Students to be back in class come Fall

Marlin ISD to have in-person and virtual options for parents

State officials announced that Texas schools would be safe for students to return for the Fall 2020 semester. There were few details provided at the time, but more guidance is said to come this week. 

Though the final decision will be up to each school district, it is said that parents/guardians may be given the option to allow their children to learn remotely, should they feel that it’s necessary, depending on the district. 

“It will be safe for Texas public school students, teachers, and staff to return to school campuses for in-person instruction this fall,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement released on June 18. “But there will also be flexibility for families with health concerns so that their children can be educated remotely, if the parent so chooses.”

Frank Ward, a spokesperson at the Texas Education Agency, said the state won’t mandate the use of face masks, shields or testing but will leave many decisions to local leaders.

“There’s an emphasis on local control,” Ward said.

Governor Greg Abbott says that he agrees with the decision and that the in-person education has a different impact on students than at-home instruction.

"I will tell you that my goal is to see students back in classrooms in seats interacting personally with teachers as well as other students," he told KLBK TV in Lubbock on June 15. "This is a very important environmental setting for both the students, for the teachers and for the parents.”

Marlin ISD touched on the subject at their board meeting on Monday, giving board members the many options available from returning to the classroom. One of Marlin’s newest additions, Stacy Parker, who is the Director of Student Services, explained the four options. 

Plan A was summed as a traditional school year, implemented under a low-risk environment. Plan B1 is composed of in-person instruction with procedure for social distancing. An alternate option to that, to be utilized under the same mid-level risks, called Plan B2, is made up of a combination of in-person and virtual instruction and includes an alternate calendar. The last plan, Plan C, is to be used under high risk circumstances and includes virtual instruction only.

It was decided during the meeting to utilize option B1

MISD Superintendent, Dr. Darryl Henson says his only reservation about the decision made by state officials is the unpredictability of the spread of COVID-19.

“Our top priorities are to keep our Marlin ISD students and employees safe, as well as provide students with a quality education,” He told the Marlin Democrat. “It has been apparent across the state and nation that these two can be conflicting priorities because of variables in home environment, access to technology, and rigor of remote learning assignments.”

The educator is in full support of allowing parents the opportunity to keep their children home if they feel it is necessary, though he believes face-to-face instruction is essential to the learning process.

“I do believe that learning can best take place when the instruction is delivered by the classroom teacher,” he said. “Additionally, teachers are able to notice when a student may be struggling and can provide immediate assistance if there are misconceptions of the activity or lesson.” However, I will stand in support of parents who want to continue remote and flex learning opportunities because the safety of all students and employees is our top priority,” he continued.

An announcement was sent out to MISD faculty and staff on June 23 letting them know of the decision made during the meeting.

“We will again have to collect extensive qualitative and quantitative data from our parents and employees, so we still have a lot of work to do,” it reads. “What I want to stress right now is that we will be flexible in our reopening plans to accommodate all of the unique circumstances of many of our families and employees.”

“It is important to note that details may be subject to change pending the state of our local community health as we approach the first day of school,” the email continued.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has released their take on schools reopening, giving recommendations on how to move forward. There is a distinct focus on social distancing and vigorous hand-washing. 

The agency recommends desks be arranged six feet apart when possible and things like making hallways one-way or adding markers on the ground similar to ones now seen in grocery stores that direct people where to stand, according to a press release.

To minimize interaction and therefore possible transmission, it may be recommended that students stay within the same small groups throughout the school and to refrain from sharing objects such as textbooks, electronic devices, and/or toys/books. 

The guidelines provided by the CDC are purely recommendations, as the decisions are being set by each district.

When students return, school districts will not be required to mandate students wear masks or test them for COVID-19 symptoms, confirmed Frank Ward, a spokesperson for the Texas Education Agency. 

For more information, head to tea.texas.gov or to www.marlinisd.org for the most up to date information concerning the reopening of Texas and Marlin schools.

The Marlin Democrat

251 Live Oak St
Marlin, TX 76661
Phone: (254) 883-2554
Fax:(254) 883-6553