Superintendent of Schools

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Beginning the process of closing out the school year - May 7, 2020

05/07/2020

Dear SAISD Staff:

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a new executive order last week that allows some businesses to operate at partial capacity as he moves to a phased reopening of the state economy stalled by the new coronavirus outbreak. In line with the governor’s announcement, we are looking at slowly – and safely – opening our buildings for specific purposes, while continuing social distancing and hygiene practices.

This will allow us to begin focusing on the process of closing out our school year, supporting student registration, and begin readying for the fall. Throughout this process, we also will be following city and county guidelines, which are in effect through May 19.

With some exceptions, this will begin Wednesday, May 20. Principals, assistant principals, and teachers may begin to come back to campuses in small, scheduled groups to close out classrooms – following these campus protocols. We will continue remote instruction and other student protocols according to our 2019-2020 instructional calendar. However, opening buildings in a measured way allows teachers to pack up their belongings, and also bag and label their students’ belongings.

Exceptions to begin earlier include campuses at which custodial staff already are scheduled to be onsite at designated days and times. At these limited locations, some students will be allowed to begin returning athletic and fine arts equipment and uniforms. School administration from these specific campuses will be reaching out and making arrangements with selected families as early as this week to begin this process. We want to avoid large numbers of people coming in late May to complete this task.

Student belongings that are bagged and labeled can be stored at the campus until fall, or picked up by appointment beginning May 20. Visits by students and their families, as well as anyone in the public, will be by appointment only.

The procedure of opening buildings under limited-capacity constraints may take some time, and therefore, we are starting the process before the end of the month. We need our facilities to be ready for summer programs, which are expected to begin in July. Our normal summer cleaning and maintenance projects will get underway soon.

Following state and local guidelines, we also will be opening doors starting May 20 for the return of assistant superintendents, cabinet members, department managers and some office staff. Returning office staff will be determined by department leadership. We won’t be filling up buildings, but we will be increasing the number of people onsite, following strict safety protocols.

Because the governor has lifted his stay-at-home orders, the District will return to our standard pay rates when the city and county’s stay home-work safe orders also expire. Regular pay rates for all employees will be in effect beginning Wednesday, May 20.

Later this month, after the school year ends, we will be setting up and announcing summer schedules for all District staff who normally work summer months.

I want to thank everyone for all of their hard work during this crisis. Although the new coronavirus introduced us all to the concept of social distancing, we as a District still found ways to come together and to continue to connect with our students and families.

I appreciate your dedication. I know we will continue to get through this together and be a stronger SAISD family as a result.

Sincerely,
Pedro