SMCISD unveils post-holiday break attendance plan
San Marcos Consolidated ISD Superintendent Michael Cardona is asking families to keep their students home when school resumes if possible, citing concerns of COVID-19 spreading during the holiday break, which begins Monday.
Cardona said during his superintendent’s report at the most recent SMCISD Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 14 that the district is asking families who have students currently learning in-person to have them learn remotely for the period of Jan. 5-11.
“We do foresee that kids will need to be in school because their families have to work,” Cardona said. “So, our schools are going to be open. But we are asking for a favor.”
SMCISD saw 16 confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout the district during the week of Nov. 30 and 14 cases during the week of Dec. 7. Active coronavirus cases have been increasing throughout San Marcos and Hays County, following the Thanksgiving holiday. As of Friday, the Hays County Local Health Department reported 1,262 active COVID-19 cases. San Marcos, which recorded 68 active virus cases on Dec. 1 now has 331 active cases.
According to information SMCISD sent to its families, all students will participate in remote learning with the exception of students that received a cancellation of remote learning letter and students with extenuating circumstances from Jan. 5-11. Students who assisted SMCISD by remaining at home may return to in-person instruction on Jan. 12.
The district stated that students who will attend classes in-person on Jan. 5-11 are “students whose parents need them in school due to extenuating circumstances, students who were contacted by campus to return in January 2021 and students who move over the break and need to be in school.” SMCISD stated that regular bus routes will run for the week for existing bus riders. New bus riders, however, must contact their respective campus to sign up for bus service.
Additionally, the school district said students who will stay home during the designated period in January are those “who were already successful in remote learning and choose to remain in remote learning instruction and students who have a medical exemption to remain on remote learning instruction.”
In other business during Monday’s school board meeting, the trustees approved the district’s 2020-2021 Target Improvement Plans, which addresses that campuses identified in 2019 for comprehensive support and improvement, targeted support and improvement, and additional targeted support will maintain that label and interventions for 2020–2021.
The trustees voted down a recommended change to its FNG local policy, which would have addressed a modification in its student rights and responsibilities FNG, student and parent complaints/grievances policy.
The board also took action to accept the five-campus renovation bond project. According to the trustee’s board book, “San Marcos CISD Board Policy CVA (Local) requires the Board to accept a construction project for final payment.”
The trustees also approved a year-round system designation for Travis and Mendez elementary schools. SMCISD is examining moving the two elementary schools to a year-round schedule after the district received a $200,000 grant from the Texas Education Agency. The vote to approve the move was a formality, according to Nicole Dray, SMCISD executive director of innovative and special programs. “(The vote to approve) will keep the door open for us to continue planning and engaging with our stakeholders. It does not commit the district to any action at this time,” Dray said during Monday’s meeting. “Before we widely share the calendar options though we want to be certain that we will be allowed to adopt the calendars should you, board of trustees and TEA, approve our final strategic plans in April.”
The district will receive an update regarding the yearround schedule during January’s regular board meeting.
The trustees moved to table three items discussed in closed session regarding an agreement between the City of San Marcos, Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, and SMCISD for a community development block grant-funded project aimed at making Centro more accessible and energy efficient through renovation.
The board is scheduled to meet for its next board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.
Twitter: @Nick_Castillo74
