This will be a challenging summer for educators who are transitioning summer school plans to the virtual formats they’ve adopted during Covid 19’s spring assault.
State officials are allowing face-to-face classes, out of concern for students and staff. The Texas Education Agency offered guidance to limit classrooms to no more than 11 people, to space desks at least six feet apart, to conduct temperature checks and consider having all employees don masks.
Zeph Capo with the Houston Federation of Teachers says at a teacher town hall last week there was a mixed reaction to virtual learning protocols. “There’s certainly mixed feelings about this. There are some teachers who adamantly want to get back to their classrooms, but there are others who are really concerned about a reemergence of this pandemic,” he tells KTRH News. “We’re making adjustments to our online teaching on a daily basis,” Capo counsels parents. “Be patient because we’re learning as well too. We’re learning new things every day.”
Houston ISD won’t have any person-to-person instruction, the administration announced late last week. Classes are scheduled from June 8 to July 2 and will be held Mondays through Thursdays using the Microsoft Teams app. The district will use their television channel for those who don’t have access to online learning.
Katy, Alief and Clear Creek ISD’s have announced that their classes will remain online, while Fort Bend ISD will have some buildings reopening but only to provide specialized services to students with disabilities.