Dear SAISD Staff:

Thank you for watching yesterday’s staff briefing via livestream. More than 6,000 employees joined us online, and even more joined us by telephone. It was important that we could all come together to hear firsthand the District’s priorities as we prepare for a school year like no other. We will continue using forums like this as we move forward.

I know many of you provided questions and comments during the session, and I appreciate your participation in this process. We received over 300 submissions, and we are gathering this information to prepare an online FAQ. 

The most important takeaway I hope you heard during the briefing is that safety is top of mind in our decision making as we open up our schools. Know that we are taking the health and safety of our staff and students very seriously.

The environment we are in changes quickly, and we are continually monitoring the situation so we can adapt appropriately. This includes planning for the flexibility needed to ensure we minimize risks.

As I announced during the session, to start school safely, we are planning to delay our first day of school until Aug. 17. We will launch our school year with only remote instruction for at least the first three weeks.

You may be aware that last week the Texas Education Agency came out with new guidelines requiring schools to offer daily on-campus learning to all parents who want that option, and also allowing for a fully-remote learning option. Additionally, TEA currently allows school districts flexibility during the first three weeks of school, which we will be utilizing. We are advocating for even more flexibility for safely handling any future COVID-19 spikes.

Our plan requires a new instructional calendar, and so we are taking our proposal to the Board on Monday. In addition to the new start date, we are requesting to remove one of the three intercessional week-long breaks in order to keep our last day of school as June 18, 2021.

We feel our proposal is a better way to start school. It allows us additional time to ensure our safety protocols are in place and that staff members are trained. To serve our families, campuses still will be open during the initial three weeks of remote instruction for meal and technology distribution and registration assistance. Know that we will follow safety and physical distancing protocols to include staff working in alternating shifts.

After the first three weeks currently allowed by TEA, parents can continue with the remote option or transition their children to on-campus learning. We will continue to advocate for closing the digital divide and to provide resources to our most vulnerable students to ensure they are learning in their academic model and given the support that best meets their needs.

At the end of each nine-week grading period, parents can make a change to their preferred academic model. I know that our teachers can provide a high-quality educational experience regardless of the option parents select.

When on-campus instruction begins, our protocols will include the wearing of masks, hand sanitizer in each classroom and other areas of our buildings, time for students to wash their hands throughout the day, physical distancing and daily disinfecting of buildings. We will be following these and other protocols advised by Metro Health, the City of San Antonio, and the CDC.

Also during the staff briefing yesterday, we mentioned our working draft outlining additional details about our processes and procedures for ensuring a safe start to a new school year. Elements in the document include academics, meals, transportation, safety and other District operations. We are building a Safe School Start website that will host this plan, and you will soon have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on this document.

We have surveyed many campus staff already, and we are preparing the final survey for all employees not yet contacted. We want to be sure everyone has an opportunity to share how they are feeling as we prepare for this school year.

It is important that we prioritize continuity, social-emotional learning, and the mental health and well-being of both our students and staff. This has been a challenging time for all of us, and we will do what we can to help our SAISD family cope with the stress of a global pandemic.

Sincerely,
Pedro