Northwest ISD's newsletter for families and the community
Dec. 17, 2020
Friday is Early Release Day for NISD
Friday, Dec. 18 is an early release day for NISD schools. The dismissal times are:
  • Elementary Schools: 11:40 a.m.
  • Middle Schools: 12:50 p.m.
  • Steele Accelerated High School: 12:30 p.m.
  • Byron Nelson, Eaton and Northwest High Schools: 12:40 p.m.
Northwest ISD Schools and Offices to Close for Winter Break
Students Return to Classes on Wednesday, Jan. 6
All Northwest ISD schools will be closed Monday, Dec. 21 through Friday, Jan. 1.

  • Staff return on Monday, Jan. 4 for professional development.
  • Students return on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Report COVID-19 Cases to NISD & Local County
During the winter break, all staff and students who test positive for COVID-19, have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, or begin to experience COVID-19 symptoms, are asked to continue to use the NISD COVID Reporting Form and to ensure their case is reported to the county health department by the physician or facility that conducted the test. All forms submitted to NISD will be processed when staff return on January 4. There will not be a nurse on call over the break. For any health-related questions, please contact a physician.  

During the winter break, the county health departments will conduct necessary contact tracing and notify individuals who may have had close contact with a test-confirmed individual.

If a student or NISD staff member tests positive for COVID-19, has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, or is experiencing COVID symptoms during the winter break, they should not return to campus when we re-open in January until they receive additional instructions from the school.
NISD COVID-19 Dashboard Offline during Break
The NISD COVID dashboard will not be updated from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3 during the scheduled winter break and will be removed from the website during this time.

Staff will review COVID notifications received during the break when they return to work on Jan. 4.

The COVID dashboard will be updated and added back to the website in the evening on Jan. 5. Classes resume on Jan. 6. Students exposed to test-confirmed COVID individuals during the break should not return to In-Person Learning until they receive additional information from the school.
Attendance Calls to Resume Jan. 8
NISD campuses will begin sending automated attendance calls — which were disabled for the first semester — on Friday, Jan. 8. This call will occur on Fridays and will summarize student absences for the week, including the number of days the student has at least one absence for that week. Please log in to the Home Access Center to view details regarding your child’s attendance.
Students Encouraged to Learn With NISD Chromebooks During Winter Break
Get cozy, grab your Chromebook, and continue learning during winter break. Northwest ISD students will be bringing home their district-issued Chromebooks on Friday, Dec. 18 so they can continue learning during winter break.

Enrichment opportunities are available for students through NISD’s Learning That Takes You Places website, which takes students on a journey to a dozen different places around the world. Students are also encouraged to work on Lexia and Imagine Math programs or read digital books through the Epic app. 

And while there won’t be a grade for these enrichment activities, we hope students will take the opportunity to engage and learn at home. 

Chromebooks and chargers should be returned to your child’s campus on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Please ensure devices are fully-charged and ready to be utilized during school hours.  
Third Quarter Learning Location Changes Require Class Leveling
Northwest ISD campuses are processing about 869 requests this week for learning location changes, which includes adjusting some teacher and class assignments (known as class leveling). The largest impact will be at the elementary level.
NISD Considers New Options for COVID Quarantine Period
NISD leadership is considering updating the district's quarantine policy to reflect changes to the CDC's guidelines allowing for a shorter quarantine period for individuals experiencing no symptoms of COVID-19.

The updates under consideration could allow students and staff who are not showing symptoms to return to campus on day 11 after their exposure. The current 14-day required quarantine period would be reduced to a 10-day quarantine.

The final decision will be communicated to families in January.
Jennifer Murphy Joins Board of Trustees
Jennifer Murphy, who was elected to Place 7 on the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees in the Nov. 3 election, was sworn into office at the Dec. 14, 2020 school board meeting.

Murphy has lived in the district for 10 years with her husband and two sons. She said the district has grown tremendously in that time, becoming a destination for families looking for great schools.

“We have a lot of families looking for a place for their kids to grow, to learn and to be unique in their own way,” she said.
Campuses Host Holiday Drive-Thru Events
Several Northwest ISD schools have hosted drive-thru holiday events this month, adapting their traditional winter holiday celebrations to follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.
Five NISD Football Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent
Each of Northwest ISD’s three comprehensive high schools – Byron Nelson, Eaton and Northwest – held a National Signing Day ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 14, with 5 student-athletes signifying their intent to play collegiate Division I football and continue their academic pursuits.
Eaton High School Football Moves on to 6A Area Playoffs
After defeating Weatherford High School 21-14 and claiming the 6A Bi-District Championship last Friday, the Eaton Eagles now move on to the 6A Region I Area Playoffs.

The Eagles will travel to Abilene on Friday, Dec. 17 to face off against San Angelo Central. The game will be played at Abilene Christian University’s Wildcat Stadium. Game time is 7 p.m. and doors will open at 5:30 p.m. All ticket sales will take place online. Please note the stadium’s clear bag policy will be enforced for all spectators.  
Biomedical Academy Students Receive Lab Coats in Hybrid Ceremony
In December, each third-year student in Northwest ISD’s Biomedical Sciences Academy housed within Byron Nelson High School receives a special right of passage — their very own laboratory coat. 

This year’s lab coat ceremony took on a slightly different look, with seniors within the academy “accepting” coats on behalf of virtual students participating in the ceremony remotely from home. In-person learners were presented with their lab coats and were able to wear them for the very first time. 
Kindergarteners Get Virtual Look at Holidays Around the World
Every December, students in Ruth Farmer’s kindergarten class at Kay Granger Elementary in Fort Worth learn about holidays around the world.

In years past, students have traveled to different kindergarten classrooms to learn about how different countries celebrate during the winter holiday season. Students got to taste treats from each location, fill out their “passport,” and make a holiday craft.

But the typical celebration wouldn’t work this year with her class, which is made up of Remote Learning students. Farmer said that she realized that while all of her students were born in the United States, many of their parents had immigrated from other countries.

So she put a new twist on how her class studied holidays around the world and asked parents to share information about winter holidays from their native countries.

“My desire was to look at each child’s uniqueness and to have their parents really feel a part of being at Granger and in the U.S.,” Farmer said.
Long-Range Planning Committee Discusses May 2021 Bond Election
The Northwest ISD Long Range Planning Committee met Tuesday to review results of the Nov. 2020 bond election, evaluate survey results and community feedback, hear the latest demographic report, and begin discussions about potential projects for the district's next bond election. May 2021 is the earliest NISD could hold another bond election, which would include schools to accommodate the growing student enrollment.
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