Amid the coronavirus outbreak, San Marcos CISD and Hays CISD suspended normal school operations through early April and will move toward remote instruction after spring break, the districts announced March 16.
After the first presumptive case of coronavirus, COVID-19, was confirmed in Hays County, SMCISD and HCISD announced the suspension of normal school operations through April 5 in efforts to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Both districts also announced their plans to teach students remotely after April 5.
SMCISD Superintendent Michael Cardona said in a statement released March 16 that the district created four stages of response to combat the outbreak.
Also in the statement, Cardon said the district will move toward stage three of its response plan on March 23. In this stage, all students and teachers will stay home and move to remote instruction but essential staff, determined by the superintendent’s cabinet, will continue to report to work.
“The district is finalizing logistics on distance learning options for students. More information and guidelines will be made available on our website this week and will be messaged to SMCISD families,” Cardona said.
Starting March 23, SMCISD will provide free meals twice a day to anyone who is 18 years old or younger and charge $3.50 for adults. For more information about times and locations, click here.
The fourth stage detailed in SMCISD's response plan to combat the outbreak calls for all students and staff to stay home. It would mean the district would not operate and there would be no classroom instruction for students. This would be the district's last response stage to the outbreak, according to the statement. SMCISD will continue to provide updates on the evolving situation.
Similarly, HCISD suspended school and office operations through April 5 to help decrease the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
On March 25, teachers and campuses will provide information about remote instruction, according to a March 16 statement by Tim Savoy, HCISD chief communication officer.
“Hays CISD is prepared to navigate this emergency and will be making decisions based on the best interests of community safety and health,” Savoy said.
During this time, critical staff, which includes campus and district administrators as well as employees at campuses and in departments as assigned by supervisors will continue to report to work.
The district will pay employees and staff during this emergency suspension. HCISD is also developing a plan to allow small groups of teachers at schools following spring break—to prepare online instruction lesson plans for students.
HCISD will continue to provide meal services to students on free and reduced lunch plans no later than March 25. Visit the district's website for more information and updates here.
