N O W M O R E T H A N E V E R , I T I S I M P O R T A N T T O Y O U R S C H O O L D I S T R I C TT H A T Y O U F E E L S A F E W H E N L E A R N I N G A N D W O R K I N G .
B E Y O N D T H E P H Y S I C A L D I S T A N C I N G G U I D E L I N E S , P E R S O N A L
P R O T E C T I V E E Q U I P M E N T R E C O M M E N D A T I O N SA N D A D D I T I O N A L S A N I T A T I O N M E A S U R E S , C L E A R C R E E K I S D P L E D G E S
T O K E E P C H I L D R E NF I R S T I N A L L D E C I S I O N S A N D M E A S U R E S T A K E N T O P R O T E C T T H E M
A N D T H E I R L E A R N I N GE N V I R O N M E N T .
T H I S P L E D G E E X T E N D S T O O U R A S P I R A T I O N T O E N S U R E T H A T - I N
T H E M I D S T O F C H A L L E N G I N G F A C T O R S - O U R S C H O O L S A N D F A C I L I T I E SR E M A I N P L A C E S O F
G E N U I N E W A R M T H A N D W E L C O M I N G S P I R I T .
B E A S S U R E D T H A T C C I S D E X P E R T S T A F F C O N T I N U O U S L Y M O N I T O R SA N D
A D A P T S Q U I C K L Y T O A N Y G U I D A N C E O R R E Q U E S T S F R O M T H EC E N T E R S F O R D I S E A S E C O N T R O L , L O C A L H E A L T H D E P A R T M E N T S A N D
T H E T E X A S E D U C A T I O N A G E N C Y .
T H A N K Y O U F O R S U P P O R T I N G O U R E F F O R T S A N D B E L I E V I N G I N O U RM I S S I O N T O E N S U R E E A C H S T U D E N T C A N A C H I E V E , C O N T R I B U T E A N D
L E A D W I T H I N T E G R I T Y .
W E R E M A I N C O M M I T T E D T O Y O U R S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H S OT H A T , T O G E T H E R , W E M A Y R E A L I Z E T H I S M I S S I O N E V E R Y D A Y .
Your school district has been planning to reopen schools since March. We are ready to roll those yellow buses in
your neighborhood, unlock the front doors of 45 schools, and welcome back 42,000 boys and girls.
I am confident and comfortable with our safety protocols because they are deeply rooted in the guidelines from the
Centers for Disease Control and the Texas Education Agency. Our school board has infused us with staffing,
technology, and the physical resources to successfully and securely reopen our schools. For example, we have
added 24 custodians. We have added aides to every campus to help each school nurse. We are hiring additional
bus drivers. We have placed an order to provide students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade laptops in the event
there is a need to move to remote learning.
We are ready to start brick and mortar school. But as we know, the pandemic continues to affect our community.
Although, I have been working closely with health authorities, physicians, school board members, the Texas
Education Agency and superintendents in our region to make the best decisions with the most accurate data, no
one has proclaimed to be an expert on this pandemic. The issue we have today is that there is not a single metric,
or goal to reach to declare it is “Safe to Return” to brick and mortar, despite our valid efforts to protect students
and staff from COVID-19. We still are seeking answers to those important questions from health authorities. We do
know that the positive test rates need to continue downward with a goal of 5% positive test rates but that is one of
several variables to be considered in multiple counties.
I, like many of my colleagues across the region believe the best environment for a child to receive quality
instruction is within the classroom, face-to-face albeit six feet apart from the teacher. We know our schools are the
hubs of the community. I am concerned about the increasing sense of isolation, depression and anxiety among
students. They need to be with their teachers, their friends, visit with the school counselor, and participate in the
activities that bring joy to their lives.
There are several phases to our current plan that will enable us to make sure our procedures and protocols are not
only adhered to but will change behavior to make sure our students and staff stay healthy. In phase 1, our 330
new teachers have reported to their respective campuses. The next phase brings in our 5,000 employees to get
ready for students through a variety of professional learning activities for online learning, as well as introducing our
Standard Operating Procedures to safely reopen CCISD. This will take place over a two-week period.
The third transition phase will bring in students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th Grade, 9th Grade and some self-
contained classes for students receiving special services who selected Brick and Mortar beginning August 31,2020. This amounts to approximately 9,200 students learning inside CCISD schools. While these three stages are
occurring, we will be monitoring our Standard Response Protocols and procedures.
On Monday, I will update the Board of Trustees with a plan that will extend the 3rd transition phase by one week,
which will bring the rest of the Brick and Mortar students on campus beginning September 14, 2020 in order to
adhere to the guidelines discussed with county health officials. Currently, over 60% of our parents have selected
Brick and Mortar for their children. I know moving the goal post down the field is a hardship for working families
and a disappointment to our kids who really want to get back into their schools. I want to resume normal
operations as soon as possible.
Despite this setback, let’s remain united and committed to working together. We are at our very best when we walk
through challenges hand in hand. We have done it before, and we will do it again. We continue to walk through
unknown territory, and I know our community has high expectations for this year and so do I, but please be patient
as there will be plenty speed bumps along the way that will make things somewhat messy from time to time. Our
Mission is to get better every day so your children can achieve, contribute and lead with integrity. View the
updated phase-in schedule on the next page.
Thank you,
Greg Smith, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
2S A F E L Y R E O P E N U P D A T E
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Click here to view previous live streams on a variety of topics relating to Safely Reopening CCISD.
Regular in-school instruction
CCISD instructors and
curriculum
All core and elective courses
Music, PE and Art for
elementary
Technology and learning
software
Transportation for eligible
students
Extracurricular activities
Counseling services
Health prevention measures
The Clear Creek Independent School District will hold in-school instruction with safety and
COVID-19 prevention measures in place as well as offer families a high-quality, rigorous and
engaging online experience through the newly-developed Clear Connections program.
Additionally, the school district has outlined an instructional model that provides for a continuation
of instruction in the event a classroom or a school must temporarily move to a School-to-Home
instruction model due to COVID-19.
Although there are no strategies to completely eliminate transmission risk in schools, we are
committed to keep transmission as low as possible in order to safely continue school.
Temporary due to class or
school closure
Teachers instruct from a
classroom
Real-time and self-paced
instruction
Modified school day schedule
Extracurricular activities
unavailable
Counseling services
Daily self health monitoring
Home internet and computer
required
K-12 online program of choice
Application required
CCISD curriculum and instructors
Real-time & self-paced instruction
Limited Edgenuity high school
courses
Formal class schedule
Daily attendance
Access to extracurricular activities
Parent as learning coach
Counseling services
Internet and computer required
Visit clearconnections.ccisd.net
L E A R N Y O U R W A Y
BRICK AND MORTAR INTERMITTENT SCHOOL-TO- HOMELEARNING
ONLINE LEARNING
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Students (as developmentally-appropriate and per CDC guidelines), staff and visitors will wear a face
mask/covering when entering a CCISD facility, in common areas such as hallways and cafeteria,
when not eating, and whenever a physical distance of 6 feet from another person is not possible.
CCISD is developing schematics for classrooms to achieve a 6-foot distance for students and
teachers however that may not be possible in all classrooms. When not possible, students and
teachers will wear a face covering. Individual needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
Requests for accommodations should be submitted in writing to campus administration.
All staff will be required to take a COVID-19 Health Assessment prior to coming to work every day.
Parents will be asked to administer the COVID-19 Health Assessment daily prior to sending their
children to school, take their temperature, and keep them home if ill.
Students and staff will follow current COVID-19 Return to School/Work Guidelines.
Individuals who develop symptoms of the COVID-19 illness will be sent to the school health clinic,
placed in isolation and sent home immediately. Parents/Guardians will need to make every effort to
receive children within 30 minutes.
Students will be instructed on methods to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 at school.
Students will be trained on proper hand washing techniques and participate in scheduled hand-
washing times throughout the day.
The Brick and Mortar plan is the traditional school environment. It is the District’s plan to reopen school
buildings on August 31 and September 14 for students unless otherwise determined by State authorities.
To address the current COVID-19 environment, Clear Creek ISD has developed a set of health and
prevention measures for all staff, students and visitors and such measures tighten or loosen dependent on
the COVID-19 Stage Protocol (see page 9) a school or facility is operating.
The school day will be extended by 10 minutes to allow students and staff additional
time to properly wash their hands and follow important health protocols.
The Superintendent of Schools, the Coordinator of CCISD Health Services, and the
COVID-19 Response Coordinator will monitor internal data and information from
the health departments to determine whether a school or facility shall move from one stage to another.
The factors for such decisions may be subject to change to account for the situation at that time.
Parents and staff will receive daily communication to inform them of the current stage,
number of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the school building, if any, at 5 p.m. every day via email and
on www.ccisd.net.
Clear Creek ISD will follow all state and federal requirements, rely on local health experts for guidance in
decision-making, and adopt reasonable practices while maintaining an effective learning environment.
BRICK AND MORTAR PLAN
PERSONAL PROTECTION
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Individuals who proceed beyond the reception area will follow specific guidelines for visitors.
All visitors entering the building must sanitize hands upon entry.
Visitors proceeding beyond the secure vestibule area will be subject to screening by way of a
symptom screening form.
Visitors and staff will adhere to safety protocols including physical distancing for meetings.
Cleaning/disinfecting will occur after each meeting.
Campuses will utilize online meeting options to limit campus visitors when possible. All visitors who
enter the building will be required to wear a face covering at the start of the school year. As the year
progresses, this requirement may be moved to a recommendation as long as COVID-19 community
spread is greatly reduced.
PROTOCOLS FOR CAMPUS VISITORS
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Frequent cleaning and disinfecting will occur throughout the school day.
Nightly deep cleaning.
Each classroom and restroom will be cleaned/disinfected at the end of each day.
All high touch areas will be disinfected throughout the 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.
The cafeteria will be disinfected regularly.
Staff will have access to supplies to clean/disinfect working surfaces and shared objects after each
use and during breaks in instruction.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout the building in common areas.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING PROTOCOLS
Eligible bus riders may register for bus transportation through Back-to-School Forms between July
13 and August 10, 2020.
Hand sanitizer will be available when boarding the bus.
All bus drivers will wear face coverings/masks.
All students, as developmentally-appropriate and per CDC guidelines,
will wear face coverings/masks while riding the bus.
Buses will be cleaned/disinfected between each transportation run and at the end of the day.
Transportation staff will be trained in proper cleaning/disinfecting procedures.
All Clear Creek ISD vehicles will be equipped with cleaning and disinfecting supplies.
Cafeteria and serving areas will be cleaned between uses.
Lunches served by CCISD child nutrition will be “Grab and Go.”
Students may eat in various locations throughout the building to maximize social distancing.
Cafeteria, serving, and eating areas will be cleaned between uses.
Signage and staff will reinforce social distancing throughout the cafeteria.
All CCISD child nutrition staff will use face coverings/masks and gloves while performing job
responsibilities and will be trained to practice health and hygiene regulations.
In response to COVID-19, Clear Creek ISD encourages all families, with the ability to do so, to
transport their children to and from school. Bus transportation will be offered; however, the standard
number of transported students compromises the ability to socially distance. For this reason,students utilizing bus transportation will be required to wear face coverings/masks at all timeson board as developmentally-appropriate.
To minimize foot traffic in the building and to allow for adequate physical distancing for students
during eating periods, no outside food deliveries will be accepted and there will be no visitorsallowed in the cafeteria. 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.
TRANSPORTATION
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
5
ARRIVAL, DISMISSAL & TRANSITION
Parents will not be permitted to walk students inside the school building beyond the secure
vestibule without a mask.
Each group of students will be directed to a designated location prior to the start of school.
Water fountains will not be accessible. Students should bring water to school.
Hand sanitizer stations will be placed at entrances, exits and common areas throughout the
building.
All areas of the building (gym, cafeteria, larger classrooms, common areas, etc.) will be utilized
to limit the size of student groupings.
Dismissal exit points will be established.
Campuses will implement staggered release procedures.
Students will be released directly from their classroom whenever possible.
Transition time of students will be limited as much as possible during the school day. Whenever
possible, teachers in grades PK-5 will rotate into the classrooms to limit student
transitions. Students in grades 6-8 (intermediate) and 9-12 (high school) will have a campus
schedule designed to limit student transitions during the school day.
Parents are asked to assist campus staff in the implementation of arrival and dismissal plans. Whentransporting or walking children to school, please follow all signage, drop off and pick upchildren at the appropriate locations, and quickly exit the parking lots.
CLASSROOM CONFIGURATIONS AND PROCEDURES
Visual reminders of distancing requirements in all classrooms, marking off areas for common
spaces and distancing best practices.
Access to alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
It is our promise to maintain a warm and inviting learning environment in our classrooms while
simultaneously following health guidelines.
Specifically, if it is not possible to distance students 6-feet apart in a classroom, students and staff
will wear a face mask/covering. If it is possible to keep a physical distance of 6 feet and students
are sitting alone, they may remove their face covering as permitted by their teacher. CCISD will
adhere to any State or County executive orders which may require face coverings at all times.
Each classroom will have the following:
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Access to disinfectant supplies to sanitize working surfaces.
Desks or tables will be physically distanced as much as spatially possible.
Shared supplies will be limited and cleaned between uses.
Based on district guidance, teachers will develop, teach, and implement procedures that:
Limit student movement within the classroom such as turning in assignments, materials being
passed out, etc.
Establish student responsibilities to clean personal areas and materials/supplies.
Reinforce hand washing protocols and intermittent use of hand sanitizer.
Reduce the use of large table seating in classrooms and replace with desks when possible.
If tables are used, limit the number of students per table to provide as much social distancing
as possible.
To the extent possible, locked doors will be propped open between classes to minimize
contact with doors and door handles by students and staff entering or exiting classrooms.
Hand sanitizer will be available in gym areas and equipment will be sanitized on a regular
basis.
Locker room use will be determined by TEA/UIL. If locker rooms can be accessed, all locker
room space will be utilized to follow social distancing guidelines.
Bus travel will follow transportation guidelines provided by CCISD and TEA.
Spectator attendance at games and contests may be limited based on TEA and UIL guidelines.
Ticketing for events may be utilized to control capacity of facilities.
Event procedures will be in place to minimize face-to-face interactions.
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 enforce social distancing.
Concessions and/or concession sales may be limited to encourage social distancing and to
follow health and safety guidelines.
Extracurricular/Cocurricular activities, practices and competitions will be conducted following safety
protocols provided by CCISD, University Interscholastic League (UIL), and the Texas Education
Agency (TEA). This will include health screening, group sizes, sharing and sanitizing of equipment,
locker room usage, etc.
Click here for the most recent guidance from UIL regarding fall sports and performing arts.
EXTRACURRICULAR AND STUDENT ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES
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School-wide indoor pep-rallies will not be held during the Fall semester.
Outdoor pep-rallies or gatherings must include appropriate social distancing.
Assemblies and student activities must adhere to recommended social distancing.
Hand washing or hand sanitation stations will be available for any activity.
Use of face coverings should be implemented per face mask protocols.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Visual markers will be on the gym floor and bleachers as reminders of social distancing rules.
Locker room and class size will be determining factors when it comes to dressing out for secondary
physical education classes.
Students will be placed in smaller, appropriate groups for instruction and activities for appropriate
social distancing.
Students will need to provide their own water bottles.
Restroom use will be the practice of “one in and one out.” Equipment will be disinfected after each
use.
Any activities bringing students into close physical contact will be avoided. Activities requiring
multiple students to touch or handle the same equipment will be avoided.
Sanitizing areas and access to handwashing will be provided.
Whenever possible, physical education classes will be held outside to allow for maximum social
distancing between students.
COVID-19 STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL
The Clear Creek Independent School District has created a standard response in the event there is a
case or cases of confirmed COVID-19 among students or staff. Each facility will be operating at Stage
5 at the start of the school year. While the protocols that follow provide District leadership guidance on
how to respond, the school district will always err on the side of caution and may take additional steps
in any one stage.
At the end of each school day, no later than 5 p.m., parents and staff members at each campus will
receive an email with an update.
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COVID-19 STANDARD RESPONSEPROTOCOL
Prevention
Persons who came in close contact of an individual with a confirmed case ofCOVID-19 will be contacted and advised to follow CDC health guidelines. Affected area is closed for deep cleaning.Self-health monitoring, prevention information and stay home if ill communicationto all persons at the facility.A short-term closure of the facility may be necessary.
One or more confirmed case(s) of COVID-19 at one facility.
Modified OperationsIndividuals in that area will be advised to self-quarantine per CDC guidelines.Students and staff impacted move to School-to-Home learning model.Affected area is closed for deep cleaning.Self-health monitoring, prevention information and stay home if ill reminders sentto all persons at the facility.A short-term closure of facility may be necessary.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases in one specific area (ie: classroom) reaches 10%.
Facility Closure
District Closure
Health prevention measures are in place.Daily intensive cleaning and frequent cleaning of common areas.Limited visitor access.Monitoring virus trends in the community via health departments.
No confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff or students.
Mitigation
Entire facility and activities will be closed for a minimum of two days.All students and staff move to School-to-Home learning model.Those in close contact of the confirmed COVID-19 positive persons will beasked to follow CDC guidelines. District-wide communication to staff/parents with self-health monitoringguidance.
Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 cases exceed 10% of facility occupancy.
All CCISD facilities close for a minimum of 14 days.Students and staff move to School-to- Home learning model.Disinfection of all facilities and school buses.All auxiliary areas such as playgrounds and athletic fields are closed.Extracurricular activities are cancelled.
Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 cases exceed 10% of occupancy in 10 facilities.
STAGE5
STAGE3
STAGE2
STAGE1
STAGE4
Decisions are made with the best information at the time and are subject to change with limited notice.
Students will have a formal start and end time of the school day during School-to-Home learning.
Daily attendance will be required.
Students will receive direct authentic instruction from their teachers as well as participate in group
and individual work.
CCISD traditional grading system is maintained including GPA and Class Rank.
Teachers will be in a CCISD classroom, delivering instruction in real-time a large portion of the day.
Internet and computer access is necessary for K-12. Individual technology needs will be addressed.
In the event a classroom or a school has 10% of the student/staff population with COVID-19 at one time,
or otherwise determined by the Superintendent of Schools, students will move to intermittent School-to-
Home Learning. This is not the Clear Connections Online Learning Program nor will it be programming
similar to that of the Spring 2020 emergency closure. In a School-to-Home learning model, students will
temporarily learn from home and their teacher(s) work remotely in a classroom and deliver instruction in
real time (synchronous instruction) as well as self-paced work (asynchronous instruction).
INTERMITTENT SCHOOL-TO-HOME
CLEAR CONNECTIONS
Enrollment is through an online application. Applications will be open July 13-August 10, 2020 via
Skyward Family Access. Please visit clearconnections.ccisd.net for more information.
Students must remain in the online program for a minimum of one grading period before
transitioning, if they choose, to the Brick and Mortar plan.
Internet and computer access are required during the school day Monday through Friday.
Clear Connections Online Learning Program is an option for families who, even with all the
preventative measures in place, do not feel comfortable sending their children to school, especially
children who are medically fragile. Clear Connections is delivered completely virtually with CCISD
teachers providing real-time (synchronous) and self-paced (asynchronous) instruction. Clear
Connections is offered in grades K-12. At the high school level, course offerings include core content
courses, Pre-AP and AP courses, and electives. Not all courses available at the home campus are
offered online. All required courses for graduation will be offered through Clear Connections.
Students will have a formal class schedule and daily attendance will be taken. Clear Connections will
have a full-time principal and counselor available to support students and parents.
Students who are enrolled in Clear Connections are still tied to their home campus and are eligible to
participate in extracurricular activities such as fine arts, athletics and robotics. Transportation must be
provided by parents.
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Parental support and supervision is necessary for a student to be successful.
Gifted and Talented services are offered through clustering at the elementary level, and Pre-AP
and Advanced Placement in the secondary level.
Special education services as determined by an Individualized Education Plan.
Clear Creek ISD is designing Clear Connections to meet the educational needs of students who
choose to learn from home. As we strive to duplicate course offerings in both physical and virtual
settings, some special programs such as Dual Language, WAVE, Science Magnet, and ESTEM,
are not available in Clear Connections at this time due to staffing limitations. This is subject to
change based on the number of students who enroll in Clear Connections from these special
programs.
CCISD's traditional grading system will be used for Clear Connections, including GPA and class
rank tied back to the student's home campus.
The student will participate in all required coursework and online lessons during normal school
hours.
The student will participate in all tutoring sessions required by the teachers.
For high school credited courses, students may need to take proctored major assessments at a
In order to continue in online learning once enrolled, the following requirements must be met:
designated campus on assigned days and times.
Please visit clearconnections.ccisd.net for more information.
Teacher professional learning on social and emotional learning (SEL) and trauma-informed
classrooms.
Student in-class and online activities on CCISD core values, social and emotional learning,
following specific SEL competencies (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness,
Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making).
Mental health supports for students and employees.
Regardless of the learning model, all Clear Creek ISD students will receive social and emotional
support every day. Implementation of social and emotional learning will include:
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING
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Please Note: The details on this document are subject to change as directives areprovided by governing authorities and/or health officials or as environmental
conditions change.