Administrators finalize plans for rest of year
By Donnie A. Lucas
School officials have been busy planning for the remainder of the school year following Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement last Friday that in-person classes are cancelled for the remainder of the year due to concerns over the Coronavirus COVID-19.
“We have been finalizing plans for the rest of the school year,” superintendent Jonathan Scott said. “There are still some things that are not decided or pending based on what the governor or the commissioner does later on.”
Scott said that the board met on Monday and agreed to attempt some sort of graduation ceremony on the original scheduled date of Friday, May 22.
“We want to continue to hold May 22 as graduation, but it will be contingent on any restrictions to shelter in place or the size of groups allowed by the governor, city or county officials at the time,” Scott said. “We hope to know more after the current restrictions end later in the month.”
Plans were made for how both campuses will end the current school year.
At the secondary campus, students will continue distance or online instruction through May 15.
“All work must be completed and turned in to grade by Friday, May 15,” principal Edward Morales said. “Seniors who are eligible will end their course work on Friday, May 8. However, some seniors who haven’t met all the requirements for graduation will have the extra week until May 15 to turn in work.”
Morales said that some seniors may find themselves in a situation of finishing work during summer school if they have not earned the credits required to graduate.
The secondary campus plans to have students turn in computers, textbooks, athletic clothes and equipment, and any other school property on May 18-20 following a strict schedule.
No final exams will be given as originally set for May 20-22, but teachers can still require comprehensive exams prior to the May 15 ending date.
“We will be scheduling specific times for students to come to the school to turn things in on those three days,” Scott said. “We want to be able to control the number of students in the building at one time to comply with any restrictions in place.”
Students will also be required to clean out lockers at that time.
At the elementary school, the final week of assignments will be sent home on May 1 and will be due back on Friday, May 8.
“We will need all work and Chromebooks or other property returned on Friday, May 8,” principal John Gallagher said. “We have been isolating work that is returned for four or five days in order not to spread anything. That will give teachers time to grade the work and submit their final grades.”
The principal said that assignments for summer school will be given out on May 8, although which students that might affect has not yet been determined.
Both campuses will mail out report cards the week following the end of the semester.
“This abrupt end to the year is finally setting in,” Scott said. “It is upsetting that teachers and students will not have the usual contact before the year ends. It is especially sad that our seniors have lost this time leading up to graduation and the usual activities.”
Scott added that the school has applied for a $10,000 grant to extend the usual time for summer school to help students who may have been affected by remote learning if students and teachers are allowed back together at some point during June or July.
“We are committed to helping any of our students who are falling behind because of the lack of classroom instruction and provide the help they need if they are able to come back to the building,” Scott said.
As a special note to seniors, Monday, May 11 has been set as the date to pick up caps and gowns, along with plans for other graduation tasks. Details of how that will be handled have not been finalized.
Office hours at both campuses will continue to be 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
Parents that have questions are urged to contact the office.
