School
districts across the state are stuck in a conundrum. While planning for a new
school year is normally well underway by now, district leaders are walking an
unenviable tightrope. COVID-19-positive numbers are rising dramatically across
most of the country, and no one knows when this trend will end. As a result,
districts that have developed learning options for the 2020-2021 school year
may have to shift gears in the coming weeks.
Should district
leaders develop plans now that may very well need to be changed or should they
wait until late July to see what the numbers look like then? To develop or not
to develop, that is the question. I honestly don’t think there is a definitive
answer on this one. Plans developed now can, obviously, be adjusted. It seems to
me that adjusting a plan would be far easier than trying to fully develop one
in the final hour.
I have read
plans from a number of districts, and I decided to create an evolving list of
these plans. This will allow educators, parents, students, and district leaders
to look at other options for comparison and for ideas and inspiration. I will
continue to add plans to this list.
I will also
continue posting information coming from Texas Commissioner of Education Mike
Morath and from local/state/national leaders, as well as any other information
I see that could be beneficial when designing the 2020-2021 school year.
Teachers
and parents—I continue to urge you to reach out to your district leaders NOW to
let them know where YOU stand on these options. It’s far better to be proactive
than reactive. I also want to encourage you to find time to relax and to have some
fun over the summer. Spending the entire summer worrying about what 2020-2021
holds is unhealthy, to say the least.
I will
leave you with a quotation I came across recently that fits perfectly with our
current situation: Life isn’t about waiting
for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
Rio Grande Valley
IDEA Public Schools
McAllen ISD
PSJA ISD
Texas - Outside the RGV
Clear Creek ISD
Other States
Arizona
Laveen, AZ (Laveen School District)
Mesa, AZ (Mesa Public Schools)
Illinois
Peoria, IL (District 150)
Iowa
Des Moines, IA (Des Moines Public Schools)
Communication from Mike Morath and Government Officials
COVID-19 - Mike Morath's Calls with Texas Superintendents (Hit the "SUBSCRIBE" button on this page if you want to be notified when new videos post)
Related Information
National Blue Ribbon Schools: Effective Distance Learning Strategies
