The Compass

LISD Families,

Welcome to the first edition of the 2020-21 Compass newsletter. LISD elementary and middle school students kicked off the school year with Virtual Empowered Learning on Thursday, August 13. No stranger to Zooms and other online learning tools, this time around, families learned quickly the 2020-2021 school year was not going to mirror spring’s emergency remote learning. A combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning plus bright and eager minds lent itself to resetting our expectations and packing tons of patience and grace.

Highschoolers started a couple days later on Monday, August 17 due to technology issues. And while we continue to improve processes and discover new challenges, our students have shown just what resilience and perseverance look like. Words cannot express how much we appreciate your understanding and patience.

With the health and safety of students and staff as the top priority, Trustees approved a waiver to petition the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for an additional four weeks of virtual learning, paving the way for a modified district proposal to phase in on-campus learning. A percentage of students who wish to return to in-person learning may return to campuses Sept. 8 in accordance with recommendations from local health departments.

Under TEA guidelines, districts can start the year virtually for four weeks, plus an additional four weeks with Board approval. The district’s modified plan would phase in students who have chosen in-person learning to return to campuses beginning Sept. 8.

We will work within the guidelines of TEA’s directions and gauge community spread of the coronavirus. This step-by-step process will allow the district to:

• Open and stay open

• Reduce student in-person numbers (minimizing person-to-person contact, minimizing spread)

• Implement and refine safety protocols

• Align with public health guidelines

• Honor family choice (families who choose Virtual Empowered Learning can continue learning from home)

The district is planning to provide extensive safety measures once in-person learning resumes on our campuses. Cleaning procedures, contact tracing, facility enhancements, and protective equipment are integral parts of the district's COVID prevention and response plans.

Texas gets billions of dollars for schools, police, fire, health care, and more based on the census. Please visit 2020census.gov to be counted.

#1LISD has come together to tackle the challenges of technology head-on. Thanks to Reed Elementary bilingual librarian Carolyn Slavin, a dozen Reed Elementary families have received hotspots. Slavin has driven around the remote neighborhood of Cherry Hollow to ensure students can utilize the device in order to access Virtual Empowered Learning. The funds to support endeavors like this and mLISD scholarships received a tremendous boost when Hill Country Bible Church donated $15,000. HCBC presented the check to the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF). While this is a fraction of what’s needed to support virtual learning, the hope is that the community steps up to contribute. For more info, click here.

Congratulations to our Outstanding Principal and Assistant Principals of the Year! Recognized by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), Vista Ridge High School’s Paul Johnson and Barbara Ixba and Leander Middle School’s Ebony Parks were nominated by their peers for their excellence in leadership. Thank you to these esteemed individuals. Their depth of passion and purpose makes us honored to have each of them as an exemplary part of #1LISD!

The district’s Launch to Learning plan for in-person learning takes shape and an update to the Leander ISD dress code was adopted at the Trustees’ regular meeting Thursday night. Check out the Board Briefs here. To receive Board Briefs through Remind, please join the @LISDbriefs class for direct communication or text @LISDbriefs to 81010.

If your child participated in the Free and Reduced Price Meal Program during the 2019-2020 school year and you did not receive an approval letter notifying you of direct certification this month, you must submit a new application in order for your child’s benefits to continue during the 2020-2021 school year.

You may apply online by clicking the link here, or download and print a hard-copy application by clicking on Forms and Applications here.

Please note, if you do not have an approved application on file by September 24, 2020, your child’s benefits will stop. If your child’s benefits are stopped, you may reapply for the meal program at any time throughout the school year.

If you have any questions, please contact Child Nutrition Services at (512) 570-0670

We cannot wait to begin seeing our students in person again on Sept. 8! Our Health Services Department would like to share this checklist to help your children prepare for their return. For additional health and safety guidelines as we transition to in-person learning please review our COVID-19 Health Response Handbook. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Health Services Department through Let’s Talk.

Leander ISD teachers and support staff focus on engaging and inspiring students for achievement and lifelong success. We are a fast-growth district, adding more than 1,500 students every year, serving families in seven different municipalities. Our Guiding Documents — the Learning Model, 10 Ethical Principles, the Graduate Profile — are the foundation of who we are and ensure that we maintain an outstanding, inclusive learning environment for all students.

LISD educates more than 42,000 students at its 44 campuses. The district encompasses nearly 200 square miles.

Website: leanderisd.org
Location: 204 West South Street, Leander, TX, USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeanderISD/