San Marcos CISD releases plan for 2020-21 school year, delays in-person classes until at least Oct. 5

San Marcos CISD board of trustees were presented with a tentative reopening plan for the 2020-21 school year at a July 20 meeting.

The tentative plan revealed SMCISD students will begin the semester Sept. 8 100% virtually for the first four weeks.

In-person classroom instruction will start Oct. 5 for students whose parents chose to do so following the four weeks of remote learning. However, the district may extend remote learning by up to four additional weeks until Oct. 30, depending on the increase of COVID-19 cases in Hays County.

On July 28, SMCISD will send out a survey to parents on preferred learning models for their students. In the survey, parents will have the opportunity to choose to continue remote learning or choose in-person classroom instruction. The survey will close Aug. 4.

Parents will have the opportunity to change their preferred learning model once the survey has been submitted, either before the start of the school year or in mid-October.

The district will also host virtual meetings July 28 for parents who wish to learn more about the learning models.

In addition, masks will be required at all SMCISD campuses when 6 feet of social distancing is not possible. Masks will be provided for all students and staff members, with the option to choose between disposable, cloth or shield masks.

Upon return to in-person instruction, students will be required to wear masks when riding the school bus, windows will be lowered in the buses to allow appropriate ventilation and social distancing will be enforced.

The reopening plan for the 2020-21 school year presented to trustees is subject to change, according to district officials.

To read the the full copy of the SMCISD reopening plan, click here.