Face-to-Face Learning FAQ

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Staff will be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to reporting to work each day.

Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day prior to sending their student to school.

Teachers will monitor students and refer to the nurse if symptoms are present.

View all MISD Health and Safety Protocols here. 
 

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Arrival

• Multiple entry points will be established.
• Students will report straight to classrooms whenever possible.
• All areas of the building (gym, cafeteria, larger classrooms, common areas, etc.) will be utilized to limit the size of student groupings.  

 
Dismissal

• Multiple exit points will be established.
• Campuses will implement staggered release procedures.
• Students will be released straight from their classroom whenever possible.

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

The MISD Food Service Team will be able to deliver breakfast and lunch to classrooms for students who eat in classrooms if needed.

The MISD Food Service will be able to provide “grab-and-go” meals at appropriate times and campuses.. 

Students will maintain social distance guidelines during meal times, whether eating in classrooms or in the cafeteria.

Students will wash their hands for 20 seconds both before and after meals.

Hand sanitizer stations will be available in the cafeteria and in classrooms.

Students will not share any food or drink at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Large spaces, like the cafeteria, auditoriums, gyms, and outdoor learning spaces could be utilized to feed students in smaller numbers to allow for proper social distancing outside of the classroom
 

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID -19, MISD encourages families to drop students off, carpool, or walk with their student to school, if possible however transportation will still be provided. 

Transportation staff will be trained in proper sanitation procedures. Students will be socially distanced to the extent appropriate on buses.

Students, teachers, and staff should use hand sanitizer upon boarding/exiting the bus.

Students will be socially distanced to the extent possible. Students should stay in their seats and face the front at all times. Siblings may sit together in the same seat.

Students will load from back to front and unload from front to back in order to social distance as much as possible.

Buses will be thoroughly cleaned after each bus trip, particularly high-touch surfaces such as bus seats, steering wheels, knobs, and door handles. During cleaning, windows will be open to allow for additional ventilation and air flow, which is helpful in mitigating COVID-19 spread. 
 

TEA is operating under the Governor’s current Executive Order regarding masks. TEA does allow school districts to require mask orders that exceed the Governor’s order. On July 27, 2020, the MISD School Board adopted the MISD Health and Safety Plan that includes the wearing of masks or face coverings for all staff and for students in Grades K-12. MISD does have a specific set of mask removal protocols that could be allowed for a specific instructional activity outside of food consumption and physical exercise. If masks are removed for an approved activity, other social distancing mitigation efforts are required. 

View Executive Order GA 29 

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Desks or tables will be socially distanced as much as instructionally possible. In addition, MISD is in the process of purchasing plexiglass-type dividers to be used in areas where social distancing is a challenge. Each classroom will be equipped with a set of 5 plastic dividers to be used during small group instruction or in areas appropriate distancing is not feasible. Please reference the logistical guidance for elementary, middle school or high school to find tailored information for each of those groups.

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

In the event that a campus or district closure should need to happen due to COVID-19, MISD plans to launch all students into Virtual Learning. Time spent in Virtual Learning can be for a short or extended time period, not to exceed 5 consecutive days.  A closure length beyond 5 consecutive days would be up to state or local agencies. Midlothian ISD is waiting for further direction at this time.

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Similar to a campus or district closure, should MISD need to quarantine a class or campus, MISD plans to launch all students into Virtual Learning. TEA allows time spent in Virtual Learning for a closure to be no more than 5 consecutive days per closure.

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Similar to a campus or district closure, should a student need to quarantine, MISD plans to launch the student into Virtual Learning. 

The below information is subject to change based upon additional  guidance from TEA and state officials. 

Due to the large number and variety of course offerings for middle and high school students, secondary schedules do not allow for cohorts. The ability to group cohorts of students together for all their coursework is limited by the desire of Midlothian ISD to allow students to choose courses based on their own interests. However, MISD Secondary Campuses will look at minimizing the mixing of students to the greatest extent possible in daily schedules. 

Based on TEA guidelines, school grading policies for remote student work must be consistent with those used before COVID-19 for on-campus assignments. Any virtual environment, by choice or by governmental decision, will follow the same grading guidelines as Face-to-Face instruction, as set forth in our handbook and academic guides.

In turn, the grading policy in place on the campus will continue in a virtual environment and will not move to other systems such as pass/fail. This is also covered in this additional TEA guidance.
 

Yes, TEA requires that attendance is taken daily in virtual instruction. TEA specifically outlines in their guidance how attendance is to be taken for asynchronous virtual learners. The district is currently evaluating how to make this best fit the needs of our District.

Each campus nurse will have a protocol to ensure proper assessment of symptoms to determine if isolation is necessary. There will be a separate space on each campus to isolate COVID symptomatic students and staff. Additional campus personnel will be trained to cover the regular nurse’s clinic for routine visits while the campus nurse is assessing students and/or staff in the isolation area. It is an MISD common practice to have additional front office staff trained in routine nurse visits every school year. Campus Principal will be notified of any student being sent home for COVID symptoms, plus for any positive COVID test. All areas used by the student or staff in isolation will be thoroughly cleaned as soon as symptoms are considered COVID related by the campus nurse. Aligned with the health and safety plan, school systems must notify their local health department if an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. School systems must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfaces in those areas can be disinfected, unless more than 3 days have passed since that person was on campus. School systems must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participate in any on-campus activities. 
 

An approximate number or range of students in each class is difficult to predict until Midlothian ISD receives commitment forms from families. Once this preliminary data is available, the District can begin planning master schedules and determining class sizes. The district will also have to follow TEA's requirements. Currently, the state limit for PK-4 is 22:1. However, as a District of Innovation, MISD is allowed to go beyond the 22:1 in PK-4 if deemed necessary. There are no additional class size ratio requirements past that nor does TEA impose any additional class size ratio requirements for the current COVID health standards posted on their website.

Classroom setups could vary by campus and by classroom. Staff will be instructed to spread out student desks to the maximum extent appropriate and encouraged to refrain from conducting close gathering of students on carpet and floor areas. In classroom setups where students may be sharing table areas, plexiglass dividers will also be provided. We anticipate classrooms to be as academic friendly as possible while maintaining the safety and well-being of our staff and students as a top priority.