Klein ISD moves start of school to Sept. 8

The Klein ISD board of trustees approved modifying the district’s calendar to move the start of school from Aug. 18 to Sept. 8 due to the ongoing pandemic.

At its Aug. 10 virtual meeting, the board heard a brief presentation from Superintendent Jenny McGown and Deputy Superintendent Larry Whitehead. McGown said although the district planned on offering two options for parents, the “changing and conflicting guidelines” it received has disrupted the original plans.

“We are preparing for a school year that is unlike any school year before, and there are no easy, perfect answers,” McGown said.

The district originally planned to offer remote learning for all of its students on Aug. 19 until Sept. 8. However, Whitehead said the district received input from county officials, district staff and KISD parents on delaying the school year altogether to better prepare for remote learning and in-person instruction. He said the new first day of classes would not affect the rest of the school year or holidays, but it would eliminate all early-release days and staff development days.

During the public comment period, a KISD mother criticized the district for “forcing online education” on parents. She said working parents and single mothers cannot support remote learning and deserve to have the choice to send their students to school.

“It would be more detrimental not to send them,” she said.

Harris County’s coronavirus cases have continued to slowly fall over the last few weeks, with a weekly average of new cases confirmed per day hitting its lowest point at 1,208 per day on Aug. 10.