Different look to new school year

Posted 12/31/69

With Mineola schools reopening in two weeks (Aug. 13) and teachers and student athletes reporting next week, district administration is continuing to refine its processes and fill in blanks for parents and students.

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Different look to new school year

Posted

With Mineola schools reopening in two weeks (Aug. 13) and teachers and student athletes reporting next week, district administration is continuing to refine its processes and fill in blanks for parents and students.

Mineola Superintendent Cody Mize held a virtual town hall Tuesday, July 21 and fielded a variety of questions from parents on what the new school year will look like.

He said the district wants to have as traditional a start of school as possible.

Schools were closed in March as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not reopen in the spring.

Those involved in athletics and band were able to resume practices and workouts during the summer, and Tuesday the University Interscholastic League announced that smaller schools can begin athletic practices on time Aug. 3, and competitions later in the month, with a delay for marching band until Sept. 7.

Mize did say that the UIL announcement was a surprise that sports would begin on time rather than delayed, as they were for larger schools.

Families will be choosing between virtual school and in-person classes when enrolling students.

Mize reviewed procedures students will go through upon arriving on campus or boarding a school bus.

With the difficulty of social distancing on buses, Mize asked parents to drive children to school as much as possible.

Bus students will be required to wear masks, and those arriving in private vehicles will have to wear masks to enter the school.

Both groups will undergo self-checks and temperature checks before being allowed in the building or on a bus, and hand sanitizing stations will greet bus riders and those entering buildings.

Once in classrooms, where social distancing is in progress, masks can be removed. The masks are not a requirement for the primary campus, which is grades K-2.

Mize reiterated the recent school board vote that those participating in extracurricular activities must be enrolled in regular school. Virtual students will not be able to participate.

He did note that students in classes that require hands-on skills demonstrations, such as welding, would be required to come into the classroom for those events.

Students who choose virtual school will remain in that program for the nine week’s grading period. But those who choose in-person class may opt to switch to virtual at any time.

Mize outlined protocols for students who become symptomatic or have a positive test for the virus.

He said there will have to be a lot of judgment in determining the next steps based on the amount of contact with other students, such as whether a class-wide quarantine is appropriate.

He also reviewed the guidelines for allowing students back on campus after symptoms or a positive test, including 72 hours without fever, improved symptoms, especially respiratory, and at least ten days since symptoms first appeared.

Mize continually stressed the need for good communication between parents and the school and encouraged those with further questions to contact campuses or the district for answers.

He said all of the information will be rolled out as soon as it is available, including a series of commercials to address some of the issues.

Those who missed the presentation may go back and view it on the district’s Facebook page. There will also be virtual orientation sessions for each campus.

He said he knows that parents have a lot of tough decisions to make and things to think through.

Other answers included allowing water bottles, as water fountains will be inoperable; allowing a family member to walk young children to the building on opening day; making hot spots available for virtual students with connectivity issues; and leaving the door open for possible field trips.