What are the sanitization protocols for campuses and facilities?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

What social distancing measures will be taken?

Campuses are developing entry and exit procedures that reduce large group gatherings. Outside areas will be marked to assist families/students waiting outdoors to maintain social distancing. Entries will be monitored to ensure students are entering the building one by one while maintaining the proper social distance. Once allowed into the building, students will move directly to class. If picking up breakfast, students will go to the cafeteria and must then continue to the classroom to eat.

During the school day, students and staff will be encouraged to maintain six feet of social distance at all times. Posters and floor markings will promote social distancing, designate entry, and exit doors, and identify one-way traffic patterns in classrooms, common areas and walkways. The number of students attending in-person classes will determine class size. Desks and tables will be socially distanced as much as possible. If utilizing tables, plexiglass will be used to divide student spaces.

When students are dismissed at the end of the school day, they will be expected to immediately leave campus.

More information on social distancing protocols can be found on the Reimagining Education Plan.

Will students, staff and visitors be required to wear face coverings?

All staff and visitors will wear face coverings at all times. Students will wear face coverings as outlined in the Reimagining Education Plan. Face coverings include non-medical grade disposable face masks and cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth).

How will you help students who struggle with wearing face coverings, especially those with special needs? How will you manage students that need physical touch for reinforcement?

Teachers will help students build this skill like any other skill we want them to learn: they will provide direct instruction, modeling, practice, and positive reinforcement. Students with special needs might wear a face covering for a short amount of time as the teacher works with them to increase the student’s face covering tolerance for more extended periods. We will also look at various forms of face coverings as a different style might be more comfortable for the student to wear. Students will be taught social greetings and reinforcers other than hugs or high fives, such as waves, stickers, stamps, elbow bumps, etc.

Will daily health screenings for staff and students be required?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

What are the protocols if a staff member or student shows symptoms of COVID-19?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

What if a student or staff member has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

If my student experiences symptoms of COVID-19, will they be able to immediately transition to virtual learning for the time they are required to remain at home?

If circumstances warrant, a student may move from in-person to virtual learning at any time.

What if a student or staff member comes in close contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, will communication be sent?

For information see the Health and Safety Protocols section of the FAQs or the Reimagining Education Plan.

What will instruction during on-campus learning look like?

On-campus learning will look much the same as in normal conditions at the elementary school level, as elementary classes are generally self-contained with little movement around campus. Students will wear masks, and social distancing will be practiced within the classroom. Teachers will be providing in-person instruction, but students will also continue to use Schoology, the learning management system that is serving as our platform for virtual learning.

Middle and high schools present a more significant challenge because traditionally, students transition several times a day, making their way through crowded hallways and interacting with hundreds or perhaps thousands of fellow students. With that and current public health conditions in consideration, the initial approach for on-campus learning at the secondary level represents the most conservative, cautious approach. Still, it allows for flexibility by campus and for progressing to more typical conditions, with students transitioning throughout the day, as circumstances improve.

Campus administrators are hard at work, creating cohorts of students who will do the bulk of their work in one classroom during the school day. Each cohort will be assigned a teacher/mentor to guide them and help familiarize students with new campus procedures and how virtual classrooms will work. Students will still transition to a limited number of classes such as Fine Arts, Athletics, or Career Technical Education (CTE) classes when it is safe to do so. Breaks will be built into the day where cohort teachers focus on social-emotional learning, and when students will have the opportunity for outside activities when appropriate.

This approach aligns with the latest recommendations from the CDC and allows students to build friendships within their cohorts and rely on their teacher/mentor for individualized support. Students will also benefit from targeted support and intervention from their subject area teachers. As is the case with elementary, it also allows for a seamless transition to virtual.

As conditions improve and students are permitted to move more freely throughout the building, will they move from class to class? If so, will the teacher be teaching in the virtual method and the student still on their device?

When students move from class to class it will be for face-to-face instruction, though some learning activities may be on a device. Classroom activities on a device is not a departure from our traditional approach.

How many students will be in each classroom?

The number of students in a classroom will vary at each campus and depends on several factors including the size of the total student population, the number of students returning on-campus, and the square footage of the classroom.

What time do virtual and on-campus classes start each day?

Virtual learning and on-campus learning are set to begin at:

Elementary – 7:40 am – 2:55 pm

Middle School – 8:20 am to 3:35 pm

High School – 9:05 am to 4:20 pm

For families who choose virtual learning, parents have the opportunity to flex asynchronous learning times.

Once on-campus learning resumes, virtual and on-campus times may be staggered based on transportation for on-campus learners and on students safely entering and exiting schools.

What are the attendance requirements for On-Campus Learning?

Daily attendance is critical to students’ academic progress. Regardless of which instructional model families choose, the minimum attendance for class credit rule under Texas Education Code, §25.092 remains in effect. Students are required to attend at least 90 percent of their classes to receive credit and be promoted.

How will grades be assessed?

Students will be assessed on their mastery of the TEKS standards, regardless of whether they are learning on-campus or virtually.

What is being done to ensure fairness between on-campus and virtual learning students?

We are currently developing systems that may utilize a variety of resources including online proctoring and on-campus testing centers for certain assessments. These plans are still under development and will be shared in more detail as we get closer to the start of the school year.

On the occasion that schools would need to close, how would instruction continue?

To accommodate virtual learning and prepare for the possibility of school closures, Round Rock ISD has adopted the Schoology Learning Management System® to allow for seamless continuation of learning in any environment. More information can be found on the Virtual Learning webpage and the Reimagining Education Plan.

Will visitors be allowed?

To minimize the risk of exposure, on-campus visitors will be limited to those essential to school operations, such as:

Guest Educators

Student Teachers, Interns, Observers

Contractors

Emergency personnel

Brinks Security

Food Service Vendors/Delivers

Mail Delivery (front office only)

Those deemed essential by Campus Administration

Visitors must wear a face covering and use the video intercom system at the front of the campus to communicate. Visitors should be prepared to show ID and will be asked to respond to a series of health screening questions before entering. If the visitor answers the screening questions appropriately and the campus is allowing the visitor to enter the reception area, the visitor must agree to a temperature check before interacting with staff. The front office personnel will take the temperature using a digital thermometer, and not allow access to the building, if the temperature is 100 degrees or greater.

What if I need to pick up my child during the school day?

Parents and guardians who come to campus to pick up a student are limited to either remaining outside and utilizing the video intercom system or if this option is not available, may come into the front office area to sign out their child.

Parents and guardians must wear a face covering while in the front office and be prepared to show ID.

What If I need to drop off medication during the school day?

Parents and guardians who need to provide student medication should contact the school nurse and set up an appointment to deliver the medication to the school. If that is not possible, parents and guardians may use the video intercom system to enter the front office, and inform the front office staff. They will contact the nurse who will meet with parents/guardians in the front office.

Parents and guardians must wear a face covering while in the front office and be prepared to show ID.

Are school supply lists available?

School supply lists are still being finalized and will be shared with families once solidified.

Are school supply lists available?

School supply lists can be obtained from your child’s campus.

If my child is hearing impaired, how will they be able to follow along during class if the teacher is wearing a face covering?

When on-campus learning begins, your child’s teachers can be provided with a clear face shield.

Will Physical Education (PE) be offered? What will it look like? Will students wear face coverings?

Yes, lessons are being designed with safety protocols in mind to meet the needs of on-campus learners. Social distancing will be practiced. Students will wear face coverings during PE. When students participate in a moderate to vigorous physical activity, the covering may be taken off; upon completion, the student will put their covering on again.

How are the high school classes for the academies that require off-campus activities going to be handled?

We are continuing to review guidance from the TEA and will make these decisions based on what is safest for our students and partners. Some partners are currently not allowing students into facilities, but we will monitor those situations and make determinations as they arise.

How will cohorts be formed? Will students be expected to remain in their cohort for the remainder of the school year?

Principals will design cohorts so that students with like schedules are grouped to the extent possible. For example, band students will most likely be grouped together. Students remaining in their cohort depend on public health conditions. In Phase 3, students will be able to start transitioning/rotating to different classes, so part of their day might be spent with their cohort, but they won’t be with their cohort exclusively. If conditions allow, we could return to a traditional schedule. Cohorts will be assigned to a specific room where the bulk of their learning will occur during Phase 2. (Phase 1 is all virtual at-home instruction.)