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On-Campus Learning: COVID-19 Mitigation Measures

7/28/2020

 
Parents and Guardians of Venus ISD students: 


The break from regular classroom has been long, and we are all ready to return. Venus ISD plans to start classes on Tuesday, August 18. Registration for returning students continues through August 4. 


The most effective means of education is face-to-face instruction with the teacher. However, it is easy to understand why some parents are unsure about whether to send their children back to school. Therefore, parents may choose to register their children for On-Line (Connected) Learning.  Either way offers parents the flexibility to choose what is best for their family situation. Students will have the ability to have their classroom setting changed at the Six Weeks grading period. 
Every effort is being made to safeguard the health of our students and staff members. Throughout the school year, we will continue providing teachers with opportunities to work and learn while mitigating risks to COVID-19.


We want to make sure that you are well informed about the measures we will be taking to keep your children safe and your families healthy.  Please see the list below for detailed information on the variety of measures that will be in place for On-Campus learning:


Parents:
Screening
  • Parents will screen students for fever, among other symptoms, and for potential exposure to COVID-19 at home, before they travel to school
  • Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school on campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms or is lab-confirmed with COVID-19
  • Click here for a COVID-19 screening guide 
  • Students will also be screened each day for fever with touchless thermometer when entering school. 
Reporting: Parents should call their child’s school if...
  • Their child has been diagnosed with COVID-19
  • Their child has been in close contact to someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (TEA SY 20-21 Public Health Planning Guidance, page 8)
  • The child has a fever or is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms
  • If a child is diagnosed with an illness other than COVID-19, documentation should be provided to the school nurse, and the nurse will provide guidance on when the student may return to school
Buses & Transportation
  • Bus Drivers will be trained on cleaning/sanitizing the buses
  • Buses will be thoroughly cleaned after each bus trip, focusing on high-touch surfaces 
  • During cleaning, windows will be opened to allow for additional ventilation and air flow
  • Hand Sanitizer will be provided and use of it is required upon boarding the bus
  • When possible, bus windows will be open to allow outside air to circulate in the bus
  • Face masks are required to be worn by all students while riding the bus
  • Families may elect to drop students off, carpool, or walk with their student to school
On-Campus Screening
Teachers & Staff
  • Teachers and staff are required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day, to include temperature screening
  • Teachers and staff must report to their immediate supervisor if they find themselves to have COVID-19 symptoms, are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19.  Also, they must remain off campus until they meet the criteria for re-entry (Response to Employee Exhibiting Symptoms or Diagnosis of COVID‐19 Flowchart & Response to Employee Exposure to COVID-19 Flowchart)
Visitors
  • Visitors are not allowed on campus
  • Parents/family members picking up students may come to campus, and:
    • Should call ahead so the school can be prepared
    • Will be required to wear a mask at all times while on campus
    • Will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms, including temperature check
Students
  • All students will have their temperature checked upon entering the campus.  Those with temperatures at or above 100F will be sent home (HHSC Communicable Disease Chart)
Classrooms
  •  Students will be physically distanced to the greatest extent possible while in the classroom
  • Teachers and students will be required to wear masks at all times, unless they can consistently maintain an appropriate physical distance (TEA SY 20-21 Public Health Planning Guidance, page 6 & EO-GA-29)
  • Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and students will be required to use it as they enter the classroom
  • Surfaces and high-touch areas will be routinely cleaned and disinfected, and all instructional areas will be deep-cleaned regularly 
Passing Periods
  • Students will wear masks anytime they are in the hallway
  • Passing periods will be strictly monitored to enforce proper use of PPE and to minimize potential exposure
Cafeterias
  • Students will need to remove masks for meals, so cafeteria spaces will be expanded (example: using gyms, outdoor spaces, or classrooms) as necessary on each campus to enable students to maintain appropriate distancing
  • Hand sanitizer will be available in cafeterias, and students will be encouraged to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer prior to eating
Infection/Exposure Management
Any individuals who themselves either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school system screens the individual to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:
  • In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met: 
    • at least one day (24 hours) has passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); 
    • the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and 
    • at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared. 
  • In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above. 
  • If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hours apart that they are free of COVID via acute infection tests at an approved COVID-19 testing location found at https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/. (TEA SY 20-21 Public Health Planning Guidance, page 4).​
 
Circumstances involving COVID-19 change almost daily. Therefore, state and local mandates as well as local interests are almost certain to change. Please be assured that we will change and adjust accordingly.  Our goal is to partner with you to provide your child with the best learning experience, in spite of COVID-19.  As our partner, please let us know if there is something we can do that will increase your comfort level with sending your child to On-Campus learning by emailing us at covid19@venusisd.net.
 
Sincerely,
 
James Hopper
Superintendent, Venus Independent School District


Need help registering?

7/28/2020

 
Venus ISD will begin classes on-campus and online on August 18, 2020
Registration for returning students continues through August 4, 2020

In-person assistance is available at Venus High School on the following dates:
Thursday July 30, 2020 3PM-7PM
Friday July 31, 2020 3PM-7PM
Saturday August 1, 2020 10AM-2PM

Computers will be available for parents to complete registration and Spanish translators will also be present.
  • Only 1 adult per family will be allowed in and masks are required.
  • No students or children will be allowed to enter the building during this time.
  • You will check in at the door and physical distancing will be observed.
There will be a maximum of 20 parents in the building at one time so please be patient if we have to ask you to wait for a few minutes before you are allowed in.

Registration  Starts Monday, July 20

7/15/2020

 
​Many attempting to register for school today ran into technical difficulties. Therefore, Venus ISD Registration dates will start Monday, July 20 at 8:00 a.m., and run through August 4.
​
On Thursday, 7/16, at 7:00 p.m., Venus ISD Superintendent James Hopper will discuss Re-Opening Plans and gather input from parents.

2020-2021 School Year Update

7/6/2020

 
Venus ISD Parents/Guardians,

The unfortunate health situation in our state is changing daily. Most recently, the COVID-19 incidents have increased dramatically. We appreciate your understanding, patience, and grace as we all navigate this situation together.

We have been working all summer to plan for the 20-21 school year. In a recent survey of Venus ISD parents, almost 80% of the surveys returned said that you would rather have learning happen on campus this fall. We all want our school year to begin as normally as possible; however, there will have to be some safety precautions.

As with all school districts, we had been hoping to get a little more guidance from state sources regarding the health situation, specifically social distancing restrictions and the constraints that will be placed on the classroom environment, transportation, student meals, and so forth. In the absence of this direction, we are pressing forward, and will continue to work with guidance from health officials regarding the safest manner in which to return to school this year.

We want to inform you of options for the coming school year:

On-Campus (Face-to-face) Instruction
We will make sure that our students can be back on campus with their teachers in a way that maximizes safety for students and staff. This will be done through routine disinfecting of surfaces, appropriate and feasible social distancing, hand washing, and use of personal protective equipment.

Connected (At-Home) Instruction
In addition, we are going to offer learning options for those who may have health concerns for their students or for others in the household. For those who are not comfortable with on-campus instruction at this time, we are offering Connected (virtual) Instruction. Your student already has (or will be issued) a Chromebook to use for this type of instruction. Please note that the Connected Learning will adhere to the same attendance and grading polices as on-campus classes.

In order for us to accurately plan for the 20-21 school year, please take a moment to fill out the brief survey, via the link below, indicating your preferences. Please note that answering the survey does not lock you into your decision. It simply gives us valuable feedback so we can more effectively and efficiently plan for the beginning of the school year.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwTz0xGa_nZwU2Orka670qqVL_VRQ1H7y3LQIlcJU2YsTLQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

We look forward to the ongoing partnership with parents in the coming weeks leading up to the school year. There will be much more information in the coming days and weeks. In the meantime, please email any questions to covid19@venusisd.net.
Key upcoming dates include the following:
  • Registration for both On-Campus and Connected Learning is July 15 – July 30.
  • First day for classes is August 13.


La situación de salud en nuestro estado está cambiando diariamente. Más recientemente, los incidentes de COVID-19 han aumentado dramáticamente. Apreciamos su comprensión, paciencia y gracia mientras todos navegamos juntos por esta situación.

En una encuesta reciente de padres de Venus ISD, casi 80% de las encuestas devueltas dijeron que preferiría tener un aprendizaje presencial en persona este otoño. Todos queremos que nuestro año escolar comience lo más normalmente posible, sin embargo, deberán tomarse algunas precauciones de seguridad. Como todos los distritos escolares, habíamos esperado obtener más información de las fuentes estatales con respecto a la situación de salud, específicamente las restricciones de distanciamiento social y las restricciones que se impondrán del aula, el transporte, las comidas de los estudiantes, etc. En ausencia de esta dirección, continuamos trabajando con la orientación de los funcionarios de salud sobre la forma más segura de regresar a la escuela este año.

Instrucción cara a cara (en la escuela)
Nos aseguraremos de que nuestros estudiantes puedan estar cara a cara con sus maestros de una manera que maximice la seguridad para los estudiantes y el personal. Esto se realizará mediante una programa de desinfección regular, distanciamiento social apropiado y factible, lavado de manos y uso de equipo de protección personal.

Instrucción conectada (en el hogar)
Además, vamos a ofrecer opciones de aprendizaje conectadas para aquellos que puedan tener inquietudes de salud para sus estudiantes u otras personas en el hogar. Para aquellos que no se sienten cómodos con la instrucción cara a cara en este momento, ofrecemos instrucción conectada (en el hogar). Su estudiante ya tiene (o se le emitirá) un Chromebook para usar para este tipo de instrucción. Se tomarán asistencia y calificaciones, y las clases serán diseñadas y enseñadas por maestros de Venus ISD.

Haga clic en el enlace abajo para completar la breve encuesta que acompaña a esta carta. Tu decisión no es definitiva. Esta es información crítica para que la usemos en la planificación del año escolar 2020-21.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeEZB29nuMouA_rb3z1i_Whs4ichSlIGczFigKGWXIQo1T77A/viewform?usp=sf_link

Esperamos una asociación continua con las familias de Venus ISD con más información próximamente. Mientras tanto, envíe sus preguntas por correo electrónico a covid19@venusisd.net.
Fechas Importantes:
  • La inscripción para estudiantes es del 15 de julio al 30 de julio.
  • El primer día para las clases es el 13 de agosto.

Venus ISD Awarded Grand Funding Through Raising Blended Learners Initiative

7/4/2020

 
​– Venus ISD to receive up to $300,000 and technical support provided by the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation –
 
Venus Independent School District is among the 20 school districts selected as blended learning demonstration sites in the second cohort of Raising Blended Learners (RBL). Venus ISD will receive up to $300,000 in grant funding plus additional in-kind technical assistance to implement a personalized learning program within their district.
 
The 2020 cohort of blended learning demonstration sites reflect the vast diversity within Texas’ public schools including suburban, rural, and urban districts with student populations ranging from 550 to more than 150,000 students. Venus ISD is proud of our administrative team’s hard work in designing a blended learning plan that will be of immense benefit to our students.  Venus ISD alumnus and current Venus ISD Instructional Technology Coordinator and RBL Project Leader, Warren Hudson adds,” Venus ISD has an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for our students, and the resources provided by the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation will help us take that commitment to the next level; I’m truly excited for our teachers and students.” 
 
Superintendent James Hopper stated, “The Venus ISD Board of Trustees is singularly focused on student growth and development, and has backed that up numerous times with commitment to action. Because of this commitment, our Blended Learning Team (BLT) of Ann-Marie Morgan, Warren Hudson, Karen Woodworth, Kim Buck, Victoria Fudge and Daniel Domain took on the planning of this initiative as a moral imperative, regardless of the outcome of the grant process.”
 
Blended learning merges best practices of in-person classroom teaching with online technology so educators are able to utilize data to personalize instruction while students are able to gain more ownership over their learning.
 
With the RBL Grant, Venus ISD is committed to helping teachers close gaps in student learning and to the promotion of student growth by focusing on student-centered, data-driven instruction that involves whole-group, small-group, and independent, personalized work, along with a variety of tools and resources.  “Our pilot focuses on leveraging blended learning to increase reading levels for all students in grades six through nine,” says Director of Curriculum, Dr. Ann-Marie Morgan. Venus ISD will leverage additional funding and support to increase student reading skills by incorporating the station rotation model of blended learning.  Doing so will ensure that each student receives greater personalized attention from their teacher, and receives instruction focused on their unique needs.
 
Raising Blended Learners was originally scheduled to launch work with its second cohort during the 2020-21 school year. However, due to the challenging times caused by COVID-19, the program will begin implementation during the 2021-22 school year. 
 
“The Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation recognizes this announcement comes at a challenging time for education across the state,” said Jennifer Jendrzey, vice president of strategy and evaluation of the Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation. “In light of the trauma and chaos surrounding COVID-19, we know that ‘business as usual’ will not be possible for many districts as they head into the 2020-21 school year and therefore, made the difficult decision to delay the launch of Raising Blended Learners by one full calendar year.”
 
During the interim, the Foundation will support the second cohort of Raising Blended Learners demonstration sites with readiness support to help the districts revisit and revise, if necessary, their blended learning plans.
 
“Even with a delay, Raise Your Hand is committed to helping districts maintain the momentum generated through the past year of the application and planning process, and supporting them in addressing the new teaching and learning reality of COVID-19,” Jendrzey said.
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