Frisco ISD teachers to receive eLearning training Monday

While Frisco ISD has extended spring break by one week due to coronavirus concerns, district teachers and staff have been told to report to work on Monday. The work day will be used for teachers to learn to deliver instruction through an eLearning platform, according to the district.

Superintendent Mike Waldrip sent a message to teachers and staff March 12 explaining the eLearning platform would allow the Texas Education Agency to grant the district a waiver to allow it to continue receiving state funding.

“Absent this learning platform, we will not be able to provide educational services to our students,” Waldrip’s message states. “Just to provide you with a perspective on the magnitude of this issue, if our school district were to be closed for two weeks, during a time when we should be open providing an education to our learners, Frisco ISD would lose $25 million dollars in funding. Without this money, we cannot pay salaries and operate the district during this time of closure.”

Waldrip said “a number of people have been working behind the scenes” to develop the eLearning platform.

“We not only want to continue to provide a quality education to our students, we want to also continue to take care of our employees and make sure they continue to receive compensation during this very difficult time,” Waldrip’s message states.

The district's scheduled spring break was March 9-13. FISD schools and district offices will remain closed March 16-20, according to a March 12 notice by Waldrip. The district will evaluate the situation prior to reopening schools March 23.

All scheduled events and competitions within FISD during the spring break extension are canceled, per the notice.

District travel for student competitions and events outside FISD will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, Waldrip said in the notice.