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ESSER III » Safe to Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan

Safe to Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan

Esser III
 

Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service Plan

  • Updated 8/30/2023
  •  
  • Van Alstyne ISD continues to monitor the guidance of local, county, and state health agencies to ensure we find an appropriate balance of health and safety procedures that afford us the opportunity to also ensure high levels of student learning.  

 

  • Screening Practices 
    • Teachers and staff are required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day. 
    • Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms, is lab-confirmed with COVID-19, or has a pending COVID-19 test.
    • Parents must ensure that they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has a temperature of 100 degrees or more.
    • Any student with an elevated temperature will be sent to the nurse
    • VAISD reserves the right to give temperature checks to students at any time we feel that it is in the best interest of the student and campus.

 

  • Isolation Practices
    • VAISD will immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school until the student can be picked up by a parent or guardian.
    • Any staff who shows Covid-19 symptoms while at school will be asked to leave campus immediately.
    • Students who report feeling feverish will be given an immediate temperature check.



  • Return to School Practices for students that are positive for COVID-19 
    • School systems must exclude students and staff from attending school in person who are actively sick with Covid-19, who are suspected of being actively sick with Covid-19, or who have received a positive lab confirmed test result for Covid-19. If they have tested positive for Covid-19 isolate for at least 5 days from onset of symptoms. Students and staff may return after isolation with improved symptoms and are fever-free* for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medications.

 

*Fever is a temperature of 100° Fahrenheit (37.8° Celsius) or higher.


 

Practices for Personal Health

  • General 
    • VAISD will increase the air flow by allowing more outside air to circulate in the building. 
    • HVAC upgrades to support indoor air quality

 

  • Hand Washing and Sanitizing Practices 
    • Students, teachers, staff, and campus visitors will sanitize and/or wash hands frequently. 
    • VAISD will teach 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. 
    • Covering cough and sneezes in your elbow or with a tissue is best practices
    • ALL campuses will institute frequent cleaning practices, including additional cleaning by janitorial 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. 
    • VAISD custodial staff will engage in additional cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces that are touched in common areas throughout the day. This includes objects such as door handles, tables/desks, shared supplies, and high touch devices such as shared desktops, laptops, or tablets. 

 

 

Practices in the Classroom

  • General 
    • VAISD will provide hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations with soap and water in every classroom. 

 

  • Daily Campus Cleaning 
    • Each classroom and restroom will be disinfected
    • Classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected regularly, including emphasis on high-touch surfaces



Student Nutrition / Lunch

  • Follow recommended health and safety measures related to food preparation.
  • Sanitizing and hand washing practices in all areas of the kitchen and serving area.

 

Transportation 

  • Ridership will remain at typical district capacity.
  • All buses will be sanitized daily.
  • When feasible, bus windows will be partially open (at minimum) during routes to provide for additional ventilation.

 



Continuity of Services Plan

The delivery of instruction during the 2023-2024 school year will consist of all students learning in-person at our Van Alstyne ISD campuses. 

 

Academic and Instructional Information

 

Design and Delivery of Instruction

Van Alstyne ISD is committed to providing rigorous learning and ensuring students have equitable experiences and access to high quality instruction. Students will engage in high quality learning experiences aligned to the state academic standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS).  Accommodations and support services are provided to meet the needs of all learners, including those with disabilities.  

 

Van Alstyne ISD students will have access to online resources through the Google Classroom.  Students in grades 8-12 will receive Chromebooks to facilitate their studies.  Students in the lower grades will be provided in-school access to Chromebooks and iPads when necessary to complete digital assignments. 

 

Monitoring Progress

Teachers will utilize classroom-based methods such as formative assessments, student self-assessments, daily assignments, projects, and unit tests to measure student academic progress.  In addition to these classroom-based methods, Van Alstyne ISD will use a variety of district diagnostic tools to assess academic progress and inform classroom instruction.

 

Academic Support

Instruction will be purposefully designed for students in need of academic intervention and accelerated learning.  Academic support, such as differentiated small group instruction and intervention-focused tutorials, will be scheduled by the teacher to best meet the academic needs of students.  In addition, Van Alstyne ISD will offer summer learning opportunities for students in need of additional academic support and course credit recovery.

 

Social Emotional Learning & Mental Health Support Systems

 

Social Emotional Learning

  • Social Emotional Learning lessons and activities to support students and staff related to COVID-19 experiences, trauma, and school closure.
  • Supports to strengthen the comprehensive school counseling program to meet the social and emotional needs of students and staff.

 

Mental Health

  • Additional campus-based supports for students who may be experiencing significant mental health crises.

 

Family Support

  • Provide families with information on how to access resources for mental health and wellness.

 

 

Continuity of Services

If a campus temporarily closes during the school year, Van Alstyne ISD will continue to provide academic learning and essential services to students to the maximum extent possible. 

 

Communication Plan

  • The District has made its plan public on the Van Alstyne ISD website.
  • The District has created its plan in an understandable and uniform format.
  • The District’s plan is, to the extent practicable, written in a language that parents can understand, or if not practicable, orally translated.
  • The District will, upon request by a parent who is an individual with a disability, provide the plan in an alternative format accessible to that parent.
  • The District will periodically review and revise its plan as needed, at least every six months.

 

Van Alstyne ISD's Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan will be reviewed and revised as needed, at least every six months, until Sept. 30, 2024. This process will include stakeholder input.