Students who attend in-person learning (come into the school building) will participate in a traditional academic, extracurricular, and co-curricular schedule following the bell schedule for that campus. Students will be expected to follow all health and safety protocols in place at the campus.

Per standard attendance requirements, students must be present for 90% of the required days of learning to be promoted to the next grade level or receive credit towards graduation, if in high school. The truancy process will be followed in accordance with state law (TEC, §25.092) if a student is not present for 90% of the days. Students are expected to engage each day and participate in the learning.  It is required by the state that the district follow the curriculum (TEC, §28.002) and district grading policies will be enforced.

Students who begin learning in person but want to switch to remote learning must wait until the end of the grading period to make the transition.

Table of Contents

• Identifying Possible COVID-19 Cases on Campus
• Individuals Confirmed or Suspected with COVID-19
• Required Actions if Individuals with lab-confirmed Cases Have Been in a School

Identifying Possible COVID-19 Cases on Campus

• Schools must immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school until the student can be picked up by a parent or guardian.  The parent or guardian is expected to come pick up the student immediately.
• Schools will clean and sanitize the areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school (student, teacher, or staff) as soon as is feasible.
• Students who report feeling feverish will be given an immediate temperature check to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.
•  The district is tracking reported cases and recoveries via the COVID-19 Dashboard. The site will be updated every week day by 5 pm.

Individuals Confirmed or Suspected with COVID-19

Any individuals who themselves either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 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 below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:

• In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:
  1. at least one day (24 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
  2. the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and,
  3. at least ten (10) days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

• If a student exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 while on campus, the parent or guardian must pick up their student immediately and should contact their family physician.
• 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 three-step set of criteria listed above.
• If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay-at-home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) obtain an acute infection test (at a physician’s office, approved testing location, or other site) that comes back negative for COVID-19.

Required Actions if Individuals with Lab-Confirmed Cases Have Been in a School

• If an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, EMS ISD must notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Schools must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed case (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfaces in those areas can be disinfected, unless more than seven (7) days have already passed since that person was on campus.
• Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, EMS ISD must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers or staff who participate on any on-campus activities.
• For any day the school system closes a campus as a result of a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, remote instruction will be provided; however, campuses may remain closed to on campus instruction for up to 10 consecutive days per the Tarrant County Health Department (including the original closure) day for all students to participate in remote instruction. 

Table of Contents

• Reference Charts - COVID Symptoms, Visitor Screenings 
• Staff
• Parent Reminders
• Screening Parents and Students 
• Visitors
• Symptoms
• Close Contact NEW INFO!
• Screening Questionnaire Information

Reference Charts - COVID Symptoms, Visitor Screening

• COVID Symptoms
• Visitor Screening - Updated 8/31/2020

Staff
EMS ISD will require teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. The self-screening will include teachers and staff taking their own temperatures. Teachers and staff must report to the school system if they themselves have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry. Additionally, they must report to the school system if they have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, must remain off campus until the 10-day incubation period has passed.

Parent Reminders
Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms or is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and instead should opt to receive remote instruction until the conditions for re-entry are met. Parents may also opt to have their students receive remote instruction if their child has had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19 until the 10-day incubation period has passed. Parents may contact their child’s administration or counselor to request this change.

Screening Parents and Students
EMS ISD may screen students and parents. Screening is accomplished by asking questions by phone or other electronic methods and/or in person. The screening questions should also be asked of a student’s parent/guardian if that parent/guardian will be dropping off or picking up their child from inside the school. Regularly performing a forehead temperature check of otherwise asymptomatic students in school is not recommended, but the practice is also not prohibited by TEA guidance.

Visitors
EMS ISD must screen all visitors before they are allowed onto campuses to determine if the visitors have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, the visitor must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry.

Additionally, EMS ISD must screen to determine if visitors have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, the visitor must remain off campus until the 10-day incubation period has passed. When practical, screening questions could be supplemented with temperature checks of adults.

Parents and students' guests will not be allowed in the building for non-academic purposes (e.g., lunch, walking students to class, etc.)

Symptoms

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit 
• Loss of taste or smell 
• Cough 
• Difficulty breathing 
• Shortness of breath 
• Fatigue o Headache 
• Chills 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion or runny nose 
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering 
• Significant muscle pain or ache 
• Diarrhea 
• Nausea or vomiting 

Close Contact
This document refers to “close contact” with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. The definition of close contact is evolving with our understanding of COVID-19, and individual 9 scenarios should be determined by an appropriate public health agency. In general, close contact is defined as: a. being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on); or b. being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes; however, additional factors like case/contact masking (i.e., both the infectious individual and the potential close contact have been consistently and properly masked), ventilation, presence of dividers, and case symptomology may affect this determination. 

Screening Questionnaire Information
1. When asking individuals if they have symptoms for COVID-19, school systems must only require the individual to provide a “Yes” or “No” to the overall statement that they are symptomatic for COVID-19, as opposed to asking the individual for specific symptom confirmation. School systems are not entitled to collect information during screening on the specific health information of an individual beyond that they are symptomatic. 

 Table of Contents

• Overview
• Health and Hygiene 
• Campus Cleaning 
• Masks - NEW 3/30/2021
• Use of Non-Classroom Spaces
• Cafeteria
• Playgrounds, Outdoor Spaces, Athletics Facilities 
• Visitors to Schools

Overview 

The EMS ISD Reconnect 2020 plan provides an overall framework for districtwide health safety measures and operations. Additionally, each campus has developed a health safety plan specific to the layout and operations of their individual buildings. While there are a lot of moving parts to the reopening plan, district and campus leaders continue working diligently to think through and plan for as many scenarios as possible to implement the best precautions we can at our campuses and facilities. This includes requiring/providing face coverings for all students and staff; installing dividers* for student desks and in school offices and common areas; adjusting indoor spaces to maximize distance among students and staff; obtaining and installing personal protective equipment; implementing robust cleaning and sanitizing protocols; conducting specific training for staff, and more. Please see below for specific details.

Health and Hygiene

• Plastic desk partitions will be used in classrooms to provide additional separation of students. Where partitions are not feasible, additional precautions to maximize distancing will be made.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers will be installed at all main entrances at all district facilities. Portable, stand-alone dispenser stations also will be delivered to each facility for use wherever campus administration deems necessary. Specific locations will be defined in each campus’ Safe Return to School Operational Procedures Plan.
• Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors will be asked to sanitize and/or wash hands frequently.
• Students will engage in handwashing for at least 20 seconds at least two times each day and after using the restroom and before eating.
• Schools will teach students good handwashing techniques.
• Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors will be encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and if not available, covered in their elbows. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash, hands should be washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or hand sanitizer should be used.
• On the first day a student attends school on campus, EMS ISD will provide instruction to students on appropriate hygiene and other health safety practices adopted in the local school system.

Campus Cleaning

• Campuses will institute more frequent cleaning practices, including additional cleaning and sanitization by custodial staff, as well as provide the opportunity for children to clean their own spaces before and after they are used, in ways that are safe and developmentally appropriate.
• Schools will arrange for cleaning and disinfecting of commonly touched surfaces in classrooms between different class groups, if the same room will be used by multiple class groups. This could include objects such as shared tables/desks, shared supplies such as art supplies, and at high school, touch-powered devices such as shared laptops or tablets.

District custodial staff will implement the following measures within district facilities:

• Access to, and regular use of, additional disinfectant resources including electrostatic sprayers.
• More frequent cleaning and disinfecting of common areas and high-touch surfaces during the day and at the end of each day. This includes doorknobs, handrails, etc.
• Disinfect all locations nightly utilizing cleaners approved by the EPA for use in treating COVID-19. The disinfectant meets or exceeds guidelines set by the CDC.
• Adjust custodial schedules so more staff can be onsite during the day to provide timely cleaning and disinfecting when students and employees are present.
• Per standard practice, ensure cleaning products are stored safely, including storing harmful products where children cannot access them, and ensuring that harmful cleaning products are not used near children.
• EMS ISD custodial staff will be trained in best practices for sanitization on campuses and throughout district buildings. Custodial supervisors will monitor CDC guidelines to ensure district procedures align with the most current recommendations. Trainings will be documented, signed, and dated by each employee.

Masks - NEW 3/30/2021

For the purposes of the EMS ISD Reconnect 2020 learning plan, masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks or cloth face coverings to protect nose and mouth. Full-face shields may be used to supplement face coverings, but are generally not sufficient to be worn alone unless in an activity as described below. We are continuing to review and provide updates based on guidance from the CDC, Tarrant County Public Health, Texas Education Agency, and Office of the Governor. 

Use of Non-Classroom Spaces

As is the case in typical years, school systems with policies that allow it may open facilities to the public. Operation of the facilities should be done consistent with the governor’s executive orders for similar activities.

• When feasible and appropriate (for example, in physical education classes as weather permits), it is preferable for students to gather outside, rather than inside, because of likely reduced risk of virus spread outdoors.
• Campuses will develop building-specific plans for entry, exit, and transition procedures (such as passing periods) that reduce large group gatherings of students and/or adults in close proximity.
• Depending on local conditions, schools will reduce or eliminate assemblies and other activities that bring large groupings of students and/or teachers and staff together.
• Restrooms will be monitored throughout the day to ensure they are clean and disinfected, and are supplied with soap and other necessary supplies.
• Campuses will encourage students to practice social distancing of six feet or more when using common spaces such as cafeterias, libraries, etc. Masks will be required in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order except when eating or where feasible and developmentally appropriate. Enhanced cleaning and sanitization of common areas will be conducted more frequently as feasible.

Cafeteria

Cafeteria meal services will continue at both elementary and secondary levels with additional safety and sanitization practices implemented:

• Serving lines will be sanitized between each class or table, depending on how campus administration manages the release of students to the serving lines.
• All Child Nutrition staff will continue to wear gloves and face masks.
• Shields will be placed at cash register stations to provide added protection for students and staff.
• Sneeze guards will be in place and students will have no contact with food that is not theirs in the serving line.
• All breakfast will be “grab-and-go” in a bag to reduce congregating.
• Salad bars will not be open while enhanced health safety measures are in place.
• “Grab-and-go” a la carte items will continue to be individually wrapped and all condiments will be prepackaged.
• Service times will be adjusted as needed to meet the needs of each campus.
• Meal service will move to a cashless system to limit handling of cash payments. Parents are requested to utilize the MySchoolBucks system to purchase meals for students. No change will be given; all cash or check payments will be deposited on student accounts. Refunds will be provided via check (no cash) upon request through the Child Nutrition office.
• All Child Nutrition staff will participate in training in additional health safety protocols for meal service.

Visitors to Schools

Parents/guardians and other adults can visit schools IF it is critical to the academic success of the student and essential to school operations. During these visits, parents/guardians and other visitors must follow virus prevention and mitigation requirements of the school. To minimize potential exposure, parens/guardians and any other guests will not be allowed in the building for non-academic purposes (e.g., lunch, walking students to class, ect.). Review the Required Visitor Screening overview.

Every campus has developed a safety plan outlining procedures for students' return to in-person learning beginning Sept. 8. The district has provided an overall framework for general health and safety guidelines, and campuses have built upon that framework to create a plan best suited for its staff and students. The plans are linked below and can also be found on each campus page.

Elementary

• Bryson
• Chisholm Ridge
• Comanche Springs
• Copper Creek
• Dozier
• Eagle Mountain
• Elkins
• Gililland
• Greenfield
• High Country
• Lake Pointe
• Northbrook
• Parkview
• Remington Point
• Saginaw
• Willow Creek

Middle

Table of Contents

• Difference between Spring 2020 Distance Learning and 2020-2021 Choice Remote Learning
  
• Choice to Continue Remote Learning
• Application for Remote Learning
• Learner, Parent, Teacher, Campus Commitments
• Student Code of Conduct
• Students who Receive Special Services (504, dyslexia, special education, GT, ESL)
• Social/Emotional Well-being
• Instructional Technologist Supports
• Interventionists Supports
• Curriculum
• Sample Schedules

Difference between Spring 2020 Distance Learning and 2020-2021 Choice Remote Learning

EMS ISD developed the Spring 2020 Distance Learning plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a crisis response that had to be implemented quickly and efficiently. The district determined it was critical to continue providing the best learning opportunity for every student.  Teachers followed the standard curriculum so that students did not lose their learning from the year and were prepared for the 2020-2021 school year with little deficit. Due to trying to provide equity for all students with technology, devices, and access to internet, a Pass (PL)/Fail (FL) option was implemented and the Spring 2020 semester did not count towards a student’s grade point average (GPA).

The 2020-2021 Remote Learning plan will not be the same model as the spring distance learning. EMS ISD will follow a defined asynchronous instructional model, which is far more self-guided student instruction. Asynchronous instruction is a curricular experience where students engage daily in the learning materials, interacting intermittently with the teacher via the computer or other electronic devices or over the phone. Asynchronous instruction does not require having the teacher/instructor and student engaged at the same time every day, all day; however, students will be expected to engage in their coursework during regular school hours so they may participate at a specific date and time for instruction if required by the teacher. In this method, students learn from instruction that may be delivered in real time, as well as through various forms of digital and online learning such as prerecorded video lessons or learning tasks that students complete on their own, and pre-assigned work and formative assessments.  Per state requirements, districts must follow the TEKS-based curriculum (TEC, §28.002) and school grading policies for remote student work must be consistent with on campus assignments. 

Under Texas Education Agency regulations, homeschool or private school students who were not enrolled in a Texas public school in 2019-2020 and enroll in EMS ISD for 2020-2021 will only be allowed to participate in on-campus instruction. This limitation does not apply to: (a) students who transition from early education programs, where no entitlement to enroll in the public school existed, to public school; (b) students who transfer in from outside the state; (c) students whose prior year private school does not offer the appropriate grade level (e.g., a private school ends at 6th grade so students moving on to 7th grade would no longer be able to attend the private school); (d) students whose private schools are either no longer in operation or are not offering remote instruction for the 2020–2021 school year; (e) students who were enrolled in a public school in Texas for a portion of the 2019-20 school year, even though they were also enrolled in a private school, including a home school, for a portion of the 2019-20 school year; or (f) students who receive remote instruction for a portion of the 2020-21 school year, but not the entire year. 

Choice to Continue Remote Learning

Parents who wish for their child(ren) to continue remote learning for the 2020-2021 school year must virtually attend an orientation, commit to their child’s engagement daily with the teacher and/or the learning platform (TEAMS for elementary and CANVAS for secondary), and to complete all assignments and timelines for grading. Parents will submit the form online. Parents are not required to make this commitment more than two weeks prior to the beginning of any grading period. Remote Learning will be a more self-guided format with guidance from a remote learning teacher.

Application for Remote Learning

Parents who wish for their child(ren) to attend remote learning for the 2020-2021 school year must virtually attend an orientation, commit to their child’s engagement daily with the teacher and/or the learning platform (TEAMS for elementary and CANVAS for secondary), and to complete all assignments and timelines for grading. Parents will submit the application online. Once received, it will be reviewed by an EMS ISD placement committee. Once the approval is finalized, the campus will contact the parent and students of the admission status.

Learner, Parent, Teacher, Campus Commitments

To support their child in remote learning, the parent will commit to:

• The child engaging each day with the teacher and/or the learning platform (TEAMS for elementary and CANVAS for secondary).
• Ensuring that the student completes all assignments and turns them in on time for grading.
• Staying in contact with the teacher to understand how to assist their child with learning.
• Ensuring the student is participating during regular campus school hours.

 To be a remote learner, the student will commit to:

• Participating and engaging each day through both teacher-guided and student-driven learning time.
• Completing each assignment and submitting to teacher by due dates.
• Completing each day’s assignments within the learning platform of TEAMS/CANVAS.
• Participating in each class during regular school hours each day.
• Following the EMS ISD Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.

 To teach remote learning, the teacher will commit to:

• Understanding their content, learning pedagogy, being highly qualified, technologically skilled, and attending social/emotional and remote learning training.
• Providing instruction through TEAMS/CANVAS following the EMS ISD curriculum and scope and sequence (TEC, §28.002).
• Following the EMS ISD Grading and Reporting Handbook.
• Partnering with the parent and student to provide additional supports through tutoring and intervention during regular school hours.

To support remote learning students and teachers, the campus will commit to:

• Providing a device for instruction, if needed, which will have the software required to complete all lessons. Usage of the device will go through the district server and may be monitored by the EMS ISD Technology Department.
• Providing ongoing support for the student, parent, and teacher.

Student Code of Conduct

Students in both in-person and choice remote learning will follow the EMS ISD Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. 

Students who Receive Special Services (504, dyslexia, special education, GT, ESL)

Students will continue to receive special services or participate in specialized programming. Students may be expected to participate during specific dates and times to receive services remotely.

• For any students who have an IEP for whom the schedule of services may need to be reviewed, the Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) committee will convene to determine the student’s educational needs and schedule of services.
• For students who receive 504 accommodations, a 504 committee may convene to determine any revision to the current Section 504 plan.
• For students currently receiving dyslexia services, therapy will continue through both in-person and remote learning.

Social/Emotional Well-being

Students in need of counseling supports will have virtual access to their home campus counselor, social worker, and intervention counselor. Parents may work with their home campus counseling team to determine the best needs of supports and resources. 

Instructional Technologist Supports

Students, parents, and remote learning teachers will have access to our technology and instructional technology supports. For assistance with device care and software understanding, please call the Help Desk at 817-847-2990. Teachers in need of remote learning support will have direct access to the campus instructional technical specialist and can contact the IT department throughout the day for instructional assistance.

Interventionist Supports

Students who have been identified for academic intervention support will be contacted by a campus interventionist to determine the specific times to receive the additional instruction during normal school hours. Remote learners who will receive their supports with other students will be expected to participate virtually at a time designated by the campus.

Curriculum

Choice remote learning will follow the state curriculum per TEC, §28.002. Students in-person and in remote learning will follow the same scope and sequence. More information is available in the Choice Remote Learning Curriculum section of this page.

Sample Schedules

Remote Learning for Prekindergarten 

Prekindergarten teachers will work with parents to establish play-based, child centered learning that goes beyond learning with a device. Parents and teachers will utilize TEAMS along with preprinted curriculum packets that will foster learning at home. We will provide scheduled times for whole group teacher directed instruction in addition to virtual small group instruction of three to five students.  

Half-Day Bell Schedule

• 7:45-10:45 AM Session
• 12:15-3:15 PM Session (possible time adjustment because of early release days)
• 90 Instructional Minutes per day 

Sample Half Day Schedule  

Remote Learners access teacher direct instruction via TEAMS 
Remote Learners work in play-based activity supported by preprinted activity sheets 

7:45/12:15 - Morning Message 

8:00/12:30 - Literacy Circle 

8:15/12:45 - Motor skills/Movement (Recess) 

8:45/1:15 - Snack/Social Skills  

9:15/1:45 - Library/Counselor/STEM Discovery  

9:30/2:00 - Math Circle  

9:45/2:15 - Independent Work Centers /Small Group direct teach 

Remote learners may engage in play-based centers created at home or may return for assistance from a teacher or paraprofessional. Teachers will also use this time to meet with small groups for skill development.   

Full Day Bell Schedule

7:45-3:10 

(Teacher lunch and conference is 11:00-12:15 daily) 

180 Instructional Minutes per day 

Sample Schedule

Remote Learners access teacher direct instruction via TEAMS 
Remote Learners work in play-based activity supported by preprinted activity sheets 

7:45 - Morning Message 

8:15 - Literacy Circle 

8:30 - Motor skills/Movement (Recess) 

9:00 - Snack/Social Skills  

9:30 - Read Aloud  

9:45 -  Writing Lesson 

10:00 – 11:00 Independent Work Centers /Small Group direct teach 

Remote learners may engage in play-based centers created at home or may return for assistance from a teacher or paraprofessional. Teachers will also use this time to meet with small groups for skill development.   

11:00  Lunch 

11:30  Rest Time 

12:15 - Read Aloud 

12:30 - Math/Science Circle 

1:00 - Motor skills/Movement (Recess) 

1:30 - Snack/Social Skills  

1:45 - Library/Counselor/STEM Discovery  

2:00 - Math Circle  

2:15 – 3:15 Independent Work Centers /Small Group direct teach 

Remote learners may engage in play-based centers created at home or may return for assistance from a teacher or paraprofessional. Teachers will also use this time to meet with small groups for skill development.   

Kindergarten - Fifth-Grade

K-2 grades - Assignment to one remote learning teacher* who will provide lessons, assignments, and assessments. This could be a districtwide teacher who teaches remote learning students from multiple campuses.

3-5 grades - A remote learning teacher* for ELA/Social Studies and a teacher* for Science/Math who will provide lessons, assignments, and assessments. This could be a districtwide teacher who teaches remote learning students from multiple campuses.

*If students return to in-person instruction, the assigned teacher(s) may change.

Sample Elementary Schedule for Remote Learners

In this sample schedule, remote learners utilize TEAMS for asynchronous remote learning with scheduled designated times for large-group and small-group teacher direct instruction.

• Remote Learners access remote learning teacher direct instruction via TEAMS
• Remote Learners work on assignments independently

7:45 am – Morning meeting

8:00 am – Language arts mini-lesson

8:15 – 9:15 am – Reading groups and independent reading work

Remote learners may return at designated time and designated days for small group guided reading

9:15 am – Recess break

9:30 am – Shared reading

9:45 am – Writing mini-lesson

10:00 am – Writing workshop with independent writing work

Teacher is available for student writing conferences and support

10:45 am – Writing wrap up and share

11:10 am – Lunch break

11:45 am – Math direct teach/Number Corner

12:15 pm - Independent math work from TEAMS assignment

Remote learners may return at designated time and designated days for small group guided math

2:00 pm – Science lesson/demo/work or Social Studies lesson/demo/work

2:30 – 3:15 pm – Teacher available for reteach, intervention, questions

*Please note: this is a sample schedule only. The student’s remote learning teacher(s) will set the schedule each week for direct teach, small group,  and independent work

A remote learning teacher for each content/subject area is assigned to remote learning students and will provide lessons, assignments, and assessments. Teachers may have a combination of in-person and remote learning classes, but they would be assigned at different periods of the day when feasible. Students in remote learning may be in a remote course with students from other campuses. If a student returns to in-person learning, the schedule and teacher(s) may change.

Secondary Schedule

The student’s remote learning teachers will set the schedule each week for virtual participation and independent work. Daily check-ins for each period are required either through virtual CANVAS, TEAMS, assignment submission, or teacher/student communication.

Middle School Bell Schedule is 8:20 am -3:30 pm.

High School Bell Schedule is 9:05 am  -4:20 pm.

Expected student progress in remote asynchronous learning is planned in advance, defined by day, and ties to the overall course coverage in the course syllabus by the remote learning teacher.

• Daily, trackable student engagement exists to ensure curricular progress is occurring in asynchronous remote learning. Curricular progress will be measured through the following means:
  • Data from CANVAS and/or TEAMS showing progress made that day;
  • Daily progress evidenced from teacher/student interactions made that day; or
  • Completion and turn-in of assignments planned for that day.
  • EMS ISD teachers will measure academic progress of all students to inform instructional practice in an asynchronous remote environment following the district-approved curriculum.
  • Progress monitoring includes all students and can be done in any proposed at-home scenario (digital or print). Teachers will follow the progress monitoring schedule as outlined in the district curriculum documents. If there is a concern, the teacher will receive supports from an interventionist and follow our Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS intervention supports).
  • Student feedback is provided from the remote learning teacher at least three times per week, including next steps or necessary academic remediation to improve performance.
  • School grading policies for remote student work are consistent with those used before COVID for on-campus assignments. All teachers will follow the EMS ISD Grading and Reporting Handbook.

Students Not Successful in Remote Learning

If a student is not being successful in remote learning, the student may be asked to return to the brick-and-mortar building for face-to-face, in-person instruction.

• Teacher interaction with students will be predictable and sufficient to support the remote learner. Teachers will provide instructional support to the remote learner to ensure understanding, learning, and that progression through the curriculum is occurring. 
• Each secondary and elementary remote learning teacher will provide each student a course syllabus that describes the teacher weekly tutorial schedule, course requirements, grading and reporting guidelines, teacher contact information, and access to the Learning Management System (CANVAS and/or Microsoft TEAMS) so both student and parent have the steps to access the learning materials. Each week, a student will receive specific instructions regarding online expectations and lesson and assessment schedules.
• Students can access instructional support from teachers when needed during school hours, direct instruction will also be delivered by teachers if needed, and students will know how and when they can interact with their teachers. Teachers will include the specific times each week a student is required to attend a particular lesson, lab, tutorial, intervention, reading small group, etc.
• Students are provided clear means to engage with academic material on a daily basis. Lessons will be provided in CANVAS for secondary and Microsoft TEAMS for elementary; no other learning management system platforms will be used for academic material. Any additional resources will be built into and accessible through CANVAS/TEAMS. Lessons will be uploaded each week with daily requirements for the student to complete to show progression in the curriculum. Assignments will not be given for the full week.  Students must participate each day to be counted present.
• In addition to CANVAS and Microsoft TEAMS, teachers may also use Remind, Class Dojo, email, phone calls, and Skyward through Family Access Curriculum and Instruction to communicate with students and parents.
• Student IEPs are followed regardless of the learning environment such that students with disabilities receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Specific needs for the individual student will be determined by the ARD, 504, MTSS, and/or the LPAC committee.  Parents may contact the home campus administration or counselor to receive additional assistance.
• Remote learning will follow the same scope and sequence as the in-person learning. Daily requirements of engagement will be expected for both platforms. This direct work with academic content matches or exceeds the following average daily minute minimums across all subjects:
  • Half day PreK – 90 instructional minutes
  • Full day PreK – 180 instructional minutes
  • K through 5th grade – 180 instructional minutes minimum
  • 6th through 12th grade – 240 instructional minutes minimum
• Parents will receive virtual training, if needed, on how to use the learning platforms (CANVAS/TEAMS). Training is also available on this page under the icons named Technology Tutorials. Also, students can call the Helpdesk at 817.847.2990 from 7:30am-3:30pm Monday-Friday. Students may call and ask questions about district accounts and access.

Remote Courses

Pre-K- 8^th grade
For Pre-K- 8^th grade, all coursework is available to remote learners online. Remote learners are unable to attend campus during school hours unless they are participating in athletics or a performing fine arts class. The student must work with his/her coach/director to determine attendance.

Grades 9-12
For grades 9-12, most courses are offered for remote learners. There are a limited number of Career and Technology Education (CTE) courses that require in-person attendance and instruction and, if the remote learner is unable to attend the CTE course in-person, the home campus counselor will assist with a schedule change. Transportation must be provided by the student or parent. More information is available under the CTE icon.

Remote learners who are enrolled in athletics and performing fine arts must work with their coach/director to determine attendance. Transportation must be provided by the student or parent. More information is available under the Athletics and Performing Fine Arts icon.

CTE courses designated as in-person only must be completed in-person, on-campus during the school day. This is due to the specialized equipment, direct supervision of hands-on activities, and/or specific materials and technology needed for these courses. Additionally, many of these classes serve as the capstone to a program of study, centered on a specific field, that spans at least three courses and are needed for certification, licensure, or dual credit. Transportation must be provided by the parent or student. 

EMS ISD CTE In-Person Only Course Offerings (Remote Learners must attend courses in-person)

Courses will be listed by course name, course number, and location.

Agriculture

• Vet Med Applications, 5241, HCTC
• Advanced Animal Science, 5242, HCTC
• Practicum of Ag, 5243, HCTC
• Horticulture Science, 5261, TCC NW
• Advanced Plant and Soil, 5262, TCC NW
• Greenhouse Operations, 5263, TCC NW

Architecture and Construction

• Principles of Construction, 5564, HS – Ag Shop

Arts, Audio Video Technology, and Communication

• Video Production 1, 5081/DC, HCTC
• Video Production 2, 5082/DC, HCTC
• Practicum of Video Production, 5093V, HCTC
• Digital Audio Tech 1, 5083/DC, HCTC
• Digital Audio Tech 2, 5084/DC, HCTC
• Practicum of Audio Production, 5093A/DC, HCTC
• Animation 1, 5085, HCTC
• Animation 2, 5086, HCTC
• Graphic Design 1, 5087, HCTC
• Graphic Design 2, 5094, HCTC

Education and Training

• Instructional Practices, 5332, HCTC
• Practicum of Ed and Training 1, 5333, HCTC
• Practicum of Ed and Training 2, 5334, HCTC

Health Science

• World Health Theory, 5873, HCTC
• World Health Research, 5874, HCTC
• Sports Medicine, 5872/5866, HCTC
• Patient Care Tech, 5868/5863, HCTC
• EMT, 5869/5864, HCTC
• Pharmacy Tech, 5870/5865, HCTC
• EKG/Phlebotomy, 5871/5867, HCTC

Hospitality

• Culinary Arts, 5374, HCTC
• Advanced Culinary Arts, 5376, HCTC
• Practicum in Culinary Arts, 5377, HCTC

Human Services

• Introduction to Cosmetology, 5618, HCTC
• Cosmetology 1, 5619, HCTC
• Cosmetology 2, 5621, HCTC

Information Technology

• Computer Maintenance, 5091, HCTC
• Network Security, 5092, HCTC
• Practicum of Info Tech, 5191, HCTC

Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

• Law Enforcement 2, 5914/L, HCTC
• Forensic Science / Accelerated, 5912/5911, HCTC

Manufacturing

• Introduction to Welding, 5528, HS – Ag Shop
• Precision Metal Engineering 1, 5522, HCTC
• Precision Metal Engineering 2, 5521, HCTC
• Welding 1, 5524, HCTC
• Welding 2, 5525, HCTC

STEM

• Robotics 1, 5554A, HCTC
• Robotics 2, 5554B, HCTC
• Aero Science 1, 5922, HCTC
• Aero Science 2, 5921, HCTC
• Practicum in STEM, 5923, HCTC

Transportation

• Automotive Tech 1, 5633, HCTC
• Automotive Tech 2, 5634, HCTC
• Aircraft Airframe Tech, 5635, TCC Alliance
• Aircraft Powerplant Tech, 5636, TCC Alliance
• Practicum in Automotive Tech, 5637, HCTC

Athletics
Students enrolled in Remote Learning will be allowed to participate in person, on campus in athletics and cheerleading. This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her coach/director when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games or events. Transportation must be provided by the parent or student.

Performing Fine Arts
Students enrolled in Remote Learning may participate in a performing fine arts course (Band, Choir, Dance, & Theatre Arts).This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her teacher/director when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games or events.Transportation must be provided by the parent or student.

Non-performing arts (Visual Arts courses in middle school and high school) will be conducted all remotely for the remote learner.

Students enrolled in Remote Learning may participate in student clubs or organizations virtually and may attend before/after-school meetings and events in person. The student must work with his/her sponsor to determine times for attendance and must provide their own transportation.

Learners will use Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams and Instructure Canvas during remote learning. All student are provided a Microsoft Office 365 account for free. Those accounts also provide 5 licenses for Microsoft Office that can be used on 5 personal devices as long as they are a member of EMS ISD. Student devices support Office 365 applications and be able to connect to the internet.

Devices

Desktops: Windows, Mac OS X

Laptops: Windows, Mac OS X

Tablets: iPad – 5th, 6th, and 7th Generation, Windows tablets except Windows RT

Operating Systems

Windows: 10, versions 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909 (Windows 10 S is not supported at this time) Mac OSX: 10.13, 10.14, 10.15 iOS: 12, 13

Processors

Windows: Intel x86 (32 or 64 bit) Mac OSX: Intel-based models iOS: Any

Memory (RAM)

Windows: Minimum 4 GB recommended  -  Mac OSX: 2 GB (4 GB recommended) iOS: 1 GB (2 GB recommended)

Minimum Screen Size - 9.5 inches for Tablets – 13 inches for laptops

Minimum Screen Resolution  - 1024 x 768 for all devices

Keyboard - Physical keyboard required for assessments with essays. Wired keyboard and mouse are strongly recommended.

Internet

If your home does not have internet, contact one of these technology companies to request service: 

Charter/Spectrum - 1-855-243-8892 OR https://www.spectrum.com

AT&T - 1-844-886-4258 OR https://www.att.com/internet/

Families may qualify for an internet plan at a reduced fee. Contact AT&T or Charter Spectrum to see if you qualify for the reduced price plan.

AT&T

• Plan: Access
• Price per month: $10.00
• Upload Speed (Mbps): 25
• Data: 150 GB or 1 TB
• Eligibility: Access from AT&T provides wireline Home Internet to limited income households who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in California. You’ll receive the maximum speed available at your address. Includes a data allowance of 150GB or 1TB depending on speed available in your area. $10 charge for each additional 50GB
• Website: att.com/internet/access/

Charter Spectrum

• Plan: Charter Spectrum "Internet Assist"
• Price per month: $14.99
• Upload Speed (Mbps): 30
• Data: Unlimited
• Eligibility: One or more members of your household must be a recipient of one of the following assistance programs: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSL, Supplemental Security Income (for applicants age 65+ only)
• Website: spectrum.com/browse/content/spectrum-internet-assist

Single Sign On

• Single Sign-On – Learn how to access and login to the district’s SSO.

The Single Sign-On (SSO)is going to be big timesaver for students. Log in to the SSO and easily access your digital resources. Some apps will require a login the first time you use them, but the password will be saved for future use.

Head to http://sso.ems-isd.net in your favorite modern web browser (on a computer or mobile device) and sign in with your district username and password. If you are using a mobile device, you may want to download the SSO/Classlink App from the App Store (iOs/Android.)

Once you're there, we recommend that you save this site as a favorite or desktop shortcut. On a mobile device, you can save to the home screen or in your favorites.

Canvas

Secondary students will see all course content and assignments in Canvas. Teachers will post links to live meetings and class events that will use Microsoft Teams. SPECIAL NOTE: When a student clicks a meeting link (a live lesson or a teacher's "Office Hours,) students may be prompted to sign in to Teams/Microsoft 365. This login is the student's full email address and standard password:

• Teams/Microsoft 365 username: 123456@s.ems-isd.net
• Teams/Microsoft 365 password: standard password (uppercase first initial, lowercase last initial, 8 digit birthdate)

• Canvas for Students – Watch this YouTube playlist from the Instructional Technology department to learn more about Canvas.
• Canvas FAQs | Parents - Frequently asked questions about accessing Canvas and using the mobile app. 
• Parent Observer Accounts - a quick video tutorial to setting up an observer account with Canvas to access your student's classes. 

Microsoft Office 365

• Microsoft 365 at Home - learn how to download the Office 365 suite of products on your home computer or mobile device. 
• Microsoft Tools | Tips for Students - a YouTube playlist from Microsoft that covers Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and more! 

District Helpdesk

Call the Helpdesk at 817.847.2990 from  7:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday-Friday. Students may call and ask questions about district accounts and access.

Web Browsers

Our web-based resources will work best when using a modern browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge (Chromium). Many of our resources will not work correctly in Internet Explorer.

If you notice a resource opening in Internet Explorer, you can copy the web address from the top and then manually open it in a different browser.

SPECIAL NOTE: Teams Online is not supported on the Safari browser. Apple users can download the free Teams Application or use a different browser.

Single Sign On 

 Single Sign-On – Learn how to access and login to the district’s single sign on, or SSO.

The Single Sign-On (SSO)is going to be big timesaver for students. Log in to the SSO and easily access your digital resources. Some apps will require a login the first time you use them, but the password will be saved for future use.

Head to http://sso.ems-isd.net in your favorite modern web browser (on a computer or mobile device) and sign in with your district username and password. If you are using a mobile device, you may want to download the SSO/Classlink App from the App Store (iOs/Android.)

Once you're there, we recommend that you save this site as a favorite or desktop shortcut. On a mobile device, you can save to the home screen or in your favorites.

Teams 

Elementary students will meet with their teachers and classmates in Microsoft Teams. SPECIAL NOTE: Students using an iPad/iPhone must use the Teams app, rather than the Single Sign-On at this time. This FREE app is installed on all district-provided iPads, but will need to be downloaded on personal devices.

• Logging in to Single Sign-On and Teams 
• Parent Quick Start Guide 
• Parent and Student Orientation
• Orientation for computer or tablet 

Microsoft 365  

• Microsoft 365 at Home - Learn how to download the Office 365 suite of products on your home computer or mobile device.  
• Microsoft Tools | Tips for Students - a YouTube playlist from Microsoft that covers Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and more!  

 District Helpdesk

Call 817.847.2990 from  7:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday-Friday. Students may call and ask questions about district accounts and access.

Web Browsers

Our web-based resources will work best when using a modern browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge (Chromium). Many of our resources will not work correctly in Internet Explorer.

If you notice a resource opening in Internet Explorer, you can copy the web address from the top and then manually open it in a different browser.

SPECIAL NOTE: Teams Online is not supported on the Safari browser. Apple users can download the free Teams Application or use a different browser.

Shared Computers for Students

Students or parents in need of assistance may contact the following EMS ISD resources: 

• COVID and Health Concerns – Director of Nursing, Hollie Smith, at 817-306-0864 ext. 6203 or hsmith01@ems-isd.net.
• Assignments/Grades/Instruction – student’s home campus to speak to the teacher.
• Academic/Behavior/Student Handbook/Code of Conduct – student’s home campus to speak to an administrator.
• Social Emotional Well Being – student’s home campus to speak to a counselor. You can also visit the District Comprehensive Counseling Guide.
• Technology/Device/Internet Support and Needs – Technology Help Desk, 817-847-2990.
• Safety and Security Concerns – Director of Safety and Security, Dr. Barry Baker, 817-847-7793 or bbaker@ems-isd.net.
• Transportation/Bus Questions – Gold Star Transit/Reola Bealer Moore, 817-306-0684 or rbealermoore@ridegst.com.

TEA Resources

• Education Rights and Responsibilities During COVID-19
• Derechos y responsabilidades de la educatión durante COVID-19
• TEA Website Coronavirus Response and Guidance

Students in-person and in remote learning will be required to complete all mandated district and state assessments. Students in the remote learning platform may be asked to complete an assessment on a specific date and time.

Table of Contents

• Athletics Discusses Stadium Capacity, Livestreaming and High School Ticket Sales Video
• Athletics Department Provides Middle School Gametime Guidelines and Ticket Vouchers Information Video

Athletics – High School

• What are the health safety protocols for student athletes?
• How will students be screened for illness or COVID-19?
• Are the coaches being screened for COVID-19?
• What happens if someone tests positive?
• How will you disinfect athletic areas and equipment?
• How long does my student have to sit out if they test positive for COVID-19?
• How long does my student have to sit out if they are exposed to a student who tests positive for COVID-19?
• Is my student-athlete required to have a physical and all Rank One forms completed in order to participate in practices?
• If my student-athlete misses practice due to COVID-19, will there be repercussions?
• What is the timeline for games to be played for Fall sports?
• What is the timeline for games to be played for all sports?
• Will students have access to water during practices and events?
• Will students use lockers and restrooms together? What about showering?
• Will athletes share lockers?
• How will bus transportation to/from games be modified in response to COVID-19?
• Do you offer additional insurance to protect my child?
• Is my child expected to attend athletic practices during remote learning beginning August 20 to September 7?
• Can my child still participate in athletics in remote learning?
• Where will I drop off my remote learner for their in-person athletic period?

Games and Spectators

• NEW! 3/31/2021: Will parents/guardians and visitors be allowed to attend games?
• What will ticketing look like for all our high school football games?
• Will you be live streaming any games?
• Who do I talk to if I have questions?

Athletics – Middle School - 7th and 8th grade

• When does practice begin?
• Will there be a parent meeting?
• What are the health safety protocols for student athletes?
• Are the coaches being screened for COVID-19?
• How will students be screened for illness or COVID-19?
• What happens if someone tests positive?
• How will you disinfect athletic areas and equipment?
• Will students have access to water?
• Will students use lockers and restrooms together? What about showering?
• Will athletes share lockers?
• Does my student still purchase workout clothes?
• Will you wash athletes’ clothing?
• Will there be C teams this year?
• Do all kids make the team?
• How will bus transportation to/from games be modified in response to COVID-19?
• Is there a plan for purchasing game meal lunches?
• Can my child still participate in athletics in remote learning?
• In Choice Remote learning, could my child be enrolled in the athletic period but stay home and receive remote workouts in the 7th or 8th grade?
• What if my sport is not in season (i.e. basketball)?
• If a student is enrolled in athletics, are they required to attend athletics in person?
• Do you offer additional insurance to protect my child?

Physical Education and Pre-Athletics

• Will PE and Pre-Athletics be offered to remote learning students?
• When in-person classes resume on campus, will remote students be able to participate in Pre-Athletics?

Games and Spectators

• NEW! 3/31/2021: Will parents/guardians and visitors be allowed to attend games?
• Who can I direct additional questions to?

Athletics – High School

What are the health safety protocols for student athletes?

We will comply with the UIL requirements including social distancing, sanitizing and disinfecting equipment, practicing good personal hygiene such as frequent hand washing, and wearing face coverings. Students will not be required to wear face coverings when they are actively working out or playing their sport, but will wear face coverings when not active or during transitions to/from the activity. All students must bring a mask or cloth face covering (no shields); if a student arrives without a mask, one will be provided. Depending on their sport, students may make physical contact with one another during active activity. We will make every reasonable effort to maintain social distance and minimize contact.

How will students be screened for illness or COVID-19?

Parents MUST ensure they do not send their child to school on campus for any activity if the child has COVID-19 symptoms, is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, or has been identified as a close contact to a lab-confirmed individual. For the safety of all participants and the ability of the athletic activity to continue without interruption, it is important that parents partner with us to ensure that their child is well and demonstrates NO symptoms. Students who exhibit symptoms on campus will be isolated from others and a parent will be notified to pick up the child immediately. Please keep your child at home if he/she has any of the following symptoms:

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit 
• Loss of taste or smell 
• Cough 
• Difficulty breathing 
• Shortness of breath 
• Fatigue
• Headache 
• Chills 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion or runny nose 
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering 
• Significant muscle pain or ache 
• Diarrhea 
• Nausea or vomiting 

Are the coaches being screened for COVID-19?

EMS ISD requires all teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. The self-screening includes teachers/staff taking their own temperatures. Employees must report to their principal or supervisor if they have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, or if they have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19. If any of the above exits, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for returning in person.

What happens if someone tests positive?

If an individual in our program tests positive for COVID-19, they MUST inform their teacher/coach, who will notify the principal and school nurse. The individual will be instructed to begin a 10-day quarantine and will not be allowed to participate in any activity on campus. The District will work with the Tarrant County Public Health Department to identify and notify all close contacts, as well as students, parents, and staff at the school. Areas where the lab-confirmed individual have been will be sanitized with CDC- and EPA-approved disinfectants as well as any equipment that has been used by that individual.

It is important to understand that lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 could impact practices and even schools, on direction from Tarrant County Public Health. If a school is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, all on-campus athletic activities will be delayed as well.

How will you disinfect athletic areas and equipment?

The District has implemented robust cleaning and disinfecting protocols to minimize spread of illness. These include use of electrostatic sprayers to disinfect air and surfaces, as well as disinfectant that meets or exceeds CDC guidelines and is approved by the EPA for use in treating for COVID-19. Our coaches and custodial team will disinfect athletic areas regularly throughout the day and all areas on campus will be disinfected nightly. Students also may be asked to assist with wiping down equipment/cleaning areas after use.

How long does my student have to sit out if they test positive for COVID-19?

If an individual in our program tests positive for COVID-19, they MUST inform their teacher/coach, school principal, and school nurse. They will be instructed to begin the 10-day quarantine and will not be allowed to participate in any activity on campus.  All participants in University Interscholastic League activities who test positive for COVID-19 must be cleared by a physician before being allowed to return.

How long does my student have to sit out if they are exposed to a student who tests positive for COVID-19?

Any student-athlete who has been exposed to a student who tests positive for COVID should stay home through the 10-day incubation period of being exposed.

Is my student-athlete required to have a physical and all Rank One forms completed in order to participate in practices?

Yes, all athletes must be fully compliant with electronic forms and a completed physical. More information can be found at our website.

If my student-athlete misses practice due to COVID-19, will there be repercussions?

There will be no repercussions for missing athletic practice due to COVID-19.

What is the timeline for games to be played for Fall sports?

Individual sports will follow the UIL Modified Activities Calendar and Covid Guidelines. Click on the Fall Sports Timeline to view dates.

What is the timeline for games to be played for all sports?

Individual sports will follow the UIL TENTATIVE Sports Season Dates and Game/Tournaments Limit listed in the All Sports Timeline.

Will students have access to water during practices and events?

Yes. Water filling stations will be available and will be managed by an adult to prevent contact with water bottles and maximize personal distancing during water breaks. Students also should bring their own water bottle filled from home each day. Wide-mouth reusable bottles work the best for refilling stations.

Will students use lockers and restrooms together? What about showering? 

Locker rooms, bathrooms, and showers will be open. Athletes should come dressed to work out in the clothing issued by the school as often as possible. Coaches will monitor these areas and students will be asked to be quick and efficient to minimize time spent in these areas. We will make every feasible effort to maximize space between students in the locker rooms for locker assignments.

Will athletes share lockers?

Most students will not share lockers. Due to construction and the temporary locker room at Boswell High School, some football players might have to share lockers until construction is complete.

How will bus transportation to/from games be modified in response to COVID-19?

The district will need to use buses to transport students to and from games. We will make every possible effort to socially distance students on buses. It is likely that, for some larger teams, there will be two students to a seat when needed. Face coverings will be mandatory for all while on the bus.

Do you offer additional insurance to protect my child?

Yes. Information about student accident insurance is available on our district’s athletic website.

Is my child expected to attend athletic practices during remote learning beginning August 20 to September 7?

Yes, attendance is expected at all practices to participate in EMS ISD Athletics. In high schools, workouts and practices will take place before 9:00 AM or after 3:30 PM during remote instruction.

Can my child still participate in athletics in remote learning?

Yes. During remote learning from August 20-September 7, athletes will be allowed to participate in on-campus athletic training before/after their academic classes. Those students who continue in Choice Remote learning beyond September 8 are allowed to participate in person, on campus in athletics. This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her coach to determine when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games, or events.

We understand that each family has unique circumstances and we will make every effort to work with students on their participation. Students who choose to continue in remote learning beyond September 8 and want to participate in athletics must have daily, reliable on-time transportation for drop off and pick up. Students will not be allowed to remain on campus to wait for a ride home after their activity. Not having on-time, reliable transportation will force a change in how your child participates in athletic instruction.

Where will I drop off my remote learner for their in-person athletic period?

Each campus and sport will determine where remote learners will be dropped and picked up for their in-person athletic period. Campus athletic coordinators and coaches will provide this information to their remote learners.

Games and Spectators

Will parents/guardians and visitors be allowed to attend games?

In cooperation with venue occupancy recommendations and to maximize social distancing, the number of spectators to high school athletic events will have to be adjusted based on the size of the facility. Our hope is to be able to increase the number of spectators as the competition seasons progress.

Football stadiums are currently at a 50 percent capacity for game attendance. More information will be provided regarding ticketing and spectators at high school football games. Participating groups (athletics, band, dance, cheer) will have limited access to the field. There will be no access to the field for anyone once the game is completed.

High School gym facilities also have a limited capacity. More information will be provided regarding ticketing and spectators at our high school gym facilities.

NEW! 3/31/2021: Face masks will not be required of spectators at athletic events but social distancing will be practiced as feasible. All other personal health protections will remain in place. Participants and guests are welcome to continue wearing a mask while attending our EMS ISD events if they choose. 

All evening events and weekend events, such as those affiliated with athletics, fine-arts, and other campus-based programming, are considered outside of the instructional day. Events not tied specifically to the instructional day and/or may extend into the evening, such as an athletic tournament or track meet, would be considered outside of the instructional day. 

Students and spectators visiting non-EMS ISD property for school events should follow the COVID-19 protocols for the hosting venue.

What will ticketing look like for all our high school football games?

There will be no football season tickets for the 2020 season. All e-ticketing will be purchased through the GoFan app. All parents of students who are participating (including athletes, band, cheer, dance) will have the opportunity to purchase a set number of tickets through the GoFan app. Ticketing will open Saturday prior to the event and close Tuesday. E-tickets will be purchased with the student ID number. On Wednesday, the remaining e-tickets will open to the general public and can be purchased with the GoFan app, which is available for download for both iOS and Android.

Will you be live streaming any games?

Games that are hosted at our high school stadiums and gymnasiums will be live-streamed through the NFHS Network. There is a nominal subscription charge to the user for the service that can be purchased monthly or yearly. More information can be found at NFHS Network. We also will be using the Scorebird app for providing live scores of middle and high school games. The Scorebird app is available for download for both iOS and Android.

Who do I ask if I have questions?

If you have questions related to your student’s sport or schedule, please visit with your campus athletic coordinator. If you have questions about district athletic standards, please contact the EMS ISD Athletic Department, 817-232-0880.

• Boswell Boys Athletic Coordinator: John Abendschan, jabendschan@ems-isd.net, phone TBD
• Boswell Girls Athletic Coordinator: John Reese, jreese@ems-isd.net, 817-237-3314 x8395
• Chisholm Trail Boys Athletic Coordinator: Byron Bode, bbode@ems-isd.net, 817-232-7112 x7106
• Chisholm Trail Girls Athletic Coordinator: Janine Smith, jsmith@ems-isd.net, 817-232-7112 x7253
• Saginaw Boys Athletic Coordinator: Dane Johnson, djohnson01@ems-isd.net, 817-306-0914 x8702
• Saginaw Girls Athletic Coordinator: Vance Hughes, vhughes@ems-isd.net, 817-306-0914 x8447

Athletics – Middle School - 7th and 8th grade 

When does practice begin?

The following sports will begin practice on August 25, 2020:  Volleyball, Cross Country, and Tennis. The first volleyball game is scheduled for September 17.

Football will start on August 26, 2020; 7th grade will practice in the morning before school starts and during the athletic period and 8th grade will practice during the athletic period and after school. The first middle school football game is set for September 15.

Will there be a parent meeting?

Yes. Each middle school will schedule a time to meet with parents to discuss athletic plans and participation. Please watch for information from your child’s coach and/or school for details.

What are the health safety protocols for student athletes?

We will comply with the UIL requirements including social distancing, sanitizing and disinfecting equipment, practicing good personal hygiene such as frequent hand washing, and wearing face coverings. Students will not be required to wear face coverings when they are actively working out or playing their sport, but will wear face coverings when not active or during transitions to/from the activity. All students must bring a mask or cloth face covering (no shields); if a student arrives without a mask, one will be provided. Depending on their sport, students may make physical contact with one another during active activity. We will make every reasonable effort to maintain distance and minimize contact.

Are the coaches being screened for COVID-19?

EMS ISD requires all teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. The self-screening includes teachers/staff taking their own temperatures. Employees must report to their principal or supervisor if they have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, or if they have had close contact with an individual who is labconfirmed with COVID-19. If any of the above exits, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for returning in person.

How will students be screened for illness or COVID-19?

Parents MUST ensure they do not send their child to school on campus for any activity if the child has COVID-19 symptoms, is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, or has been identified as a close contact to a lab-confirmed individual. For the safety of all participants and the ability of the athletic activity to continue without interruption, it is important that parents partner with us to ensure that their child is well and demonstrates NO symptoms. Students who exhibit symptoms on campus will be sent to the nurse to be isolated from others and a parent will be notified to pick up the child immediately. Please keep your child at home if he/she has any of the following symptoms:

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
• Loss of taste or smell
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering
• Significant muscle pain or ache
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting 

What happens if someone tests positive?

If an individual in our program tests positive for COVID-19, they MUST inform their teacher/coach, school principal, and school nurse. They will be instructed to begin the 10-day quarantine and will not be allowed to participate in any activity on campus. The District will work with the Tarrant County Public Health Department to identify and notify all close contacts, as well as students, parents, and staff at the school. Areas where the lab-confirmed individual have been will be sanitized with CDC- and EPA-approved disinfectants as well as any equipment that has been used by that individual.

It is important to understand that lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 could impact practices and even schools, on direction from Tarrant County Public Health. If a school is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, all on-campus athletic activities will be delayed as well.

How will you disinfect athletic areas and equipment?

The District has implemented robust cleaning and disinfecting protocols to minimize spread of illness. These include use of electrostatic sprayers to disinfect air and surfaces, as well as disinfectant that meets or exceeds CDC guidelines and is approved by the EPA for use in treating for COVID-19. Our coaches and custodial team will disinfect athletic areas regularly throughout the day and all areas on campus will be disinfected nightly. Students also may be asked to assist with wiping down equipment/cleaning areas after use.

Will students have access to water?

Yes. Water filling stations will be available and will be managed by an adult to prevent contact with water bottles and maximize personal distancing during water breaks. Students also should bring their own water bottle filled from home each day. Wide-mouth reusable bottles work the best for refilling stations.

Will students use lockers and restrooms together? What about showering? 

Locker rooms, bathrooms, and showers will be open. Athletes should come dressed to work out in the clothing issued by the school as often as possible. Coaches will monitor these areas and students will be asked to be quick and efficient to minimize time spent in these areas. We will make every feasible effort to maximize space between students in the locker rooms for locker assignments.

Will athletes share lockers?

No. Students will not share lockers.

Does my student still purchase workout clothes?

Yes, students will need their campus athletic workout uniforms for practice and class. Campuses will be accepting payment by cash or check; online ordering is not available this year. Payment is $30 for one shirt and one pair of shorts and can be brought to their coach or athletic coordinator once they return to campus.

Will you wash athletes’ clothing?

Yes. Student athletic uniforms left in designated bins on campus will be washed using large washing machines and dryers. Clothes are washed daily in hot/warm water using industrial-grade detergent. Students also may take their uniforms home to wash. Coaches will begin washing clothes once classes resume on campus.

Will there be C teams this year?

Middle school C teams are dependent on participation numbers. We will work to offer C team games at the 7th grade level. There will be no C teams at the 8th grade level. The C team will not play as many games as the A or B teams.

Do all kids make the team?

Cuts will be made in cross country, volleyball, tennis, basketball, track, soccer, golf, and gymnastics. This is because there are limited numbers of positions available on these teams. However, because of the number of positions and special teams opportunities available in football, everyone who tries out for football will make a team.

How will bus transportation to/from games be modified in response to COVID-19?

The district will need to use buses to transport students to and from games. We will make every possible effort to socially distance students on buses. It is likely that, for some larger teams, there will be two students to a seat when needed. Face coverings will be mandatory for all while on the bus.

Is there a plan for purchasing game meal lunches?

Each campus will determine the options and process for parents to purchase game meal lunches for their child. Information about refunds in the event of game cancellation is available in the athletic refund policy.

Can my child still participate in athletics in remote learning?

Yes. During remote learning from August 20-September 7, athletes will be allowed to participate in on-campus athletic training before/after their academic classes. Those students who continue in Choice Remote learning beyond September 8 are allowed to participate in person, on campus in athletics. This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her coach to determine when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games, or events.

We understand that each family has unique circumstances and we will make every effort to work with students on their participation. Students who choose to continue in remote learning beyond September 8 and want to participate in athletics must have daily, reliable on-time transportation for drop off and pick up. Students will not be allowed to remain on campus to wait for a ride home after their activity. Not having on-time, reliable transportation will force a change in how your child participates in athletic instruction.

In Choice Remote learning, could my child be enrolled in the athletic period but stay home and receive remote workouts in the 7th or 8th grade?

Students who are trying out, or are selected, for a team for cross country, volleyball, football, gymnastics, golf, and tennis are expected to attend daily practices as required by their coach. This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. If an athlete does not make a team, he/she will join the off-season program, which will receive remote workouts via Canvas.

What if my sport is not in season (i.e. basketball)?

Remote learning students who participate in athletics will only come to campus when their season is in progress or as directed by their coach. The student must work with his/her coach to determine when to attend in-person class, practices, games, or events.

If a student is enrolled in athletics, are they required to attend athletics in person?

No. Only students who try out and make a team are required to attend athletic class and daily practices at the coach’s direction.

Do you offer additional insurance to protect my child?

Yes. Information about student accident insurance is available on our district’s athletic website.

Physical Education and Pre-Athletics

Will PE and Pre-Athletics be offered to remote learning students?

Yes. Students in PE classes and Pre-Athletics will participate remotely in the Lifetime Fitness PE program. Activities and lessons will be posted in the CANVAS learning platform and daily participation is required.

When in-person classes resume on campus, will remote students be able to participate in Pre-Athletics?    

Pre-Athletics is a 6th-grade preparatory class for middle school athletics. It is necessary for students to participate in person as they must wear campus-issued workout uniforms and participate in individual and group drills/exercises under supervision of their coach. Students who choose to continue remote learning once classes resume on campus may participate in the Lifetime Fitness PE program. It is not a requirement to be in Pre-Athletics to try out for 7th grade sports.

Games and Spectators

Will parents/guardians and visitors be allowed to attend games?

In cooperation with venue occupancy recommendations and to maximize social distancing, the number of spectators to middle school athletic events will have to be adjusted based on the size of the facility.

Middle school gym facilities have a limited capacity. To ensure all players have an opportunity to have guests, each player will be given two, non-replaceable, season-long game vouchers that will allow their guests to purchase a ticket for home and away games. No extra tickets will be sold at the doors. Our hope is to be able to increase the number of spectators as the competition seasons progress.

Football stadiums will seat a larger number of spectators. We encourage parents to bring lawn chairs to our auxiliary fields and social distance along the perimeter. More information will be provided regarding ticketing and spectators at middle school football games.

NEW! 3/31/2021: Face masks will not be required of spectators at athletic events but social distancing will be practiced as feasible. All other personal health protections will remain in place. Participants and guests are welcome to continue wearing a mask while attending our EMS ISD events if they choose. 

All evening events and weekend events, such as those affiliated with athletics, fine-arts, and other campus-based programming, are considered outside of the instructional day. Events not tied specifically to the instructional day and/or may extend into the evening, such as an athletic tournament or track meet, would be considered outside of the instructional day. 

Students and spectators visiting non-EMS ISD property for school events should follow the COVID-19 protocols for the hosting venue.

Who can I direct additional questions to?

If you have questions related to your middle school child’s sport or schedule, please visit with your campus athletic coordinator. If you have questions about district athletic standards, please contact the EMS ISD Athletic Department, 817-232-0880.

Students will participate in either an in-person, face to face instruction model or a remote asynchronous learning model.  Both platforms will require a student to attend and engage in learning for each assigned class/course each day of the week (Monday-Friday) during normal school hours. Daily attendance will be taken, and compulsory attendance will be followed. If a student is not present in the building or engaged online each day for each class/course, the normal truancy process will be followed (TEC, §25.092). Students must be present for 90% of the required days of learning to be promoted to the next grade level or receive credit towards graduation, if in high school. Notes for absences will still be required if a student is in remote learning.

To be counted present, students in the in-person and remote learning must be engaged daily in the lessons, complete and turn assignments in on time, interact with the teacher, and show progress in the learning.  A student will be considered absent if the student does not have documented engagement listed above. A student must participate in the learning platform (CANVAS/TEAMS) for EACH class period each day to be counted present per class (90% rule).  Students who are receiving remote asynchronous instruction are considered enrolled on the first day the student participates through one of the engagement methods listed in this document.

CTE Courses Which Require In-Person Instruction

Some Career and Technology Education (CTE) courses may require in-person learning only.  Further guidance will be provided at a later date.

Meal Service for In-Person Learners

USDA has issued a nationwide waiver allowing the EMS ISD Child Nutrition Department to serve free meals to students 18 years of age or younger beginning October 1. This includes the government approved breakfast and lunch served daily at all grade levels. Please note that this does not include a la carte items such as snacks, ice cream, snack bars, or Bistro items. This meal benefit waiver runs through December 31, 2020, or until the USDA funds run out. Please still apply for meal benefits at emsisd.schoollunchapp.com or a paper application can be requested from your school’s front office. When the free meal benefit ends, we want to minimize the disruption to our students' meal benefits.

If you have any questions, please call the Child Nutrition Department at 817-847-2900 or email mvelasquez@ems-isd.net.

Districtwide

• Cashless system (minimize cash handling)
• Request that all parents use www.MySchoolBucks.com to deposit money on students accounts to limit cash handling.
• No change will be given. All cash or check payments will be deposited on student accounts to reduce contact.
• No cash refunds will be given during this time.  All refund requests must be processed through the Child Nutrition office, and a check will be mailed. A refund page has been set up on the district website under Child Nutrition > Meal Account Payment information. All staff will wear masks.
• All sneeze guards will be in place so that staff will build each tray eliminating student contact with food that is not theirs   Cashier shields will be placed at cash registers to provide extra protection for student/staff       
• All breakfast will be grab and go in a bag to reduce congregating        
• Social distancing while in serving lines

Elementary Level

• Meal service continued with additional safety and sanitation practices implemented including serving lines to be sanitized between each class
• Meal pattern changes
  • Eliminate salad bars until it becomes safe. Individually packaged Chef Salads will still be available for those who want one.    
  • Continue prepackaged condiments

Middle/High School Level

• Meal service continued with additional safety and sanitation practices implemented including serving line to be sanitized between each class or table depending on how school administration handles release of students to serving line
• Students will scan ID badge or give cashier ID number. Eliminate student use of pin pads
• Meal pattern revisions
  • Eliminate salad bars until it becomes safe. Individually packaged Chef Salads will still be available for those who want one.
  • Continue prepackaged condiments
  • Grab and Go items continue to be individually wrapped

Meal Service For Remote Learners

USDA has issued a nationwide waiver allowing the EMS ISD Child Nutrition Department to serve free meals to students 18 years of age or younger beginning October 1. This includes the government approved breakfast and lunch served daily at all grade levels. Please note that this does not include a la carte items such as snacks, ice cream, snack bars, or Bistro items. This meal benefit waiver runs through December 31, 2020, or until the USDA funds run out. Please still apply for meal benefits at emsisd.schoollunchapp.com or a paper application can be requested from your school’s front office. Below are the program flyers:

When the free meal benefit ends, we want to minimize the disruption to our students' meal benefits. Remote learning students can continue to receive their meals from 9-10 am from remote feeding sites listed below:

• Gililland Elementary
• Dozier Elementary
• Marine Creek Middle School
• Wayside Middle School
• Highland Middle School

Due to government regulations, all meals served at Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD are required by the USDA/TDA to be served utilizing the National School Lunch Program just as they are inside the cafeteria. Students must apply for free/reduced status through the school lunch application. This can be completed on the EMS ISD Child Nutrition website under Free and Reduced Meal Information.

Meal Costs

• Reduced price meals for qualifying students - $ .00 for breakfast and $ .00 for lunch
• Full price breakfast for elementary, secondary - $0
• Full price elementary lunch - $0
• Full price secondary lunch - $0

Money can be deposited to students' accounts at www.myschoolbucks.com or students can deposit money at the register when picking up their meals. Please note that we are not currently issuing refunds or providing change to reduce contact. Remote learners may pick up meals from 9-10 am Monday through Friday at selected campuses. 

Elementary Schools

Dozier - Meal Pickup Map

Gililland - Meal Pickup Map

Middle Schools

Highland - Meal Pickup Map

Wayside - Meal Pickup Map

Marine Creek - Meal Pickup Map

Students are requested to please go to their grade level campus to obtain their meals due to different portion sizes for different grades, and different prices for different grades. High school students can obtain their meals from the middle schools.  If siblings are in two different schools, please obtain your meals from one of the middle school campuses.

Before entering the school drive please prepare your vehicle to expedite the meal service.

• Please place a sheet of 8 ½ X 11 paper with your student(s) school ID numbers in the front windshield.  Student ID number will be required to pick up a students meals.   
• Please place a second sheet of paper with what meal you are requesting.  You can get just breakfast, just lunch, or both breakfast and lunch

Parents will proceed through the drive of the school (please see the maps located on the EMS ISD website under the Child Nutrition department).  When you reach the service table we will have a point of sale to enter your students meals, collect any money, and place the meal on a table for you. The parent or student must then pick the meal up from the table, and the table will then be sanitized between each car.

In-Person Courses
In-person students will be able to attend each class provided on the class schedule. If there is a concern with any of the classes or a scheduling issue, the campus counselor may assist. Please contact the home campus the student attends to speak to your student’s counselor.

NEW INFORMATION Remote Courses

Pre-K- 8^th grade
For Pre-K- 8^th grade, all coursework is available to remote learners online. Remote learners are unable to attend campus during school hours unless they are participating in athletics or a performing fine arts class. The student must work with his/her coach/director to determine attendance.

Grades 9-12
For grades 9-12, most courses are offered for remote learners. There are a limited number of CTE courses that require in-person attendance and instruction and, if the remote learner is unable to attend the course in-person, the home campus counselor will assist with a schedule change. Remote learners who are enrolled in athletics and performing fine arts must work with their coach/director to determine attendance. Transportation must be provided by the student or parent. More information regarding participation in athletic, performing fine arts, student clubs and organizations, and CTE courses is available under the Choice Remote Learning section.

EMS ISD has adopted a full, TEKS-aligned curriculum that will be executed in an asynchronous remote learning environment. It is the same curriculum that is used in the in-person classroom. This includes:

• Assessments that ensure continued information on student progress remotely. Remote learners will take the same assessments as the in-person learner. Teachers have the discretion to adapt the assessment to best meet the needs of the student in either setting that follows the EMS ISD Grading and Reporting Handbook. Remote learning students may be asked to complete assignments and assessments during specific dates and times.
• Instructional materials that support a coherent, logical course sequence that ensures continuity of learning remotely.
• Instructional materials consistently reinforce concepts at appropriate times to ensure retention of knowledge in asynchronous environments. Teachers will utilize pretests, screeners, and informal/formal knowledge assessments to continually loop learning standards so that students are able to show progress with the curriculum.
• Instructional materials include specifically designed resources and/or accommodations and modifications to support students with disabilities and English Language Learners in an asynchronous environment.
• Remote learning teachers will ensure district-adopted instructional materials are used during instruction and in the hands of students. If a student needs classroom textbook resources, technology, or devices, the student and/or parent may make the request and the resources will be provided so that there is no interruption in the student’s learning.

Staffing

Employees of school systems, like employees of any organization, must continue to meet the work expectations set by their employers, subject to any applicable employment contract terms.

• School teachers and staff will be trained specifically on protocols and practices adopted by EMS ISD.
• EMS ISD will attempt to reduce in-person staff meetings or other opportunities for adults to congregate in close settings. When those meetings are necessary and cannot be conducted via electronic means, everyone must follow the mask protocols in this guidance, remain at least six feet apart where feasible, and consider whether increased airflow from the outdoors is possible in those settings.
• If a staff member has a concern of any kind, they are asked to speak to their direct supervisor, and if needed, may contact EMS ISD Human Resources Department @ 817-232-0880 (ask for HR).

Substitute Teacher Support

Substitutes will be trained in both in-person and remote learning. If needed, a trained substitute may be used if a teacher, in either in-person or remote learning, is unable to attend class. 

Resources

Visit the human resources website for more information regarding reporting.

Table of Contents

• Health and Safety - In-Person Learning
• What is a close contact?
• How will I know if my child is a close contact? How will I know if I have been exposed as a staff member?
• If I/my child is sent home as a close contact, do other members of our family need to quarantine
• How will I know if there is a COVID-positive case on campus?
• How will campuses support student and staff health at school?
• How will the district screen students, staff, and visitors?
• Can I visit my child's school?
• NEW! 3/30/2021 What is the district's mask policy?
• How will students eat on campus?
• What do I do if my student has COVID-19 symptoms or has been diagnosed through a lab-confirmed positive test result?
• What do I do if my student has had direct exposure to someone with COVID-19?
• What do I do if someone in our household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19?
• What do I do if someone in our household has been exposed to someone with COVID-19?
• What do I do if my child is ready to return to school after having COVID-19 or its symptoms?
• What do I do if I need to report a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case during non-school hours?
• What happens if someone infected with COVID-19 is on campus?
• I'm concerned about my student being in close proximity to others. Will social distancing be encouraged?
• I don't want to send my child to school because he is at high risk for catching COVID-19. What are his options?
• What happens if campuses need to close again? 
• Do I need to buy a mask for my child if she attends school in-person?

• Learning
  • My child must begin as a choice remote learner but does not want to remain that way. What are his options?
  • What's the difference between Spring 2020 Distance Learning and 2020-2021 Remote Learning?
  • Is there an application?
  • Will my student receive the same services as an in-person learner?
  • Will the traditional attendance policy be followed this year?
  • We are choosing in-person learning for my student(s). What can we expect?
  • Are certain CTE courses designated as in-person only?
  • Can my remote learner participate in athletics and fine arts?
  • My child will participate in remote learning. Will she still be able to participate in clubs or organizations?
  • Who can we call if we have technology issues during choice remote learning?
• Communication
  • How often will the district communicate with families and staff?
  • I want to express my opinion to the district. How do I do that? 
  • I submitted answers to a recent parent and staff survey. What are the results?

What is a close contact? 

A close contact is defined by the CDC as someone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes, starting from two days before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated. This means the close contact has possibly been exposed to the virus and should quarantine to monitor for symptoms. 

NEW! Beginning Monday, April 26, 2021, the proper and consistent use of face masks will be used as a mitigating factor when determining required quarantine due to close contact exposure. This means that if both a COVID-19 positive individual and the close contact are properly and consistently masked during the period of exposure, then the exposed individual will not be required to quarantine. The important piece to these modified quarantine protocols is the proper and consistent use of face masks. Non-medical grade, disposable face masks or cloth face coverings to protect the nose and mouth are still required on campus during the instructional day. Under the modified protocols and depending on the exposure situation, proper and consistent use of face masks may prevent your child/staff member from being quarantined if they are identified as a close contact. 

How will I know if my child is a close contact? How will I know if I have been exposed as a staff member? 

Anyone determined to be a close contact will receive a personal phone call from their school administration and separate email notification with further instructions. If you are not directly contacted about you/your child being a close contact, then you/your child have not been identified as a close contact and will not need to quarantine. 

If I/my child is sent home as a close contact, do other members of our family need to quarantine? 

No. Anyone who has been near someone who is identified as a close contact is considered a “contact of a contact.” This person has not been exposed and may continue activities as normal. If the close contact individual begins experiencing symptoms or becomes lab-confirmed, the contact of a contact should begin quarantine and get tested. 

How will I know if there is a COVID-positive case on campus? 

When lab-confirmed cases are reported to the district, all staff and parents at the affected school will receive an emailed notification once contract tracing is complete. Due to state and federal privacy requirements, the name or details that may identify the individual cannot be released. The district also manages a site-by-site COVID tracking tool to provide our community with a summary of active case counts in our schools. This dashboard is updated each school day by 5 pm and represents the most accurate tracking of the COVID impact in EMS ISD.  

How will campuses support student and staff health at school?

• Hand sanitizer dispensers will be installed at all main entrances at all district facilities. Portable, stand-alone dispenser stations also will be delivered to each facility for use wherever campus administration deems necessary. 
• Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors will be encouraged to sanitize and/or wash hands frequently.
• Schools will encourage students to engage in handwashing for at least 20 seconds at least two times each day, in addition to being encouraged to wash hands after using the restroom and before eating.
• Schools will teach students good handwashing techniques.
• Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors will be encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and if not available, covered in their elbows. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash, hands should be washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or hand sanitizer should be used.
• On the first day a student attends school on campus, EMS ISD will provide instruction to students on appropriate hygiene and other health safety practices adopted in the local school system.
• Sneeze shields/guards will be installed to all locations for use in reception areas and/or other administrative areas as determined by campus leadership. Specific locations will be defined in each campus’ Safe Return to School Operational Procedures Plan.
• Campuses have created health and safety plans.

Campus Cleaning

• Campuses will institute more frequent cleaning practices, including additional cleaning and sanitization by custodial staff, as well as provide the opportunity for children to clean their own spaces before and after they are used, in ways that are safe and developmentally appropriate.
• Schools will arrange for cleaning and disinfecting of commonly touched surfaces in classrooms between different class groups, if the same room will be used by multiple class groups. This could include objects such as shared tables/desks, shared supplies such as art supplies, and at high school, touch-powered devices such as shared laptops or tablets.

District custodial staff will implement the following measures within district facilities:

• Access to, and regular use of, additional disinfectant resources including electrostatic sprayers.
• More frequent cleaning and disinfecting of common areas and high-touch surfaces during the day and at the end of each day. This includes doorknobs, handrails, etc.
• Disinfect all locations nightly utilizing cleaners approved by the EPA for use in treating COVID-19. The disinfectant meets or exceeds guidelines set by the CDC.
• Adjust custodial schedules so more staff can be onsite during the day to provide timely cleaning and disinfecting when students and employees are present.
• Per standard practice, ensure cleaning products are stored safely, including storing harmful products where children cannot access them, and ensuring that harmful cleaning products are not used near children.
• EMS ISD custodial staff will be trained in best practices for sanitization on campuses and throughout district buildings. Custodial supervisors will monitor CDC guidelines to ensure district procedures align with the most current recommendations. Trainings will be documented, signed, and dated by each employee.

How will the district screen students, staff, and visitors?

Staff
EMS ISD will require teachers and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. The self-screening will include teachers and staff taking their own temperature. Teachers and staff must report to the school system if they themselves have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry. Additionally, they must report to the school system if they have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, must remain off campus until the 10-day incubation period has passed.

Screening Parents and Students
EMS ISD may screen students and parents. Screening is accomplished by asking questions by phone or other electronic methods and/or in person. The screening questions should also be asked of a student’s parent/guardian if that parent/guardian will be dropping off or picking up their child from inside the school. Regularly performing a forehead temperature check of otherwise asymptomatic students in school is not recommended, but the practice is also not prohibited by TEA guidance.

Visitors
EMS ISD must screen all visitors before they are allowed onto campuses to determine if the visitors have COVID-19 symptoms or are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, the visitor must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry.

Additionally, EMS ISD must screen to determine if visitors have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, and, if so, the visitor must remain off campus until the 10-day incubation period has passed. When practical, screening questions could be supplemented with temperature checks of adults.

Parents/guardians and other adults can visit schools IF it is critical to the academic success of the student and essential to school operations. During these visits, parents/guardians and other visitors must follow virus prevention and mitigation requirements of the school. To minimize potential exposure, parens/guardians and any other guests will not be allowed in the building for non-academic purposes (e.g., lunch, walking students to class, ect.). Review the Required Visitor Screening overview.

Symptoms
In evaluating whether an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, consider the following question: Have they recently begun experiencing any of the following in a way that is not normal for them? 

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit 
• Loss of taste or smell 
• Cough 
• Difficulty breathing 
• Shortness of breath 
• Fatigue o Headache 
• Chills 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion or runny nose 
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering 
• Significant muscle pain or ache 
• Diarrhea 
• Nausea or vomiting 

Close Contact
This document refers to “close contact” with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. The definition of close contact is evolving with our understanding of COVID-19, and individual 9 scenarios should be determined by an appropriate public health agency. In general, close contact is defined as: (a) being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on); or (b) being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes; however, additional factors like case/contact masking (i.e., both the infectious individual and the potential close contact have been consistently and properly masked), ventilation, presence of dividers, and case symptomology may affect this determination. 

Screening Questionnaire Information
1. When asking individuals if they have symptoms for COVID-19, school systems must only require the individual to provide a “Yes” or “No” to the overall statement that they are symptomatic for COVID-19, as opposed to asking the individual for specific symptom confirmation. School systems are not entitled to collect information during screening on the specific health information of an individual beyond that they are symptomatic. 

2. Once it is determined that individuals who responded “Yes” to either of these questions have met the criteria for re-entry, school systems must destroy those individuals’ responses.

Can I visit my child's school?

Parents/guardians and other adults can visit schools IF it is critical to the academic success of the student and essential to school operations. During these visits, parents/guardians and other visitors must follow virus prevention and mitigation requirements of the school. To minimize potential exposure, parens/guardians and any other guests will not be allowed in the building for non-academic purposes (e.g., lunch, walking students to class, ect.). Review the Required Visitor Screening overview.

What is the district's mask policy?

For the purposes of the EMS ISD Reconnect 2020 learning plan, masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks or cloth face coverings to protect nose and mouth. Full-face shields may be used to supplement face coverings, but are generally not sufficient to be worn alone unless in an activity as described below. We are continuing to review and provide updates based on CDC and Texas Education Agency guidance. 

How will students eat on campus?

Cafeteria meal services will continue at both elementary and secondary levels with additional safety and sanitization practices implemented:

• Serving lines will be sanitized between each class or table, depending on how campus administration manages the release of students to the serving lines.
• All staff will continue to wear gloves and face masks.
• Shields will be placed at cash register stations to provide added protection for students and staff.
• Sneeze guards will be in place and students will have no contact with food that is not theirs in the serving line.
• All breakfast will be “grab-and-go” in a bag to reduce congregating.
• Salad bars will not be open while enhanced health safety measures are in place.
• “Grab-and-go” a la carte items will continue to be individually wrapped and all condiments will be prepackaged.
• Service times will be adjusted as needed to meet the needs of each campus.
• Meal service will move to a cashless system to limit handling of cash payments. Parents are requested to utilize the MySchoolBucks system to purchase meals for students. No change will be given; all cash or check payments will be deposited on student accounts. Refunds will be provided via check (no cash) upon request through the Child Nutrition office.
• All Child Nutrition staff will participate in training in additional health safety protocols for meal service.

What do I do if my student has COVID-19 symptoms or has been diagnosed through a lab-confirmed positive test result?

Keep your student home and contact your campus nurse. If your student has symptoms, begin a 10-day quarantine from the time of your test or the onset of symptoms. If your student has been diagnosed with COVID-19 through a lab-confirmed positive test result, begin a 10-day quarantine from the time of the test or the onset of symptoms, whichever is earlier. 

What do I do if my student has had direct exposure to someone with COVID-19?

This is considered a "close contact." Keep your student home and contact your campus nurse. If your student has had direct exposure through close contact to someone with COVID-19, begin a 10-day isolation from the last-known contact with the lab-confirmed individual and monitor for symptoms.

What do I do if someone in our household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19?

This is considered a "close contact." Keep your student home and contact your campus nurse. If someone in your household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, begin a 10-day isolation from the last-known contact with the lab-confirmed individual and monitor for symptoms.

What do I do if someone in our household has been exposed to someone with COVID-19? 

This is considered a "contact of a contact." If a member of your household has been exposed to COVID-19 but is not experiencing symptoms and the student was not in close contact with the positive COVID-19 individual, then your student may continue attending school on campus. Continue to monitor for symptoms and follow CDC guidelines by:

• Maintaining good hygiene
• Practicing social distancing
• Wearing a mask
• Washing hands frequently

What do I do if my child is ready to return to school after having COVID-19 or its symptoms?

Your student can return to school when all three of the following criteria have been met:

• At least one day (24 hours) has passed since with no fever without the use of fever reducing medications and
• Ten (10) days have passed since the symptoms first appeared and
• Symptoms are improved

You also may submit a medical professional's note indicating an alternative diagnosis or obtain an acute infection test that comes back negative for COVID-19 to gain clearance to return to school. Students must check-in with the school nurse before being allowed to return to classes.

What do I do if I need to report a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case during non-school hours?

Visit Let's Talk on the district website and complete the COVID-19 After-Hours Reporting Form. Someone from the campus or district will follow up with additional instructions.

What happens if someone infected with COVID-19 is on campus?

• Schools must immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school until the student can be picked up by a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian is expected to come pick up the student immediately.
• Schools will clean and sanitize the areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school (student, teacher, or staff) as soon as is feasible.
• Students who report feeling feverish will be given an immediate temperature check to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.
• Additionally, the district is tracking reported cases and recoveries via the COVID-19 Dashboard. The site will be updated every week day by 5 pm.

Required Actions if Individuals with Lab-Confirmed Cases Have Been in a School

• If an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, EMS ISD must notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Schools must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed case (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfaces in those areas can be disinfected, unless more than seven (7) days have already passed since that person was on campus.
• Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, EMS ISD must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers or staff who participate on any on-campus activities.

I'm concerned about my student being in close proximity to others. Will social distancing be encouraged?

Where feasible without disrupting the educational experience, schools will encourage students to practice social distancing of six feet or more.

• In classrooms where students are regularly within six feet of one another, schools should plan for more frequent hand washing and/or hand sanitizing.
• Where social distancing is not feasible, EMS ISD may require the use of masks or face shields for adults or students for whom it is developmentally appropriate.     
• When feasible and appropriate (for example, in physical education classes as weather permits), it is preferable for students to gather outside, rather than inside, because of likely reduced risk of virus spread outdoors.
• Campuses will develop building-specific plans for entry, exit, and transition procedures (such as passing periods) that reduce large group gatherings of students and/or adults in close proximity.
• Depending on local conditions, schools will reduce or eliminate assemblies and other activities that bring large groupings of students and/or teachers and staff together.
• Restrooms will be monitored throughout the day to ensure they are clean and disinfected, and are supplied with soap and other necessary supplies.
• Campuses will encourage students to practice social distancing of six feet or more when using common spaces such as cafeterias, libraries, etc. Masks will be required in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order except when eating or where feasible and developmentally appropriate. Enhanced cleaning and sanitization of common areas will be conducted more frequently as feasible.

I don’t want to send my child to school because he is at high risk for catching COVID-19. What are my options? 

If you choose remote learning for your child, here is what to expect: 

• All learning and activities will occur online. 
• Students will not come to campus for any instruction. 
• Students will be asked to remain in remote learning for a full grading period. 
• Students can return to on-campus learning after one full grading period. 
• Courses will be taught by highly qualified, certified teachers. 
• Resources supporting students’ social and emotional needs will be available. 

What happens if campuses need to close again? 

If campuses are required to close again for any reason, all students would transition to remote learning. 

Do I need to buy a mask for my child if she attends school in-person?

It is recommended that students bring a face mask if they begin in-person learning September 8*.  Please check with your child's campus for details.

*For the purposes of the EMS ISD Reconnect 2020 learning plan, masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks or cloth face coverings to protect nose and mouth. Full-face shields may be used to supplement face coverings, but are generally not sufficient to be worn alone unless in an activity as described on the Reconnect 2020 website under In-Person Learning > Health and Safety Measures. We are continuing to review and provide updates based on CDC and Texas Education Agency guidance. 

My child must begin as a choice remote learner September 8 but does not want to remain that way. What are his options?

Students who attend in-person but must begin Choice Remote Learning for a limited time (less than three weeks)

Students will remain with their current schedule and assigned teachers. Assignments will be provided through the online platform (TEAMS/CANVAS). Daily engagement is required for the student to be counted present. 

Students who attend in-person but must begin Choice Remote Learning for an extended time (more than three weeks)

Students will be assigned to a remote learning teacher and may possibly change their schedule if they are attending any courses that must be done in-person. Campus counselors will determine the best schedule for the student in partnership with the student and parent, so the student remains on track to be promoted to the next grade level or to graduate. Assignments will be given through the online platform (TEAMS/CANVAS).  Daily engagement is required for the student to be counted present.

What's the difference between Spring 2020 Distance Learning and 2020-2021 Remote Learning?

EMS ISD developed the Spring 2020 Distance Learning plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a crisis response that had to be implemented quickly and efficiently. The district determined it was critical to continue providing the best learning opportunity for every student.  Teachers followed the standard curriculum so that students did not lose their learning from the year and were prepared for the 2020-2021 school year with little deficit. Due to trying to provide equity for all students with technology, devices, and access to internet, a Pass (PL)/Fail (FL) option was implemented and the Spring 2020 semester did not count towards a student’s grade point average (GPA).

The 2020-2021 Remote Learning plan will not be the same model as the spring distance learning. EMS ISD will follow a defined asynchronous instructional model, which is far more self-guided student instruction. Asynchronous instruction is a curricular experience where students engage daily in the learning materials, interacting intermittently with the teacher via the computer or other electronic devices or over the phone. Asynchronous instruction does not require having the teacher/instructor and student engaged at the same time every day, all day; however, students will be expected to engage in their coursework during regular school hours. In this method, students learn from instruction that may be delivered in-person or in real time, as well as through various forms of digital and online learning such as prerecorded video lessons or learning tasks that students complete on their own, and pre-assigned work and formative assessments made available to students on paper. Per state requirements, districts must follow the TEKS-based curriculum (TEC, §28.002) and school grading policies for remote student work must be consistent with on campus assignments. 

Under Texas Education Agency regulations, homeschool or private school students who were not enrolled in a Texas public school in 2019-2020 and enroll in EMS ISD for 2020-2021 will only be allowed to participate in on-campus instruction.

Is there an application?

Parents who wish for their child(ren) to attend remote learning for the 2020-2021 school year must virtually attend an orientation, commit to their child’s engagement daily with the teacher and/or the learning platform (TEAMS for elementary and CANVAS for secondary), and to complete all assignments and timelines for grading. Parents will submit the application online. Once received, it will be reviewed by an EMS ISD placement committee. Once the approval is finalized, the campus will contact the parent and students of the admission status. Click on the Application icon under Choice Remote Learning on this page.

Will my student receive the same services as an in-person learner?

Social/Emotional Well-being

Students in need of counseling supports will have virtual access to their home campus counselor, social worker, and intervention counselor. Parents may work with their home campus counseling team to determine the best needs of supports and resources. 

Instructional Technologist Supports

Students, parents, and remote learning teachers will have access to our technology and instructional technology supports. For assistance with device care and software understanding, please call the Help Desk at 817-847-2990. Teachers in need of remote learning support will have direct access to the campus instructional technical specialist and can contact the IT department throughout the day for instructional assistance.

Interventionists Supports

Students who have been identified for academic intervention support will be contacted by a campus interventionist to determine the specific times to receive the additional instruction during normal school hours. Remote learners who will receive their supports with other students will be expected to participate virtually at a time designated by the campus. 

Will the traditional attendance policy be followed this year?

Per standard attendance requirements, students must be present for 90% of the required days of learning to be promoted to the next grade level or receive credit towards graduation, if in high school. The truancy process will be followed in accordance with state law (TEC, §25.092) if a student is not present for 90% of the days. Students are expected to engage each day and participate in the learning.  It is required by the state that the district follow the curriculum (TEC, §28.002) and district grading policies will be enforced.

We are choosing in-person learning for my student(s). What can we expect?

Students who attend in-person learning (come into the school building) will participate in a traditional academic, extracurricular, and co-curricular schedule following the bell schedule for that campus. Students will be expected to follow all health and safety protocols in place at the campus.

Are certain CTE courses designated as in-person only?

Yes, CTE courses designated as in-person only must be completed in-person, on-campus during the school day. This is due to the specialized equipment, direct supervision of hands-on activities, and/or specific materials and technology needed for these courses. Additionally, many of these classes serve as the capstone to a program of study, centered on a specific field, that spans at least three courses and are needed for certification, licensure, or dual credit. Transportation must be provided by the parent or student. For a list of courses, click on the Career and Technology icon under Choice Remote Learning on this page.

Can my remote learner participate in athletics and fine arts?
Students enrolled in Remote Learning will be allowed to participate in person, on campus in athletics and cheerleading. This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her coach/director when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games or events. Transportation must be provided by the parent or student.

Students enrolled in Remote Learning may participate in a performing fine arts course (Band, Choir, Dance, & Theatre Arts).This could be during the school day and/or before or after school. The student must work with his/her teacher/director when the remote learner attends in-person class, practices, games or events.Transportation must be provided by the parent or student.

Non-performing arts (Visual Arts courses in middle school and high school) will be conducted all remotely for the remote learner.

My child will participate in choice remote learning. Will she still be able to participate in clubs or organizations?

Students enrolled in Choice Remote Learning may participate in student clubs or organizations virtually and may attend before/after-school meetings and events in person. The student must work with his/her sponsor to determine times for attendance and must provide their own transportation.

Who can we call if we have technology issues during choice remote learning?

Contact the EMS ISD Help Desk at 817-847-2990. The Help Desk will take calls from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm weekdays.

How often will the district communicate with families and staff?

The district aims to provide relevant and accurate information to the EMS community as often as possible. We are in a season where we are overwhelmed with new and sometimes conflicting information. It's our responsibility to make informed, deliberate decisions in the best interest of our students, familes, and staff. 

I want to express my opinion to the district. How do I do that? 

We want to hear from you! Submit a response on the district's Let's Talk page.

I submitted answers to a recent parent and staff survey. What are the results?

Survey highlights include:

• 53% of participating parents said their child’s experience with distance learning was successful or somewhat successful. Additionally, 53% of participating staff members said their experience with distance learning was successful or somewhat successful.
• 31% of participating parents said the biggest obstacle for their child with distance learning was lack of motivation/focus. While 22% of participating staff members said there was no obstacle for them with distance learning, 27% of staff selected ‘other’. The main response associated with ‘other’ was lack of student participation and/or trouble contacting students.
• Three-quarters (75%) of participating parents said they had enough support from their child’s teacher(s) and 81% said they had enough educational resources. Additionally, 94% of participating staff members said they had enough support from their instructional leaders and 86% said they had enough educational resources.
• 73% of participating parents strongly agreed or agreed that their child is prepared for the next grade level following EMS ISD distance learning.
• 83% of parents and 85% of staff members said the district’s response and communication surrounding the COVID-19 crisis was excellent or good.
• Half of all participating parents, 50%, said they are planning to send their child(ren) back to EMS ISD for the fall semester and 37% are still deciding. Additionally, 69% of parents said they plan to return their child to EMS ISD, as normal with enhanced health and safety measures and 29% said they plan for their child(ren) to learn at home/online with EMS ISD.
• 89% of instructional staff are interested or somewhat interested in teaching in-person only for the fall semester, 62% are interested or somewhat interested in teaching in-person and online, and 70% are interested or somewhat interested in teaching online only.

We want to hear from you! Please visit the Let's Talk page to submit your feedback.

The EMS ISD Grading and Reporting Handbook and policies will be followed for EMS ISD remote learning and will be consistent with the grading policies for on-campus assignments.Students in grades PreK-1 will receive standards-based report cards. Students in grades 2-12 will receive numeric grades and all reporting grades will be used to determine promotion to the next grade level and, for high school courses, will count towards a student’s grade point average (GPA). High school courses and numeric grades will be reflected on a student’s transcript.

Table of Contents

• Special Education - IEPs
  • In-Person Learning
  • Choice Remote Learning
• Section 504
  • In-Person Learning
  • Choice Remote Learning
  • Dyslexia Services

Special Education - IEPs

Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) will be provided a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) by receiving the special education instructional and related services documented in the IEP. These instructional and related services will be made available to students through both In-Person and Choice Remote Learning, consistent with district guidelines found on this website.

In-Person Learning

In addition to receiving face-to-face instruction, speech therapy and all related services, accommodations, and modifications will be provided to the student consistent with their individual IEP.

For students with a documented medical condition that prevents them from accessing in-person learning, the ARD committee shall convene to consider the need for homebound services.    

Choice Remote Learning

All learning and activities will occur online.  Instructional periods and the daily schedule for the student will be determined by the campus master schedule, in collaboration with the general and special education teachers.

Students who receive speech therapy and other services or therapies as part of the IEP may either receive remote services through the online platform (Teams), or may schedule face-to-face, walk-in services with the service provider on campus.

Section 504

Students with a Section 504 Plan will be provided a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) by receiving the accommodations, supports and services document in the 504 plan.  The accommodations, supports and services will be made available to students through both In-Person and Choice Remote Learning, consistent with district guidelines: Return to School Plan.

In-Person Learning

In addition to receiving face-to-face instruction, instructional accommodations, supports and services outlined in the student’s individual 504 plan will be provided.

For students with a documented medical condition that prevents them from accessing in-person learning, the Section 504 committee shall convene to consider the need for general education homebound services.    

Choice Remote Learning

All learning and activities will occur online.  Instructional accommodations, supports and services outlined in the student’s individual 504 plan will be provided remotely.

Dyslexia Services

For eligible students, dyslexia services will be made available through both In-Person and Choice Remote Learning.  Students may receive dyslexia services through the online platform (Teams), or may schedule face-to-face, walk-in services with the dyslexia therapist assigned the child’s campus.  The dyslexia therapist determines the daily schedule and group, in collaboration with the child’s classroom teacher and campus master schedule.  

EMS ISD plans to continue transportation services to families through all regular bus routes and shuttles, with enhanced health safety protocols in place.

• All buses will be sanitized using an electrostatic sprayer after each use, with focus on high-touch surfaces such as bus seats, steering wheels, knobs, and door handles. During cleaning, windows will be opened to allow for additional ventilation and air flow.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers will be installed on every bus immediately inside the entry doors above the handrail. Drivers will remind each student and staff member to use hand sanitizer upon boarding the bus.
• All bus drivers, monitors, and students will wear face coverings as feasible, especially when the ability for social distancing is greatly diminished. Individual needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
• Bus drivers and monitors will be trained in best practices and protocols for transportation and student health.

NEW Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, additional cleaning/disinfecting and bus riding procedures have been implemented for the 2020-2021 school year as follows:

• GoldStar will strive to have two riders per seat. If space allows, students will be encouraged to spread out.
• All bus drivers and monitors are required to wear masks and gloves any time they are on a bus, in the bus yard, or in any location where students or staff are present.
• The District will provide disposable masks (both child and adult size) to GoldStar to provide to students who do not have a mask.
• Students who do not comply with the proper use of wearing masks will lose bus-riding privileges.
• Buses will be sprayed with disinfectant each time the bus returns to the yard from a route/trip.
• During the route, bus seats, handrails, etc. will be wiped down in between each Tier.
• Each bus will be equipped with a spray bottle of disinfectant and disposable rags to utilize while on their respective route.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers are installed on every bus at the entry door. Students will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer upon entry of the bus.
• The District will supply GoldStar with inventory for restocking and refilling of all cleaning/disinfecting materials and equipment.
• Air conditioning will be used on buses; windows will also be lowered during routes to increase ventilation (weather permitting.)