Fort Bend ISD UIL athletics to begin workouts June 10; fine arts rehearsals to start in July

At the June 8 Fort Bend ISD board of trustees meeting, Chief of Schools Joe Rodriguez said summer conditioning for University Interscholastic League athletics will begin June 10.

UIL activities—including practices, rehearsals and workouts—have been suspended since the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Under UIL guidelines, school districts could begin summer programming June 8, Rodriguez said. However, FBISD decided to wait until June 10 to restart some activities.

“We felt that there still needed to be additional communication and clarification on what UIL was expecting and also to align ourselves with the recommendations of the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention],” Rodriguez said.

The district has implemented a number of safety protocols, according to Rodriguez, all of which have been communicated to coaches, athletes and families.

These safety measures include a 1-15 student-adult ratio, limited person-to-person contact, 10 feet of distance between people when outdoors, daily screening for symptoms, and a focus on hygiene and sanitation.

While athletics will be the first to begin summer programming, the band will return in phases starting July 16, Rodriguez said.

“We're excited for our students. We have many students [and parents] that have contacted us, obviously the coaches as well,” Rodriguez said. “They're wanting to get back into some type of normal routine.”