Conroe ISD Defines Limited Virtual Program for First Semester
[ad_1]
Days before the start of the new school year on Wednesday, the Conroe Independent School District announced a one-semester virtual education program for a limited number of students.
“I want to stress to you that this is not a virtual school as we have all become accustomed to over the past year,” said CISD Superintendent Curtis Null. in a video sent to CISD families on Friday evening. “This is not intended to replace face-to-face instruction. Face-to-face instruction is the best way to educate your children. It is an option for those of you who feel that you cannot send your child for in-person education due to your family situation.
The program is intended to be an alternative for families who need to pick up their student and take them home school or join another online program. It is meant to be a “bridge,” Null said, for families planning to bring their child back to class in January after having had a chance to get the vaccine.
The virtual program will run for one semester and students will need to apply for it and is only available to students in Kindergarten to Grade 6. Students in this age group have yet to have a chance to get the vaccine, and the number of COVIDs in the county has increased dramatically in recent weeks, in part due to the spread of the delta variant.
“Priority will be given to families who have unique and special circumstances,†Null said of applications for this new program.
All teachers in the virtual program will be CISD teachers, but Null warned in the video that the teacher is unlikely to be a teacher at the candidate’s school. By taking this option, families are giving up their place in their current school and classroom.
Teachers will not teach both in the classroom and online. Virtual program teachers will teach online only. Applications for the virtual program are due on Tuesday and can be viewed on the new program webpage, virtual.conroeisd.net.
Parents applying for the virtual program must agree to a list of statements including that the program does not replace virtual learning; acceptance is subject to availability, space, available personnel; the program is not licensed or funded by the government; students with excessive absences or failures last year may not be able to participate; the student must maintain an attendance rate of at least 90%; the student must actively participate in the online program on a daily basis; and if the student unsubscribes from the virtual program, they will be registered on their home campus.
Conroe ISD took active steps as early as March to create a virtual learning option for this school year, even appoint a director for the virtual school they wanted to create. But legislation that have funded online schools failed the legislature.
“Unfortunately, the state didn’t approve virtual learning, so we had to abandon our plan and move on,†Null said, noting that as the delta variant spread, the call at a virtual option became much stronger. Null had a personal call with Mike Morath, the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, on Tuesday to argue for a virtual option. “Again, it fell on deaf ears. “
Instruction for the virtual program will not begin until August 23. The virtual program instruction will not reflect in-person learning and may change at any time.
“We understand that this system is not perfect, but we have stepped up and done our best to serve our community,†Null said.
[ad_2]