Rockwall ISD hybrid schedule for in-person learners announced for grades 9-12

ROCKWALL, TX – August 4, 2020 — With the commitment period for in-person or remote learning extended to Wednesday, Aug. 12, Senior Chief Financial Officer David Carter informed the Rockwal ISD Board of Trustees of the current selection trend and the ability to practice social distancing in school facilities. Based on data presented by Carter, the Board of Trustees approved a recommendation by Superintendent John Villarreal, Chief Curriculum & Instruction Officer Dr. Amy Ellis, and with the support of high school principals and survey results from high school teachers, to submit an in-person hybrid schedule waiver through the Texas Education Agency for grades 9-12.

“Based on the current data with approximately 8,000 of 17,000 commitments received to date, 68 percent choose in-person learning and 32 percent choose remote learning district wide,” said Carter. “Given social distancing recommendations of six feet, the current number of requests for in-person learning will make it difficult if it continues at the same trend. To achieve social distancing, essentially, only half of the student population would need to choose in-person learning. While each campus and the district is committed to doing its best to distance as much as possible, parents and the community need to know that meeting the recommendation of six feet is unrealistic given the number of students who want in-person learning. This is particularly true at our campuses where we were already over capacity before COVID-19, like Springer and Shannon Elementary Schools, Cain Middle School, and Rockwall and Rockwall-Heath High School.”

With consideration to social distancing standards, schools facing possible over capacity situations include Shannon Elementary School by 168; Springer Elementary School by 97; Stevenson by 53; Amy Parks-Heath by 3; Cain Middle School by 112; Rockwall High School by 536; and Rockwall-Heath by 185.

The Texas Education Agency continues to update its public health planning guidance as recently as July 17. Per TEA, “there will almost certainly be situations that necessitate temporary school closure due to positive COVID-19 cases in schools. Parents, educators, and school administrators should be prepared for this in the event that it occurs, while actively working to prevent it through mitigation practices.” Rockwall ISD administration will monitor total students on campus at any time with consideration of social distancing safety recommendations.

In-person hybrid schedule waiver granted for learners grades 9-12

On July 28th, the Texas Education Agency clarified allowing high schools to implement a hybrid learning schedule due to campus capacity and the requirement to meet social distancing guidelines.

“With the in-person selection trend as high as 71% at Rockwall High School and 66% at Rockwall-Heath High School, we are concerned about the feasibility of providing social distancing especially at the high school level where we have student growth,” Villarreal said. “Our parents and staff continue to ask how we can achieve social distancing. The reality is we can’t without a hybrid schedule, which allows us to reduce the overcapacity population by 50% in a rotation into the building and onto our buses. The students will continue learning remotely on the days they are not in the building. Our staff and high school campus administration believe a hybrid schedule is currently the best option through TEA to attempt to keep everyone safe during this pandemic.”

During the presentation, Ellis provided information about the hybrid schedule produced by high school campus administration and survey input from high school teachers:

An Example Hybrid Schedule for RHS:
– Group 1 (students with last names A-K) total students 1,431
• Could attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays, and learn remotely Wednesdays-Fridays.
• Remote learning for all students will include engagement time, live teacher-student interaction/office hours and opportunities for social-emotional learning.

– Group 2 (students with last names L-Z) total students 1,420
• Could attend school on Thursday and Fridays, and learn remotely on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
• Remote learning for all students will include engagement time, live teacher-student interaction/office hours and opportunities for social-emotional learning.

An Example Hybrid Schedule for RHHS:
– Group 1 (students with last names A-K) total students 1,326
• Could attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays, and learn remotely Wednesdays-Fridays.
• Remote learning for all students will include engagement time, live teacher-student interaction/office hours and opportunities for social-emotional time.

– Group 2 (students with last names L-Z) total students 1,339
• Could attend school on Thursday and Fridays, and learn remotely on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
• Remote learning for all students will include engagement time, live teacher-student interaction/office hours and opportunities for social-emotional learning.

For those hybrid in-person students enrolled in classes that meet every day such as Fine Arts, UIL sports, etc., Rockwall ISD bus transportation services will be provided on the days their assigned class meets with their alphabet group. Remote learning students may attend in-person practices before and after school and during the assigned class period on hybrid days their group of the alphabet meets, but they must provide their own transportation. Ellis explained parents could change their preference for in-person (hybrid) or remote instruction in Skyward through Aug. 12. The high schools will release detailed information to their parents soon.

The Texas Education Agency did not give middle and elementary schools the same type of hybrid option schedule offered to the high schools.

Submitted press release by Rockwall ISD. Edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News.

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  covid 19, hybrid schedule, in-person learning, remote learning, Rockwall County, Rockwall ISD, rockwall schools, superintendent john villarreal