The Alba-Golden ISD board of trustees voted to adopt secondary grading guidelines in response to the coronavirus closure of schools and virtual learning system at a special board meeting on April 28.

The district wants to balance expectations for teachers and families and to extend grace to all students during a difficult time, according to the guidelines.

AGISD secondary students will receive their fourth nine-week grade in one of two ways. The first, second and third nine-week grades will be averaged and compared to the students’ current nine-week grade. The higher of those two grades will serve as the fourth nine-week grade.

During the fourth nine-week grading period, students will have no less than nine and no more than 15 grades per course, and all grades will carry the same weight. Up to three grades may be exempted for all students in courses in which teachers take more than nine grades. There will be no final exams for the semester.

Students have one week to complete all assignments, and there will be an additional week period of grace beyond the initial deadline. Teachers will meet weekly with classes via zoom.  

Grades 3-8 STAAR and End of Course (EOC) tests will not be given this spring or summer. Students enrolled in EOC-test courses will not have to complete their corresponding EOC test, provided they earn course credit during the 2019-20 school year.

Senior students who have not earned credits for graduation will be contacted by student advisor Amanda Galyean regarding their individual graduation committee process.

Students taking dual-credit courses will be affected by the college’s decisions.

Graduation discussions and plans have been postponed until the May 11 regular school board meeting. Interim Superintendent Eddie White had hoped for recommendations from Governor Abbott in his address to Texas on April 27, but no mention of schools was made. 

White says AGISD would like to have a traditional ceremony and is looking into ways of doing that, but not at the expense of people’s health. 

“These kids deserve a ceremony. They’ve worked 13 years for this,” agreed board member Dwayne Thompson.

Two professional contracts for the 2020-21 school year were approved for teachers Richard Lovern and Amanda Thompson.

Throughout May, the board will be having several meetings to interview superintendent candidates. Since the resignation of Dwayne Ellis on Feb. 24, White has served as interim. The board hopes to have a new superintendent hired by July 6.

The 2020-21 Pre-K registration and roundup will begin May 11. Depending on the number of enrollees, the school will determine how many full-day and half-day sections it will have.