Northwest ISD seeks feedback on calendar changes following shutdowns in January and February

Northwest ISD is changing two early release days into full school days and asking families and staff to give feedback on other options to make up for four days the district closed in January and February.

In a Feb. 7 email, the district wrote that it will need to make up instructional time because of the two-day shutdown Feb. 3-4 due to the winter storm as well as closures Jan. 14 and 18 due to COVID-19 spread and staffing shortages.

NISD is already changing the early release days slated for March 11—the day before spring break—and May 26—the last day of school—to be full days, according to the email.

“Because state law requires school districts measure overall instructional time in minutes, we must make up enough instructional minutes to account for the loss from the winter storm and staffing-related shutdown,” the email reads.

To further make up for the days off, district leaders and the Northwest ISD board of trustees are looking at three options: adding seven minutes to each school day starting Feb. 14 until the last day of school May 26; having classes Feb. 21, which was slated to be a holiday; or having the last day of school on May 27 instead of May 26.

The district is asking all families and staff members to submit their feedback on which option they prefer through an online survey, which will close at 4 p.m. Feb. 9. To fill out the survey, click here.

“District leaders and the Northwest ISD board of trustees will make a final determination after reviewing all factors, including feedback from this survey,” the email states. “This decision will be immediately communicated to families and staff.”