Today, Governor Greg Abbott ordered Texas Public Schools and universities to remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Our kids and families may need a little encouragement as we cope with this new reality of not returning to campus this year. As a superintendent, I share your sadness. As a parent, my heart goes out to the seniors who will not return to school this year.
Our son, Cal, belongs to the Class of 2020; and, our family was looking forward to the traditions and experiences seniors typically enjoy these last few weeks of school.
Graduation
At this time, no decision regarding graduation ceremonies has been made. The governor did explain that the Texas Education Agency would provide guidelines for graduation plans soon. As that information becomes available, high school principals will share it with students and parents.
You Have Questions, We Have Answers
Wylie ISD is well-prepared to continue to offer online learning, and we want to make certain that you have the information needed as we continue through the remainder of the school year.
Our amazing teachers have created assignments based on the most important skills students need to master for their classes. Please visit our online learning website for everything you need to know regarding online learning and more.
Here To Help You
Parents, you are doing a great job of helping our kids with online learning. Our Wylie ISD curriculum is rigorous, and we understand the struggles you may encounter. We are here to help. Students can receive help with their online classwork by participating in live teacher assistance sessions offered daily through Google Meets. We encourage you to contact your teacher to get the help you need.
Here to Connect You
If a student is struggling with online learning due to limited access to technology or the Internet, please contact your campus principal. We have WiFi hotspots available for those who do not have access to the Internet.
Grace Before Grades
It seems like we experience something new every day with online learning. In the spirit of “this is new for all of us,” giving and receiving grace is essential for this journey. This includes a few standards we have established for online learning:
- Teachers will only be entering minor grades during online learning.
- Teachers will be entering at least one, but no more than two, grades per week, per course.
The online grading procedures are posted on our online learning website.
We have not yet made a decision on how this will impact GPA and Class Rank for our high school students and those taking courses that impact high school GPA. We are exploring a variety of options. Our number one non-negotiable priority is that whatever decision we make is in the best interest of our kids. As soon as we have a final recommendation, we will let you know.
Keeping Kids Fed
A big thanks go out to the Wylie ISD Nutrition staff. They have been non-stop planning, cooking, and providing up to 1,000 breakfasts and lunches to students each weekday. It’s an exciting two hours. Families can come to get breakfast and lunch every Monday through Friday, during the school closures, from 10:00-12:00 at Hartman Elementary. Having those waves, cheers, and letting families know how much we miss them is what makes this drive through a little more than just a food line. We’re giving them HOPE that some things don’t change. We’re still loving kids – just in a drive-thru.
As of April 17, Wylie ISD Student Nutrition has served a total of 26,308 meals (13,633 lunches and 12,675 breakfasts) to students. Meal service is provided with ready-to-eat, hot meals, Monday through Friday from 10:00-12:00 with drive-up or walk-up service at the back drive of Hartman Elementary. If students cannot be present, the pickup person simply provides the name, the campus, and the grade level of the student. In addition to receiving a fresh, ready-to-eat lunch, we also provide breakfast for the next morning.
Fortunately, the same pickup site has been used by 5Loaves so that families can also pick up food staples for dinners at the same time on Thursdays.
WISD continues to partner with 5Loaves Food Pantry to hand out 250 boxes of staple food items and produce each Thursday from 10:00-12:00 at Hartman Elementary. Additionally, all of our local pantries work in tandem with First Baptist Church Wylie to feed families directly at our local mobile home locations Mondays and Thursdays from 11:30-12:30. It’s an enormous collective effort with the sole focus of getting food into the hands of those who need it.
Counseling Services
Our school counselors and high school student support advocates are still available for students who have a need. Your school counselors have office hours and can speak with students on a Google Meet, and are also frequently checking their email to stay connected. They have been busy reaching out to students and will continue to do so. If you or your child has a question a counselor can answer, please reach out to them directly. We will ask the campus administration to resend the school counselor information for your campus in their weekly communication. You can also click here to find your school counselor.
If your family is in need of a way to have a mental health professional from Collin County reach out, you can still contact LifePath Systems which is the mental health authority of Collin County. LifePath Systems have mental health professionals who can speak to you over the phone or have a team come to your house. You can reach out to LifePath for help at no cost. They have been sharing some excellent parenting, self-help, and mental wellbeing strategies on their social media. Click here to find out more about those offerings.
To go directly to their “Finding Help in a Crisis” page, please click here.
Call 844-544-5939 to schedule a face-to-face or telehealth assessment or 877-422-5939 for access to crisis mental health and substance abuse services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Campus Nurses are Here to Help
Campus nurses are available to families if they have questions or concerns about illnesses. These amazing folks can connect to resources in the community offering testing. Our nurses may also guide families on when to seek treatment or how to isolate and care for someone who is sick in their home. Please click on the link below to find the contact information for your campus nurse.
Wylie ISD Health Services Website
Collecting Personal Items from School
We will be developing a plan with principals next week for students to collect any items they have at school. Your principals will provide you that information as we have a solid plan together.
I hope this answers many of the questions you may have regarding online learning. As always, we are here to help you and want to make the best of our online learning experience. If there is a need or a question, please reach out and let us know. Sticking together and helping one another is more important than ever. Thank you for the continued love and support we have experienced as a school district. It matters, you matter, and we will get through this, the Wylie Way!
You must be logged in to post a comment.