Good morning Meridian Families,
The long awaited TEA (Texas Education Agency) guidance has been issued. While changes have occurred often, up to and including today, we anticipate this may be an ongoing process as the 2020-2021 school year proceeds and we learn how to safely re-open schools.
In June, our planning reflected TEA guidance that prioritized social distancing and limited class size. July 7, TEA guidance shifted that priority to require schools to offer 5-day on-campus instruction along with a distance learning option. Social distancing, masks, and enhanced cleaning will be used in conjunction with one another to reduce risk within the school environment for those who choose to be on campus in accordance with guidance from the
TEA
,
CDC
, and the
American Association of Pediatrics (AAP)
.
As of today, schools have been granted a four-week period to offer distance learning or roll out the new school year as a transition into new operational procedures. While original guidance was a three-week roll-out, it was not envisioned that schools would be re-opening while COVID-19 cases climb to new levels each day in our area.
Therefore, with the input of regional health guidance, Meridian will begin instruction with the
DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION ONLY
, until
Tuesday, September 8
,
at which time we are hopeful that the Governor’s mask order will result in a significantly lower daily positive rate by the end of August, allowing us to begin on-campus instruction.
The July 6 survey indicates we should expect an average of 50% of students on campus once we return through the end of the first quarter. A commitment form will be sent to all families in
mid-August
for on-campus instruction anticipated to start Tuesday, September 8. The ability to social distance may change as we move from quarter to quarter as it is dependent on the total number of students attending in each grade level.
Parent Webinars (July 20 & 21) & Board Meeting via Webinar (July 22)
Join us for short presentations from the campus principals and instructional leaders on the delivery of instruction and the expectations for both on-campus and distance learning, with the focus being on distance learning. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions in the Q&A.
Monday, July 20, from 5:30 pm to 6:55 pm:
Monday, July 20, from 7:05 pm to 8:30 pm:
Tuesday, July 21, from 5:30 pm to 6:55 pm:
Tuesday, July 21, from 7:05 pm to 8:30 pm:
Back to School Events (Before the start of school on August 10)
Most of our Back to School Events will be moved to a virtual environment. We'll send details closer to each event.
6th Grade Lion Camp
- Thursday, July 30
New Family Orientation Grades 6-8
- Thursday, July 30
New Family Orientation Grade 9
- Thursday, July 30
Annual Uniform Exchange
- Saturday, August 1, on campus
Back To School Nights
Grades K-5 - August 5-7
Secondary Schedule 'Pick-up'
- Available through Ascendor Online Gradebook Portal on August 5.
Kinder Camp
- We will hold short one-on-one sessions with students and teachers on campus during the first two weeks of school. Social distancing will be followed.
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work out the details necessary to keep our school community safe while providing a rigorous education. As you’ve likely seen in the news, schools across the country are facing similar challenges based on the ever-changing current situation and the decisions made by government agencies. We will continue to make the health and safety of our families and staff our number one priority, while still being committed to providing an invigorating educational environment, whether it be from home or on campus.
Thank you!
