Paris ISD

Back to School FAQ

2020 - 2021

When will we return to school?

The 2020-2021 start date will be September 8th.

New Teachers will start on August 13th and all remaining faculty/staff will return on August 19th.

Will there be a change in the school calendar?

A copy of the 2020 -2021 school calendar is available at this link

https://files.gabbart.com/167/paris_isd_20-21_school_calendar_revised_-_approved_7-27-2020.pdf

What learning options are available for my student for this fall? 

Paris ISD will offer two choices for attending school this fall:

• On Campus Learning - Traditional At-School Learning
• Remote Learning - Students Learn from home virtually

More information about these two learning options can be found under our re-entry plan.

Whether we choose the On Campus or Remote Learning, will we be able to switch during the school year?

Students who choose remote learning will have to complete a 9 week grading period.  Students choosing on campus learning can switch to remote learning at any time, however will have to complete a 9 week grading period.

Will there be fall athletics, band, and academic activities?

Yes, we will follow UIL guidelines while participating in all activities this fall. We have a link to the UIL page that is continuously updated on our website.

Will students be allowed to participate in UIL activities if they choose to do Remote Learning?

Yes, students will need to adhere to all PISD and UIL guidelines to participate in any UIL activities, including attendance and maintaining their grades.

Will my student be able to ride the bus to and from school?

Paris ISD encourages all families to transport their children to and from school.  Bus transportation will be offered; however, the standard number of transported students compromises the ability to socially distance.  For this reason, students utilizing bus transportation will be required to wear face coverings/masks at all times on board as developmentally-appropriate.

What safety measures will be taken to help maintain safety on the bus?

• Hand sanitizer will be available when boarding the bus.
• All bus drivers will wear face coverings/masks.
• All students, as developmentally appropriate and per CDC guidelines, will wear face coverings/masks while riding the bus.
• When boarding the bus, seating should start from the back seats, then toward the front.  When unloading, exiting should start from the front to the back.
• Buses will be cleaned/disinfected between each transportation run and at the end of the day.
• Transportation staff will be trained in proper cleaning/disinfecting procedures.
• When possible, students in the same family should sit together on the bus.
•  In order to help with ventilation, and if weather permits, windows may be open. 

Will there be an attendance requirement for Remote Learning?

Just as with traditional on-campus attendance procedures, official attendance is taken during intermittent and remote learning.  A student is considered absent if the student does not have documented engagement in Google/Smore and/or daily contact with their teacher, and/or documentation of completion of daily assignments.

*The State requires students to attend a minimum of 90% of school days to earn promotion and credits regardless if that is on campus learning or via remote learning.

Will Remote Learning be the same packet instruction they received in the Spring? 

No

Students in Remote Learning will receive instruction from PISD teachers in real-time, recorded, or also self-paced instruction.   

What program will be used for Remote Learning?

Remote Learning will utilize Smore for PK-2 and Google Classroom for 3-12.

Will a student be required to follow the dress code if they are doing Remote Learning?

Yes, students who will be participating in Remote Learning will follow the Paris ISD dress code.

What type of grading system will be used for Remote Learning?

Students enrolled in Remote Learning will follow the same grading guidelines as in-person instruction.  There are no changes to the Paris ISD grading guidelines for the 2020-2021 school year.  The attendance requirement for fall 2020 final exam eligibility has been waived.  Secondary students may elect to exempt a final exam if the semester average and behavior requirements are met.

Will a student that is enrolled in Gifted and Talented classes be enrolled in those same classes in Remote Learning?

Yes, all GT students will continue on the same path in both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning.

Will classes taken in Remote Learning be included in GPA calculations and class rank for high school students?

Yes. Paris High School is not excluding Remote Learners from the current GPA calculations and class ranking systems. Students enrolled in Remote Learning will receive the same quality education as those participating in On Campus Learning. 

Will dual credit and AP courses be offered for both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning?

Yes. Students enrolled in both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning can expect to continue their college learning experiences made available through Paris High School’s partnership with Paris Junior College and College Board. 

Will students be taking the STAAR/EOC  exams for the 2020-2021 school year?

Yes. 

At this time, TEA has not stated that students will be exempt from STAAR.

What will On Campus Learning look like?

On campus instruction includes face-to-face instruction, in addition to the utilization of the digital learning management system, Smore and Google classroom.  Smore and Google can also be utilized as a remote resource platform for continuous learning should there be an intermittent return from school to home due to COVID-19. 

What measures will PISD take to help keep students safe that are participating in On Campus Learning?

• Each campus will have hand sanitizer at each entrance.  Visitors will need to sanitize their hands when they enter the building.
• On the first day of school, students will be trained to sanitize and/or wash their hands frequently.  Students will be trained on good handwashing techniques, how to properly cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or in their elbows. 
• All Paris ISD campuses will have more frequent deep cleaning.  The janitorial staff will clean commonly touched surfaces throughout the day (doors, handles, desks, laptops etc.)  Paris ISD will electrostatically disinfect each campus daily.
• Cleaning supplies will be provided for each classroom and common area to maximize room-to-room cleanliness.
• Students will be trained to disinfect their surface working areas, shared objects and high-use areas after use and during breaks in instruction.
• Custodians will wear masks and gloves during work hours.
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizing stations will be located throughout the building in common areas.

Will PISD be screening their staff?

 All teachers and staff will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day.

Will PISD be screening students?

Parents must ensure they do not send a student to school if the student has COVID-19 symptoms, lab-confirmed with COVID-19 or have had close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed. It is the parents’ responsibility to screen for symptoms and to keep them home if ill.

Will face masks be required of students as well as staff?

In compliance with the governor’s executive order, all students, staff and visitors (as developmentally appropriate and per CDC guidelines) will be required to wear face mask/covering when entering a PISD facility, in common areas such as hallways and cafeteria when not eating, and whenever a physical distance of 6 feet from another is not possible.  

What happens if a student exhibits signs of COVID-19?

• If a student exhibits signs of COVID-19 while at school, the student will immediately be sent to the nurse and placed in isolation from other students until a parent or guardian can pick them up.
• Students should be picked up within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time the campus has contacted the parent/guardian.
• Other students will be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus so that the classroom can be disinfected.

What happens if a student or teacher test positive for COVID-19? 

If a teacher or student tests positive for COVID-19, the district will NOTIFY the local health department, close off areas heavily used by the individual and CLEAN (disinfect), and COMMUNICATE to all teachers, staff, and families of all students

Paris ISD has a standard response in place in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 among students and staff at a specific campus.  In the event your student’s campus is impacted, parents and staff at the impacted campus will receive an email and/or school messenger call with an update no later than 5 p.m. on the day the COVID-19 case is reported. 

What happens if my student’s campus is temporarily closed during the year?

In the event that our district determines that it is safer for us to close school temporarily, students will move to intermittent At-Home Learning immediately.   Students will temporarily learn from home, and their teacher(s) will work remotely in a classroom and deliver instruction in real-time as well as self-paced work.