Coronavirus FAQ
General |
When will we return to school?
Given the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19, Beaumont ISD has extended the suspension of normal district operations through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year to support the nationwide effort to slow the spread of the novel infection and the recent update on the need to extend social distancing practices. Stay informed about the latest developments by continually monitoring the District website, Beaumont Independent School District Facebook feed, and on the BISD Mobile App.
Will we have to “make up” time?
The district is following all guidance from TEA regarding missed instructional days and will apply for waivers as applicable. Any required make-up time will be communicated to families when the information becomes available. In the interim, the district is proactively planning a Flexible Education Plan to provide instructional support to our students while they are away from the classroom.
What does the school closure mean for grades and report cards?
The Third Nine Weeks grading period was completed prior to dismissing for Spring Break. Parents and qualified students will have the opportunity to access finalized grades via their Parent Self-Serve or Student Self-Serve accounts on the afternoon of Monday, March 30, 2020.
Certainly, we are sensitive to the reality of this interruption to our students’ education. The district will continue to work on plans for appropriate grading measures applicable to the remainder of the school year, both for the closure period and at such time as school may resume.
Will the district offer meals?
The district will be providing drive-through meals to all students at the following locations:
Are any district buildings/facilities open at this time?
No. The buildings are closed and will not be open to the public as we work to maintain the integrity of the advanced cleaning and disinfecting process that took place over Spring Break. Anyone entering the buildings must have prior authorization from a cabinet-level supervisor.
How do I get my student’s medication from the campus?
While campuses remain closed, parents may contact their child’s school to set up an appointment to pick up medication during weekdays between the hours of 9 am - 11 am and 12 pm - 2 pm.
Do you have resources I can use to talk with my child about the Coronavirus?
These websites may be helpful:
NPR: Coronavirus And Parenting: What You Need To Know Now
Healthychildren.org: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Does the district need volunteers to help deliver or serve food to students in need?
BISD is appreciative of the support of our community members. However, while schools are closed, we ask that everyone practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of the infection. Grab & Go food distribution may only be done by certified food handlers and we have this covered with certified staff. No volunteers are needed at this time, but please keep our district in mind should future opportunities arise.
What if a student needs to transfer into or out of the district?
Please complete the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeG1SFITqmgia3gymyPVkRsdxn-LH2bBOTqTj-67v_FD9C7CQ/viewform. For further guidance, contact your child’s school during the office hours of 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for instructions.
Flexible Education Plan |
What is a Flexible Education Plan (FEP)?
The Flexible Education Plan entails our district transitioning to a remote learning platform where student course work and instruction is provided off-site of the regular school campus during closure due to COVID-19. This may take several different forms such as printed work packets, online lessons, use of online learning platforms, and lessons that can be printed at home.
Will I have access to my child’s teachers?
Teachers will be required to check in with students to answer questions and support students learning via email and phone calls.
Will my child be promoted to the next grade?
Promotion and retention decisions will be based upon students current progress and continued participation in the flexible education program. An attendance tracker to document student progress at home will be required to be submitted by parents.
What about parents that cannot make it to their campus during the pickup times for packets or devices?
We suggest that you call your child’s campus to make arrangements. We also will allow a friend or family member to pick up work on your behalf.
Where can I pick up a packet?
We will provide paper packets on all campuses starting the week of March 30 on Wednesdays and Fridays between the hours of 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Packets can be acquired by curbside pick-up. It will be helpful to post clearly in your passenger window which grade level is needed.
What about parents who still have jobs and are unable to be present for the students throughout the day?
The schedule designed by BISD was designed simply to provide guidance and framework; parents have flexibility and can modify it to fit their needs. You can find this schedule in the flexible education portal or within the paper packets.
Will students still have to meet AR goals? What if my student wants to take tests from home?
Please visit https://www.bmtisd.com/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=8393&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=8780&PageID=1
How will this affect students at the Taylor Career Center?
While students may not receive the hands-on learning that they typically get at the Taylor Career Center, they will be getting specific curriculum approved for their courses. The teachers at the Taylor Career Center will be reaching out to their students regarding this specialized coursework.
What about classes where we know the students will already need to attend summer school?
We are evaluating credit recovery options currently as it will be dependent on how long the district closure will last. We will share this information as it becomes finalized.
How will this affect students at Pathways?
Pathways students will follow the same instructions as students at our other schools. They will pick up a packet or access online resources for their appropriate grade level.
Can you have a packet AND do online?
Yes, you may access the resources in whichever format is best for your student. The packets we are producing will also be shared online if parents wish to print them. We are encouraging that if you can access the resources online, to please do so in order to limit the amount of traffic at our sites.
When can I expect to hear from my child’s teacher?
We are asking our teachers to contact our parents/students once a week. However, we are asking parents to be patient with our teachers, especially those who are secondary, because they may have a large amount of students to call home to.
Will the packet be general for each grade level?
Yes. However, there will be some specialized coursework for elective courses.
When do we turn in packets?
Packets are created for two week time periods. At the end of the two week period, packets may be returned to the campus when you pick up a new one. Be sure the cover sheet is completely filled out with legible writing.
Are the packets just “busy work” or will it actually count?
It is incredibly important for the students to complete the coursework that we provide in order to prevent gaps in learning from now until we return. The course work that we are providing definitely counts and will be vital for their instructional continuity. We are requiring a parameter of time for students to work on this work each day so they do not fall behind.
TEA guidance regarding the 90% rule:
Waivers will be automatically granted, pursuant to the Commissioner's general waiver authority under Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.056, for students who do not meet the minimum attendance requirements of TEC, §25.092, for class credit or final grade for a course taken in the current academic period (e.g., spring semester) of the 2019-2020 school year. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools do not need to apply for these automatic waivers.
Senior Information |
Will my child graduate?
Ensuring the Class of 2020 is on track to graduate is a top priority. TEA has granted flexibility and some autonomy to districts to help students meet graduation requirements since the STAAR testing has been waived for the year. Seniors can expect to receive specific information from their campus principal and/or guidance counselor regarding action steps needed to fulfill graduation requirements. High school course work will need to be completed via the online learning platform or paper packets for students to fulfill graduation requirements. More information will be released as further guidance is handed down from the state.
What will happen to my student’s graduation ceremony?
Beaumont ISD is excited to announce that official, in-person commencement ceremony dates have been determined for the class of 2020. As a result of guidance from the Texas Education Agency on May 5, 2020, all previously scheduled Diploma Distribution Celebrations will be canceled in lieu of in-person ceremonies.
BISD will be honoring graduating seniors at the BISD Memorial Stadium on the following dates:
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 -- Early College High School
Thursday, June 4, 2020 -- Beaumont United High School
Friday, June 5, 2020 -- West Brook High School
The district will be live streaming the entire event to watch from home to accommodate those who cannot attend. More details involving graduation will be forthcoming and will be subject to change provided the COVID-19 restrictions set in place at the time. However, please be prepared to experience social distancing guidelines that will result in limitations in the number of guests that may be allowed to attend.
Will graduation dates change?
To follow the guidance set by the TEA, we have pushed back graduation dates. BISD will be honoring graduating seniors at the BISD Memorial Stadium on the following dates:
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 -- Early College High School
Thursday, June 4, 2020 -- Beaumont United High School
Friday, June 5, 2020 -- West Brook High School
What happens to money paid for senior events if they are cancelled?
Any money that has been paid for cancelled events will be refunded to those students. Look out for more information from your respective campus.
What about the SAT and the ACT?
Out of an abundance of caution surrounding the coronavirus, several testing dates have been modified or canceled.
The May 2, 2020 SAT and SAT Subject Test administrations are canceled. Makeup exams for the March 14 administration (scheduled for March 28) are also canceled. Students who already registered for May, whose March test centers were closed, or who do not receive March scores because of any irregularities will receive refunds.
The June 6, 2020 SAT and SAT Subject Test administration has not been canceled and College Board is continuing to assess its status. Future additional SAT testing opportunities for students will be announced as soon as possible in place of canceled administrations.
ACT has made the decision to postpone the remaining ACT District testing dates for Spring 2020, including the Late April testing window scheduled to begin on April 21. ACT has also rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the U.S. All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from ACT in the next few days informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future ACT national test date.
The next ACT national test dates are June 13 and July 18.
Staff Information |
I am an employee. May I come and get items from my classroom, office, desk, etc.?
Not at this time. The buildings are closed and will not be opened for general access by employees except those deemed “essential personnel” or by special permission of a cabinet-level supervisor. Employees will be notified by their immediate supervisor the protocol to access items that are of necessity.
Will all employees stay home during the closure time frame?
No. Some employees will be needed to continue critical functions such as online instruction, student feeding, payroll, technology, employee benefits, communications and more. The district will follow all guidelines from health officials to ensure the safety of employees who must report to the worksite.
Special Education |
What if I have an ARD meeting scheduled during the closure?
All ARD meetings will be held during the closure using remote teleconferencing. Campus evaluation staff will be contacting parents to set up the ARD meeting via Zoom or you can join via phone. The Department of Special Education is committed to providing support to our students and families, and will work with parents/guardians to coordinate the best time/method for holding meetings.
How will the Flexible Education Program work with students receiving 504 accommodations or specially designed instruction through Special Education?
Teachers are evaluating each student’s plan to identify how to individualize instruction based on the most recent 504 or ARD meeting.
Teachers are contacting students regularly to provide assistance and accommodations as needed to support instruction. Parents can access folders with instructional information through the parent portal on the BISD web page. Instructions for accessing the appropriate folder and instruction for students in a self-contained classroom are included in the Special Education Online Learning Folder.
What if my student receives Speech or related services such as Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy or Counseling?
Speech therapists and service providers are contacting parents to develop an appropriate program to support students during the closure.
What if I haven’t heard from anyone about my child’s special education plan?
If you have not heard from teachers and/or service providers, please refer to the “START HERE – PARENT RESOURCES” folder located in the Special Education Online Learning folder for contact information based on program.