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2020-2021 School Year Planning Update


Posted Date: 07/24/2020

2020

Dear Florence ISD Parents and Community,

My staff and I continue to work on a detailed plan for the 2020-2021 school year, and we will post our plan next week. With that said, I want to provide answers to what we believe are the biggest questions you may have.

Florence ISD schools will re-open for instruction on August 24th (date pending board approval). I am taking a recommendation to the Board of Trustees that would move the first instructional day for students from August 13th to August 24th . I believe this will be beneficial not only to staff but also to parents and students. This will provide additional time to prepare for instruction and operations as well as some additional time for COVID-related data trends to move favorably down. Our teachers and administrators will utilize this time to prepare for inperson and remote instruction as needed for the coming year. At the same time our staff will continue preparing for all of the safety and wellness protocols we will have in place for our students and staff. I have discussed the plan with our board, and I am confident that the revisions to the school calendar will be approved.

Florence ISD will have the ability to provide high-quality instruction in a remote learning format as well. Parents will have the option to select the remote teaching and learning format for their child, and you will soon be provided a way to indicate your choice. Both the face-to-face, oncampus and remote learning formats will address the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills as required by the Texas Education Agency, and instruction in the remote learning format will be to the same depth and complexity as it is in the face-to-face, on-campus format. District grading policies will also be aligned for both the in-person and remote learning environments. Students participating in the remote format will be required to be engaged in learning each day. Florence ISD will provide technology devices to each student being taught in the remote format.

The 2020-2021 school year will be unlike any school year we have experienced. While we have been diligent and thoughtful in our planning, we cannot anticipate all of the issues that will arise. We remain committed to providing high-quality instruction and services to our students in the safest manner possible.

Sincerely,

Paul Michalewicz

Superintendent, Florence ISD