Reopening plans for students and staff
Earlier this week communication was sent out to our team outlining district expectations for the first four weeks of school. The following are key decisions aligned with current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Austin Public Health Guidance on Reopening:
Our intent is to have all students remain in a remote, off-campus learning environment the first four weeks of school, Sept. 8–Oct. 2.
Most instructional staff will facilitate
remote learning off campus during those first four weeks. No teachers are required to report to their campus at the start of school.
Campuses are reaching out to all families to help secure the needed devices and/or access to Wi-Fi for off-campus, remote learning.
A select number of team members will be called in to campus to support certain groups of students.
Teaching staff who need to care for children are encouraged to continue working remotely for the first four weeks.
All Austin ISD facilities will maintain no more than 25% building capacity as currently recommended by Austin Public Health.
We are committed to working with our staff and providing a safe environment.
Face Coverings
While Austin ISD will be remote from Sept. 8-Oct. 5, we want our families to be well aware of our planned on-campus procedures. Austin ISD is following CDC guidance for schools regarding the use of face masks as described below. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all people 2 years of age and older wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household. Wearing a face covering that covers the mouth and nose will be required for ALL students, staff, and visitors while on Austin ISD grounds. Staff conducting health screenings will be required to wear face masks and face shields. All elementary and secondary (middle and high school) students are required to wear a face mask that fully covers the nose and mouth. As recommended by the CDC, time will be dedicated to teaching and reinforcing the use of face coverings. Staff and students are encouraged to bring their own reusable cloth face masks to ensure a comfortable fit. In the event a student forgets to bring their own mask, a face mask will be provided at the school for use by the student for that day. Reusable cloth face masks must be washed daily. Bandanas and face masks with air vents will not be allowed. Austin ISD will provide a face mask to students, staff, service providers and approved visitors who arrive at a school or other facility without one. Face shields may not be worn in place of a face mask, but can be worn in addition to a mask. Accommodations to the required use of face masks will be made on a case-by-case basis for students and staff.
A Look at Virtual Learning
Austin ISD is open for learning officially on Sept. 8, and we’re excited to see our students, staff and families! We've been working hard preparing for online learning this fall with everything from professional development to collaboration between educators. Watch this video to hear from our own #AISDProud teachers about what online learning will look like in this fall. Captions are available in English and Spanish. Please click the 'CC' button to the bottom right of the video and select your caption language settings.
AISD to Provide Meals Until School Starts and During Remote Learning
AISD will continue to provide free meals for any child under 19, and their parents or caregivers, until the start of the new school year. Friday, Aug. 14 was the last day meals were served at bus stop sites. Meals are now available at curbside locations only and meal times have changed to 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Also, the number of curbside meal sites has increased from 17 to more than 40 locations throughout Austin. Meal delivery sites and more information can be found on the Open For Learning website.
More information
Dr. Stephanie Elizalde released her introduction letter to the community outlining her goals, educational philosophy and more. Credit rating agency Moody's has again awarded AISD the highest AAA bond rating thanks to our strong money management. The AAA rating means we help Austinites save millions of dollars in taxes, while still being able to make improvements to our school buildings. Our healthy savings also add to our high rating and make it possible to continue paying our employees during any districtwide interruptions. Learn more about our budgeting process at https://www.austinisd.org/budget Join Team AISD! We’re looking for dedicated substitutes who can adapt to meet the shifting needs of our students. Apply now!
Friendly reminders
First day of school is Sept. 8.
Austin ISD will begin with 4 weeks of remote instruction.
See our Open For Learning website for the latest information on reopening.
Blend is Austin ISD’s online learning platform. View the tutorial in English and Spanish.
How to request technology.
View our meal distribution sites.