Below are the common questions we have been asked since the start of school closure. This information will be updated as we continue to receive questions from parents and staff and continue to make decisions regarding school.
Updated: June 1, 2020 (10:00 a.m.)
Q: When will CSISD schools reopen?
A: Governor Greg Abbott continued to expand on the systematic opening of Texas during his press conference on Monday, May 18 including some limited opportunities for school systems to begin allowing people back in buildings. As such, CSISD has opened its campuses and buildings for employees with a reduced capacity beginning June 1. This opening allows campus front office and central office staff to be in their workplaces and to have in-person interactions with families and visitors to accomplish school business. This positive step includes protocols surrounding facility cleaning, sanitation stations, signage, employee information for healthy hygiene practices, self-screening for employees, social-distancing expectations, and capacity considerations, among others.
Q: Is CSISD offering any type of summer programming?
A: On Tuesday, May 19, school districts received guidelines regarding summer programming from the Texas Education Agency. While the guidelines do allow for summer programming, the regulations are specific and restrictive. With that in mind, this is the current status of CSISD summer programs for the summer of 2020.
- Middle and High School Summer School -- These courses will be offered online as previously determined.
- Summer Enrichment -- These courses, originally scheduled for June, have been canceled for the summer of 2020.
- Summer Day Camp -- Summer Day Camp staff is developing a plan to safely operate at a reduced capacity, potentially beginning in late June.
- Sports Camps -- Athletic Department personnel are developing plans to safely operate some sports camps pending additional guidance from the UIL. These camps could potentially begin in late June.
- English Learners (EL) and Extended School Year (ESY) -- If your child is eligible for EL or ESY, you will receive separate communications regarding the details of these programs.
Q: Is CSISD still serving meals to children this summer?
A: From June 1 through July 31, summer meals will be distributed at Southwood Valley, River Bend and the Lincoln Center. Three days worth of meals will be distributed each Monday and two days worth will be given out on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information call 2-1-1 or visit SummerFood.org.
Q. Will there be high school graduation ceremonies?
A. As we continue to align our actions with the most updated executive orders from Governor Abbott, all three CSISD high schools are shifting to our alternative dates for graduation ceremonies. As we get closer to the alternate dates we will provide additional details.
A&M Consolidated High School
Graduation Date: Friday, June 26 - 8 p.m. - Tigerland Stadium
College Station High School
Graduation Date: Saturday, June 27 - 8 p.m. - Cougar Field
College View High School
Graduation Date: Thursday, June 25 - 8 p.m. - Peach Creek Ranch
Q: Will the 2020-2021 CSISD school calendar be different than what was adopted by the Board of Trustees?
A: The Commissioner of Education recently released an alternate (and optional) school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.
The commissioner laid out optional examples for districts to consider, which could significantly extend the school year by starting at the beginning of August and ending at the end of June, with longer breaks throughout the year.
Because of the lengthy process we already have in place to develop the calendar each year, in which we receive extensive feedback from the community, CSISD will not be suggesting sweeping changes to next year’s academic calendar on such short notice.
However, the district is exploring the conversion of up to six staff development days into instructional days for students. If this change is made to next year’s school calendar, it will be made at the June 16 Board of Trustees meeting.
Q: Is online registration for the 2020-2021 school year open?
A: RETURNING student registration for the 2020-2021 is open. Parents should have received a returning student registration email.
NEW student registration for the 2020-2021 school year is currently open.
LINK: 2020-2021 Online Student Registration.
Q: What CSISD faculty and staff members will be required to report to work?
A: CSISD employees returned to work on July 1, 2020, under the terms of their respective contract dates.
The information below pertains to the 2019-2020 School Year.
Q: What is expected of my child(ren) during the school closure as far as completing school work?
A: The CSISD curriculum staff and technology staff, along with principals and other instructional leaders, have developed at-home learning models that are streamlined for students, parents and teachers. Students will be provided lessons to complete throughout the week. Parents, if you feel your student needs additional work to do, there are many links to enrichment activities on the CSISD at-home learning website and in Schoology.
We have two methods of delivery for the lessons -- digital and paper.
These resources also include supports for students with disabilities. Special service providers will continue to work collaboratively with families to meet students’ individual needs.
Students are expected to participate in the at-home learning assignments and will be graded. The CSISD grading guidelines for the at-home learning model can be found at the following link:
LINK: CSISD At-Home Learning Grading Guidelines
You should have received information from your child’s principal regarding at-home learning. Our campuses have attempted to reach all families to not only touch base with students, but to also ask specific questions regarding their technology resources.
If you have not received information regarding at-home learning, please email your child’s campus principal or call the main number to your child’s school and leave a voicemail. Our phones are now programmed to send those voicemails to the campus principal’s email inbox.
For more information, please contact your campus principal.
Q: Will the at-home learning work be graded?
A: Yes. Students are expected to participate in the at-home learning assignments and will be graded. The CSISD grading guidelines for the at-home learning model can be found at the following link:
LINK: CSISD At-Home Learning Grading Guidelines
Q: How will at-home learning grades affect the GPA for those students in high school courses?
A: While the primary purpose of grades is to provide feedback on student progress, we know that the implications of grades on GPA and class rank are important for our students and families.
The impact of substantial changes to our instructional delivery model and variance of students’ circumstances during this emergency situation will undoubtedly influence student performance and grades this semester. Following much consideration and discussion, the following adjustments to board policy regarding calculation of GPA have been made.
For the senior class of 2020, GPAs for the final class rank and local honors (Cum Laude, Etc.) will be calculated using grades through the fourth six-week marking period. The fourth six-weeks will have a ⅓ weight in the semester-based calculation. Seniors must still turn in work, complete courses and earn passing grades to receive credit for courses needed to graduate.
For all other students enrolled in high school courses, grades recorded in the 2020 spring semester will not be considered in future GPA calculations. However, grades will be taken and reported to determine course completion and award course credit.
Q: Why did you not include the 4th six weeks grades from the Spring 2020 for underclass students or middle school students enrolled in high school courses in their GPA calculation?
A: We chose to designate honor graduates, class rank, and GPA for the Class of 2020 based on the end of the fourth six weeks grades calculated at 1/3 weight of a semester since these are the last recorded grades for the senior class with integrity. Underclass students have at least two more semesters of grades depending on the students grade level to determine GPAs.
The 4th six weeks grades for seniors will have to be hand calculated outside of our grading system and then manually input again for the final transcripts. Our grading system is set up to calculate GPA following each semester, not by each six weeks.
Ambitious seniors often ask their counselor for the hand calculation in order to check their class rank and GPA following each six weeks to see where they stand. Many of the seniors in the class of 2020 already knew their GPA and class rank following the fourth six weeks. We did not think it was fair to them to roll their GPA back to the end of the 2019 Fall semester. This is generally not the case for underclass students.
In addition, if we chose to calculate the fourth six weeks for underclass students and those in middle school who are enrolled in high school courses, their GPA would have to be hand calculated after each semester going forward. As you know, we have students as young as seventh grade taking courses for high school credit. That would mean our counselors and data staff would have to hand calculate GPAs each semester until the class of 2025 graduated.
Q: During the district closure, will there still be after-school or extra-curricular activities?
A: All CSISD extra- and co-curricular activities, including clubs and student organizations, are canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
Q: Is the district restricting any school-sponsored travel?
A: While CSISD campuses are closed, all trips and activities are canceled. Future scheduled student trips have not been canceled to date, however, trips scheduled for after students return to school will be re-evaluated at that time.
Q: What do I do if I don’t have access to technology?
A: Campus principals are working with our technology department to check-out Netbooks to families who have indicated they have no technology resources at home. The focus for the week of April 6 is to distribute these resources to identified high school and middle school students. CSISD is developing a plan for intermediate and elementary technology deployment based on remaining inventory.
Q: What if I don’t have access to the internet?
A: The CSISD Technology staff is working to install additional access points at South Knoll, College Hills, Southwood Valley, River Bend, Oakwood, CSHS and AMCHS to enhance access to WiFi outside of the building. More information can be found by clicking here.
Suddenlink/Altice is offering a 30 Mbps broadband plan free for 60 days to any new household within their service area which has been affected by school closures. Please call 888-633-0030 to get more information or to enroll in the free plan.
Also, most cell phone companies providers have waived data usage limits, allowing some phones to become “hot spots.” This will allow you to have WiFi in your home, or students could use devices with cellular access to complete assignments. Call your cell phone provider to determine your current data limitations.
Q: What can we expect for state testing, including STAAR and End of Course exams?
A: Governor Greg Abbott on March 16 announced that he has waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. Additionally, Governor Abbott is requesting that the Department of Education (DOE) waive federal testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year. We are continuing to follow updates from the College Board considering ACT, SAT, and AP testing.
Q: How will the absence policy affect students if they need to be kept home from school due to illness?
A: Once we return to school, we will have more information on how the district will handle its attendance requirements. Any changes to absence or final exam exemption guidelines will be updated here.
Q. What is the district doing to protect students and staff against the spread of Coronavirus?
A. CSISD will continue to follow the guidance of Brazos County Health District, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The district has taken several steps to educate students about good hygiene habits and following basic steps to prevent the spread of illness. While we are out of school, the district will increase the amount of hand sanitizer stations at all schools. Over spring break our custodians have cleaned and disinfected all surfaces at our campuses and transportation thoroughly cleaned the fleet of buses.
Q. Is College Station ISD accepting new students during the time of closure?
A. Yes, we welcome newly enrolling students at this time. Please complete the online by clicking here and emailing [email protected] to complete the process.