SCHOOL NEWS
Texas Education Agency issues new start guidelines
AUSTIN, Texas – July 17, 2020 – Last week, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released public health planning guidance for the 2020-21 academic year in order to well prepare students, teachers, and staff to safely return to school campuses for daily, in-person instruction. Given the latest developments around COVID-19, TEA is issuing important updates to the guidance. In response to the varying public health realities of each Texas community, these changes give the needed flexibility for schools to effectively provide a smooth transition for students, teachers, and staff so that they will experience the safest and least disruptive mode of learning during the beginning of the school year.
School systems will now be able to temporarily limit access to on-campus instruction for the first four weeks of school. After the first four weeks, a school system can continue to limit access to on-campus instruction for an additional four weeks, if needed, with a board-approved waiver request to TEA.
Click here to view Commissioner Morath’s video message to Texas teachers and parents.
TEA guidelines include important exceptions for students; specifically, any family that lacks Internet access at home and/or requires devices for students learning virtually. Any student requiring on-campus instruction during this period—i.e. those who need reliable access to technology—will still be entitled to on-campus instruction every day during this transition period.
Local school boards for districts in areas with high levels of community spread also retain the flexibility to delay the start of the school year.
Additional changes provide school systems with the ability to convert high schools—with school board approval—to a full-time hybrid model once students have transitioned back to on-campus instruction. This model will provide for a more socially distanced school experience, where students receive a portion of their instruction on-campus and a portion of their instruction remotely at home.
One week prior to the start of on-campus activities and instruction, school systems must post for parents and the general public a summary of the plan—developed in consultation with their teachers, staff, and parents—that they will follow to mitigate COVID-19 spread in their schools based on the requirements and recommendations outlined in TEA’s updated public health planning guidance.
By Andy Newberry, MSU Texas
Midwestern State University junior Rykir Evans is not only building his skills during a NASA internship—he’s creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Evans has been a remote student at MSU Texas this semester while completing the internship. During that time, he had the opportunity to meet American naval aviator and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, as well as NASA Chief Flight Director Gene Kranz.
“It definitely has been an amazing experience thus far, and meeting all of the super inspirational figures in flesh and blood was definitely surreal,” Evans said.
Read the full story in Thursday’s Bowie News.
(Top photo) Rykir Evans had a chance meeting with Reid Wiseman NASA astronaut and commander of the Artemis II lunar fly-by mission. He also met famed NASA chief flight director Gene Kranz, who directed the first lunar landing mission, Apollo 11.
Join the Bowie High School Band for a chamber music concert featuring state solo/ensemble qualifiers at 6 p.m. on May 18 in the junior high auditorium.
This concert is an opportunity for these state qualifiers to showcase all their hard work, talent and dedication. It also is their final change to take the state to build confidence and shake off those last minute nerves before heading to state competition.
Bowie Independent School District Trustees will discuss personnel issues including possible action on hiring a new high school principal when it meets at 5:30 p.m. on April 20.
An executive session is scheduled for that topic and other personnel updates as the school nears its end.
Last month the high school principal and assistant superintendent resigned as did the head boy’s basketball coach. The new coach was named this week
The regular agenda opens with recognition of high school students and staff.
Superintendent Donna Hale will provide informational updates for enrollment and attendance, intruder detection and audit report, operations reports and parent and community forum meeting comments.
The Montague County Tax Appraisal District annual financial report will be reviewed. There also will be a discussion on open enrollment for pre-kindergarten for the 2026-27.
Under action items the board will determine the financial feasibility to comply with the Texas Transportation Code regarding school bus seat belt requirements. Possible action on applying for two waiver days for missed instructional days due to snow.
Monthly reports and financials wrap the agenda.
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