery of the standards. Teachers will reinforce any concepts that are below proficiency standards. Feedback to students and parents will follow to allow for parent, student, and teacher to be engaged in the learning process this school year. Specifically, to ensure coherence and continuity, SISD will leverage each resource in the following ways:


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Subject/ Course

Grade Level

Instructional Materials

Progress Monitoring and Assessment

Is it TEKS aligned, or how it will be adapted?

What resources are included to support students with disabilities?

What resources are included to support ELs?

Math Curriculum

K-12 *TEKS Resource System *TEKS-Resource Gap Tool *Implementing TEKS Resource *TEKS Resource Instructional Focus Document *Lead4ward Field Guides, Snapshots and Scaffolding

District Unit Assessment Eduphoria AWARE Universal Screeners TEA interim assessments District Benchmarks

TEKS Aligned

District Special Education Plan and RTI Support Plan

ELPS

Math THL 3.0

K-12 Digital Resources

Built-in Progress Monitoring

TEA developed

Imbedded support for 504, Sped

Imbedded linguistic, social and academic support and progress monitoring

Adoption HMH

K-12 Print with digital accessibility

Built-in assessment tools

TEA adopted

Some imbedded accommodations other accommodations and/or modifications will be provided to students based on their individualized education plan

Some Spanish Resources and ELPS embedded-other linguistic accommodations will be provided based on the determinations of the LPAC committee.

DreamBox K-4 Online Instructional Tool


TEKS Aligned

The product includes built-in supports for students with disabilities in each lesson

The product includes built-in supports for ELs in each lesson

IXL 5-12 Online Instructional Tool, Diagnostic, Analytics Online, Data Tool


TEKS Aligned




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Edgenuity 7-12 Online Instructional Tool


TEKS Aligned



ELAR Curriculum

PK-12 *TEKS Resource System *TEKS-Resource Gap Tool *Implementing TEKS Resource *TEKS Resource Instructional Focus Document *Lead4ward Field Guides, Snapshots and Scaffolding


TEKS Aligned


ELPS

ELAR THL 3.0



TEA developed



Adoption HMH

K-4 9-12

Print with digital accessibility and leveled readings


TEA adopted



Adoption Pearson

5-8 Print with digital accessibility and leveled readings


TEA adopted



Amplify Reading

K-4 Online Instructional Tool


TEKS Aligned




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Lexia Power Up

5-12 Online Instructional Tool


TEKS Aligned





TEKS Aligned



SLAR Curriculum

K-1 *TEKS Resource System *TEKS-Resource Gap Tool*TEKS Resource Instructional Focus Document *Lead4ward Snapshots and Scaffolding


TEKS Aligned


ELPS; Spanish Language Resources for Core Subjects

ELAR-Spanish THL 3.0



TEA developed



Adoption HMH

K-1 Print with digital accessibility and leveled readings


TEA adopted



Amplify Reading

K-1 Online Instructional Tool


TEKS Aligned


The product offers a Spanish version


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Science Curriculum

K-12 *TEKS Resource System *TEKS-Resource Gap Tool *Implementing TEKS Resource *TEKS Resource Instructional Focus Document*Lead4ward Field Guides, Snapshots and Scaffolding

District Unit Assessment Eduphoria AWARE TEA interim assessments District Benchmarks

TEKS Aligned


ELPS

Science THL 3.0



TEA developed



StemScopes 5-6 Digital Resource with videos, activities, demonstrations and virtual labs

Built-in Assessments

Lessons will be selected by teachers to align with TEKS Resource


Some Spanish Resources-other linguistic accommodations will be provided based on the determinations of the LPAC committee.

Adoption HMH



TEA adopted





TEKS Aligned




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Social Studies Curriculum

PK-12 *TEKS Resource System *TEKS-Resource Gap Tool *Implementing TEKS Resource *TEKS Resource Instructional Focus Document *Lead4ward Field Guides, Snapshots and Scaffolding

District Unit Assessment Eduphoria AWARE TEA interim assessments District Benchmarks

TEKS Aligned


ELPS

Social Studies THL 3.0



TEA developed



Studies Weekly



TEKS Aligned





TEKS Aligned



Pre-k Curriculum

PK *Prekindergarten Outcomes Framework

Universal Screener TEKS Aligned


ELPS

Frog Street PK Digital Resource

Built-in and teacher created assessments

Lessons will be selected by teachers to align with TEKS Resource


Some Spanish Resources-other linguistic accommodations will be provided based on the determinations of the LPAC committee.

ELAR THL 3.0

PK Digital Resources


TEA developed

Imbedded support for

Imbedded linguistic, social and academic


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504, Sped support and progress monitoring

Non-core

Secondary Electives

5-12 Edgenuity, iCEV, and Teacher-created for LMS

Built-in or Teacher-created

Teachers will monitor for alignment

Accommodations and/or modifications will be provided to students based on their individualized education plan

Linguistic accommodations for instruction, and designated supports for assessment, will be determined by the LPAC committee.

PE/Health K-4 Teacher-created for LMS





Music/Art K-4 Teacher-created for LMS





Technology Applications

K-4 Teacher-created for LMS





Social Emotional Learning

PK-12 Edgenuity and Counselor-created for LMS






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How will materials be designed or will be adapted for asynchronous instruction, ensuring coherence and retention on knowledge

SISD has planned to ensure a coherent, logical sequence of learning that will allow teachers to consistently provide opportunities to reinforce concepts to improve retention of knowledge as students move between learning environments

Grades PK through 4 will have a designated virtual learning teacher per grade that will follow the District Scope and Sequence and collaborate with face-to-face teachers.

Grades 5-12 will expect teachers to teach face-to-face learners and virtual learners simultaneously.

Instructional materials, activities, and assessments in both options will be the same content as provided in the classroom. When students return from the virtual environment, they will be able to adapt quickly to the face-to-face instruction provided all the necessary guidelines have been followed and met at the home during the home learning process.

What additional supports (in addition to resources listed above) will be provided for students with disabilities and ELs?

Support for Special Education & 504 Students SISD special education teachers will work with general education

teachers, students, and families to minimize barriers the student may experience in a remote setting. Our goal is to create multiple means of engagement through IEPs, 504 plans, IAPs to generate student interest and motivation for learning, represent the information and content differently by providing leveled and personalized learning, and provide more affirmative and corrective feedback.

Support for Bilingual & ESL Students Bilingual and ESL teachers will follow the general education guidance

and complete differentiated lesson plans whether virtual or face-to-face. Students and families will receive weekly one-on-one check-ins with Bilingual/ESL teacher or staff to communicate progress, plan interventions & acceleration, and convey detailed plan for the following week.

Support for Gifted & Talented Students GT 30-hours of training and relevant updates will be part of the

regular training for teachers at the beginning of the year PD and throughout the year.

The GT Program Coordinator will participate in bi-weekly PLCs with teachers to ensure that appropriate differentiation is embedded in the weekly lesson plans for GT students.

The GT Program Coordinator will also provide weekly synchronous and asynchronous personalized learning.


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Student Progress


What is the expectation for daily student engagement?

Students are required to be engaged daily with work; students who do not demonstrate engagement on a given day are marked absent.

Daily student engagement expectations and progress must be clearly defined, measurable, and published online for parents and students. Engagement expectations are defined by grade level and/or subjects/courses. These include but are not limited to:

o completing instructional tasks o answering questions or responding to posts or

discussion boards o submitting assignments o completing projects o submitting pictures of assignments and tasks o engaging in synchronous instruction o engaging in online instructional support programs

(Amplify Reading, IXL, etc.) Students are also encouraged to actively participate in

teacher office hours for any additional support and answers to questions they may have.

What is the system for tracking daily student engagement?

Student engagement will be tracked via any one of the three outlined methods:

Teacher interactions: Students may engage in synchronous learning with teachers and their class on a schedule defined by the teacher. Additionally, students will be checking in with teachers in the system at times that work for them during their schedule through on-demand and office hours.

Daily progress in the LMS: Students may participate in class

discussions or complete a short, formative assessment through the LMS to demonstrate progress and content understanding (based on where they are in their unit plans).

Assignment submissions: When a student submits an

assignment, they will be considered engaged.

Attendance Procedures:

o Daily attendance is taken by 9:00am every day. Teachers monitor and check for student "engagement" each day for the previous day

o Students that are not actively "engaged" and do not have documentation of completing the minimum targeted activities will be marked absent.

o Additionally, students have a late night engagement option for Virtual Learning Teachers, where students have until midnight of each day to be considered “engaged”; if a student was reported engaged until


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midnight the teacher will mark as present.

Student Engagement Log-6 Weeks

Student Engagement Log-9 Weeks

How are the expectations for daily student engagement consistent with progress that would occur in an on- campus environment?

Attendance will be tracked daily in the district’s LMS using the same process and protocol as is used during on-campus instruction. In addition, students who fall below 90% attendance for the time that the course is offered will not receive credit for the course, regardless of level of “engagement”, consistent with on-campus expectations.

All digital platforms and tools (i.e. Schoology, Seesaw, etc.) utilized on-campus will also be used in a remote asynchronous setting to maintain platform consistency. In addition, the method of tracking engagement is consistent with an on-campus learning environment because they mimic the ways in which students would interact with their teachers on-campus through daily minute expectations, progress tracking on learning objectives, activities completed, and coursework. Furthermore, these opportunities for engagement provide evidence that the student is making progress and engaging with their schoolwork daily.

Our daily engagement tracking and assessment data system is at the student unit level. Data will remain intact with the students as they transition through different modalities. Currently, the district is planning for a 1:1 device roll-out of Chromebooks (PK - 12). For face-to-face students, they will access assignments through the LMS in order to limit contact with paper materials. Those assignments will be submitted via the LMS. For remote virtual learning, there are dedicated times for synchronous activities and check-ins, allowing more interactions with teachers to provide evidence of engagement and progress. Virtual students will use the same process for accessing materials and submitting assignments.

What is the system for tracking student academic progress?

Student progress will be tracked daily through daily assignments, activities, interaction with a teacher and other markers.

Students will have passing grades at the end of each grading period (failure to have passing grades may result in non-enrollment in virtual learning and enrollment in face-to-face learning at the student’s assigned school for the following grading period).

Virtual Learners will follow the district District Grading Guidelines and all policies related to promotion, class rank, and credits earned.

Parents have full access to student work, interactions with teachers, assignment submissions and feedback through the LMS.

Parents also have full access to their students' grades through access to Family Access in Skyward. Teachers will be required to update grades weekly in both face-to-face and virtual learning environments as stated in the District Grading

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N-8dGbRTgUOKYEQqZj7UejcHhMZKRxfbPTe3Vpe_3Xs/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HJL7uBjpz9uTrG41CuXNaZ1BPMirU63PbyeBM6AHXQ0/edit?usp=sharing


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Guidelines. Skyward, Remind, email, and the LMS will also establish a

two-way communication channel between parents and teachers.

These expectations for student engagement and progress monitoring will be shared with parents at the start of the school year in the Virtual Learning Student Handbook that will list the expectations parents should have and the level of support they will be required to provide students if they opt for Virtual Learning. This includes the commitment for one full grading period before changes can be made.

What is the system for providing regular (at least weekly) feedback to all students on progress?

Teachers are expected to provide daily feedback in at least one capacity within the LMS.

Daily specific feedback from teachers to students is conducted through a variety of methods, via lessons, activities, or small group instruction and teacher office hours. The daily feedback mechanism allows students to have a clear understanding of their academic progress on a consistent and frequent basis.

With limited synchronous learning time, teachers will have additional time to provide interventions and/or small group instruction and office hours.

Teachers will review each individual student’s progress and conduct outreach for small group intervention sessions where and when appropriate. It is important to emphasize to teachers that feedback engagement is not limited to synchronous interactions, it can be done through discussion forums, chat features, email correspondence and other channels in accordance with what their students may prefer or find most effective.

The district will also conduct entry diagnostic assessments of math and reading at the beginning of the year and will continue (at the district level) the cadence of district common assessments. These include but are not limited to unit assessments, progress monitoring for RTI, universal screeners, and benchmarks/interim assessments.


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Implementation Classroom teachers and educators will need on-going support during this time. Campuses will create a Professional Learning team by combining the expertise of the principal, assistant principal, interventionists, and curriculum directors to support the campus staff. Professional Learning Community (PLC) practices will provide teachers in different settings (on-campus and remote) with a forum for sharing best practices and support for their peers and students. Although we know distance learning during the spring was a major challenge for teachers, we also recognize that in many cases the disruption for families has been even greater. Our goal this year is to help parents best support their child, learn how and when to intervene, and provide structure and balance in the home while providing instruction. Teachers/Instructional Paraprofessionals During the summer months, all SISD instructional staff participated in a minimum of six(6) hours of synchronous and/or asynchronous professional learning technology-related sessions. Topics included: Google Classroom for Beginners, Google Classroom Advanced, Google University, SeeSaw, Zoom, Screencastify, etc. Throughout the school year, teachers will also be trained in providing virtual learning to students. These training will ensure that instruction is effective and students are making adequate academic progress. Virtual learning teachers will be provided introductory and ongoing content-focused, job-embedded training focused on skills and content knowledge needed to deliver high-quality virtual instruction. The professional development calendar below highlights these professional development activities.

Virtual Learning Professional Development Calendar

Initial Training Ongoing Training PLC

Training Topics

The SISD calendar provides 10 days of inservice prior to the first day of school. During inservice instructional staff will participate in professional development that includes

Schoology (Grades 2-12)

Seesaw (PK-1st grade)

Tracking documents

Teachers will be training throughout the school year to provide ongoing support. The following topics will be covered through job-embedded PD:

Schoology Communicating

with parents and students

Assessments (MAP, mCLASS, Rapid 360)

Virtual Small-Group Instruction

Teachers will engage in the PLC process to ensure all students engaged in virtual learning are making academic progress. Teachers will analyze and respond to data during this process. This is done by addressing the four critical questions for professional learning communities: What is it we expect students to

learn? How will we know when they have

learned it? What will we do when they haven’t

learned it? How will we respond when some

students already know it?


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Instructional materials to support students with disabilities and ELs

Digital Tools

Family Engagement

Additional topics based on teacher feedback and need

Timeline August 10-21, 2020 Every two weeks Weekly

Pe

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for

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Teachers will provide feedback prior to training to identify needed supports

Teachers will complete a survey every other week to identify training needs. Once teachers are comfortable, the survey will be sent once every six weeks.

Needs for content knowledge support are identified and C&I supports teachers through the scheduled ongoing PD.


How will both initial and ongoing, job-embedded educator development opportunities occur?

Educators will participate in virtual training outlined above. They will have the opportunity to learn the necessary digital and content specific instructional tools to effectively deliver classroom instruction. A sample of the digital tools educators will gain proficiency in to facilitate courses include the following:

● G-Suite for Education, Seesaw, Schoology, Zoom, Remind A sample of the digital tools educators will gain proficiency in to deliver assessments and assignments:

● DreamBox, IXL Math, Lexia PowerUp, NWEA Map Growth, mClass, Amplify Reading, Edgenuity, Eduphoria, FlipGrid, PearDeck

Ongoing support for instructors:

For ongoing support, Curriculum & Instruction, Special Programs, and Digital Learning will provide virtual office hours and coaching support regularly by each content area.


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How will professional development experiences develop educator content knowledge to support internalizing the asynchronous curriculum and analyzing and responding to data?

Teachers will learn how to apply the strategies of a virtual and/or blended classroom in the context of specific content areas. The professional development experiences will be delivered virtually and address how certain virtual tools can be implemented in order to facilitate teaching a class in a specific subject. For example, an educator would attend a content specific session and be shown how to teach the class both face-to-face and asynchronously. In addition, Professional Learning Community (PLC) planning time is conducted every week for staff to connect with their peers and to build staff capacity in delivering on-campus and remote instruction. Through PLCs, staff will analyze data based on summative and formative assessments. SISD does not employ instructional coaches; however, we can utilize the strengths of our teachers to serve as trainers-of-trainers for various focus areas such as: Integrating Technology in the Classroom, How to Create Common Assessments, Video Recordings, Choice Boards, HyperDocs, Collaborative Learning via discussion boards in Schoology, Uploading Assignments, and Flipgrid. Job embedded support for teachers will include teacher observations, mentoring, coaching, examining student work, modeling, and a focus on analyzing high-impact instructional strategies.

Parents / Guardians

It is paramount that SISD students and families understand the expectations and importance of virtual learning during asynchronous instruction. Parent support will be provided training on technology integration in the home using Schoology and SeeSaw. In addition, social and emotional well-being will be provided by campus counselors to students, staff, and families. We will maintain strong communication with the families of students in special populations, continuing to gather feedback and to support students and their families. It is our expectation for staff, students, and families to maintain strong partnerships.


What are the expectations for family engagement/support of students?

A parent survey has been shared with an overview of face-to-face and virtual instruction to guide parents as they decide what is the best choice for their family. There will be several methods for disseminating expectations for asynchronous instruction to families including a parent agreement that parents will be required to sign before the school year begins.

Parents will also receive weekly communication via our LMS from each teacher.

Announcements and other important updates will be posted on the Springtown ISD website.

All calls including text and email will be sent out to all parents utilizing ParentLink and Remind.


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For real-time instructional support and delivery of content we will all communicate through ZOOM and GSuite (including Gmail, Docs, Classroom, Hangouts)

What additional supports, training, and/or resources will be provided for families who may need additional support?

Families will be expected to support their students by attending and engaging in the following events and practices:

Daily instructional support to the student. Open communication and checking on student progress regularly in each

class Support the use of technology tools to help access instruction Support students to complete their work in regular school hours If the student elects to take courses such as CTE in a face-to-face

environment, the parent/guardian will provide transportation Monthly virtual training meetings developed in a sequence of topics

determined by high-interest and parent suggestions (face-to-face can be scheduled as needed for families without internet access)

Websites o General Website- Primary online repository of all news and information

related to district business, operations, services and offerings operations, services and offerings

o Return 2 Learn Website-- Educational plans, resources, and activities to help families continue and facilitate learning at home during COVID-19 related school closures

Social Media, specifically Facebook, will be used to engage and inform community and parents.

COVID-19 Implementation Gap Plan

With the closure from March to May, we are expecting skill deficiencies. Although the teachers and learning coaches (parents/guardians or other adults in the home) may have taught the lessons, the depth of the concepts and expectations within the units may not have been met by all students. In order to support the foundational understandings of the concepts taught during the last 9 weeks, we are implementing a COVID-19 Implementation Gap Plan. This gap plan is outlined in 4 main areas below: Data Collection, Lesson Design, Interventions and Enrichments, and Support for Students, Teachers, and Families.


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Data Collection

Springtown ISD teachers will leverage or adapt and administer standards-aligned, leveled pre-assessments to collect data to be used as a starting point. Using the assessment data, personalized learning pathways will be developed. We will use formative assessments to gauge student progress and to adapt curriculum to support student learning. Quick checks (exit tickets, short quizzes) will also be implemented to track progress and level of mastery of understanding. Progress monitoring will be tracked and communicated through our Learning Management System. Formative assessments will be developed in conjunction with our campus and district assessment schedules and appropriately paced to correspond with our scope and sequence.

Resources: Texas Education Agency assessments, local unit assessments, IXL, Eduphoria, NWEA Map Growth/Skills, mCLASS, Rapid 360, DreamBox, Lexia Power Up

Lesson Design

Springtown ISD believes there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will work for every student, class, subject, or grade level. Instead, we will focus on high-quality lessons that are focused on individual student needs and on the state standards.

Springtown ISD will create a modified scope and sequence-based on the intentional alignment of standards missed as a result of lost instructional time. High priority/essential state standards will be identified for each core subject area.

Resources: Texas Home Learning 3.0, TEKS Resource System, PLC common planning, Scope and Sequence, District curriculum support documents

Academic Interventions and Enrichments

Springtown ISD will serve students in daily small group instruction during WIN Time to provide students with "What I Need." Data will determine the level of support and placement in the groupings. Study plans and student conferences will be used to provide a personalized approach to each student.

Resources: DreamBox, Amplify Reading, System 44/Read 180, Lexia Power Up, IXL, Do the Math!, mCLASS Intervention, Leveled-Literacy Intervention

Educator, Parent, and Student Support Classroom teachers and students need on-going supports during this time. Campuses will create a Professional Learning team by combining the expertise of the principal, assistant principal, interventionists, and curriculum directors to support the campus staff and families of remote learners and the students on-campus. Parent support will be provided training on technology integration in the home using Google Classroom and SeeSaw. In addition, social and emotional well-being will be provided by campus counselors to students, staff, and families.


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We will maintain strong communication with the families of students in special populations, continuing to gather feedback and to support students and their families. Professional Learning Community (PLC) practices will provide teachers in different settings (on-campus and remote) with a forum for sharing best practices and support for their peers and students. Although we know distance learning during the spring was a major challenge for teachers, we also recognize that in many cases the disruption for families has been even greater. Our goal this year is to help parents best support their child, learn how and when to intervene, and provide structure and balance in the home while providing instruction.

Devices & Internet Access Internet access and a technology device must be available for daily student use. For students who do not have a device in the home, Springtown ISD will prioritize the issuance of a student device. Families requesting virtual instruction without having reliable internet service will be prioritized for the issuance of district-owned “hot spots” when they become available.

Resources: Technology Training, Social-Emotional Support, Researched Best Practices, and Professional Learning Communities (PLC)

Selecting the Virtual Learning Option Students electing to enroll in the Virtual Learning option will be asked to commit to remaining in the virtual instruction setting for at least one grading period (nine weeks for PK - 4th grade and six weeks for 5th - 12th grade).

Prior to actually enrolling for the coming school year, students committed to Virtual Learning must complete an application. The District’s online registration portal (Skyward Family Access) will be available on our website and social media pages by July 29th. Links will be provided to previously enrolled students (from Spring ’20) through a ParentLink text and an email to their school account ending in “@springtownisd.us.” The deadline to apply will be two weeks prior to the beginning of school…promptly completing the application will be beneficial to all parties.

https://skyward.iscorp.com/SpringtownTXStuSTS/Session/Signin?area=Home&controller=FamilyAccess&action=Home


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Special Education Students who are eligible to receive special education services will continue to receive free appropriate public education (FAPE) if they choose to attend SISD virtual learning. The admission, review and dismissal (ARD) committee will meet to determine critical skills to be addressed during virtual learning. Although services will not mirror face-to-face service delivery, special education services will be provided through synchronous (direct) and asynchronous (indirect) models. Students will continue to have access to grade level content while receiving special education support and related services identified by the ARD committee. Students served in a self-contained classroom will also be able to enroll in virtual learning. The ARD committee, of which the parent is an essential member, will determine critical skills to be addressed during remote learning. Although services will not mirror face-to-face services, special education services will be provided through synchronous (direct) and asynchronous (indirect) models, which may alter the specialized supports and related services provided.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT’S FALL 2020 GUIDE.

https://www.springtownisd.net/cms/lib3/TX21000442/Centricity/Domain/23/_Springtown%20ISD%20Special%20Education%202020-2021%20Guidance%20Document.pdf

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