IT IS NOW 7:26, AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF
[I. Call to Order and Determination of Quorum]
[00:00:06]
TRUSTEES DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR AUGUST 10TH, 2021.I CONFIRM THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO
[II. Public Forum]
PUBLIC FORUM. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS OUT HERE THAT WISH TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE WILL HEAR THEM AT THIS TIME.WE'LL START WITH TAYLOR BRATTON . HI MS. BRATTON, HOW ARE YOU? HELLO, GOOD, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD, WE NEED YOU TO STATE YOUR FIRST AND YOUR LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR AFFILIATION WITH THE DISTRICT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THE GREEN LIGHT IS GOING TO SIGNAL WHEN YOU START.
THE YELLOW LIGHT IS GOING TO BE WHEN YOU'RE ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH AND THEN THE RED LIGHT IS GOING TO BE YOUR TIME IS DONE.
DR. RINGO IS GOING TO KEEP THE TIME AND HE'LL INFORM YOU OF AS MUCH TIME AS YOU HAVE.
OK, YOU MAY BEGIN. WELL MY NAME IS TAYLOR BRATTON.
I LIVE AT 6606 ROSEBUD DRIVE IN ROWLETT.
MY SON JUDE ATTENDS HERFURTH ELEMENTARY AND I'M HERE WITH TWO CONCERNS AND THE MAIN ONE BEING THE MASK MANDATE MAKING THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND IS WITH OFFERING REMOTE LEARNING.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING FOR WHY I AM UP HERE IS MY CHILD'S SAFETY.
HE IS SCARED AND SO AM I AS A LOT OF PARENTS RIGHT NOW IN GARLAND IN THE WORLD WITH COVID VARIANT AND WITH GISD RIGHT NOW, OFFERING THE, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT A MANDATE, I BELIEVE IT'S TAKING IT INSTEAD OF MAKING IT ABOUT MONEY, I MEAN, HE'S OFFERING TO PAY THE FINES, YOU KNOW, EVEN OUT OF HIS POCKET.
I WILL MORE THAN WILLINGLY, YOU KNOW, THROW IN MONEY IF I NEED TO TO PROTECT MY CHILD.
I THINK THAT IT'S COMING TO A LOT OF MONEY VERSUS THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN, AND THAT'S SCARY. WITH OFFERING REMOTE LEARNING, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU WOULD LOSE FUNDING RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, BUT HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE WE GOING TO SAVE, YOU KNOW, FROM HAVING TO GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THIS ILLNESS OF COVID? IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW I MEAN, OUR DISTRICT, INCLUDING STAFF, IS AT 314.
THERE'S ABOUT EIGHTY THREE DAYS OF THE SEMESTER FOR JUST UNTIL DECEMBER.
AND YOU TAKE THAT ON AVERAGE, THERE'S SIX DAYS OF SCHOOL SO FAR.
THAT'S ABOUT 44 A DAY, RIGHT, IF YOU JUST DO SIMPLE MATH.
SO IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY THE EIGHTY THREE DAYS LEFT, THAT'S THREE THOUSAND OVER THREE THOUSAND. IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE WILLING AS A DISTRICT TO GET TO? SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, IS TO FIGHT FOR MY CHILD'S SAFETY AND MAKE SURE OTHER CHILDREN ARE SAFE AS WELL. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
YGLESIAS, EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND, I JUST WANT YOU TO STATE YOUR FIRST AND YOUR LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR AFFILIATION WITH THE DISTRICT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR COMMENTS. GREEN LIGHT IS GOING TO SIGNAL WHEN YOU START THE YELLOW LIGHT, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING AND THEN THE RED LIGHT IN YOUR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DAVID YGLESIAS, 2112 CHESTNUT HILL, RICHARDSON, TEXAS.
I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MY CONCERN IS THE MASK, THE MASK, THE LACK OF MASK MASKING. I COME FROM A MEDICAL BACKGROUND.
AS LAST 38 YEARS, I'VE BEEN A PHARMACIST AT MEDICAL CITY DALLAS HOSPITAL.
WE'VE TREATED MULTIPLE PATIENTS.
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I WORKED IN THE OPERATING ROOM, INCLUDING CHILDREN, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GOOD OUTCOMES.BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME BAD ONES.
AND WITH THIS VARIANT, WE'RE VERY MUCH CONCERNED.
WHEN I RETIRED, I WENT TO OK, [INAUDIBLE] I WANT TO TEACH AT THE GARLAND SCHOOLS AS A SUBSTITUTE.
OUR GIRL WAS DOING THEN MY GIRL GRANDDAUGHTER STARTED VIRTUAL.
SO WE SAID, WELL, THAT'S NOT FAIR BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET ANYBODY SICK.
SO I BACKED OUT AND NOW SHE'S BACK IN SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE IS NO VIRTUAL.
I'VE BEEN I, I JUST HAVE SOME STATS HERE THAT I LIKE TO SHARE PLEASE.
AS OF AUGUST THE 8TH, 2021, THEY'VE BEEN THAT CLOSE TO 35 MILLION CASES IN THE UNITED STATES. SIX HUNDRED CLOSE TO SIX HUNDRED TEN DEATHS.
FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DEATHS.
THIS MIGHT SEEM INSIGNIFICANT, BUT EVERY ONE OF THOSE DEATHS DESTROYS A FAMILY.
UPDATED AS OF TODAY AND THE PAST THREE DAYS IN THE PAST THREE WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING A THOUSAND CASES OF COVID PER DAY.
WHEN I'VE LEARNED THAT DALLAS ISD IS ACTUALLY GOING AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, YOU KNOW, I WAS OVERJOYED.
SO I SAID, OK, THERE'S A ROLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PLANO ISD IS DRAFTING A PROPOSAL TO DO THE SAME THING.
THERE'S STUDIES OUT THERE SAYING THAT WEARING A MASK AND THERE'S MULTIPLE STUDIES OUT WEARING A MASK DECREASES THE CHANCE OF GETTING COVERED BY SIXTY FIVE PERCENT.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY NOT NEW TO ME.
THE EVIDENCE IS NOW THERE IT IS, IN MY OPINION, IS UP TO US TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
WE LIVE IN THE MOST AFFLUENT COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, BUT YET WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, BUT YET WE CAN'T GIVE THEM THE BASIC PROTECTION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND YOUR LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR AFFILIATION WITH THE DISTRICT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GIVE YOUR COMMENTS.
THE GREEN LIGHT IS GOING TO INITIATE WHEN YOU START THE YELLOW LIGHT, WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING.
DR. RINGO IS GOING TO KEEP MONITORING YOUR TIME.
AND AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES, THAT'LL BE ALL YOU.
YOU HAVE. OK, I'M {INAUDIBLE].
I LIVE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] AT FIREWHEEL IN GARLAND.
OFF OF BILLY JOHNSON AND I AM A PARENT TO FOUR CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT, A TAXPAYER, OBVIOUSLY, AND A CITIZEN OF GARLAND.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. SO MY CONCERNS ARE ASIDE.
I HAVE THREE BOYS CURRENTLY THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THREE DIFFERENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
I HAVE A FIRST GRADER, THIRD GRADER AND FIFTH GRADER.
LAST YEAR, WHILE WE WERE VIRTUAL, IT DIDN'T GO SO WELL FOR THE MONTESSORI PROGRAM FOR US AS A FAMILY AT LUNA, I HAVE TWO GT KIDS AS WELL AS ANOTHER ALL THREE OF THEM ARE OBVIOUSLY IN A MAGNET SEAT.
AND MY KIDS ENDED UP BEING SPLIT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ENROLLED AT THE BEGINNING OF OPEN ENROLLMENT AND BECAUSE GARLAND IS A CHOICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ENDED UP NOT KNOWING THAT BEAVER WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY SEATS AVAILABLE IN ANY GRADE EXCEPT FOR FIFTH, BECAUSE FIFTH GRADE IS THE GRADE WHERE IT GOES FROM 22 TO A CLASS TO 24.
SO THERE WERE SOME OPEN SEATS AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
SO NOW I HAVE ONE KID IN WALNUT GLEN BECAUSE I REFUSED TO PUT HIM BACK AT LUNA DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE WAS GT TESTED AND HE'S BEEN PART OF THAT PROGRAM AND HE DID NOT RECEIVE THE CARE NOR ATTENTION FROM HIS TEACHER AT ALL.
MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS WERE MADE TO THE SCHOOL.
WE HAD ABSOLUTELY, I THINK, ONE INTERACTION THAT WAS AN INDEPENDENT INTERACTION BETWEEN MY MY SON AND HIS TEACHER FOR THE ENTIRE SECOND GRADE.
MY FOURTH GRADERS TEACHER QUIT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ABOUT A MONTH IN.
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AND THEN NO ONE WAS REPLACED FOR HIS CLASS.SO HE WAS TAUGHT BY A FILL IN SUB, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, BUT NOT AN ACTUAL FOURTH GRADE TEACHER. SO MY CONCERNS ARE, IS THAT THE WAY GARLAND IS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED TO BRING A BUNCH OF STUDENTS FROM OTHER BETTER OFF AREAS INTO THEIR TITLE ONE AREAS IS NOT A SYSTEM THAT I THINK WORKS FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
I DO BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE MAGNET PROGRAMS SPREAD ACROSS THE DISTRICT INTO ALL ASPECTS OF THE GARLAND ROWLETT SACHSE AREAS SO THAT STUDENTS AREN'T JUST WAITLISTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TON OF STUDENTS THAT ARE TESTING AT 90 PERCENTILE OR HIGHER THAT ARE ON WAITLISTS, THAT ARE NOT PROVIDED THE ACADEMIC, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES THAT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE TO DO WELL.
SO YOU'RE TAKING AMAZINGLY SMART CHILDREN AND YOU'RE PRACTICALLY DUMBING THEM DOWN.
IN A SENSE. THAT'S HOW I FEEL AS A PARENT AT LEAST.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IS LIKE THE DISTRICT NOT ONLY TAKE ALL THIS MONEY THAT YOU GUYS GET AND PUT INTO TECHNOLOGY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT ACTUALLY PUT IT TOWARDS ONE TEACHERS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THEM QUIT AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SECURE ENOUGH OF THEM BACK, BUT ALSO INTO EXPANDING OUR PROGRAMS TO MORE SCHOOLS.
THERE'S LIKE THREE HUNDRED STUDENTS ON THE WAITLIST AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AT AUSTIN ACADEMY. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY ANOTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL CANNOT BE A GT ACADEMY OR WHATEVER, SO THAT THOSE 300 STUDENTS ON THE WAIT LIST HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL TO GO TO AND THEY'RE NOT SETTLING FOR LESS.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
MS. FRANK. HELLO. PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND YOUR LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR AFFILIATION WITH THE DISTRICT, AFTER WHICH YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO COMPLETE YOUR COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT IS GOING TO SIGNAL WHEN YOU SHOULD START.
ONCE YOU SEE THE YELLOW LIGHT, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING.
DR. RINGO IS GOING TO MONITOR YOUR TIME AND ONCE YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP, THAT'S IT.
MS. FRANK, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST SO WE CAN CLEARLY HEAR YOU PUT YOUR MASK DOWN OR PUT THE MIC CLOSER TO YOU.
YES, OK, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY.
I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME SO MUCH.
I PREFER NOT TO SAY THE NUMBER.
AND I'M SPEAKING TO THE BOARD TODAY IN REGARDS TO THE MASK MANDATE FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. I HAVE TWO BOYS A 10 YEAR OLD AND AN EIGHT YEAR OLD WHO HAVE BEEN ATTENDING LUNA ELEMENTARY SINCE ELEMENTARY BECAME A MONTESSORI SCHOOL.
WE FIRMLY BELIEVE IN MONTESSORI.
WE WERE SO GRATEFUL WHEN THAT PROGRAM CAME TO BE AVAILABLE TO US.
WITH MY CHILDREN UNABLE TO GET A VACCINE FOR COVID, WE ARE CONCERNED FOR THEIR HEALTH.
I MYSELF AM IMMUNE COMPROMISED AND I SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS A HOSPICE SOCIAL WORKER HERE IN GARLAND. I'VE SEEN GENERATIONS WIPED OUT FROM THIS VIRUS.
BOTH OF OUR BOYS ARE VERY RESPONSIBLE IN WEARING MASKS AT THE SCHOOL.
HOWEVER, WITH THE CHANGE IN THE FOREFRONT, THE DELTA VARIANT IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT IS RAISING SO MANY CONCERNS.
UNTIL ELEMENTARY AGE CHILDREN ARE APPROVED FOR A VACCINE, THEY'RE AT RISK WITH NO MASK REQUIREMENT. SIMPLY PUT NOT EVERYONE IS WEARING A MASK AND EVEN VACCINATED ADULTS CAN PASS ON THE VIRUS.
LAST YEAR, WE MADE THE DECISION TO SEND OUR KIDS BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.
HOWEVER, THE DISTRICT DID SUCH A GREAT JOB AT KEEPING CHILDREN AND ADULTS SAFE.
OUR CHILDREN BENEFITED FROM THE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND WE WISH TO KEEP THAT GOING FOR THIS YEAR. I REALIZE THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER MAKES THIS POSSIBILITY VERY DIFFICULT, BUT WE MUST PUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN FIRST ABOVE ANY POLITICS.
THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA SHOW THE RISK OF THE DELTA VARIANT THE GISD DASHBOARD IN AND OF ITSELF SHOWS WHAT TRAJECTORY THIS WILL LOOK LIKE TODAY, NEXT WEEK AND NEXT MONTH.
HAVING OUR CHILDREN IN PERSON AT SCHOOL IS CRITICAL FOR THEIR ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH. I WORRY THAT NO MASK REQUIREMENT WITH DELTA AND A MASSIVE UNVACCINATED POPULATION COULD LEAD TO INDEFINITE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
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I APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO MAKE, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE ALL CHOSEN TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR GARLAND ISD CHILDREN.I AM SO GLAD TO KNOW THAT THE MISSION AND VALUES OF GISD STATE THAT EVERY STUDENT DESERVES YOUR BEST.
I HOPE THAT THIS CHALLENGING MOMENT WITH ALL OF YOU DOING YOUR BEST TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND TO BE SAFE AND PROACTIVE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU.
MS. HOGAN, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC FORUM COMMENTS? OK.
VERONICA [INAUDIBLE], 7401 PARK LANE COURT ROWLETT, TEXAS, 75089.
GOOD EVENING. I'M WRITING THIS CORRESPONDENCE TODAY TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO THE POTENTIAL MASK REQUIREMENT THAT YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING NOW THAT DALLAS ISD HAS CHOSEN TO GO AGAINST GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S BAN ON MASK MANDATES.
I KNOW THERE MAY BE MANY PARENTS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN COVID CASES, ESPECIALLY THE DELTA VARIANT.
BUT ACCORDING TO THE DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE DELTA VARIANT IS NOT THE PREDOMINANT VARIANT. THE NUMBERS ARE FROM THE HEALTH COUNTY WEBSITE TO DATE, A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE CASES WITH SARS, ALPHA COVID TWO VARIANTS AND HAVE CONCERNED THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS COUNTY.
THERE ARE B, 1.351 DELTA VARIANTS, 25 B.1 SIX ONE SEVEN POINT TWO DELTA VARIANTS AND 19 P1 GAMMA VARIANTS. TWENTY ONE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED AND THREE HAVE DIED.
ONE FULLY VACCINATED PATIENT SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME ILL FROM THE B POINT ONE POINT, ONE POINT SEVEN ALPHA INFECTION AND DIED.
WHILE DELTA IS INCREASING, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PREDOMINANTLY VARIANT IN DALLAS COUNTY AT THIS TIME. YET PARENTS HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE CHILDREN WILL BECOME SEVERELY ILL AND DIE FROM THIS VARIANT.
OUR POLITICIANS ARE NOT BEING TRUTHFUL WITH THE NUMBERS AND ARE MAKING SOME PARENTS PANIC . THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IN DALLAS COUNTY. AS OF AUGUST 6TH, 2021 FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED OF COVID-19 SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.
THAT IS POINT ZERO EIGHT PERCENT OF CHILDREN IN DALLAS COUNTY.
TWO CHILDREN HAVE DIED OF COVID 19.
THAT'S POINT ZERO ZERO ZERO TWO NINE OF THE POPULATION UNDER AGE 18.
WHILE THOSE TWO DEATHS ARE TRAGIC, THEY ARE RARE.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC, FORTY NINE THOUSAND AMERICANS UNDER AGE 18 HAVE DIED, ALL OF CAUSES, ACCORDING TO THE CDC.
ONLY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE OF THOSE DEATHS HAVE COME FROM COVID.
LESS THAN HALF AS MANY HAVE DIED OF PNEUMONIA.
IN 2019, MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND AMERICAN TEENAGERS AND KIDS DIED IN CAR CRASHES.
EACH YEAR, ACCORDING TO SOME ESTIMATES, AND ABOUT THOUSANDS DIE FROM DROWNING.
IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE REALITY THAT SOME CHILDREN DIE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH IS, IT'S STILL A TRAGEDY.
WHILE WE DO EVERYTHING TO LESSEN THE CHANCE OF OUR CHILDREN DYING, WE CANNOT PREVENT IT AT 100 PERCENT. GARLAND ISD HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING MASKS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WHO WANT TO WEAR THEM. AS PARENTS, WE MAKE RISK ASSESSMENTS EVERY DAY.
WE DO IT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT.
IF YOUR CHILD OR SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS A HIGH RISK OF COVID, YOU SHOULD TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS TO MITIGATE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING COVID.
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO SEND YOUR CHILD IN A MASK, IN A MASK AND A FACE SHIELD.
YOU CAN REQUEST PLEXIGLAS FOR YOUR CHILD AT DESK AND AT LUNCH.
THE DISTRICT HAS GIVEN PARENTS OPTIONS TO HELP MITIGATE THE CHANCES OF YOUR STUDENT GETTING COVID. THOSE OF US WITH CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY UNDERLYING CONDITIONS OR AT HIGH RISK SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE NOT TO SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL WITH MASK.
PARENTS NEED TO REALIZE THAT CHILDREN DO NOT WEAR MASKS PROPERLY, NOR DO THE ADULTS.
THEY TAKE THEM OFF AND PUT THEM BACK ON TOUCH THE OUTSIDE OF THE MASK, DROP THEM ON THE FLOOR, PUT THEM BACK ON THEIR FACE.
WEAR THEM BELOW THEIR NOSE. CHILDREN ARE NOT MEANT TO BE MASKED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
THERE WERE MANY EMAILS, BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
THE NEXT EMAIL IS FROM HOLLY JORGE 6400 ROSEBUD, ROWLETT, TEXAS.
I'M THE PARENT OF THREE GISD STUDENTS AT SEWELL ELEMENTARY, FIRST GRADER.
AT HUDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, EIGHTH GRADER.
AND SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL, TENTH GRADER.
I HIGHLY RESPECT THE DECISION GISD MADE TO OFFER SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND MEDICAL CHOICE OF MASKS BEING OPTIONAL AND STANDING TO VOICE THAT THEY SHOULD REMAIN 100 PERCENT OPTIONAL.
I DO NOT WANT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DEFY OUR GOVERNOR WHO'S STANDING UP FOR AMERICANS WHO ARE LISTENING TO SOUND SCIENCE AND SAY NO MANDATES.
WHAT EXAMPLE DOES THAT LEVEL OF DEFIANCE SET FOR OUR CHILDREN? WHAT WOULD STOP THEM FROM TURNING AROUND TO DEFY OUR SCHOOL AUTHORITIES? I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRIORITIES ARE KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE.
I'M NOT FOR TYRANNICAL MANDATES THAT ARE UNNECESSARY AND UNPROVEN TO HELP US WITH VIRUSES THAT HAS A NINETY NINE PERCENT PLUS RECOVERY RATE.
LAST YEAR, EVEN THOUGH SCIENCE DIDN'T SUPPORT IT, MY CHILDREN COMPLIED WITH GOVERNMENT
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MANDATES AND WORE A MASK EVERYDAY TO SCHOOL AND IT WAS AT A COST.MY DAUGHTER BRIELLA WAS A KINDERGARTNER LAST YEAR AND SHE STARTED SCHOOL VIRTUALLY FELL BEHIND ACADEMICALLY.
WE HAD TO UNDERGO TUTORING EVERY MONDAY AND TUESDAY AFTER SCHOOL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR TO HELP HER CATCH UP.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR SUCH A DEDICATED AND OVERWORKED TEACHER WHO MANAGED THIS AND WAS DEDICATED TO HELP. MY DAUGHTER STARTED HER EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY AND IT RESEMBLED A PRISON VERSUS A SCHOOL. WE COULD BARELY GET THE FUN LOVING, HAPPY GO LUCKY GIRL BACK TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. I REMEMBER HER LOOKING THROUGH HER YEARBOOK SAYING SO THAT'S WHAT SO-AND-SO LOOKS LIKE AND THAT'S WHAT SO-AND-SO LOOKS LIKE.
I NEVER SEEN THEM SMILE WITHOUT THEIR MASK.
SHE WAS SO SCARED TO GO ONTO FIRST GRADE BECAUSE SOLID FRIENDSHIPS COULDN'T EVEN BE FORMED. THE SAME LITTLE GIRL HAS BEEN A BEAMING FIRST GRADER SO FAR THIS YEAR.
LOVING SCHOOL COMING HOME, TELLING ME ABOUT HER DAY, HER FRIENDS AND ALL THE AMAZING THINGS SHE GOT TO DO IN PE AND ON THE PLAYGROUND AND WHAT SHE LEARNED AT SCHOOL, HER MENTAL HEALTH IS NIGHT AND DAY FROM LAST YEAR.
CURRENT NUMBERS BASED ON GISD INFORMATION ON 8-10-21 IS THAT THERE ARE POINT ZERO FIVE SEVEN PERCENT OF GISD STAFF WITH CONFIRMED COVID CASES AND POINT FIVE ZERO OF CONFIRMED STUDENT CASES IN THE DISTRICT. WE CANNOT COMMAND MANDATES BASED ON A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH COVID. IT'S NOT EVEN CLEAR HOW MANY OF THE LESS THAN ONE PERCENT WERE SEVERE OR NOT. WE'VE NOT EVEN HAD MASKED MANDATES ON OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES DURING COLD AND FLU SEASON. THE MENTAL, PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE MASKS WILL TURN OUT TO BE MUCH MORE THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.
THE AVERAGE SHOULD BE SPENT OFFERING VIRTUAL SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR IMMUNE COMPROMISED CHILDREN AND NOT DEFYING OUR GOVERNOR AND MANDATING MASKS FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING MY KIDS A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS HEALTHY AND HELPING THEM THRIVE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR EDUCATIONAL STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS.
HAPPY BUT A CONCERNED PARENT, HOLLY GEORGE.
CAROL VASQUEZ 3614 BOBTOWN ROAD, GARLAND, TEXAS, 75043.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A CONCERNED HANDS TIED GISD PARENT.
I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS. WEARING MASKS WILL HELP TO SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS AND THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
WHILE I BELIEVE MASKING SHOULD BE A CHOICE FOR MOST, OUR HANDS FEEL TIED WITH THE LACK OF FUNDING AND CHOICE OF SCHOOL VIRTUAL LEARNING.
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS MUST WORK TO KEEP THEIR HOMES, PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE AND MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS ARE ABLE TO STAY ON.
THIS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE, WITH THE CHANCE OF EXPOSURE BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS WITHOUT MASKING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS SPREADS RAPIDLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE AND NEARBY EACH OTHER PRECISELY THE CONDITIONS OF AN OPEN SCHOOL.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOME TEACHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS MAY BE UNABLE TO WEAR A MASK SUCH FOR THOSE TOO YOUNG OR WHO HAVE DISABILITY OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS FOR WHICH SAFE MASK USE IS NOT POSSIBLE.
FACE SHIELDS OR OTHER FORMS OF CLEAR PHYSICAL BARRIERS MIGHT BE NEEDED IN THOSE CASES, AND MASK POLICIES SHOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SUCH SITUATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION AND TIME OF DR.
MY SON ATTENDS LAKEVIEW CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
OMARA NAIM ROWLETT, TEXAS, THE NUMBER ADDRESS WAS WITHHELD.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I'M A GISD PARENT TO TWO ELEMENTARY KIDS AT TWO DIFFERENT GISD SCHOOLS. I'M REQUESTING YOU ALL TO PLEASE CONSIDER INSTATING A MASK MANDATE ON OTHER SAFETY PROTOCOLS SIMILAR TO THOSE AND INSTATED THE PREVIOUS ACADEMIC YEAR.
AT THE VERY LEAST, PLEASE ENFORCE THESE MEASURES UNTIL THE YOUNGER CHILDREN, ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR VACCINES. THE DELTA VARIANT IS IMPACTING CHILDREN WITH MUCH MORE FEROCITY THAN THE STRAIN PREVALENT LAST YEAR.
DALLAS COUNTY IS FACING ICU BEDS AND HOSPITAL STAFF SHORTAGES, ALONG WITH ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE.
GISD ENFORCED SECURITY MEASURES AGAINST INTRUDERS IN ALL ITS CAMPUSES EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T PREDICT IF THERE WILL BE AN INTRUDER OR NOT.
WITH COVID-19 AND THIS DELTA VARIANT, WE DON'T HAVE TO PREDICT, BUT RATHER WE ALREADY KNOW ITS PRESENCE AND IT EXISTS ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
WHY ARE WE NOT TAKING SAFETY MEASURES AGAINST IT? GISD IS A SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE IT ENCOURAGES STEM PROGRAMS AND HAS THE MAGNET SCHOOLS DEDICATED TO IT. HOWEVER, WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION WE ARE PROVIDING IN SCHOOLS IF WE REFUSE TO HEED THE ADVICE AND WARNINGS OF THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL LEADERS OF OUR NATION.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE CDC ARE CONSTANTLY ENCOURAGING THE USE OF MASKS, ESPECIALLY WITH MANY YOUNG CHILDREN UNABLE TO GET VACCINATED.
MANY PARENTS LIKE MYSELF ARE REQUESTING TO PLEASE MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR EVERYONE TO WEAR MASKS AT GISD SCHOOLS UNTIL THE YOUNGER CHILDREN ARE VACCINATED.
I HOPE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD LISTENS TO THE PARENTS REQUEST AND MAKE THE DECISIONS WHICH WILL KEEP THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES SAFE.
THANK YOU SINCERELY, OMARA NAIM ROWLETT, TEXAS.
BARBARA DANIELS, 10102 BERNIE CAUGHT ROWLETT, TEXAS, 75089.
I'M WRITING FOR MY LETTER TO BE READ DURING THE DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 8-10-21.
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DEAR DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE I'M THE PARENT OF TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AT AUSTIN ACADEMY AND I'M WRITING TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE DISTRICT'S CURRENT POLICIES WITH REGARD TO PROTECTING OUR YOUNG CHILDREN FROM COVID-19.AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, THE CURRENT VARIANCE EXPERIENCED SPREADING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. AND YET THERE'S LITTLE TO NO PRECAUTIONS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY FOR OUR CHILDREN. VENTILATION IS PROVEN TO HELP PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19.
THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE OPENING CLASSROOM DOORS AND PROVIDING AIRFLOW WITH FRESH, NOT RECIRCULATING AIR AND CONDITIONING TO THE USE OF, IN ADDITION TO THE USE OF HEPA FILTRATION.
REQUIRING MASKS IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT SERVICE CHILDREN NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED CAN BE DONE. OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING SO.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF A CHILD IS CONSIDERED A QUOTE UNQUOTE CLOSE CONTACT TO A COVID-19 POSITIVE PERSON, THAT CHILD EITHER HAS TO BE SUCCESSFULLY COVID TESTED OR QUARANTINED AT HOME WITHOUT SCHOOL INSTRUCTION FOR TEN DAYS.
HOW DO THE REMOTE INSTRUCTION GUIDELINES FROM TEA'S PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES, DATED AUGUST 5, 2021, APPLY TO GISD.
TEA STATED DURING THE STAY AT HOME PERIOD THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY DELIVER REMOTE INSTRUCTION CONSISTENT WITH THE PRACTICE OF REMOTE CONFERENCING OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSED STUDENT TENANTS ACCOUNTING HANDBOOK'S RULE.
WHEN WILL GISD PROVIDE THIS REMOTE INSTRUCTION TO QUARANTINED CHILDREN? I KNOW GISD CAN DO HARD THINGS.
LET'S PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WHO CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES.
I APOLOGIZE IF THAT IS NOT CORRECT, ADDRESS 6302 THERESA LANE, ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE. I'M A PARENT OF A NINE YEAR OLD FOURTH GRADER WHO ATTENDS A SCHOOL IN GARLAND ISD. LIKE OTHERS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DEMOGRAPHIC, SHE'S NOT YET ELIGIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE. MY DAUGHTER HAS HAD AN UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITION AND WITH THE RISING COVID CASES AMONG THE STUDENTS AND STAFF, POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN A GREAT CONCERN TO ME.
WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY OUR PEDIATRICIAN AND PULMONOLOGIST TO KEEP OUR DAUGHTER OUT OF IN-PERSON LEARNING UNTIL GREATER SAFETY MEASURES ARE ENFORCED AT THE SCHOOL OR UNTIL THE DISTRICT MAKES REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO PROTECT CHILDREN LIKE HER.
NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE SEEN THIS TROUBLING NUMBERS FROM GISD AND HAVE PIVOTED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENT POPULATIONS IN THEIR DISTRICTS. WHAT IS GISD GOING TO DO TO ADDRESS THIS.
MYSELF AMONG OTHER PARENTS WITH AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CHILDREN ARE BEING FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN LIFE OR EDUCATION.
NO PARENT SHOULD BE FACED WITH THIS CHOICE.
I URGE YOU TO EVALUATE WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING AND ACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
LIVES ARE AT STAKE. THANK YOU.
JENNINE BROWN, 4430 PILOT POINT NUMBER 201 GARLAND TEXAS, 75043.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I WOULD LIKE THIS LETTER READ ALOUD AT TONIGHT'S COMMITTEE MEETING . AS A CONCERNED GISD PARENT I'M REQUESTING DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO CHANGE THE CURRENT POLICY REGARDING WEARING MASKS FOR OUR STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 12 AND ANY DISTRICT EMPLOYEE THAT HAS INTERACTION WITH CHILDREN IN BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 12.
WITH THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT OF COVID-19 NUMBERS SKYROCKETING HOSPITALS BEING NEARLY FULL WHILE ICU'S ARE FULL, WE DO NOT NEED TO PUT OUR CHILDREN OR FUTURE IN JEOPARDY. CONSIDERING ANY MAJOR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS, INCLUDING OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS OF PLANO, DALLAS, RICHARDSON AND FRISCO HAVE ALL MADE MASKS MANDATORY FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12, AND WITH THE STAFF WHO HAVE INTERACTIONS WITH THOSE AGES.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM SAFE.
I HAVE A NINE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CURRENTLY IN FOURTH GRADE AND SHE WEARS A MASK EVERY DAY AND HAND SANITIZER BRACELETS EVERY DAY.
YOU COULD NOT GET MY DAUGHTER TO TAKE THOSE ITEMS OFF IF YOU TRIED.
SHE KNOWS THAT IF SHE WAS ABLE TO CARRY COVID HOME TO ME, THAT I PROBABLY WOULD NOT MAKE IT. THOSE WERE THE WORDS THAT MY PHYSICIAN SAID TO ME, I HAVE HEART FAILURE.
AND SHE'S FRIGHTENED BY THE THOUGHT OF POSSIBLY BEING INFECTED.
SHE'S ONLY NINE YEARS OLD, AND YET SHE'S DISGUSTED WITH THE AMOUNT OF KIDS AND ADULTS THAT ARE NOT WEARING MASKS OR SOCIAL DISTANCING.
MY FATHER GRADUATED FROM GARLAND ISD.
MY MARINE SON GRADUATED FROM GARLAND ISD.
GARLAND HAS ALWAYS DONE WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
MY EXPECTATIONS OF GARLAND ISD TO KEEP MY DAUGHTER SAFE AND TO DO ITS PART IS STARTING TO STOP WITH THE RISE OF COVID-19 CASES.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AND TELL EACH OF YOU HOW MUCH I TRULY APPRECIATE THIS BEING CONSIDERED. THANK YOU, JENNINE BROWN.
WENDY MCCORMICK LVN 2211 ROSEMARY LANE ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR DISTRICT TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF DALLAS ISD AND REINSTATE A MASK MANDATE FOR THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CANNOT BE VACCINATED DUE TO THEIR AGE OR MEDICAL CONDITION.
ALLOWING UNMASK ACCESS TO CAMPUS AND DISTRICT FACILITIES, UNNECESSARILY ENDANGERS THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN AND FELLOWMAN.
SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE HINDERED BY POLITICAL AGENDAS.
IF THE DISTRICT CAN ENFORCE A DRESS CODE.
IT CAN ENFORCE MASK USAGE WITHOUT INFRINGING ON FREEDOM.
THANK YOU, WENDY MCCORMICK LVN MOTHER OF SEVEN GISD STUDENTS.
MARIA AIDA SATORIA 2324 WENDY DRIVE GARLAND, TEXAS.
[00:30:01]
I AM A GISD MOM WITH 2 KIDS AT LISTER ELEMENTARY.THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WORRY ME THE MOST NOW THAT THE ONLY OPTION IS FACE TO FACE.
AND WITH THE NEW VARIANT OF COVID INCREASINGLY DRASTICALLY HIGH.
FIRST, THEY ARE NOT IN THE AGE TO GET THEIR VACCINE.
I'M SENDING BOTH MY KIDS WITH THEIR MASK ON, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS HANDLING IT ACCORDINGLY. FIRST, THEY ARE GETTING TO SIT DOWN WITH OTHER KIDS IN THEIR CLASSROOM CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THEY ARE NOT KEEPING THEIR SOCIAL DISTANCE.
THEY'VE EVEN TAKEN DOWN THE DIVISIONS IN THE CAFETERIA, WHICH I THINK WILL HELP A LOT.
ALSO, WHEN I WENT TO A WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED FOR MY KIDS TO MEET THEIR TEACHER, THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHER TOLD ME SHE HAD NO AUTHORIZATION AND REMINDING KIDS TO PUT A MASK ON IF THEY FORGET KNOWING THEY ARE ABLE TO WEAR IT.
REALLY, I WAS TOTALLY TAKEN ABACK.
HOW CAN THEY NOT GIVE THEM A SMALL REMINDER? THIS IS ABSURD BECAUSE OF THIS I THINK THEY SHOULD ALL GO BACK INTO WEARING MASKS.
I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST TO GO BACK TO TAKING TEMPERATURES ON KIDS COMING IN.
I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED THAT PARENTS NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, BUT COME ON, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM THAT WON'T DO IT, LEAVE THEIR KIDS AS IS AND LET THE SCHOOL HANDLE IT. THIS PROBLEM IT'S CAUSING REPERCUSSIONS ON ALL OTHER KIDS.
AMONG ANOTHER THING I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IS THAT I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND ASK WHERE NURSES CAN DO COVID TESTING ON SITE IN THE CASE AS MANY KIDS GET SICK FROM A WORRIED MOM. MARIA AIDA SATORIA.
2106 UNIVERSITY CIRCLE ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A CONCERNED HANDS TIED GISD PARENT.
I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOL OFFICIALS. WEARING MASKS WILL HELP TO SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS IN A HIGHLY DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
WHILE I BELIEVE MASKING SHOULD BE A CHOICE FOR MOST, OUR HANDS FEEL TIED FOR THE LACK OF FUNDING IN VIRTUAL SCHOOL LEARNING.
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS MUST WORK TO KEEP THEIR HOMES OR PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLES AND THEIR LIGHTS TO STAY ON.
THIS WOULD BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE, WITH THE CHANCE OF EXPOSURE BEING HIGH AS IT IS WITHOUT MASKING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS SPREADS RAPIDLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE AND NEARBY EACH OTHER.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE TEACHERS AND STAFF AND PARENTS MAY BE UNABLE TO WEAR A MASK, SUCH AS THOSE TOO YOUNG OR HAVE A DISABILITY, A MEDICAL CONDITION FOR WHICH SAFE MASKING IS NOT POSSIBLE.
FACE SHIELDS AND OTHER THINGS SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO THOSE IN MOST CASES, AND MASK POLICY SHOULD BE MADE WITH ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SUCH SITUATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION.
ANDREA CARTER. 5228 MAGNOLIA LANE, SACHSE TEXAS.
PLEASE READ MY LETTER AT THE DISTRICT AFFAIRS MEETING TONIGHT AT 6 P.M.
. TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, AND 1:09 A.M.
THIS MORNING, MY FIVE YEAR OLD SON SPIKED A FEVER OF 102.3.
HE WEARS A MASK EVERY DAY IN SCHOOL WASHES HIS HANDS AND USES PLEXIGLASS DURING LUNCH IN THE CAFETERIA. CURRENTLY, THE MAJORITY OF TEACHERS AND STAFF AND STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO WEAR MASK AT SEWELL ELEMENTARY.
I'M A CONCERNED PARENT AND A REGISTERED NURSE WITH OVER 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE CLOSING AND ICU BEDS ARE LIMITED.
THE DELTA VARIANT IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS IN COMPARISON TO PREVIOUS STRAINS.
VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS WHO BECOME INFECTED WITH THE DELTA VARIANT CAN EASILY SPREAD TO OTHERS. INSUFFICIENT INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD WILL LEAD TO LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
I'M ASKING THAT DR. LOPEZ FOLLOWS THE COVID GUIDELINES OF AUSTIN ISD AND DALLAS ISD.
I'M ALSO ASKING THAT GISD OFFER VIRTUAL OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 12 UNTIL VACCINATIONS BECOME AVAILABLE.
AS A SOCIETY, WE'VE REACHED AN ALL TIME LOW.
SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE THE COGNITIVE ABILITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM A DEADLY VIRUS. POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE USED COVID TO CREATE CHAOS AND DIVISION.
LOPEZ UTILIZE EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS RATHER THAN POLITICIANS . AS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT CAN COME TOGETHER AND LEAN ON THE SIDE OF HUMANITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
CINDY JACOBS, 7414 HAYTON DRIVE, ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE, A PARENT FROM JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M A CONCERNED PARENT OF GISD AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO RECONSIDER MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF WHEN KIDS HOSPITALIZATION IS SURGING WITH THE NEW DELTA VARIANT.
I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST AND RECENT CDC AND LOCAL HEALTH EXPERT GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL. THERE ARE NO SOCIAL DISTANCING BETWEEN STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE MY KIDS ATTEND.
I'M NOT SEEING OTHER PRECAUTIONS THAT GISD TOOK LAST YEAR, NOT MASK IN SCHOOLS FOR THIS YEAR, WHEN WE HAVE MORE CONTAGIOUS VIRUS GOING ON AND SPREADING AT AN ALARMING RATE.
HOW CAN OUR CHILDREN BE TO BE IN EASE OF MIND IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY'RE IN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT AND THINKING THEY MAY BRING THIS VIRUS HOME TO VULNERABLE FAMILY MEMBERS. WEARING MASKS WILL HELP SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THIS
[00:35:04]
HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUS? THERE IS NO NEED TO TELL ANYONE THAT VIRUSES CAN SPREAD EASILY INDOORS, NEARBY EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY WITH A CLASS FULL OF KIDS.I ASK ALL GISD BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.
LOPEZ TO CONSIDER OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY AHEAD OF A POLITICAL ISSUE WITH A MASK WEARING. SINCERELY, CINDY JACOBS.
I RESIDE AT 2208 LIMESTONE DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR ZERO.
I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN TWO SEPARATE GISD SCHOOLS CLASSICAL CENTER AT VIAL AND WALNUT GLEN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE.
I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE ACTIONS TAKEN AND NOT TAKEN BY GISD.
IF GISD IS DEMANDING THAT MY STUDENTS ENROLL IN A FACE TO FACE CLASS OR REMAIN ENROLLED IN FACE TO FACE CLASS, THEN I EXPECT GISD TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN AT BOTH SCHOOLS AND TO THE SAFETY OF ALL CHILDREN IN ALL GISD SCHOOLS.
OUR YOUNG ONES AND ELEMENTARY ARE NOT ABLE TO AND DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY OR CHOICE OF PROTECTING THEMSELVES CURRENTLY OTHER THAN BEING ALL BEING MASKED, STUDENTS NEED TO WEAR MASKS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET VACCINATED.
SCHOOLS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONTINUE USING ALL SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES AND DIVIDERS AND STRATEGIES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THE SCHOOLS NEED TO PUT BACK UP THE DIVIDERS AND SEPARATE THE STUDENT DESK.
THERE'S NO REASON OTHER THAN THE LAZINESS OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICTS AND USING FUNDS PROPERLY THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE NOT PROVIDED WITH A SEPARATE DESK IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
EACH CLASS WITH REORGANIZATIONS CAN PROPERLY POSITION STUDENTS TO KEEP THEM FURTHER AWAY FROM EACH OTHER THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
NO STUDENTS CLASSROOM SHOULD HAVE ROOM SEATING AT THIS TIME AND ALL DESKS SHOULD HAVE A PLASTIC DIVIDER AT THIS TIME.
WE SHOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, CONSIDERING WE ARE CURRENTLY AT A HIGHER RISK THAN WE PREVIOUSLY WERE. IF MY CHILDREN HAVE NO OTHER OPTION IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN YOUR DISTRICT, WHILE THE GUIDELINES ARE NOT BEING MET, THEN WE WILL CHOOSE TO NO LONGER REMAIN IN YOUR DISTRICT AT ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
CONSIDERATION OF MY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. STEPHANIE [INAUDIBLE].
FEBE ZANG, WATSON PARENT 2332 FOREST BROOK DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS.
FIRST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU DO TO MAKE GISD A GREAT PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO UPDATE A NEW PLAN FOR BACK TO SCHOOL.
AS MANY OTHER CONCERNED PARENTS, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE CDC'S GUIDE TO MANDATE THE WEARING OF FACE MASKS BY ALL GISD STAFF AND STUDENTS.
THE DATA FROM THE HOSPITAL IS CLEAR.
AND PLEASE FOLLOW THE SIGNS THAT YOU TEACH OUR CHILDREN AT SCHOOL.
PLEASE PUT OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AHEAD OF POLITICS.
PLEASE SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILD OF WHAT REAL LEADERSHIP IS.
I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO BEST ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
JULIA PATTERSON, 8602 LIBERTY ROAD ROWLETT TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE.
I HAVE TWO STUDENTS AT KIMBERLIN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE.
WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, MY CHILD WAS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO COVID.
OUR AREA HOSPITALS ARE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE.
STANDING BY AND WAITING IS NOT AN OPTION.
IT IS AN AIRBORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASE THAT HAS TAKEN TOO MANY LIVES ALREADY.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE FOLLOW SCIENCE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAKE AN EFFORT TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. OUR GOVERNOR IS WRONG AND THIS IS A LOCAL LEVEL MATTER.
IMPLEMENTING A MASK MANDATE HAS WORKED BEFORE AND IT WILL WORK AGAIN.
OPTIONAL MASKS PROTECTS OTHERS, NOT YOURSELF, NOT WEARING A MASK, INFRINGES ON THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH FOR A VACCINE.
PERSONAL CHOICE STOPS WHEN IT IS HARMFUL TO OTHERS.
I AM VEHEMENTLY ASKING TO MAKE A MASK MANDATE.
I'M APPALLED THAT THIS IS THE DEBATE.
I WOULD HATE TO CHOOSE YOU TO DO NOTHING OVER SOMETHING AND HAVE TO BURY A CHILD.
BRITNEY FOLLER 901 SUBLET AVENUE, COPPERAS COVE, TEXAS.
HELLO. I'M WRITING ON BEHALF OF MY NEPHEW, WHO'S A FIRST GRADER AT SPRING CREEK ELEMENTARY. I ENCOURAGE GARLAND ISD TO FOLLOW SIGNS AND FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE DALLAS ISD AND AUSTIN ISD IN REQUIRING MASKS OR FACE COVERS FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND VISITORS IN THE DISTRICT.
I LIVE IN COOPERAS COVE, 901 SUBLET AVENUE AND NEWS OF HOW MANY CASES GARLAND ISD REPORTED IN ITS FIRST FEW DAYS HAS MADE ITS WAY ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STATE.
MY NEPHEW KNOWS TO WEAR HIS MASK, BUT PEER PRESSURE EXISTS EVEN FOR SIX YEAR OLD'S.
I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED FOR THE TEACHERS WHO WILL BE FACE TO FACE WITH COUNTLESS STUDENTS . MASK WORK AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE GARLAND ISD TO MAKE SURE THEY KEEP IN MIND THE SAFETY OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER TO REQUIRE A MASK OR FACE COVERS. THANKS, BRITTANY FOLLER.
KELLY STANDARDFORD 3110 EAST PARK DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A CONCERNED, HANDS TIED GISD PARENT, I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR. RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER WEARING A MASK FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS.
WEARING MASKS WILL HELP SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS AND THE HIGHLY INFECTIOUS DELTA VARIANT.
WHILE I BELIEVE MASKING COULD BE A CHOICE FOR MOST OUR HANDS FEEL TIED WITH THE LACK OF FUNDING AND CHOICE OF VIRTUAL SCHOOL LEARNING.
[00:40:02]
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS MUST WORK TO KEEP THEIR HOMES, PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, MAKE SURE THEIR LIGHTS ARE ABLE TO STAY ON.THIS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE CHANCE OF EXPOSURE BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS WITHOUT MASKING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS SPREADS RAPIDLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE AND NEARBY EACH OTHER.
PRECISELY THE CONDITIONS OF AN OPEN SCHOOL.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOME TEACHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS MAY BE UNABLE TO WEAR MASKS, SUCH AS THOSE TOO YOUNG OR WHO HAVE DISABILITIES OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS FOR WHICH SAFE MASKING IS NOT POSSIBLE.
FACE SHELDS OR OTHER FORMS OF PHYSICAL CLEAR BARRIERS MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR THOSE CASES AND MASK POLICIES WE SHOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SUCH SITUATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION TIME OF DR.
THANK YOU. KELLY STANDARDFORD.
RAQUEL FORESTER 8417 LIBERTY LANE ROWLETT TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE.
PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING A MASKS MANDATE AND TEMPERATURE CHECKS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
MY SON IS TEN YEARS OLD WITH ASTHMA AND THE CURRENT PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
ALL STUDENTS OLDER THAN TWO YEARS OLD AND ALL STAFF SHOULD WEAR A FACEMASK AT SCHOOL UNLESS MEDICAL OR DEVELOPMENTALLY UNABLE.
THE AAP RECOMMENDS UNIVERSAL MASKING IN SCHOOL AT THIS TIME, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STUDENT POPULATION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINATION PROTECTION OF UNVACCINATED STUDENTS FROM COVID-19 AND TO REDUCE TRANSMISSION.
A LACK OF A SYSTEM TO MONITOR VACCINATION STATUS AMONG STUDENTS TEACHERS POTENTIAL DIFFICULTY IN MONITORING OR ENFORCING MASK POLICIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED.
IN THE ABSENCE OF CONDUCTING THIS MONITORING, UNIVERSAL MASKING IS BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO CREATE CONSISTENT MEANS OF ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE WITHOUT THE ADDED BURDEN NEEDED TO MONITOR VACCINATION STATUSES.
I WILL NOT GO INTO MORE DETAIL AS TO WHY THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NECESSARY, BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING AS TO HOW THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE NOW HAVE ALL KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL.
A COVID SPIKE, A MORE CONTAGIOUS VARIANT, BUT SOMEHOW LESS PRECAUTIONS.
CRISTIANA LUKAWAYA 3514 KNIGHT DRIVE ROWLETT TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE.
MY KIDS ARE IN LIBERTY GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AS OF TODAY, THE GARLAND ISD HAS REPORTED ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO STUDENTS WITH LAB CONFIRMED POSITIVE CASES.
REMEMBER DURING THE INCUBATION PERIOD, A STUDENT CAN STILL INFECT OTHER STUDENTS WITHOUT KNOWING HE OR SHE HAS THE COVID VARIANT WITHOUT WEARING A MASK.
BUT WITH MASK, THE INFECTION RATE CAN BE REDUCED.
AS A PARENT, I'M SCARED TO SEE MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL KNOWING THAT MOST STUDENTS IN SCHOOL ARE NOT PUTTING ON A MASK TO PROTECT THE NEXT STUDENT.
I HAVE A TEN YEAR OLD AND A FIVE YEAR OLD WHO CANNOT GET THE VACCINE YET.
MY TEN YEAR OLD HAS HAD HEALTH ISSUES FROM BIRTH TILL DATE ON MEDICATION DAILY.
I DO NOT WANT HER TO BE INFECTED WITH THE COVID VARIANT.
HENCE I'M WRITING TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE STEPS GARLAND ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TAKING TOWARDS COVID PRECAUTIONS.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT MANDATE EVERY CHILD AND TEACHER TO PUT ON THEIR FACE MASK OR SHIELD AS THIS WILL HELP TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY. PLEASE HELP US PROTECT OUR KIDS WHO HAVE SIMILAR OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS LIKE MY DAUGHTER.
BRITTANY QUICK 2929 SWEET GUM STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
GOOD DAY MEMBERS OF THE GARLAND ISD SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF GARLAND, A PRODUCT OF GARLAND ISD AND A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN GARLAND ISD. I'M ALSO A FULL TIME CAREGIVER TO MY 87 YEAR OLD, MEDICALLY FRAGILE AND DISABLED MOTHER WITH WHOM MY FAMILY AND I SHARE A HOME WITH.
MY HOUSEHOLD HAS FAITHFULLY DONE OUR PART TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND ITS VARIANTS FOR 521 DAYS NOW.
WE'VE NOT DONE THIS NOT ONLY TO PROTECT OUR OWN MEDICALLY FRAGILE HOUSEHOLD, BUT OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, COMMUNITY AS WELL.
MY CHILDREN ARE SEVEN AND ELEVEN.
I DEPEND ON THEIR SCHOOLS TO KEEP THEM SAFE FROM HARM.
THEY DO TORNADO AND ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS.
THEY LEARN TO STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS AND OTHER VICES.
THEY LEARN ABOUT MANY OF THE DANGERS THE WORLD HOLDS.
THE SCHOOL SCANS MY ID TO COME ON CAMPUS.
BACKGROUND CHECKS ME TO VOLUNTEER.
THEY HAVE AN SRO CAMPUS TO PROTECT THEM.
THE TEACHERS SPENT HOURS UPON HOURS LEARNING HOW TO TEACH AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, BUT THEY CAN NOT PROTECT THEM FROM THE MOST CURRENT DEADLY THING GOING AROUND COVID-19 AND ITS VARIANTS. WHILE MY CHILDREN LIKELY WILL SURVIVE COVID, IT'S POSSIBLE THEY MAY NOT BE HEALTHY AFTER.
IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS WILL NOT.
THIS IS A RISK I AM NOT WILLING TO TAKE.
I DO NOT WANT TO THINK OF THEM THAT THEY GAVE MY FRIEND COVID AND NOW THEY AREN'T HEALTHY, OR I GAVE GG COVID AND NOW SHE'S DEAD.
OR I LOST MY TEACHER [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE THEY GOT SICK.
I DO NOT WANT MY CHILDREN OR ANY CHILD TO EVER BE ABLE TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND NEVER BE ABLE TO ENJOY A TWO MILE HIKE WITH THEIR BOY SCOUT TROOPS AGAIN, OR TO TAKE MEDICINES FOR HEART CONDITIONS OR AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS IF IT'S PREVENTABLE.
I ASK YOU THE FOLLOWING RETURN TO THE USE OF PLEXIGLAS ON CAMPUSES WITHOUT PARENTS HAVING TO REQUEST IT, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE MOST ARE INELIGIBLE TO BE VACCINATED, FIND A WAY TO OFFER VIRTUAL FOR AT LEAST K THROUGH SIX, BUT REALLY FOR ALL, FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE IT EITHER DUE TO HOUSEHOLD MEDICAL NEEDS OR BECAUSE THE STUDENT THRIVED IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE STEPS OF DALLAS ISD AUSTIN ISD AND HOUSTON ISD IN DOING MORE THAN TEA
[00:45:04]
SAYS. AND CONSIDER THESE OTHER MITIGATION EFFORTS.MANDATING MASKS FOR AT LEAST THE STAFF.
I WAS GREATLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE PHOTOS OF DR.
LOPEZ WITH ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS WITHOUT A MASK.
PROPER CONTACT TRACING AND PARENTAL NOTICE OF CASES ON PROPERTY INSTITUTING PROPER QUARANTINING. YES, LAST YEARS SPREAD WAS MINIMUM.
THERE WERE LESS STUDENTS ON CAMPUS DUE TO VIRTUAL LEARNING BEING OFFERED.
THERE WAS PLEXIGLASS PARTITIONS [INAUDIBLE] STUDENTS AND STAFF MASKING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS MUCH MORE POSSIBLE AND OUR COMMUNITY WAS PROTECTING OUR VULNERABLE.
FACTS ARE THAT THE DELTA AND LAMBDA VARIANT ARE IMPACTING THOSE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED.
AND RIGHT NOW, OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE THOSE WHO CANNOT, EITHER MEDICALLY OR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO DUE TO AGE TO BE VACCINATED.
AS OF 11:09 A.M., 8-10-21 TRAUMA SERVES AREA E THE 19 COUNTIES WHICH MAKE UP THE TWO PEDIATRIC ICU BEDS ARE AVAILABLE, 19 COUNTIES, TWO BEDS FOR CHILDREN.
WE HAVE LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED FOR ADULTS.
SEVEN THOUSAND ONE MAZY LANE ROWLETT, I'M THE MOTHER OF A KINDERGARTNER AT DORSEY ELEMENTARY, AND I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I SEND MY CHILD WITH A MASK EVERY DAY AND SHE IS ONLY ONE OF TWO OTHERS WEARING ONE IN HER CLASS OF 23 KIDS.
SEEING AS SHE IS FIVE AND THERE'S NO WAY SHE CAN GET VACCINATED YET.
I'M CALLING ON THE BOARD TO STAND UP TO OUR GOVERNOR AND JOIN DALLAS ISD AND AUSTIN ISD IN ENACTING A MASK MANDATE.
THE EARLY LEARNING YEARS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND ABSENT ANY OTHER OPTIONS THAT I CAN TAKE TO PROTECT MYSELF, I NEED HER SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DO SO SO THAT SHE CAN LEARN AND NOT HAVE HER YEAR INTERRUPTED BY POSSIBLY GETTING COVID.
WE NEED TO FOLLOW SCIENCE AND LISTEN TO THE DOCTORS AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROTECT THOSE WHO CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
I TRUST YOU'LL DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE INNOCENTS.
THANK YOU. YOU KNEW, I NEEDED THIS.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
HOLD ON ONE SECOND. YOU READY . MR. AND DR. JEREMY SMITH, SEVEN ONE THREE ROYAL BIRKDALE DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
I HAVE STUDENTS AT WALNUT GLEN ACADEMY.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A GISD PARENT.
I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER MANDATORY MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS AS I'M REQUESTING THAT SAFETY MEASURES BE PUT BACK INTO SCHOOLS, I.E. PLEXIGLASS IN CLASSROOMS. AT FIRST I UNDERSTOOD WHY WE COULD NOT IMPLEMENT THE MANDATORY MASK RULE DUE TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU TOOK AWAY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS LIKE PLEXIGLAS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SIZE OF THE ROOM MAY BE HARD FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT YOU CAN ALL AT LEAST TRY.
THE KIDS ARE SITTING FACE TO FACE WITH NO PROTECTION.
NOT MANY KIDS OR TEACHERS ARE WEARING A MASK.
WE HAVE TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE.
I'M BEGGING YOU, WITH THE NUMBER RISING, WE NEED EVERYONE MANDATED TO WEAR A MASK AND PLEXIGLASS PUT BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS OR AT LEAST K THROUGH SIXTH GRADE.
I WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MY WIFE IIS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY AT THIS TIME TO TAKE OUR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL TO HOMESCHOOL DUE TO OUR DEMANDING JOBS.
WE TRANSFERRED FROM PRIVATE SCHOOL TO GARLAND ISD TWO YEARS AGO AND LOVE GISD.
BUT NOW WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE DECISION TO MAKE THE RETURN.
PLEASE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
WEARING MASKS WILL HELP SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS AND THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION AND TIME OF DR.
LOPEZ AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
JEREMY SMITH. CYNTHIA ULVAEUS, 10717 LANDSDOWN DRIVE, ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE.
LOPEZ AND TRUSTEES, I'M WRITING TO VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENT PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE ISSUED BY TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY ON AUGUST 5, 2021.
THE GUIDANCE AUTHORIZED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER G 838 IS NOT SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND.
DUE TO THE CIRCULATING AND HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DELTA VARIANT CDC RECOMMENDS UNIVERSAL INDOOR MASKING BY ALL STUDENTS AGE TWO AND OLDER.
STAFF, TEACHERS AND VISITORS K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS.
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS SENT A LETTER TO THE FDA LAST WEEK URGING THAT THE AGENCY EXPEDITE THE AUTHORIZATION OF A VACCINE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12 BECAUSE SIMPLY STATED, THE DELTA VARIANT HAS CREATED A NEW IMPRESSING RISK TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS IT HAS FOR UNVACCINATED ADULTS.
TODAY IN DALLAS COUNTY, WE ARE AT A LEVEL RED COVID-19 RISK HIGH RISK OF TRANSMISSION.
THERE ARE ONLY 16 ICU BEDS AVAILABLE COUNTYWIDE.
THEY ARE SIX HUNDRED AND NINETEEN CONFIRMED INPATIENT COVID CASES.
THIS IS SIX TIMES THE AMOUNT THERE WERE JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH AGO AND HALF THE
[00:50:01]
AMOUNT DALLAS COUNTY HAD AFTER THE 2020 WINTER HOLIDAY SURGE WHILE RESTRICTIONS WERE STILL IN PLACE. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE REPERCUSSIONS IF WE FOLLOW THE TEA GUIDANCE.WE CAN ENFORCE DRESS CODES AND INFORM PARENTS WHEN STUDENTS HAVE LICE.
WELL, WE CAN'T REQUIRE MASKS WORN OR CONTACT TRACING LET PARENTS KNOW THAT CHILD'S CLASSMATE HAS COVID-19.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE EDUCATORS, THE ONES TEACHING LOGIC.
HOW'S ANY OF THIS LOGICAL? AND BESIDES ALL THE SCIENCE, HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED THE HUMAN TOLL OF THIS DISEASE BEYOND SEL OF THE STUDENTS? HAS ANY DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR OR STATE OFFICIAL ASKED THE TEACHER OR STAFF MEMBER THE EDUCATIONAL FRONT LINE WORKERS WHAT THEY WANT AND NEED.
TEACHERS HAVE SUFFERED AS MUCH AS THEIR STUDENTS, SOME PERHAPS DEALING WITH SOME TYPE OF PTSD.
IN 2020 TEACHERS, WE'RE LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY.
JUST GOING, GOING, GOING AND GOING BECAUSE THEY HAD TO THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SITUATIONS, BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY TAKING CARE OF OUR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS.
BECAUSE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW.
WE ARE DIFFERENT NOW. PERSPECTIVES HAVE SHIFTED AND PRIORITIES CHANGE.
MANY OF US FEEL LIKE THE BOTTOM CAN FALL OUT AGAIN AT ANY TIME.
WE AREN'T GOING TO GIVE EVERYTHING TO A PROFESSION THAT DOESN'T RECIPROCATE.
WHERE'S THE GUIDANCE WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING TO PUT 60 PLUS STUDENTS ONLY A THIRD WITH MASKS IN ONE ROOM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUBSTITUTES DUE TO COVID AND NO CONTACT TRACING. WHAT IS THE GUIDANCE FOR ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IF THEY DIE? BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO YOUNG TO GET VACCINATED? WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION WHEN WE ARE SHORT STAFFED BECAUSE TOO MANY TEACHERS HAVE JUST DECIDED ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
HELP ME STAY SAFE BY KEEPING MY STUDENTS SAFE.
LET ME KNOW WHAT I DO IS VALUED.
I AM VALUED, MY STUDENTS ARE VALUED.
AND WE'RE NOT JUST NUMBERS AND REVENUE.
STAND UP FOR FACTS AND SCIENCE.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 REQUIRE EVERYONE WEAR A MASK AND CONTINUE CONTACT TRACING. RON AND HEATHER HALL, 4402 FIREWHELL DRIVE GARLAND, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT MASKS AS A SIMPLE PREVENTION STRATEGY ARE NOT A MANDATORY MEASURE AT THIS TIME FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
ONE, WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE IN-PERSON SCHOOL FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
AND AN INCREASED TRANSMISSION OF THE DELTA VARIANT THREATENS THIS MODE OF EDUCATION.
TWO PARENTS OF ELEMENTARY CHILDREN DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE THEIR KIDS GET VACCINATED YET, SO THERE'S NO PREVENTION MEASURE AVAILABLE FOR THEM BEYOND MASKING AND SPACING.
THIRD, WFAA REPORTED THAT ZERO PEDIATRIC ICU BEDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR KIDS COVID OR NOT.
THIS MAKES THE WILLFUL AVOIDANCE OF IMPLEMENTING ALL COVID MITIGATION MEASURES A DISSERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE JOIN HOUSTON AND DALLAS IN DEFYING THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.
MY NAME IS SHEENA HOOD AGUILAR AND I LIVE AT 2421 RANDI ROAD ROWLETT, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT. I'M NOT WRITING TO REQUEST THAT YOU DENY SOMEONE ELSE THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO MASK OR NOT MASK THEIR CHILDREN.
I'M SIMPLY WRITING TO REQUEST THAT YOU MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO AND ALLOW EACH PARENT TO CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN.
MASK MANDATES ARE CRUEL TO IMPOSE ON OUR CHILDREN.
MASKS PREVENT OUR CHILDREN FROM DEVELOPING SOCIAL SKILLS THAT THEY CAN'T SEE ANOTHER'S FACE. SIT TOGETHER, PLAY TOGETHER.
MASKS CAN BE BREEDING GROUNDS FOR INFECTIONS FROM BACTERIA, MOLD AND FUNGI.
WHICH IS WHY THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT A CLOTH MASK BE WASHED WITH SOAP AND WATER WHENEVER IT GETS DIRTY, OR AT LEAST DAILY.
THE CDC ALSO ADVISES WASHING YOUR HANDS ANY TIME YOU TAKE YOUR MASK OFF AND THEN WASHING YOUR HANDS AGAIN WHEN YOU PUT YOUR MASK BACK ON.
PRETENDING THAT CHILDREN ARE TAKING ALL OF THESE PRECAUTIONS OR ADULTS FOR THAT MATTER, IT'S ABSURD. UNICEF AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RECOMMENDED AGAINST MASKING CHILDREN OLDER THAN FIVE WHEN PHYSICALLY ACTIVE SUCH AS PLAYING SPORTS RUNNING, JUMPING OR PLAYING ON PLAYGROUNDS SO THEIR BREATHING ISN'T COMPROMISED.
A REPORT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRICS REVEALED THAT THE FORCING CHILDREN TO WEAR FACE LEADS TO ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS. THIS REPORT FOUND WEARING FACE MASK INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE INHALED AIR TO UNHEALTHY LEVELS.
THE REPORT FOUND THAT CHILDREN WHO WORE A MASK FOR THREE MINUTES MEASURED AN AVERAGE OF HAVING CARBON DIOXIDE INHALED OVER SIX TIMES HIGHER THAN THE UNSAFE THRESHOLD.
CHILDREN FORCED TO WEAR A MASKS AT SCHOOL FIND THEMSELVES WEARING MASKS FOR HOURS, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. EVEN DR.
FAUCI, THE GREAT FLIP FLOPPER ON MASK WEARING, IS QUOTED AS SAYING THE TYPICAL MASK YOU BUY IN THE DRUGSTORE IS NOT REALLY EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING OUT THE VIRUS, WHICH IS SMALL ENOUGH TO PASS THROUGH MATERIAL.
IT MIGHT HOWEVER PROVIDE YOU SOME SLIGHT BENEFIT IN KEEPING OUT GROSS DROPLETS IF SOMEONE COUGHS OR SNEEZE ON YOU.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE WHOLE MASKS MANDATE IS THAT NO ONE CAN TELL US WHAT THE METRIC FOR SUCCESS IS WITH COVID-19.
IS IT CASES OR SEVERITY OF INFECTIONS LEADING TO HOSPITALIZATION OR DEATH.
THIS HAS NEVER BEEN MADE CLEAR.
MEANWHILE, WE ARE YANKING OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AROUND LIKE A RAG DOLL.
SHOULD A DECISION BE MADE TO MANDATE MASKS WEARING.
I AM A TAX PAYING MEMBER OF GISD, WILL BE SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION MEASURES FOR
[00:55:07]
OUR CHILDREN, MEANING GISD'S OVERALL ENROLLMENT IN ACADEMIC SUCCESS WILL BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED. I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT BOW TO NEGATIVE COMMENTS OF THE PROPONENTS OF THIS MASK MANDATE AND ALLOW US AS PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS TO CONTINUE TO CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, SHEENA RENEE HOOD AGUILAR.PETER AND HEATHER STEWART 2405 MULBERRY LANE ROWLETT, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. WE HAVE ONE DAUGHTER UNDER 12 ATTENDING GISD ELEMENTARY AND ONE DAUGHTER VACCINATED ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL.
DALLAS ISD MADE THE PRACTICAL DECISION TO MANDATE MASKS TEMPORARILY DUE TO THE DELTA VARIANT. WE ASK YOU TODAY TO DO THE SAME FOR GARLAND ISD.
THE STATE OF TEXAS PUNISHING SCHOOLS BY WITHHOLDING FUNDING OVER MASK MANDATES IS MORALLY WRONG, LEGALLY QUESTIONABLE AND WORSE.
WE FEAR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN MASKS ARE NOT ENFORCED INDOORS RELYING UPON PHYSICAL, PERSONAL DECISION MAKING.
WE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR GIVING THE BENEFIT OF A DOUBT, WE HOPE, PERSONAL CHOICE TO MAKE ITS WAY FOR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.
WHAT WE AND OUR KIDS HAVE SEEN ARE FIFTY PERCENT MASKS WEARERS, BOTH AMONG STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. I KNOW THIS IS AN ACTIVELY UPDATING POLICY, BUT IT'S CURRENTLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE UPDATED CDC GUIDANCE.
THIS IS WHY WE CONCERNED PARENTS ARE PUSHING THE ISSUE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT PRESSURES YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE UNDER AND OUR HIGHLY POLITICIZED SITUATION.
MASKS WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN READING THIS EMAIL.
SINCERELY, PETER AND HEATHER STEWART.
DAVE HENSLEY 3621 UNIVERSITY DRIVE GARLAND TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR THREE.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN GARLAND.
I'VE LIVED IN GARLAND CONTINUOUSLY FOR THIRTY TWO YEARS.
ALL THREE OF MY KIDS WENT TO GISD SCHOOLS AND I CURRENTLY HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN ATTENDING GARLAND ISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO FOLLOW DALLAS ISD'S LEAD AND MANDATE THE WEARING OF FACE MASKS BY ALL GARLAND ISD STAFF AND STUDENTS, DESPITE GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITING SUCH MANDATES. BUT IN COMPLIANCE ABOUT THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEDIATRICS AND THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL RECENTLY UPDATED GUIDANCE.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER IS OBSOLETE MADE MONTHS AGO, WHEN THE COVID SITUATION APPEARED TO BE UNDER CONTROL, AND IT WAS EVEN THEN WIDELY SEEN TO BE MOTIVATED BY HIS POLITICAL INTEREST, NOT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
THE DATA IS CLEAR. THE DELTA VARIANTS HERE AND IT'S SPREADING COVID AT A VELOCITY UNSEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND IT APPEARS TO BE SPREADING IN CHILDREN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN BEFORE.
EVEN AFTER ONLY A WEEK IN CLASS, GISD'S NUMBERS ARE RISING AT AN ALARMING RATE.
I KNOW THAT GISDS CURRENT PROTOCOL IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THE WEARING OF FACE MASKS.
ANECDOTALLY, I ALSO KNOW THAT IN ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS COMPLIANCE THE GUIDELINE IS APPROXIMATELY 50 PERCENT AT BEST.
AND ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE THREE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN'S IN COMPLIANCE IS VERY LOW, MAYBE 10 PERCENT.
THIS REALITY RENDERS THE GISD GUIDANCE USELESS.
IT HAS TO BE A MANDATE, AS IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN GISD SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATED THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC. WE CANNOT SIMPLY PRETEND THAT COVID IS OVER.
DALLAS ISD HAS MADE A BOLD AND COURAGEOUS DECISION TO PUT OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY AHEAD OF BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO POLITICAL LEADERS OF HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE COMPETENCE.
YOU HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO DEMONSTRATE REAL LEADERSHIP AND TAKE ACTION.
THANK YOU ERICA VANATA VASQUEZ 321 STANTON DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR TWO.
MY NAME IS ERICA AND I'M THE MOTHER OF A GISD STUDENT.
I'M WRITING TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO GREATLY CONSIDER STRONGER SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE FOR OUR STUDENTS HEALTH AND SAFETY.
AT THE VERY MINIMUM, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A COVID-19 VACCINE AND WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THEM.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND PARENTS AND STAFF, SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS ABOUT THIS AND SOME PARENTS ARE OPTING FOR HOMESCHOOLING DUE TO WEAK SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE IN SCHOOL. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT FEASIBLE FOR ALL PARENTS.
MY DAUGHTER [INAUDIBLE] JUST TURNED SIX YEARS OLD THIS SUMMER.
SHE'S DEALING WITH ASTHMA ISSUES.
SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH ASTHMA ISSUES FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.
SHE MISSED ABOUT 11 DAYS OF SCHOOL LAST YEAR AND ABOUT 8 DAYS THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY MORE DAYS SHE'LL MISS.
AND THIS IS WITH US DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP HER SAFE.
I'M SCARED, ANXIOUS AND SADDENED BY HOW FAST EVERY TEACHER'S HARD WORK CRUMBLED DOWN TOO IF COVID NUMBERS RISE GREATLY IN SCHOOLS SOON, AND WE HAVE TO REGRESS TO SHUTDOWNS AND SCRAMBLING AROUND FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING.
PLEASE, WE MUST PUT OUR LITTLE ONES FIRST AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
GARLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR A VACCINE, AND I ENTRUST OUR SCHOOL BOARD AND HIGHER PERSONNEL TO MAKE SMART AND SAVE DECISIONS RESPECTFULLY ERICA VENATA VASQUEZ. BRANDI CLEMMONS.
[01:00:04]
1201 [INAUDIBLE] LANE GARLAND, TEXAS.DEAR SUPERINTENDENT LOPEZ AND GISD BOARD.
MY FAMILY IS VERY HAPPY THAT SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION.
HOWEVER, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN QUARANTINE AS MY MOTHER CAUGHT THE DELTA VARIANT IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALL VACCINATED AND MY CHILDREN, BOTH HIGH SCHOOLERS, WEAR A MASK AT SCHOOL. OTHERWISE I'D BE AT A MEETING TO READ THIS MYSELF.
MY SON IS A SPED ED INCLUSION STUDENT WHO DOES NOT FARE WELL WITH VIRTUAL AS OTHERS HAVE.
SO THE FACT HE'S BACK IN HAS BEEN GREAT UP UNTIL NOW, THE SECOND WEEK IN.
HIS SCHOOL HAS TEN CASES WITHIN THE FIRST TWO DAYS.
THOSE ARE FOR THE ONES WHO SHOWED SYMPTOMS AND REPORTED IT.
I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO HAVE THESE KIDS WEAR THESE STUPID MASKS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS BEEN VACCINATED.
YOU FEEL YOUR HANDS ARE TIED ON MASK MANDATES AND OTHER PARENTS ARE THROWING UP ARMS ABOUT MANDATES. SO I UNDERSTAND.
BUT KIDS DO NOT FEEL THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
LIFE AND DEATH IS NOT POLITICAL AND NEITHER ARE OUR CHILDREN.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A MASK MANDATE FOR 12 AND UNDER WITH A VACCINE MANDATE FOR 12 AND UP.
AS THERE ARE FOR OTHER VACCINES JUST AS WE HAVE TO BE VACCINATED FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES. THERE SHOULD BE A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE AN IMMUNE SUPPRESSED HOME THAT REQUIRES A DOCTOR'S NOTE SUCH AS CANCER PATIENTS, SICKLE CELL ANEMIA, ETC..
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE REQUIRE TO BE QUARANTINED ONLY EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND SCHOOL. AND SINCE YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON PPE SCREENS, ETC., THEN USE THEM SO THAT THOSE NUMBERS GO DOWN AND PEOPLE NEEDING TO QUARANTINE.
IF THERE ARE TEACHERS UNCOMFORTABLE OR UNABLE TO WORK AT SCHOOLS.
I PERSONALLY KNOW SEVERAL WHO DECIDED EARLY RETIREMENT DUE TO THE STRESS OF TEACHING LAST YEAR, BUT HAVE THEM BE THE ONES TO WORK VIRTUALLY FOR THOSE HAVING TO DO SO DUE TO THOSE JUST LIKE COLLEGES ARE DOING.
THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
NOW, DUE TO COVID AND THE OPENING OF THE DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING CITIES SHOWS THAT IT'S NOT THE STUDENTS AND STAFF, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE.
IF SURROUNDING DISTRICTS HAVE ALREADY GONE BACK TO MASK MANDATES AND VIRTUAL LEARNING BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC IS BACK ON AND ON A UPTICK WITH YOUNGER PEOPLE NOW BEING STUCK AT THE MOST AT RISK, THEN THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO BURY OUR HEADS IN THE SAND.
AS THE DISTRICT STATED IN THE PAST, THEY BASE THEIR REQUIREMENTS ON HANDLING THE ISSUE BASED ON CDC AND HEALTH CRITERIA.
THEN LET US STAY IN THAT WAY AND NOT AFTER A PERSON WITH NO MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, ONLY HIS PERSONAL CHOICE TO MAKE THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN POLITICAL.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I HOPE YOU CONSIDER EVERYTHING I'VE SAID TO CHOOSE TO IN PROTECTING OUR KIDS. BRANDY.
KRISTIN GUERRA 3022 LANE DRIVE SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR THREE.
I'M WRITING TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR A MASK MANDATE WITHIN GARLAND ISD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CONTRARY TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
OUR YOUNGER CHILDREN HAVE NO CHOICE IN BEING VACCINATED AND MUST RELY ON EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING TO MINIMIZE COVID RISK, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY WE AS A SOCIETY ARE SORELY LACKING IN THESE DAYS.
AS A MOTHER OF THREE IN GARLAND ISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, I REFUSE TO ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO BE POLITICAL PAWNS IN WHATEVER GAME THE GOVERNOR IS PLAYING.
AS A MEDICAL HEALTH CARE WORKER, I SEE FIRSTHAND THE HORRORS THAT COVID CAN CAUSE AND ALSO REFUSE TO SEE MY THREE YOUNG CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL UNPROTECTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN ONE OF THEM IS A PRE-K STUDENT WHO NEEDS CONSTANT SUPERVISION WITH KEEPING HER MASK ON.
I IMPLORE YOU, PLEASE PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST.
TIFFANY ANN KELLEY 3909 CHEYENNE DRIVE ROWLETT, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT.
HELLO. I'M WRITING TO YOU TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN AFTER HAVING READ ABOUT DALLAS ISD MANDATING MASKS IN THEIR SCHOOLS AFTER GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS BANNED ALL MASKS MANDATES IN STATE FUNDED FACILITIES SUCH AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AS A PARENT OF AN 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WE ARE CROSSING A NEW TERRITORY WHEN IT COMES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY AUTOIMMUNITY.
I'M CONCERNED THAT IF GISD CHOOSES TO FOLLOW SUIT OF DISD THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE YOU UNDERMINING A LESSON IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CHILDREN.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW DISD IN REGARDS TO THEIR MASK MANDATE, YOU ALSO DEMONSTRATE TO CHILDREN OF SUCH IMPRESSIONABLE AND REBELLIOUS YEARS THAT IS COMPLETELY OK TO DO WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT. EVEN IF A PERSON IN AUTHORITY LIKE OUR GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT SAYS IT'S AGAINST THE RULES.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO TEACH THE CHILDREN [INAUDIBLE] FOR THEMSELVES IF WE'RE DICTATING THAT THEY HAVE TO MUZZLE THEMSELVES BECAUSE IT MAKES OTHERS FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE? IT IS OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR FAMILY.
IF IT MAKES OTHERS UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN THEY CAN CHOOSE TO MASK THEIR OWN CHILDREN OR PULL THEM OUT OF SCHOOL AND TEACH THEM AT HOME.
WE WILL NOT FEAR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CLEARLY GOING ANYWHERE.
AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS AS THE GOVERNOR HAS ORDERED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, TIFFANY KELLEY.
7609 AMESBURY LANE, ROWLETT, TEXAS 75089.
I AM A PARENT TO A KINDERGARTNER AND A THIRD GRADER AT KIMBERLIN ELEMENTARY.
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I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISING NUMBER OF COVID CASES THAT ARE WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. MY CHILDREN ARE STILL NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE AND I'M WORRIED FOR THEM.I FEEL THE DISTRICT COULD DO SOMETHING MORE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN.
I ASKED MY CHILDREN TO WEAR MASKS TO SCHOOL.
THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. EVERYONE NEEDS TO GET ON BOARD AND START WEARING THEIR MASK AGAIN AND SOCIAL DISTANCE AGAIN.
IF YOU CAN ENFORCE DRESS CODES, WHY CAN'T YOU ENFORCE MASKING.
WITHOUT THE OPTION OF DOING VIRTUAL FOR MANY PARENTS? WE ARE AT OUR WITS END IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
I WORK IN HEALTH CARE AND COVID IS NOTHING LIKE THE COMMON COLD.
ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER SHUTDOWN BEFORE WE ACT, I IMPLORE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR THE DISTRICT.
RESPECTFULLY, YOURS, MRS. CHRIS BANNEN. [INAUDIBLE] 1510 PINE KNOT DRIVE GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
HERE'S AN URGENT EMAIL FROM A PARENT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT TO DESPERATELY REQUEST TO CHANGE THE MASK POLICY IN GISD TO MANDATORY OR CONSIDER A TEMPORARY VIRTUAL LEARNING, DESPITE GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITING SUCH MANDATES.
BUT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROLS RECENTLY UPDATED GUIDANCE.
CONSIDERING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY BUT NOT POLITICAL INTEREST, MANDATORY MASK WEARING OR EVEN TEMPORARY VIRTUAL LEARNING IS VERY NECESSARY.
UNLIKE THE ADULT POPULATION, KIDS IN SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 11, ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE GROUP TO COVID IN THE US BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET A VACCINE AND THEY HAVE TO STAY IN AN INDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH LOW AIR CIRCULATION. THE CURRENT SITUATION IS THAT EVEN AFTER ONLY A WEEK IN CLASS GISD'S DAILY NUMBERS ARE RISING AT AN ALARMING RATE.
GISDS CURRENT PROTOCOLS HIGHLY ENCOURAGE HAVE BEEN TREATED AS NONSENSE SINCE THE PERCENTAGE OF WEARING MASKS THAT I'VE SEEN IS VERY LOW.
AND IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN GISD SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATED THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO FAR DALLAS ISD PLANO ISD FRISCO ISD AND RICHARDSON ISD HAVE ANNOUNCED THEIR POLICY AND THAT EITHER MASKS MANDATORY OR VIRTUAL LEARNING.
AS FOR GARLAND ISD AND ISD THAT OPENED SCHOOL EARLIEST IN TEXAS EVERYBODY FROM OTHER ISDS EVEN OTHER STATES IS WATCHING GISD CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT IS MORE NECESSARY FOR GISD TO MAKE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS DECISIONS TO PUT YOUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY AHEAD OF BLIND ALLEGIANCE TO THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE COMPETENCE.
YOU HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO DEMONSTRATE REAL LEADERSHIP AND DO THE SAME.
LOGAN HANSEN 6517 CL STEIN MEWS ROWLETT, TEXAS 75089.
GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
DEAR DR. LOPEZ, I'M WRITING ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER CARA HANSEN REGARDING THE CURRENT COVID-19 PROTOCOLS.
CARA IS A 5TH GRADER ENROLLED AT DORSEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
LIKE MANY OTHER FAMILIES, WE SPENT THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF KEEPING HER AS PROTECTED AS POSSIBLE FROM THE CORONAVIRUS AND RELIED HEAVILY ON GARLAND ISDS ONLINE CAMPUS PROGRAM TO GET HER ACADEMICALLY THROUGH THE FOURTH GRADE.
WHILE IT WAS A STRUGGLE IT HELPED KEEP HER SAFE AND HEALTHY THROUGHOUT OUR DANGEROUS YEAR.
WE COMMEND GISD, THE ADMINISTRATORS AND ESPECIALLY TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO SHOWED TREMENDOUS RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH SHOWING UP FOR OUR KIDS THROUGHOUT THE 2020 SCHOOL YEAR.
AS THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR APPROACHED WE WERE SHOCKED AND DISHEARTENED WHEN WE FIRST HEARD OF ORDERS FROM AUSTIN REMOVING THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE MANDATORY MASKING.
THEN IT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE SHOCKING DIRECTIVE FROM TEA STATING CONTACT TRACING WAS NO LONGER REQUIRED. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER MEASURES PUT IN PLACE THAT HAVE HANDCUFFED GISD FOR MAKING AUTONOMOUS DECISIONS THAT ARE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN. ON AUGUST 2ND, WE WERE FORCED TO SEND OUR DAUGHTER INTO AN UNSAFE AND UNTENABLE SITUATION. HER OWN SCHOOL, THE POSITION PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE BEEN PUT IN IS UNCONSCIONABLE. CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER ARE UNABLE TO GET A VACCINE AT THIS TIME.
THEIR PRIMARY MEANS OF PROTECTION IS WEARING A MASK, AND THAT PROTECTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM US FOR REASONS NOT BACKED IN SCIENCE OR MEDICINE.
THE DELTA VARIANT IS DRIVING CASES UP, EVEN WITH THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED.
WE FOUND OUT TODAY A FOURTH GRADE TEACHER FROM ACROSS THE HALL HAS TESTED POSITIVE.
ONE CAN REASONABLY DEDUCE THAT THE CASES WILL GROW POSSIBLY EXPONENTIALLY PUTTING FAMILIES AND SMALL CHILDREN AT AN UNNECESSARY RISK, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO TAKE ACTION OR DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
WE ASK THAT YOU IMMEDIATELY DO ALL IN YOUR POWER TO IMPLEMENT THE MASK MANDATE THROUGHOUT GISD AS WELL AS ANY OTHER SAFETY MEASURES THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.
WE ALSO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER A VIRTUAL LEARNING OPTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE KIDS AND OTHER TEACHERS GETTING INFECTED.
YOU ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION OF AUTHORITY AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A LITERAL DIFFERENCE OF LIFE AND DEATH IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN, BUT ALL THE ADULTS IMPACTED BY THE VIRUS AS WELL.
IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FUTURE, IT IS NOW. WE ARE IMPLORING YOU TO PLEASE TAKE STEPS TO SAFEGUARD OUR SCHOOLS IMMEDIATELY
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AND IMPLEMENT THE MASK MANDATE.WE ASK YOU TO DO SO BEFORE MORE FAMILIES SUFFER UNNECESSARY ILLNESSES THAT COULD BE AVOIDED BY BOLD ACTION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME READING MY LETTER AND CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST.
SINCERELY, LOGAN AND REBECCA HANSEN.
1138 BELTLINE ROAD SUITE 135 GARLAND, TEXAS.
I'M IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND I WANT MY VOICE TO BE HEARD.
AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE PROBLEM TO SOLVE MAKING ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, HAPPY. THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO ACCOMMODATE THE STUDENTS AND FAMILY WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS, WITH AN ONLINE OPTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT NO FUNDING HAS BEEN MADE VIA THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I SEE NO REASON FOR THE MASK MANDATE FOR THE 90 PERCENT WITHOUT AN UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITION OR FOR THE 20 TO 30 THAT CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK FORCING THE MAJORITY TO WEAR A MASK.
CLAY JENKINS HAS OVERSTEPPED HIS AUTHORITY AND HOPEFULLY THE AG'S OFFICE WILL FILE LITIGATION AGAINST THIS UNLAWFUL ORDER BECAUSE OF GREG ABBOTT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, SAYING NO GOVERNMENT ENTITIES OR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE ALLOWED TO WEAR MASK.
TO THIS DAY, THIS HAS NOT BEEN CHALLENGED IN COURT.
AND FOR THE DISTRICT TO HAVE A MASK MANDATE, WOULD CHALLENGE THIS ORDER? IS THIS WHAT GISD IS? WE ARE NOT DISD.
I WANT TO LET YOU AND THE BOARD KNOW THAT I HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME WITH A WIFE ON THE LIVER TRANSPLANT LIST WITH A MODERATE MELD SCORE.
MY FAMILY CHOOSES NOT TO WEAR THE MASK NOR HAVE THE VACCINE AT THIS TIME.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF MY FAMILY WAS WEARING THE MASK, I WOULD NOT FORCE THE 90 PERCENT TO WEAR MASKS TO ACCOMMODATE MY FAMILY'S UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES.
I WOULD HOPE GISD WOULD HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, SUCH AS THE ONLINE OPTION FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. ON A SECOND NOTE, IF WE WERE CONCERNED WITH THE DELTA VARIANT AND NEED A MASK MANDATE, THEN WHY WOULD WE HAVE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS AND OR OTHER ACTIVITIES WHEN HUGE AMOUNTS OF UNCONTROLLED CONTACT AND VARIABLES WITH NO MASK? THIS WOULD MAKE ZERO SCIENTIFIC SENSE TO MASK UP IN THE CLASSROOM, THEN GO PLAY A SPORT WITH SUCH CLOSE CONTACT.
THIS WOULD ONE HUNDRED PERCENT NEGATE THE USE OF THE MASK WHILE IN SCHOOL WITH THE MANDATED MASK, BUT LET ATHLETES, BAND MEMBERS, CHEERLEADERS, DRILL TEAM MEMBERS, ETC.
IT IS NEARLY A 100 PERCENT IMPOSSIBLE TO LIMIT FLUID CONTACT, THEREFORE MAKING THE MASK MANDATE NULL AND VOID.
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH MY SON PARTICIPATES IN FOOTBALL AND LAUGH WHEN I SEE THE PLAYERS COME AND GO IN MASKS AND PLAY A SPORT WITHOUT A MASK.
IF THE DISTRICT CHOOSES THIS OPTION, UNFORTUNATELY, THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WILL HAVE TO STAND OUR GROUND. I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE COORDINATE A WALK OUT OF THE NON MASK WEARING STUDENT POPULATION UNTIL THIS DECISION IS REVERSE.
THIS COULD BE TEN STUDENTS, ONE HUNDRED STUDENTS, A THOUSAND OR EVEN TEN THOUSAND.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, IS IT WORTH IT LOSING FOR FUNDING FOR A THOUSAND PLUS STUDENTS, NOT PRESENT IN CLASS DAYS OR FOR WEEKS OR TEN DAYS.
I'VE TALKED TO THOUSANDS OF PARENTS AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA GROUP AND THEY'RE ALL IN.
THE QUESTION AS BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT, YOU NEED TO ASK, IS IT WORTH TO LOSE A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE IN POTENTIAL LOST REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT? I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO MY LEGAL REPRESENTATION, AND I'LL FILE LITIGATION AGAINST GISD FOR THIS UNLAWFUL ORDER BY CLAY JENKINS WITH THE ATTEMPT AT PRELIMINARY OR TEMPORARY INJUNCTION AGAINST THIS UNLAWFUL ORDER.
MARA ISABEL GARZA, 1544 HILLTOP DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR TWO.
GOOD EVENING, DR. LOPEZ AND BOARD.
I'M WRITING YOU AS A CONCERNED PARENT REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION SET IN PLACE FOR GISD.
I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF DISDS SUPERINTENDENTS APPROACH FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN REGARDS TO COVID-19. DR.
HINOJOSA IS SHOWING THE CONCERNS THAT WE AS PARENTS IN GISD ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND WE'RE HOPING THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD UNDERSTAND.
ONE BEING OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AND HEALTH.
I APPLAUD DR. HINOJOSA FOR TAKING THIS STANCE AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, BUT ALSO NOTING HOW IMPORTANT CHILDREN'S HEALTH IS.
I UNDERSTAND NO ONE HAS CONTROL OVER THE MANDATES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY GREG ABBOTT. YES, EVERYONE HAS THEIR RIGHTS IN DECIDING WHETHER TO MASK UP OR NOT, BUT THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF RECONSIDERATION DUE TO THE INCREASING NUMBERS.
HOWEVER, AFTER RECEIVING THE NEW GUIDELINES SET IN PLACE FROM TEA, IT'S CONFIRMED THAT OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION NOR HEALTH IS NOT IN ANYONE'S BEST INTEREST.
IT IS SIMPLY ALL FOCUSED ON THE MONEY AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS LIKE A SCENE FROM SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, AND OUR CHILDREN HERE IN GARLAND ISD HAVE JUST BEEN THROWN INTO IT WITHOUT ANY IDEA.
MINOR CHILDREN HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM.
NOT TO MENTION THAT MOST OF THESE CHILDREN MAY ALSO HAVE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED OR MAY HAVE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS SUCH AS ASTHMA OR OTHER COMPLICATIONS THAT IF COVID-19 WAS CONTRACTED THEIR LIVES WOULD BE AT RISK.
YES, THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO OPT OUT OR DO HOMESCHOOLING.
BUT WE ALL KNOW THE BENEFITS BETWEEN HOMESCHOOLING AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE DO KNOW THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD AND WHETHER
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IT'S AN OPTION FOR THEM OR NOT.THEY ARE MORE THAN LIKELY CANNOT AFFORD HOMESCHOOLING OR EVEN A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO BASICALLY, THERE'S NO WIN FOR THE HIGHER RISK.
THE ONES WHO DIDN'T ASK OR HAD ANY CONTROL STANDING WHERE THEY STAND AT THIS MOMENT IN THEIR LIVES. WE ALL SAW AND WITNESSED THE MANY DEATHS THAT COVID-19 TOOK LAST YEAR, MAINLY AMONG THE YOUNGER AND HIGHER OLDER POPULATIONS.
MY FEAR IS THAT IF NO ACTIONS ARE TAKEN, THAT THERE WILL BE MANY YOUNG LIVES LOST IN ADDITION TO THE PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS WHO RESIDE WITH THESE CHILDREN.
THESE CHILDREN, PARENTS NOR GUARDIANS, DID NOT ASK TO BE IN SUCH CONDITIONS.
SOME ARE UNFORTUNATELY BLESSED THIS WAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THE PLEXIGLASS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED TO OUR CHILDREN IF REQUESTED FROM THE PRINCIPAL.
HOWEVER, COMING FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, THE PLEXIGLAS IS A JOKE.
THEY'RE ONLY SEPARATE STUDENTS SITTING ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER AND NOT SIDE BY SIDE.
ALL I'M HOPING FOR IS FOR SOME HELP ON THIS SIDE.
THIS SIDE WHO CONTINUES TO WEAR MASKS AND DO OUR BEST TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILY DUE TO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF MASKS CANNOT BE MANDATED THE LEAST THE SCHOOLS CAN DO IS GO BACK TO CHECKING FOR TEMPERATURE AND COVID SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO ENTERING THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
IN ADDITION TO HAND SANITIZING THE CHILD'S HANDS PRIOR TO ENTERING.
MY CHILD ATTENDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHEN THEY SIT NEXT TO CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT WEARING MASKS, THE LEAST THE SCHOOL CAN DO IS TAKE ACTION AND AS ADULTS IMPLEMENT SOCIAL DISTANCING BY SEPARATING THE UNMASKED.
MELISSA MORRISON 2306 LORETTA LANE ROWLETT TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MELISSA MORRISON AND MY SONS ARE STUDENTS AT HERFURTH ELEMENTARY.
I STRONGLY SUPPORT HAVING THE MASK MANDATE BACK IN PLACE FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
MY KIDS ARE TOO YOUNG TO GET THE COVID VACCINE AND I WORRY ABOUT THEM GETTING SICK EVERY DAY. WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPOSED AFTER ONE WEEK BACK AT SCHOOL AND NOW THEY'RE MISSING CLASSES, REMOVING THE MASK MANDATE DOES MUCH MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
PLEASE FOLLOW DALLAS ISD AND BRING THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BACK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MELISSA MORRISON.
SAMANTHA JOHNSON, 1733, LANCASTER STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M REACHING OUT ABOUT THE FOLLOWING.
I'M A DESPERATELY SCARED MOTHER AND WOULD LOVE TO BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO HAVE VIRTUAL LEARNING. I'M BEGGING AND IMPLORING ANY PARENT THAT CAN DO VIRTUAL LEARNING TO REQUEST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OFFER IT AGAIN AS FIRST SPECIFICALLY IN GARLAND ISD.
I LEARNED OVER THE WEEKEND THAT PARENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TELL THE SCHOOL THAT THEIR KID HAS COVID AND CAN SEND THEIR KID TO SCHOOL NO MATTER WITH NO ONE BEING THE WISER.
MY SON WEARS A MASK AT LUNA ELEMENTARY EVERY DAY.
HE'S PROBABLY 1 OF 30 THAT WEARS ONE.
I KNOW THEY SANITIZE, BUT I DON'T FEEL THIS IS A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT ANYMORE.
NOT AFTER LEARNING THAT IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO LET THE SCHOOL KNOW.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH ARE IN DANGER.
PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS MAY BE AT RISK TOO.
THE FACT THAT GARLAND ISD DOES NOT HAVE A PLAN AT ALL.
NONE, AND AS IN CASE DUE TO AND AS IN CASE DUE TO COVID OUTBREAKS COMPLETELY FLOORS AND DISGUSTS ME. THE WHOLE POINT ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TO PROTECT AND EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS A BRAND NEW SITUATION.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE COVID STARTED.
FOR THERE TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO ANSWERS OR NOT TO HAVE ANY KIND OF INSIDER PLAN I THINK IS EXTREMELY DISTURBING.
SO FAR, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ONLY VIRTUAL OPTIONS ARE FOR KIDS THAT ARE IN QUARANTINE AND TEST POSITIVE. SO IF MY CHILD HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMEBODY WHO'S HAD COVID BUT HASN'T BEEN TESTED FOR COVID, THE SCHOOL DOESN'T CARE IF YOU'RE QUARANTINING OR TAKING PROPER PRECAUTIONS. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO OFFER MATERIALS TO YOUR CHILD TO DO LEARNING FROM HOME DURING THAT TIME. I FEEL SO LOST.
MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS MY SON'S SAFETY.
I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME AND OTHER SCARED PARENTS.
SAMANTHA JOHNSON. JEREMY GROSS, 801 PRESTONWOOD COURT, ROWLETT, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT NINE. PLEASE DO NOT FORCE KIDS TO WEAR A MASK.
THEY CAN BE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR A MASK IF THEY LIKE OR THEIR PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO WEAR A MASK. GABRIELA CHICO ANGEL, 2905 PECAN MEADOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT BOARD AND WHO IT MAY CONCERN.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO BOYS IN THE GARLAND ISD DISTRICT, SPECIFICALLY ARMSTRONG ELEMENTARY.
AS YOU BEGIN TO BECOME BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS ABOUT THE DISD SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
HINOJOSA'S DECISION TO REQUIRE ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS TO WEAR MASKS.
I ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO THOSE PARENTS LIKE MYSELF WHO OPPOSE THIS MANDATE.
GARLAND ISD HAS ALREADY BEGUN THE YEAR WITH MASKS BEING VOLUNTARY.
GOING BACK WILL ONLY CONFUSE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER ONES LIKE MINE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THE FIRST THING MY FIRST GRADER TOLD ME WHEN HE GOT IN THE CAR AND PICKED UP ON THE FIRST DAY, HE SAID HE HAD THE BEST DAY EVER NO MASKS THAT HE COULD ACTUALLY SEE HIS TEACHERS MOUTH AND MAKE OUT WHAT SHE WAS SAYING FROM FAR AWAY.
THIS WAS A BIG STRUGGLE LAST YEAR, HAVING MY KINDERGARTNER COME HOME AND SAY HE WAS TOO SHY AND EMBARRASSED TO ASK HIS TEACHER TO REPEAT HIMSELF BECAUSE HE COULDN'T HEAR OR SEE HER MOUTH. SURE, THE MASK KEPT KIDS FROM GETTING SICK, BUT AREN'T THEY EXPOSED TO COLDS
[01:20:03]
HERE AND THERE? WHAT ABOUT NATURAL IMMUNITY? LET THOSE WHO WISH TO MASK THEIR CHILDREN UP DO SO AND THOSE OF US WHO DON'T DO SO ALSO.AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S OUR CHILDREN AND WE MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEM.
YOU CAN ALSO MAKE VIRTUAL AN OPTION AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL WITH THE QUOTE UNQUOTE UNMASKED.
MASKING UP SHOULD BE A CHOICE.
AND THIS ISN'T TO SAY THAT YOU WILL SAY MASKS REQUIRED NOW FOR ALL GISD STUDENTS.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT NOT ALL PARENTS WISH TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN MUZZLED.
THANK YOU. PROUD GISD PARENT GABRIELA CHICO ANGEL.
KI YOUNG LOU 1510 PINE KNOT DRIVE GARLAND, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
HERE'S AN EMAIL FROM A PARENT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT TO EXPLAIN HOW BAD THE SITUATION THE DELTA VARIANT WILL RESULT ON AND DESPERATELY REQUESTED CHANGE FOR THE MASKS POLICY IN GARLAND ISD TO MANDATORY.
UNLIKE THE ADULT POPULATION, KIDS IN SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 11, ARE MORE LIKELY AND IN THE VULNERABLE GROUP OF THE COVID AND US BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE AND HAVE TO STAY IN THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT WITH LOW AIR CIRCULATION RATE.
DATA SO FAR SHOWS THAT THE YOUNG [INAUDIBLE] HOSPITALITY IS AROUND TWO TO THREE PERCENT FOR ALPHA COVID, THE RATE RISES TO FIVE PERCENT FOR DELTA VARIANT.
AND THOSE YOUNG PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS, HALF OF THEM WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE ICU.
FIFTY THOUSAND PLUS IN GARLAND ISD IF THERE'S NO INTERVENTION, SUCH AS MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING, WE WILL, EXPECT TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED STUDENTS TO BE HOSPITALIZED AND WHICH ABOUT ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY STUDENTS WILL BE EXPOSED TO ICUS.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY FOR THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, THIS IS THE AMOUNT THAT OUR MEDICAL CAPACITY CANNOT AFFORD.
PLEASE CHECK THE PICTURE BELOW, WHICH IS REAL TIME BED AND ICUS IN THE HOSPITAL IN DALLAS COUNTY, NOT JUST GARLAND.
IT SHOWS THAT ONLY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO ICU BEDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.
IF WE CAN NOT PRESS AND FLATLINE THE DECREASE AND CURVE NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW BIG THE TRAGEDY WILL BE AROUND US.
SO I'M SENDING THIS EMAIL TO REQUEST GISD TO CHANGE MASKING TO MANDATORY A PRACTICE THAT WE DID LAST YEAR FOR COVID.
EMILY DUFFY, 6714 EAST VIEW DRIVE SACHSE, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR EIGHT.
I'M A WORRIED, PARENT, ABOUT HOW COVID IS BEING HANDLED THIS YEAR, EVEN WITH GISD STRONGLY RECOMMENDING MASKS MY CHILDREN ARE SOME OF THE FEW WEARING THEM.
I'VE ALSO NOTICED MOST TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THEM ON.
IT'S HARD TO SET AN EXAMPLE IF EVERYONE IS TELLING OR SHOWING OUR KIDS THAT WEARING A MASK DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THERE'S NO VIRTUAL SCHOOL OPTION ANYMORE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED.
SO CLASSES ARE NOW PACKED FULL.
I THINK BETTER MEASURES AND OPTIONS NEED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND I HOPE A BETTER PLAN IS USED AND PUT IN PLACE AS COVID CASES RISE AGAIN., THANK YOU.
EMILY DUFFY. SOFIA GREEN 1150 SICILY DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR ZERO.
EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO ALREADY HAVE AN OPTION, PLEASE DON'T FORCE IT ON THE REST OF US.
MIRANDA CONGI ADDRESS REDHILL.
BUT I LIVE IN ROWLETT, TEXAS AND I HAVE STUDENTS AT ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL AND STEADHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WITH THE NEWS OF DALLAS ISD ISSUING A MASK MANDATE.
PLEASE SHOW THAT OUR KIDS ARE WORTH MORE THAN JUST DOLLAR SIGNS.
THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO CAN BE VACCINATED CAN IN MY FAMILY AND I STILL HAVE AN IMMUNE COMPROMISED THREE YEAR OLD WHO ATTENDS PRE-K WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
AS A CANCER SURVIVOR MYSELF, I'M AT A RISK OF SEVERE SYMPTOMS AND EVEN DEATH.
THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA MY 14 YEAR OLD'S BEEN THROUGH THIS PAST YEAR AND A HALF HAS CHANGED 180 DEGREES JUST IN THE FIRST WEEKS BACK.
BUT A MASK IS USELESS WHEN A CLASS HAS A MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY OF TWENTY FIVE STUDENTS, HAS THIRTY ONE DESK AND THIRTY EIGHT STUDENTS IN CLASS AND ONLY TWO ARE WEARING MASKS.
MY SON INCLUDED. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND ENFORCE MASKS BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN YOU STILL WON'T GET FUNDING IF THESE KIDS DIE BECAUSE OF YOUR NEGLECT.
BRITNEY MACLANE. 1746 APOLLO ROAD NUMBER 2094 GARLAND, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR FOUR.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A CONCERNED HANDS TIED PARENT IN GARLAND ISD.
AND I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS. WEARING MASKS WILL HELP SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS IN A HIGHLY DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
WELL, I BELIEVE MASKING SHOULD BE A CHOICE FOR MOST.
I FEEL OUR HANDS ARE TIED WITH THE LACK OF FUNDING AND CHOICE OF VIRTUAL SCHOOL LEARNING.
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS MUST WORK TO KEEP THEIR HOMES, PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS ARE ABLE TO STAY ON.
THIS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE CHANCE OF EXPOSURE BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS WITHOUT MASKING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS SPREAD RAPIDLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE
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INSIDE AND NEARBY EACH OTHER PRECISELY THE CONDITIONS OF AN OPEN SCHOOL.WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOME TEACHERS AND STAFF AND STUDENTS MAY BE UNABLE TO MASK SUCH AS FOR THOSE TOO YOUNG OR WHO HAVE A DISABILITY OR MEDICAL CONDITION FOR WHICH SAFE MASKING IS NOT POSSIBLE.
FACE SHIELDS OR OTHER FORMS OF CLEAR PHYSICAL BARRIERS MIGHT BE NEEDED IN THOSE CASES, AND MASK POLICY SHOULD BE MADE TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH SITUATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION [INAUDIBLE] DR.
LOPEZ AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THANK YOU, BRITNEY MACLANE, AMBER HEARNSBERGER.
2217 NEWCASTLE DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS, 75041.
HELLO. I'M A CONCERNED PARENT OF TWO ELEMENTARY CHILDREN IN GARLAND ISD, BOTH OF WHICH ARE TOO YOUNG TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE AND A SOON TO HAVE NEWBORN.
I VOICED MY CONCERNS, TO SUPERINTENDENT, AND RECEIVED A REPLY FROM THE DISTRICT NURSE, ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE.
PLEASE SEE EMAIL SENT BY THE SUPERINTENDENT LAST WEEK.
IN LIGHT OF THE NEW STATISTICS AND INFORMATION COMING FROM VARIOUS HOSPITALS AROUND THE DFW REGARDING THE RISING COVID-19 CASES IN DALLAS COUNTY AND THE DATA ON GISD WEBSITE, WITH THE AMOUNT OF CASES FROM JUST ONE WEEK OF INSTRUCTION, TWO HUNDRED TWENTY ONE CURRENT ACTIVE STUDENT CASES, I PLEAD WITH THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT TO REQUIRE A MASK FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF LIKE DISD DID TODAY AND OFFER VIRTUAL SCHOOLING, OPTION LIKE RICHARDSON ISD AND FRISCO HAVE DONE.
THE RESIDENTS OF GARLAND PAY ENOUGH IN SCHOOL TAXES THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN EMERGENCY FUND AVAILABLE TO ALLOW FOR A VIRTUAL PROGRAM AGAIN, ESPECIALLY SINCE ALL THE DEVICES ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR.
I KNOW OF SEVERAL PARENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY PULLED THEIR CHILDREN FROM GISD DUE TO LACK OF RESPONSE IN GISD TO IMPLEMENT BETTER COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT A DISTRICT IS NOT PROVIDING MORE STRINGENT MEASURES OF PROTECTION FOR ONE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, CHILDREN.
I FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE DISTRICT WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION FOR LACK OF PROTECTION FOR OUR CHILDREN AND NOT PROVIDING A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE, SUCH AS A VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION TO FAMILIES WHO WISH TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM CONTRACTING COVID-19.
I PLEAD THAT THE DISTRICT PLEASE REEVALUATE THEIR STANCE ON MASK AND THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM. THE TIME HAS COME FOR ACTION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, NOT COMPLACENCY TO THE GOVERNOR'S MANDATE THAT DALLAS ISD SUPERINTENDENT HAS DEEMED UNLAWFUL.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THIS EMAIL DURING ANY SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS OF EXAMPLE OF A CONCERNED PARENT AND A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU, AMBER HEARNSBERGER BSN RN.
2922 ANDREA LANE, GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR ZERO.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AS A CONCERNED HANDS TIED GISD PARENT.
I'M ASKING THE SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
RICARDO LOPEZ, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECONSIDER MASK WEARING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS.
WEARING MASKS WILL HELP TO SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY AND MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS IN THE HIGHLY DANGEROUS DELTA VARIANT.
WHILE I BELIEVE MASKING SHOULD BE A CHOICE FOR MOST OUR HANDS FILL TIED WITH THE LACK OF FUNDING IN THE CHOICE OF VIRTUAL LEARNING.
A GREAT PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS MUST WORK TO KEEP THEIR HOMES PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND MAKE SURE THE LIGHTS ARE ABLE TO STAY ON.
THIS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE CHANCE OF EXPOSURE BEING AS HIGH AS IT IS WITHOUT MASKING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE VIRUS SPREADS RAPIDLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE AND NEARBY EACH OTHER PRECISELY THE CONDITIONS OF AN OPEN SCHOOL.
WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOME TEACHERS, STAFF AND STUDENTS WOULD BE UNABLE TO WEAR MASKS SUCH AS THOSE TOO YOUNG TO OR WHO HAVE A DISABILITY OR MEDICAL CONDITION FOR WHICH SAFE MASK USE IS NOT POSSIBLE.
FACE SHIELDS OR OTHER FORMS OF CLEAR PHYSICAL BARRIERS MIGHT BE NEEDED IN THOSE CASES, AND MASK POLICIES SHOULD BE MADE SHOULD MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SUCH SITUATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION AND TIME OF DR.
LOPEZ AND A BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
CAMPUS ONE AT GLEN ACADEMY ADDRESS 2922 ANDREA LANE GARLAND, TEXAS SEVEN FIVE ZERO FOUR ZERO. SINCERELY, MORGAN CLASSENS.
THAT'S THE ONE I READ. LATOYA MINOR 1806 WALNUT HILL DRIVE GARLAND, TEXAS, SEVEN FIVE ZERO EIGHT EIGHT. PLEASE READ AT THE MEETING.
I'M WRITING IN REGARDS TO THE CURRENT ISSUES SURROUNDING GARLAND ISD IN REGARDS TO HAVING NO MASK MANDATE AND NO SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
AND THE MOTHER OF A KINDERGARTNER IN ONE OF THE MONTESSORI PROGRAMS, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND FEARFUL TO SEND MY CHILD TO SCHOOL WITHOUT A MASK, MANDATE AND SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CAN NOT YET RECEIVE THE VACCINE AND AS A RESULT, THEY'RE SOLELY DEPENDENT ON THE ADULTS TO MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS TO PROTECT THEIR WELL-BEING. ALTHOUGH MY CHILD WEARS A MASK DAILY, THERE ARE MANY OTHER CHILDREN AS WELL AS HER TEACHERS THAT DO NOT WEAR A MASK.
AT THE VERY LEAST, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE THE TEACHERS TO WILLFULLY RISK THEIR LIVES AND THEIR LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AND NOT WEAR MASKS.
AS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF HOW DEADLY COVID AND THE DELTA VARIANT CAN BE, I URGE YOU TO PLEASE REINSTATE THE MASK MANDATE AS WELL AS SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES.
OUR CHILDREN WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL AND WE AS ADULTS SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THEY'RE SAFE. WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST IN GARLAND ISD AND CURRENTLY THE DISTRICT IS FAILING OUR CHILDREN. THIS ISSUE IS GREATER THAN POLITICS AND GREATER THAN MONEY.
AGAIN, I HOPE TO APPEAL TO THE SENSE OF HUMANITY AND GIVE OUR CHILDREN A FIGHTING CHANCE.
PLEASE REINSTATE THE MASK MANDATE AND SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES.
[01:30:02]
THANKS, LATOYA MINOR.THANK YOU, MS. HOGAN. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM THREE SUPERINTENDENTS MESSAGE.
[III. Superintendent's Message]
[LAUGHTER] WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR INPUT AND GIVING THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS.THERE WERE MANY MORE COMMENTS BESIDES ABOUT IT WAS CLOSE TO 50 COMMENTS THAT WERE READ ON EMAILS SENT TO MYSELF AND THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE'VE READ AT LEAST I'VE READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE EMAILS WITH AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND.
AND A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING ON IN OUR GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN OUR GREAT THREE COMMUNITIES OF GARLAND, ROWLETT AND SACHSE.
AND EACH OF THESE ARE TAKEN WITH JUST A HEAVY HEART.
A LOT OF US ARE IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN LIFE, AND WE WANT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR NOT ONLY THE CHILDREN THAT WE SERVE, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IS THE BOARD HAS ORGANIZED THE WHOLE STRUCTURE TO REALLY GO ON A DEEP DIVE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND US WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIRTUAL SCHOOLING.
IT'S NOT THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLING THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.
A LOT OF THE VIRTUAL SCHOOLING THAT YOU'RE HEARING FOR THE MOST PART IS PARENT DRIVEN.
SO IT'S AN ASYNCHRONOUS ENVIRONMENT.
YOUR STUDENT GETS THESE ASSIGNMENTS, YOU DO THE WORK WITH THE STUDENT AND YOU TURN IT INTO THE TEACHER, BUT YOU GET TO DO IT FROM THE NOVELTY'S OF HOME.
WHILE THAT WORKS FOR SOME SOME PARENTS, THAT WOULDN'T WORK FOR OTHERS.
RIGHT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLEXITIES OUT THERE.
I ALSO WANT TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW A LOT OF THEM BROUGHT UP THE AMOUNT OF COVID CASES THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT.
THE COVID CASES. IF YOU REALLY LOOK ON THE WEBSITE, THERE'S ABOUT TWO HUNDRED, ALMOST THREE HUNDRED OF THE CASES THAT WERE THERE WERE STUDENTS ENROLLING IN OUR DISTRICT.
THEY DIDN'T CONTRACT IT AT THE SCHOOL, BUT WE COUNTED.
SO PEOPLE KNOW BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT.
SO SOME OF THESE KIDS HAVE NOT BEEN IN SCHOOL YET.
A LOT OF THESE KIDS, I MEAN, HUNDREDS OF THESE KIDS HAVEN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL YET.
THESE ARE THE KIDS THAT AS THEY ENROLLED, THEY HAVE COVID.
THEY DIDN'T COME INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND THEN GET COVID AND THEN WE'RE OUT.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEAR UP THAT MISNOMER THAT LIKE THEY SHOWED UP THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THEN WE HAD THREE HUNDRED CASES.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIDS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN OUR SCHOOL THAT CAME TO US WITH COVID FROM THE SUMMER, FROM THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
EVERYTHING IS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY.
I GOT TO MEET WITH THE SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE LIVE.
AND I THANK THEM FOR COMING OUT BECAUSE IT SHOWS A LOT OF COURAGE.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS CARES DEEPLY ABOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE SOME START OF THE DAY PROTOCOLS.
WE HAVE SOME EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS, CHAIRPERSON SELDERS, AND WE WELCOME US TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AGENDA.
SPEAKING OF EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE OUT OF AGENDA ORDER AND THEN GO INTO
[VI. Executive Session: Executive session will be held for purposes permitted by Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Section 551.001 et seq.]
EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW.WE HAVE OUR ATTORNEY HERE PRESENT AND SO WE'D WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR PURPOSES PERMITTED BY TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.001.
THE GARLAND ISD POST THE FOLLOWING ADDENDUM TO THE AUGUST 10, 2021 POSTED MEETING OF THE DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
THE CHANGES, NOTED BELOW, ARE MADE TO THE POSTED AGENDA FOR THE AUGUST 10TH 2021 MEETING OF THE DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
ITEMS NOT AMENDED BELOW REMAIN AS POSTED FOR THE AUGUST 10, 2021 MEETING.
ITEM ONE B DECLARE THE NEED FOR AN EMERGENCY ADDENDUM FOR THE POSTED MEETING OF THE DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING ON AUGUST 10, 2021 PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.045 DUE TO THE REASONABLY UNFORESEEABLE SITUATION ASSOCIATED WITH RECENT UPDATES REGARDING THE ONGOING PANDEMIC OF COVID-19, AN EMERGENCY OR URGENT PUBLIC NECESSITY EXISTS, REQUIRING IMMEDIATE DELIBERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE GARLAND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S COVID-19 BACK TO SCHOOL
[01:35:02]
UPDATE.PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 MEETING WITH CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE CITY ATTORNEY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS, CONFLICT WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT REGARDING ONE CONSULTATION AND DELIBERATION REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S COVID-19 BACK TO SCHOOL UPDATE AND THEN ITEM B PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.074 DELIBERATION REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION, REASSIGNMENT DUTIES, DISCIPLINE OR DISMISSAL OF A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, OR TO HEAR A COMPLAINT OR CHARGE AGAINST AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE.
IT IS NOW 9:02 AND WE WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT IS NOW 11:45 PM AND WE ARE RETURNING FROM CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I CERTIFY THAT NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED THAT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
MR. MILLER. YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND THANK THE BOARD FOR FOR ALL YOUR INPUT AND EXTREMELY INTENSE WAY TONIGHT. I'M IMPRESSED BY ALL OF YOU.
I'M IMPRESSED BY YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE KIDS HERE.
I'D LIKE TO READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT FROM THE BOARD.
THE BOARD FIRMLY SUPPORTS THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES AND THE CDC TO USE FACE COVERINGS TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF OUR GISD FAMILY TO USE FACE COVERINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO UTILIZE OTHER COVID-19 MITIGATION MEASURES IN ITS EFFORTS TO SAFELY SERVE THE DISTRICT STUDENTS.
HOWEVER, DUE TO THE CONSTANTLY CHANGING LANDSCAPE REGARDING THIS ISSUE FROM THE GOVERNOR, THE COUNTY AND THE COURTS, THE BOARD INTENDS TO FULLY EVALUATE ITS OPTIONS TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW.
IF NEEDED THE BOARD WILL SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM THE COURTS REGARDING CONFLICTING GUIDELINES. AND THAT'S OUR STATEMENT.
MR. MILLER WE WILL NOW RESUME OUR ORIGINAL AGENDA ORDER GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR INFORMATION ITEMS.
[IV. Information Items]
4 A OUR BACK TO SCHOOL UPDATE WITH NURSE K.GOOD EVENING, OR SHOULD I SAY GOOD MORNING.
NOT YET. MR. SELDERS BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR.
LOPEZ, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACK TO SCHOOL UPDATE OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOLS THIS PAST WEEK AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE IN SCHOOL.
ONE OF THE THING THAT RECENTLY CAME OUT WAS TEA PUT OUT SOME UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOLS.
SOME OF THOSE GUIDELINES WERE VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS ARE NEVER CONSIDERED TO BE A CLOSE CONTACT. SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COVID-19 CONTACT TRACE.
IF WE ARE MADE AWARE OF A STUDENT IS A CLOSE CONTACT THEN WE ARE TO NOTIFY THE STUDENT'S PARENTS. STUDENTS CAN END THE STAY AT HOME PERIOD IF THEY RECEIVE A NEGATIVE RESULT FROM A PCR ACUTE INFECTION TEST AFTER THE CLOSE CONTACT EXPOSURE ENDS AND PARENTS WHO ARE CLOSE CONTACTS MAY OPT TO KEEP THEIR STUDENTS AT HOME DURING THE RECOMMENDED STAY AT HOME PERIOD. ALSO, NOTIFICATION WHEN A POSITIVE CASE IS MADE BEEN ON CAMPUS IS NO LONGER A REQUIREMENT. SO THAT IS THE GUIDELINES THAT TEA HAS COME UP WITH.
HOWEVER, IN GARLAND ISD WE NEVER DO WHAT IS THE MINIMUM THAT IS REQUIRED.
WE ALWAYS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US.
NO MATTER IF IT'S TIA GUIDANCE CDC, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE. SO OUR COMMITMENT HAS BEEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY CLEAN OUR CAMPUSES. WE CONTINUE TO USE OUR ANTIMICROBIAL MISTINGS EVERY EVENING.
WE ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH FACE SHIELDS IF REQUESTED.
WE PROVIDE HAND SANITIZER DISPENSERS ALL OVER THE CLASSROOMS AND IN THE BUILDINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STUDENTS UTILIZE HAND SANITIZER UPON PLAYGROUND ENTRY AND EXIT.
[01:40:01]
WE HAVE A REGISTERED NURSE ON EVERY CAMPUS.WITH PERMISSION, WE'RE GOING TO RAPID TEST STUDENTS AND STAFF ON SITE AT NO COST.
THEY WILL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AND WE WILL IF OUR APPOINTMENTS ARE FILLED UP, THEN WE WILL HELP THEM FIND A RESOURCE OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS TESTED WHEN THEY NEED TO BE TESTED.
IF A STUDENT IS A CLOSE CONTACT OF A PERSON CONFIRMED WITH COVID-19, WE ARE STILL GOING TO NOTIFY THOSE PARENTS.
WE HAVE PLEXIGLASS IN THE CAFETERIA IF IT'S REQUESTED.
WE UPDATE THE COVID-19 TRACKER ON THE WEBSITE EVERY DAY.
AND I DO WANT TO STOP AND TALK ABOUT THE COVID TRACKER THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, AND I THINK DR. LOPEZ HAS TALKED SOME ABOUT IT.
WHERE I THINK THAT I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX OF THOSE CASES WERE HAPPENED PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WE STARTED OUR TRACKER OVER AGAIN ON JULY 1ST.
WE WERE REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES TO REPORT ALL CASES TO THEM DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHEN WE WERE OPEN FOR AND WE HAD A LOT OF ENRICHMENT THIS SUMMER, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, SUMMER SCHOOL AND YOU KNOW CODING CAMP AND ALL THIS ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
AS WELL AS WE HAD A LOT OF CASES THAT WERE REPORTED TO US AS WE WERE COMING BACK INTO SCHOOL. YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, A LOT OF PARENTS WENT ON VACATIONS.
THEY, YOU KNOW, MET WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO WE DID HAVE SOME CASES THAT ARE REPORTED TO US.
WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS NOT PUT THOSE ON OUR DASHBOARD WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES ALSO MAINTAINS THEIR OWN REPORTING SYSTEM AND WE NEEDED THOSE TO MATCH.
SO I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE WANTED TO HIDE ANYTHING.
BUT IN HINDSIGHT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SEPARATED OUT THAT INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T START THE YEAR WITH THAT DASHBOARD, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THAT MUCH QUESTION.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE PUT AN ASTERISK AND EXPLAINED IT, PEOPLE DIDN'T LOOK AT THAT SENTENCE.
THEY DON'T ASK THOSE KIND OF QUESTIONS.
AND THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT WE STARTED ON AUGUST 2ND.
SO THERE'S NO WAY WE COULD HAVE THAT MANY KIDS POSITIVE IN OUR CAMPUSES.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT AFTER THE 13TH, MOST OF THOSE CASES WILL FALL OFF.
THOSE WERE ALL THE CASES THAT WERE REPORTED TO US.
THEY DID NOT REPORT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND THEN ALL THE NEW CASES THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE USING THAT AS A BENCHMARK, IT'S NOT A GOOD BENCHMARK OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
ALSO, WE HAVE THE WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS IN EVERY SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND PROMOTE HIGH PERFORMING HAVING FILTERS ON OUR CAMPUSES.
AND WE ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO ANY PARENT CONCERNS.
SO PARENTS CAN ALWAYS CONTACT THEIR SCHOOL NURSE, CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS AND THEN ALSO HEALTH SERVICES, IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS.
TEA SAYS WE DON'T HAVE TO CONTACT TRACE, BUT YOU HAVE TO CONTACT TRACE, THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT. IF WE FIND OUT THAT A STUDENT IS POSITIVE, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE AROUND THEM. SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTACT TRACE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AESOP WHICH IS OUR ABSENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK NOT ONLY AT STAFF, WELL WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT STAFF ABSENCES, AND THEN WE LOOK AT ABSENCE TRENDS ALSO ON CAMPUSES.
A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS I GET IS ABOUT THRESHOLDS FOR CLOSURE.
WE HAD THIS PROBLEM LAST YEAR TO GIVEN A DEFINITION TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
THE REASON BEING IS YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE CASE AND SEE WHEN I SAY CLUSTERING OF CASES, WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU HAVE ONE STUDENT THAT MAYBE IS CLOSE TO ANOTHER STUDENT AND THEN THAT STUDENT GETS SICK.
BUT THEN THEY ARE A CONTACT OF A DIFFERENT STUDENT THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE ORIGINAL AREA.
SO IT'S LIKE IT'S IN ONE ROOM AND YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHO'S THE FIRST CASE BECAUSE IT JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING.
SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON THOSE FACTORS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU'D HAVE TO CLOSE A CLASSROOM OR YOU'D HAVE TO CLOSE A CAMPUS.
IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON WHERE THE CASES ARE.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, IF I HAD FOUR KIDS IN ONE CLASSROOM AND WE CONTACT TRACED THOSE FOUR KIDS AND ALL OF THOSE FOUR KIDS ARE LINKED TO LINKED TO A PARENT THAT'S POSITIVE.
[01:45:05]
THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN FOUR KIDS WHO ONE KID STARTED OUT POSITIVE THEN THE NEXT KID THEN THE NEXT KID, THE NEXT KID.THERE'S NO KNOWN CLOSE CONTACT EXCEPT FOR THE KIDS AROUND THEM.
THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE'D LOOK FOR.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK FOR ABSENCES GREATER THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE NORM.
WE DID HAVE A CASE AT ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT A LOT OF KIDS IN ONE PARTICULAR CLASSROOM WERE OUT. WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO ASSUME IT'S COVID THEY DID TAKE THEIR KIDS TO BE TESTED AND NONE OF THEM HAD COVID.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW BESIDES COVID.
SO THERE ARE REASONS WHY OUR KIDS ARE ABSENT THAT ISN'T RELATED TO COVID.
STILL REVIEWING CDC GUIDELINES, MEETING WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, REACHING OUT TO THEM TO GET A VIBE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR TRI CITY AREA AND THEN ALSO OUR LARGER COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT, I WON'T GO OVER TOO MUCH OF IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE A POSSIBILITY OF BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED AND YOU END UP GETTING COVID AGAIN. BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED, YOU HAVE MUCH LESS SEVERE CASES.
SO IF WE'RE SEEING THOSE IN OUR STAFF SO FAR, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT MANY, THEY REALLY HAVE LIKE COLD TYPE SYMPTOMS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT WAY.
THE DELTA VARIANT IN OUR AREA MAKES UP ABOUT 80 TO 90 PERCENT OF CASES.
ABOUT 27 PERCENT OF THEM ARE ASYMPTOMATIC.
THEY GOT TESTED BECAUSE THEY WERE EXPOSED.
97 PERCENT. THIS IS JUST OUR AREA, NOT NATIONWIDE, 97 PERCENT OF HOSPITALIZATION ARE UNVACCINATED INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I REALLY HIGHLY ENCOURAGE OUR ADULT POPULATION TO BE VACCINATED. YOU WANT TO PROTECT THE KIDS? ADULTS GET VACCINATED.
EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, YOU CAN CARRY THE VIRUS TO OTHERS.
WHEN I SAY EXPECT CLUSTERED CASES, WHICH MEANS BECAUSE IT IS MORE VIRULENT, IS EASIER TO CATCH FROM PERSON TO PERSON, YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE.
I'M NOT SAYING 50 CASES ALL LINKED TO ONE PERSON, BUT YOU MAY, IF THEY'RE REAL CLOSE CONTACTS, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A FAMILY, MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE FAMILY TEST POSITIVE. YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO OR THREE IN THE FAMILY IF THEY HAVE THAT MANY IN THE HOME, AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE QUARANTINE IN HOME EXPOSURES.
OUR TRI CITY AREA, EIGHTY NINE PERCENT OF THE CASES ARE UNVACCINATED.
POSITIVITY RATE IT WAS 12 PERCENT.
AND WHEN I SAY THAT IT'S INCLUDING VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW. WELL, IS IT MODERNA, THE MORE PEOPLE WHO TOOK MODERNA GETTING COVID OR I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA YET.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REPORTING NOW.
IT'S REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S DATA THAT THEY'RE TRACKING.
DALLAS COUNTY IS BACK ON RED RATING LEVEL.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE MASKS.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR OUR RAPID TESTING PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW MANY OF THOSE TESTS ARE COMING BACK POSITIVE BECAUSE IT'S REAL IMPORTANT NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP ALL OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL.
IF THEY'VE BEEN EXPOSED, THEY CAN GO INTO OUR RAPID TESTING PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DATA OF HOW MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS ACTUALLY BECOME POSITIVE.
AND THAT WAY WE'LL KIND OF KNOW IF RAPID TESTING PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.
NOTIFICATIONS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE IF IT'S A LARGE GROUP, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT STUDENT WAS AROUND, WHAT STUDENT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THEM AWARE AND THERE WERE GOING TO PIVOT HOWEVER, WE NEED TO PIVOT JUST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS. MRS. STANLEY. THIS IS FOR YOU, DR.
LOPEZ. ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO PUT THE COMMUNITY AT EASE FOR HELPING SLOW THE SPREAD? THE QUESTION WAS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE COULD DO TO PUT THE COMMUNITY AT EASE, TO SLOW THE SPREAD? SO SOME OF THE OLD PROTOCOLS IS THERE OLD PROTOCOLS THAT WE CAN EMPLOY.
[01:50:04]
I THINK WE COULD PUT THE DESK SHIELDS BACK UP AT EVERY CAMPUS.ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BUT THOSE WERE NEED FOR CLARIFICATION.
YES. AND MOST OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE THE DIVIDERS UP IN THE LUNCHROOMS. AND WE CAN PUT THOSE BACK UP IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL AND MAYBE EVEN LOOK AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. IS THERE ANY OTHER PROTOCOLS THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT MAYBE WE COULD REINSTATE THAT MAYBE WOULD HELP MITIGATE THIS? WE DO THE MISTING EVERY NIGHT.
EVERY NIGHT. WE DO IT ON THE BUSSES, EVERY DAY.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY CLEANING LIKE WE DID LAST TIME.
YEAH, I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T CHANGED REALLY MANY OF OUR GUIDELINES FROM LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE GUIDELINES THAT WE DID CHANGE IS WE ARE ALLOWING VISITORS TO COME IN.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO EAT WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THEY CAN'T GO IN THE CAFETERIA AND AN ADULT BE AROUND A CHILD THAT'S NOT THEIRS. BUT MOST OF THE VOLUNTEERS ARE, YOU KNOW, AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE CHANGED.
BUT ALL OUR OTHER PROTOCOLS, EXCEPT FOR THE PLEXIGLAS, ARE IN PLACE WE ARE STILL CONTACT TRACING. AND WE ACTUALLY ADDED SOME THINGS.
WE ADDED THE RAPID TESTING PROGRAM.
I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED AND DONE HAVE GOTTEN NOT SEEN.
AND WE'VE DONE SOME PR EVENTS TO SHOW EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND SOME OF OUR CAMPAIGNS. I THINK BECAUSE SOME OF THE VISUAL THINGS THAT PARENTS USED TO SEE, LIKE THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS, ONE OF THE REASONS WE DID TAKE THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS AWAY BEFORE WAS WE DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF KIDS, FIRST OF ALL, COMING IN WITH TEMPERATURES. BUT THE SECOND PART WAS THAT THE MANPOWER TO DO THAT IS SO HARD WHEN YOU HAVE FULL SCHOOLS. SO TO HAVE EVERYBODY OUT FRONT AND THEN YOU HAVE THE KIDS INSIDE, THEN WHO'S MONITORING THE KIDS ONCE THEY'RE INSIDE, WHO'S TAKING THEM TO THE CLASSROOMS, WHO'S DOING ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND SO IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT FORMULA.
AND THEN THE KIDS THAT GENERALLY NEED HELP FROM THE NURSE ARE NOW BACK IN SCHOOL.
AND SO THE NURSE CAN'T BE UP FRONT DOING TEMPERATURE CHECKS WHEN SHE HAS TO DEAL WITH JUST THE NORMAL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN SCHOOL.
100 PERCENT? YES, 100 PERCENT.
WHAT WE FOUND WITH THE TEMPERATURE SCREENING IS A LOT OF TIMES IF THE STUDENT WAS HOT, LIKE, SAY IT'S HOT OUT RIGHT NOW AND THE STUDENT WAS HOT, IT WOULD CAUSE A NURSE TO BRING THEM BACK TO THE CLINIC, LET THEM COOL DOWN, TAKE THEIR TEMPERATURE AGAIN, AND THEY NEVER HAD A FEVER. WHAT HAPPENS WITH COVID IS MOST KIDS DON'T COME TO SCHOOL SICK, NOT WITH FEVER. SO CHECKING ALL THEIR FEVERS REALLY DID NO GOOD.
ASKING THEM IF THEY'RE SICK REALLY DID NO GOOD BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH OR THEY'RE GOING TO LIE, TO BE HONEST.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF MANPOWER WHEN THAT MANPOWER CAN ACTUALLY BE USED TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS, LIKE ON SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO KEEP THE NURSE IN THE CLINIC DOING RAPID TESTING, WHICH IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YOU KNOW, AND NOW THEY HAVE THE ADDED RESPONSIBILITY OF RAPID TESTING.
AND THAT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
BUT IT HAS BEEN THE PARENTS HAVE APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND I THINK PARENTS WANT TO KNOW IF THEIR KIDS ARE POSITIVE OR NOT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S JUST HOW YOU KNOW FOR SURE IF YOUR KID WELL ALMOST 100 PERCENT SURE IF YOUR KID HAS COVID OR NOT.
WHAT'S THE COST TO THE PARENTS.
NO MONEY. IT DOESN'T COST THEM ANY MONEY.
AND IF WE ARE FULL, SAY WE'RE FULL AT THE PDC ONE DAY AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO GET TESTED, THEN WE GIVE THEM RESOURCES TO GO TO ANOTHER FREE PLACE SO NO ONE WILL NOT GET TESTED BECAUSE WE'RE FULL.
AND WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM EVEN SOME STAFF IS THEY WANT TO GET TESTED AND THEY'VE BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING INTO THE TESTING SITES.
SO I EVEN TESTED SOME PEOPLE AT HARRIS HILL.
I HAD THEM DRIVE TO THE BACK PARKING LOT AND WE TESTED THEM.
I MEAN, WHATEVER MAKES ANYBODY FEEL SAFE AND I CAN'T DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY CAN'T GET IN AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO OUR STAFF AND EVEN SOME PARENTS BROUGHT THEIR STUDENTS HERE BECAUSE THE PDC WAS FILLED. MR. JOHNSON, THANK YOU. NURSE, WE'VE GOTTEN ALL A NUMBER OF EMAILS AND CONCERNS, SOME OF THE
[01:55:01]
CONCERNS WERE READ IN PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO CURRENT VIRTUAL OPTION.AND I'M NOT EVEN REALLY COMMENTING ON WHETHER OR NOT VIRTUAL OPTION WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE OR NOT. I THINK THAT'S A VIGOROUS DEBATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE.
AND I THINK THERE'S VIRTUES FOR BOTH.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS THIS NOTION THAT KIDS IN VIRTUAL ARE SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER INOCULATED FROM COVID, BUT AT LEAST SEVERAL POINTS OF THE TIME IN THE LAST CALENDAR YEAR, WE HAD MORE STUDENTS THAT WERE COVID POSITIVE ON VIRTUAL THAN WE ACTUALLY HAD FACE TO FACE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S HOW WE STARTED OUT LAST YEAR.
AND THEN THEY KIND OF BECAME ALL INTERMINGLED AS THE KIDS CAME BACK FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS, A LOT OF KIDS WERE DIAGNOSED BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN STARTED. SO IT'S A PARENT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE, WE CAN'T KEEP THEM IN A BUBBLE.
BUT THE BENEFITS OF IN-PERSON LEARNING TO ME IS FAR OUTWEIGHS THE RISK OF COVID.
AND THE FLIP SIDE OF IT IS WHAT WE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR EXPERIENCE IS JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE VIRTUAL DOESN'T MEAN.
NO. THAT I MEAN, YOU'RE JUST AS AT RISK FOR COVID AS A VIRTUAL STUDENT AS YOU ARE IN FACE.
YES. MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT WE'VE SEEN NOW, I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL THE CASES NOW, BUT AT THE BEGINNING, AS THEY WERE COMING IN, I WAS LOOKING A PARENT WAS EXPOSED AT WORK.
THEY WERE POSITIVE. THEN THE KID GOT SICK, THEN ANOTHER KID GOT SICK.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY IN THE SUMMER IT WAS FROM PARENTS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD.
WE WILL NOW GO TO ITEM 4B THE FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR UNIT UPDATE.
DR. PARKER AND MS. WEST. AND ME.
AND DR. RUSSELL. WELL, GOOD MORNING, TRUSTEES MR. SELDERS TRUSTEES DR.
LOPEZ, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING AND GIVE YOU OUR PAC PROGRAM TRANSITION UPDATE.
THE PROGRAM FROM PAC IS NOW CALLED FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ENVIRONMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THE UNITS ARE CALLED.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE MS. ROBERTSON FIRST SHARED THE PLAN FOR MOVING THE PROGRAM AT PAC TO TRADITIONAL CAMPUSES.
SO JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY GO ON A HIGH LEVEL REVIEW OF THE RATIONALE FOR WHY THIS CHANGE WAS RECOMMENDED AND IMPLEMENTED.
FIRST AND FOREMOST WAS TO COMPLY WITH THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT LAWS AND THEN WITHIN LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT LAWS WE ALWAYS WANT TO EDUCATE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH THEIR TYPICALLY DEVELOPING GENERAL EDUCATION PEERS.
AND THEN WE WANT TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INCLUDED IN GENERAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AND CLASSES AND TO PARTICIPATE IN GENERAL EDUCATION ROUTINES.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE MEASURABLE ANNUAL GOALS TO INCLUDE BEING INVOLVED IN CO CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AS THEIR TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS ARE.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY GOING INTO THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT LAW.
THAT LAW GUIDES ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IT REQUIRES EVERY PUBLIC AGENCY TO ENSURE THAT ONE TO THE MAXIMUM AND NOT THE MINIMUM, THE MAXIMUM EXTENT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, THAT THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH THEIR NONDISABLED PEERS. AND THAT SEPARATE SCHOOLS, SPECIAL CLASSES OR REMOVAL OF THEM FROM BEING IN GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS WITH THEIR TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS IS DONE ONLY IF THE NATURE OF THE SEVERITY OF THEIR DISABILITY IS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT THEY CANNOT BE EDUCATED IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM OR REGULAR ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTARY.
THE SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE ARE NOT ADEQUATE.
SO THAT'S USUALLY THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
THIS LAW HAS BEEN TRIED BY COURTS AND THEY REALLY UTILIZE A TWO PRONG TEST.
ONE, THEY WANT TO THE COURTS DETERMINE IF THE STUDENT COULD HAVE BEEN EDUCATED IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM, IF THEY HAD SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT AND AIDS AND SERVICES.
AND IF THEY COULDN'T, THEN THE QUESTION IS, COULD THE SCHOOL HAVE MAINSTREAMED THE CHILD TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT APPROPRIATE? SO WE HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT TYPES OF INSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS THERE ARE ON THAT CONTINUUM OF ARRANGEMENTS AND SERVICES.
SO THE LEAST SEPARATE IS GOING TO BE A GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM AND THERE ARE ACCOMMODATIONS PROVIDED WITHIN THAT CLASSROOM.
ALL OF THEIR CLASSES ARE IN A TYPICAL REGULAR EDUCATION SETTING.
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AND THEN THE NEXT MOST RESTRICTIVE WOULD BE THEY HAVE SOMEONE WHO COMES IN TO THE CLASSROOM TO CO-TEACH OR TO SUPPORT THAT CHILD IN THAT GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHING A GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM.SOMETIMES WE USE IT A MORE SEVERE AND ITINERANT TEACHER WHO MIGHT FLOAT FROM CAMPUS TO CAMPUS TO SUPPORT THAT STUDENT.
AND THEN WE BEGIN PULLING THEM OUT OF THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM AND THEY GET MORE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION, SUCH AS A RESOURCE TEACHER.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ON LEVEL ACADEMICALLY AND THEY NEED MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT INTERVENTION.
SO THEY MIGHT BE IN A RESOURCE MATH OR RESOURCE ENGLISH CLASS TAUGHT BY A SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFIED TEACHER AND NOT IN A GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM.
AND THEN WE MOVE ON UP THAT CONTINUUM TO OUR SELF-CONTAINED UNITS AND THOSE SPECIAL CLASSES. AND THAT'S WHAT THE FBE PROGRAM IS.
THAT IS A SELF-CONTAINED CLASS LIKE OUR ALE LIFE SKILLS CLASS, LIKE OUR BEHAVIOR UNIT CLASSES, LIKE ALL OF THOSE SPECIALIZED UNITS THAT WE CONSISTENTLY HAVE HAD OVER MANY YEARS HERE IN GARLAND.
MOVING UP THAT CONTINUUM, THERE'S THE SPECIAL DAY SCHOOL, WHICH IS MORE OR LESS WHERE PAC THE PROGRAM FOR PAC USED TO BE.
THAT WAS A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM THAT WAS REMOVED FROM GENERAL ED.
THERE WERE NO GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL.
IT WAS COMPLETELY A SCHOOL FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND THEIR PROGRAM WAS SERVED THERE. FROM THERE, THERE'S THE HOMEBOUND OR HOSPITAL INSTRUCTION AND THEN FINALLY, RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL.
AND THINKING BACK TO THE HISTORY OF THE PAC PROGRAM, WE SERVED A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE IN A RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH LOCKED FACILITY CALLED NORTHFORK, AND THAT WAS A RESIDENTIAL PLACE FOR THEM.
AND PART OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE NORTHFORK STAFF WAS THAT WE AGREED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION WITHIN GARLAND ISD AS OPPOSED TO AT THE RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENT FACILITY.
AND SO THAT WAS THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS, AS YOU MAY RECALL, OVER SPRING BREAK WHEN WE CLOSED FOR COVID AND NEVER CAME BACK, NORTHFORK CLOSED ITS DOORS AND THOSE STUDENTS WERE DISPERSED TO OTHER RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES.
AND IT NO LONGER SERVES STUDENTS WHO ARE OF SCHOOL AGE IT SERVES ADULTS NOW.
AND SO THAT IS KIND OF THAT CONTINUUM OF SERVICES.
AND CIRCLING BACK TO OUR PRIMARY GOAL, WE WANTED TO COMPLY WITH THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND OFFER ALL OF OUR STUDENTS A FULL RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS TO A TYPICAL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO LET THE TEAM TAKE OVER AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE PICKED THE CAMPUSES TO RELOCATE THIS PROGRAM TO.
AND WHAT I NEGLECTED TO SAY AS WELL, WE MOVE PROGRAMS FREQUENTLY.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE A LIFE SKILLS UNIT AND MAYBE THE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THAT UNIT THE FOLLOWING YEAR COME FROM A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SO WE ARE BETTER SERVED BY HAVING THOSE KIDS SERVED AT A DIFFERENT CAMPUS.
EVERY YEAR, SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS CHANGE WHERE THEIR CAMPUSES THAT THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FBE PROGRAM.
IT HAS MOVED TO BE DISPERSED AMONG NINE CAMPUSES SO THAT NO CAMPUS HAS A SIGNIFICANT STUDENT LOAD AND THAT THESE STUDENTS DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A RICH AND FULL SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
SUSANNA HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE WE SERVICING RIGHT NOW? THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWENTY EIGHT.
SO IN DETERMINING THE CAMPUSES WHERE FBE CLASSES WOULD BE LOCATED, THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE CONSIDERED SEVERAL THINGS CAMPUS LOCATION WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
ADMINISTRATION AND CAMPUS STAFF BEING WELCOMING TO THE STUDENTS.
PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE AT CAMPUSES, AVAILABLE SPACE FOR THE UNIT AND FOR A SENSORY ROOM OR SENSORY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE STUDENTS.
ROOM LAYOUT, DESIGN AND ABILITY TO MODIFY THE ROOM IN TIME FOR OPENING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND CENTRAL LOCATIONS ACROSS ALL THREE CITIES FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS.
SCHOOLS THAT WERE SELECTED THAT HAVE FBE UNITS FOR ALE FBE THERE AT WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY, SELLERS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LAKEVIEW CENTENNIAL.
FOR SELF-CONTAINED BEHAVIOR CLASSROOMS THEY ARE AT ETHRIDGE ELEMENTARY COYLE AND LYLES MIDDLE SCHOOL, SACHSE AND SOUTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
AND FOR OUR SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH CLASSES, WE HAVE ONE AT NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL AND
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ONE AT ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL.THE STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS INFORMATION IS TWENTY EIGHT TOTAL STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN FBE CLASSES, THERE ARE 24 MALES AND 4 FEMALES.
THERE ARE TEN STUDENTS THAT ARE WHITE, NINE STUDENTS THAT ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, SEVEN STUDENTS THAT ARE HISPANIC AND TWO ASIANS.
SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS WE ARE SERVING IN THE FBE CLASSROOMS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSURE THAT EACH CLASSROOM MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE THREE TO ONE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO IN THE PROGRAM DESIGN.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR TEACHER POSITIONS OPEN AND FIVE EDUCATIONAL AIDES AT SCHOOLS THAT ARE WORKING.
THE SCHOOLS ARE WORKING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COVER EACH OF THE TEACHER'S VACANCIES WITH CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS BY REDIRECTING FROM LESS HIGH NEEDED PROGRAMS OR FROM CLASSES WITH LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THESE STUDENTS IN THE FBE CLASS UNTIL NEW STAFF ARE HIRED AND TRAINED. TRAININGS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BEFORE SCHOOL BEGAN AND TRAINING FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF ON CAMPUSES WILL CONTINUE, ALONG WITH SUPPORT FOR THE CAMPUSES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS.
THE LEVEL SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO ALLOW STAFF AND STUDENTS TO MEASURE PROGRESS AND DETERMINE THEIR READINESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION SETTING, TRAINING AND HANDLE WITH CARE.
DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO FBE TEACHERS AND SECURITY OFFICERS.
TEACHERS HAVE ALSO RECEIVED TRAINING IN THE LEVEL SYSTEM SKILLS STREAMING, WHICH IS THE SOCIAL SKILLS CURRICULUM AND IN BEHAVIOR REPLACEMENT.
COUNSELORS HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND SCHEDULING FOR FBE STUDENTS.
PRINCIPALS AND AP'S HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING IN SAFETY PROTOCOLS, DE-ESCALATION AND WILL RECEIVE ONGOING TRAINING IN NVCI AND BEHAVIOR REPLACEMENT.
SPECIAL EDUCATION, BEHAVIOR SUPPORT COACHES HAVE RECEIVED TRAINING AND WILL BE CONTINUALLY TRAINING ON THESE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES TO PRINCIPALS, APS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS AND CLASSROOM AIDES.
THE DISTRICT BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST WILL ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING TO SCHOOLS WHEN NEEDED BASED UPON INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.
WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY CHALLENGES WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LEVEL SYSTEM.
TRAINING FOR CAMPUS BEGAN WITH THE ABC'S OF FBE.
THE FOLLOWING CAMPUSES HAVE ALREADY HAD THIS INTRODUCTORY TRAINING COYLE LYLES AND NORTH GARLAND. THE OTHER SCHOOLS TRAININGS ARE BEING SET UP FOR THE GENERAL EDUCATION STAFF.
THESE ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, GISD SECURITY OFFICERS ARE DESIGNATED AS ADDITIONAL ON-CALL RESPONSE SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED SAFETY PLANS THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER WERE DEVELOPED AND TRAINED ON AT CAMPUSES.
SRO'S WILL BE TRAINED IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH THESE STUDENTS AND INDIVIDUAL SAFETY PLANS BY LIEUTENANT BRUMMAGE, WHO SERVED AT PAC AND HAS WORKED WITH THESE STUDENTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
WE BUILT A NEW WALL AT SELLERS MIDDLE SCHOOL TO CREATE A CENTURY ROOM AND THE COST OF THAT WALL WAS NINE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLARS AND TWENTY FOUR CENTS.
CAMERAS WILL BE PLACED IN ALL OF THESE CLASSROOMS AT A COST OF NINETEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDES INSTALLATION.
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ALSO SAFETY FIRST LEVEL HANDLED BLOCKS HAD BEEN PURCHASED FOR EACH CLASSROOM AT A COST OF ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY DOLLARS.THE IMPACT THAT PLACING FBE CLASSES ON GENERAL EDUCATION CAMPUSES WILL BE ALLOWING A POSITIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN AN INCREASED AWARENESS OF DIFFERENTLY ABLED PEERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS MODELS OF PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
FBE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSES WITH SUPPORT FROM STAFF AND GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS MAY ALSO OBSERVE INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS BY STUDENTS SERVED IN FBE. THE GREATEST IMPACT FOR ALL STUDENTS IS THAT WE ARE NOW IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW AND ARE PROVIDING APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCLUSION FOR ALL STUDENTS.
MR. BEACH. SO WE'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL A WEEK AND A HALF.
HOW DID THE ADJUSTMENT GO? THE ADJUSTMENT IS CONTINUING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT IT HAS BEEN VERY WELL RECEIVED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
I UNDERSTAND A COUPLE OF THE STUDENTS ARE ONE MAYBE MAKING THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND AT ONE PARTICULAR SCHOOL AND ONE MAY BE MAKING A BASKETBALL TEAM AT ANOTHER.
AMAZINGLY SO THAT IS TRUE WITHIN A WEEK.
WE'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL SIX DAYS.
OK. ALSO, THE SCHOOLS LISTED, THOSE ARE THE 10 SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING THE CAMERAS, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THESE 9 ARE PART OF THE LIST IN YOUR PACKET OF ALL THE CAMERAS ARE FOR ALL OF THE SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS THAT MEET THE CRITERIA.
OK. SO ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT, ABC, ALE AND BA AND ELEMENTARY THAT MEET THOSE AND THEN ALE AT SECONDARY.
YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL FACILITY OF WHERE THE PAC IS LOCATED, WHAT'S GOING TO COME OF THAT? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THAT. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER THAT TO.
WE HAVE, IN THE SHORT TERM, CONVERTED IT TO STORAGE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND OTHER ITEMS. AS A DISTRICT OUR SIZE, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH STORAGE SPACE.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FOR EVEN PLANS FOR VIRTUAL SCHOOL.
IF THAT COMES INTO PLAY TO THE HARRIS HILL RENOVATION RELOCATION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HOUSE ALL DEPARTMENTS AND PERSONNEL SOMEWHERE DURING THAT TIME FRAME BECAUSE THOSE PLANS ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT WOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS OF LONG TERM OF POTENTIAL SUPPORTING OUR VIRTUAL SCHOOL IF THAT IS PASSED AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL TO FUND AND SUPPORT AND BE ACCREDITED OR ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT THE SHORT TERM, THAT ANSWERS THAT LONG TERM, AS WE PROGRESS WITH ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE SPECIAL SESSION, THAT WOULD DRIVE THAT LONG TERM PLANNING EVEN TO THE ASPECT OF POTENTIALLY WITH CURRENT DEPARTMENTS OF SECURITY OR EVEN OUR EMPLOYEE CLINIC BEING MOVED TO THAT LOCATION THROUGH SOME RENOVATION AND NEEDS AND SERVING OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU. ON YOUR TRAINING AND SAFETY PLAN, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GROUPS THAT WERE TRAINED IN ALL OF THE TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH.
WHEN DID THAT ALL TAKE PLACE? IN THE SUMMER.
OKAY. BEFORE DR. GUILLORY LEFT, HE TRAINED ON CAMPUSES WITH THOSE SAFETY PLANS.
AND THEN THE COUNSELORS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE PROGRAM HAVE GONE BACK AND MET WITH THEM AGAIN, ALONG WITH MS. WEST, AND WE WILL CONTINUALLY BE UPDATING THOSE SAFETY PLANS BECAUSE KIDS CHANGE AND CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE.
AND AS THEY BECOME LESS RESTRICTIVE, THOSE PLANS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AND ADDRESSED AGAIN. SO IT WASN'T A ONE SHOT THING, AND IT CAN'T BE BECAUSE EVERY STEP THOSE STUDENTS MAKE IN BECOMING MORE IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION POPULATION, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLAN IN CASE SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT. AND THEN AS IF THE GOAL IS INTEGRATION INTO A GEN ED CLASSROOM, WHAT KIND OF TRAINING ARE OUR GEN ED TEACHERS GETTING SORT OF TO MATCH OR ALONG THE TIMELINES OF THESE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS AS THEY'RE HAPPENING?
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SO THE FIRST THING IS THE ABCS OF FBE THAT'S THE FIRST TRAINING THAT WE'RE DOING FOR THEM. AND THEN AS WE ARE REACHING OUT TO SPECIFIC TEACHERS, SO IF I'M PLACED IN A FIRST PERIOD CLASS WITH MS. WEST, THEN WE WILL BE DOING INDIVIDUALIZED TRAININGS WITH HER BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAVE FOR THE STUDENT.AND IT'LL BE VERY INDIVIDUALIZED.
IT WILL COVER THE SAFETY PLAN.
IT WILL COVER THEIR IEP, IT WILL COVER ANY OTHER NEEDS AND IT WILL COVER WHAT DO WE DO IN CASE THE STAFF MEMBER WERE TO GET HURT WHILE THEY'RE IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE THEY WILL ALWAYS BEGIN WITH A STAFF PERSON AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM 4C, IT'S A MONTHLY GOAL PROGRESS.
ALIGNING ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN, TEXAS COVID LEARNING ACCELERATION SUPPORTS AND BENCHMARKING. DR.
CHAIRMAN SELDERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, TRUSTEES, DR.
TONIGHT. THIS MORNING, WE ARE BRINGING YOU THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF MONTHLY GOAL PROGRESS UPDATES RELATED TO OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN PRESENTED TO YOU IN THE SPRING.
OUR FOCUS TONIGHT WILL BE ON THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN TCLAS AND OUR BENCHMARKING SCHEDULE.
AS A REMINDER, THE THEME FOR 2021 2022 SCHOOL YEAR IS A HYPER FOCUS ON ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.
WE KNOW THAT COVID HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING, AND WE ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO CREATE SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS.
PART OF THAT WORK INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING PIECES.
OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN CREATED TO ADDRESS THE STUDENT ACADEMIC GAPS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
THE TEXAS COVID LEARNING ACCELERATION, SUPPORT OR TCLAS WHICH IS THE TEA GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT PROVIDES MONEY AND OTHER RESOURCES TO HELP DISTRICTS FOCUSED ON STUDENT LEARNING ACCELERATION.
AND OUR BENCHMARKING, WHICH IS OUR WAY OF MEASURING INTENDED STUDENT OUTCOMES AS WE CONTINUE TO HYPER FOCUS ON STUDENT LEARNING.
OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN IS FOUNDED ON A SET OF SHARED BELIEFS ABOUT TEACHING, LEARNING STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES.
IN ADDITION, THE PLAN INCLUDES A SET OF NON-NEGOTIABLES REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MEET OUR INTENDED STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES, INCLUDING ACCOUNTABILITY, CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING.
THIS PLAN FOCUSES ON FOUR KEY AREAS, AS REPRESENTED WITH THE FOUR ICONS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND INCLUDE PRE-K LITERACY, PRE-K EIGHT MATH AND, OF COURSE, SUCCESS AND CCMR OUTCOMES.
WITHIN THIS PLAN, WE'VE OUTLINED AND COMMITTED TO SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS ACADEMIC NEEDS, WHICH CAN BE SYNTHESIZED AS TEACHER TRAINING, STUDENTS SCHEDULING, AGGRESSIVE PERFORMANCE MONITORING, CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND PLAN SUSTAINABILITY.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL FOR EACH AREA OF FOCUS WITHIN THIS PLAN IS TO INCREASE STUDENT GROWTH AND ON GRADE LEVEL PERFORMANCE.
THIS SUMMER, AFTER OUR TEAM PUT TOGETHER OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN TO TEA RELEASED INFORMATION ON THE TEXAS COVID LEARNING ACCELERATION SUPPORTS OR TCLAS AGAIN A GRANT OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO DISTRICTS TO ALLOW THEM TO FOCUS ADDITIONAL EFFORTS ON ACADEMIC RECOVERY AND ACCELERATION.
SO DR. HILL IS GOING TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION ON HOW TCLAS WILL BE IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION WORK.
CADDELL MENTIONED, TCLAS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR DISTRICT TO ACCESS SOME ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AND STATE RELIEF FUNDS.
WE SPOKE EARLIER THIS SUMMER IN JUNE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INTRODUCTION TO THE TCLAS GRANT. AND WE SPOKE AT THAT TIME.
TEA WAS REALLY FOCUSING ON HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND CAMPUS SUPPORT AND LITERACY AND MATH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY APPEALED TO US KNOWING THAT OUR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT GAPS ARE HEAVILY FOCUSED IN THOSE TWO AREAS.
AS THE SUMMER PROGRESSED AND THEY CONTINUED BUILDING OUT THE GRANT, THEY MADE THE DECISION TO INCORPORATE MANY OTHER TEA INITIATIVES UNDER THIS ONE UMBRELLA IN TCLAS.
RESULTING IN A SINGLE ONE POINT FOUR BILLION DOLLAR GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE GRANT ITSELF CONSISTS OF 10 DECISIONS AND IS UNLIKE TRADITIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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IN THAT IT'S NOT BASED ON A FORMULA AND IT'S NOT A COMPETITIVE GRANT.IT'S MORE OF AN OPT IN MODEL FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IT TAKES AWAY THE PREVIOUS, I GUESS, FOR A LOT OF GRANTS COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER TO SEE WHO WOULD WIN FUNDING.
THEY WANT SCHOOLS TO HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED ALIGNED TO THESE 10 DECISIONS.
AND LOOKING AT THIS GRANT THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN AND SUPPORTING THE WORK OF CLOSING THE GAPS AT OUR CAMPUSES MEANS THAT GARLAND ISD IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR EIGHT OUT OF THE TEN DECISIONS.
THE TWO DECISIONS THAT WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ARE FOCUSED ON A CALENDAR REDESIGN, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL DAY SCHOOL YEAR AND STRONG SUMMER START, BOTH OF WHICH WE LAUNCHED LAST SUMMER. THANKS TO THE FORWARD THINKING AND QUICK ACTION OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT IN SHORT.
AND SO NOW THE REST OF THE STATE IS STRUGGLING TO CATCH UP TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CAPTURE ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THEIR STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THE DECISIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE JUST GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL BOARD PACKET. BUT THEY FOCUS ON SEVERAL THINGS, INCLUDING STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SO THE RESILIENT SCHOOL SUPPORT PROGRAM IS SOMETHING WE ALREADY PARTICIPATE IN.
ITS SUPPORT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY ON TRACK WITH OUR DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
SO THIS GRANT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THAT WORK THROUGH THE YEAR 2024.
THE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN OF PREVIOUSLY FOR GRADES, KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE IN LITERACY AND MATH AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND INITIATIVES THAT WE WERE ALREADY WORKING ON AND BRING THEM TOGETHER UNDER THIS ONE UMBRELLA, INCLUDING OUR MATH INNOVATION ZONE, BLENDED LEARNING GRANTS THAT WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT IN THE PAST AS WELL TOO.
THE ADOPTION OF THESE NEW HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR THOSE LITERACY AND MATH INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT COACHES AT OUR HIGHEST NEED ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
THAT WILL NOT JUST FOCUS ON NEW RESOURCES, BUT ALSO HELPING OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS INCORPORATE ALL THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN.
DECISION FOR THE TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE TEACHER VACANCY ISSUES THAT ARE REALLY A HUGE CONCERN STATEWIDE, NOT JUST IN GARLAND ISD AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
AND IT'S GOING TO INCENTIVIZE PARAPROFESSIONALS TO GET NOT ONLY A BACHELOR'S DEGREE BUT ALSO THEIR TEACHING CERTIFICATE WITHIN THE HOPES THAT THEY WILL THEN SERVE IN OUR GARLAND ISD CLASSROOMS, AS WELL AS INCENTIVIZE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COURSES THAT WE ALREADY OFFER AT ALL SEVEN OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGH BOTH OUR P-TECH AND OUR DUAL CREDIT AND NON DUAL CREDIT PATHWAYS TO GROW OUR OWN STUDENTS INTO TEACHERS.
THE REMAINING FOUR DECISIONS, DECISION 5 THROUGH 10, HOWEVER, WE ARE MISSING A COUPLE BECAUSE WE ARE OPTING OUT OF DECISION SEVEN AND EIGHT BECAUSE THEY DON'T APPLY TO US, ALSO HAVE A COMMON THEME OF STRENGTHENING OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF TEACHERS STANDING IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS AS THEY WORK TO ACCELERATE THEIR LEARNING AND THE PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTIONS THEY RECEIVE IN OUR CLASSROOM IS THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE AND PERSONALIZED TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.
SO THE TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM IS ONE WE'RE ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT ALIGNING TO ALSO THAT GROWING YOUR OWN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MOST HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS COMING INTO GARLAND CLASSROOMS RATHER THAN GOING INTO OTHER DISTRICT CLASSROOMS. SO THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM IS AN EXPANSION OF WHAT WE WOULD TRADITIONALLY KNOW AS STUDENT TEACHING. SO RIGHT NOW, TEACHERS WHO GO THROUGH EITHER COLLEGIATE TEACHER PROGRAMS OR EVEN SOME ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS SPEND TIME AS A STUDENT TEACHER.
TRADITIONALLY, THAT'S BEEN ONE SEMESTER.
A TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM THROUGH THE TCLAS GRANT WILL EXPAND THAT STUDENT TEACHING INTO A FULL YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO A PRE SERVICE TEACHER WORKING IN OUR CLASSROOMS, GETTING NOT ONLY MENTORSHIP AND SUPPORT FROM US AS A DISTRICT, BUT IS ALSO PUTTING ANOTHER SOON TO BE HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO DESPERATELY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
IT ALSO GIVES US SUPPORT TO HELP US GROW A SUSTAINABLE TEACHER RESIDENCY PROGRAM.
TCLAS ALSO INCLUDES TUTORING SUPPORT.
SO WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT OUR ESSER FUNDING AND WE KNOW THAT TUTORING IS MOST DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A HIGH IMPACT FOCUS FOR ALL OF US.
WE HAVE FUNDING IN ESSER TO PAY FOR TUTORS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL NOW WITH HOUSE BILL 4545. THIS IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING UP TO ABOUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OR FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
YES. FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH YEAR FOR THREE YEARS THROUGH TCLAS AS WELL.
THE LAST TWO ARE THE ONLY TWO DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT JUST OPT IN.
THESE ARE THE TWO DECISIONS THAT ACTUALLY DO PRIORITIZE SOME DISTRICTS OVER THE OTHER.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH YOUR BOARD NOTES, YOU SEE THAT THERE'S KIND OF AN ASTERISK NEXT TO THESE, THAT WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THESE ARE GUARANTEED FUNDED BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO FOCUS ON DISTRICTS THAT HAVEN'T IMPLEMENTED P-TECH OR ARE SMALLER OR RURAL DISTRICTS. SO THESE TWO ARE, HOWEVER, ARE MEANT TO EITHER START NEW P-TECH PROGRAMS OR GROW P-TECH PROGRAMS.
[02:25:02]
SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR P-TECH PROGRAMS HERE IN GARLAND ISD.AND THIS OPPORTUNITY HELPS US EXPAND THOSE COLLABORATIONS WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND HIGHER LEVEL EDUCATION PARTNERS AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE MOST HIGH QUALITY, INNOVATIVE PROGRAMING THAT'S GOING TO NOT ONLY ATTRACT STUDENTS IN THE GARLAND ISD, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO MEET THAT CCMR GOAL THAT'S OUTLINED IN THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN.
AND THE DECISION TOO IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH WHAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON, CALLED OUR SCHOOL ACTION FUND GRANT.
SO WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF THE APPLICATION AND WE'RE WAITING ON THE DECISION ON SCHOOL ACTION FUND, WHERE IT ALLOWS FOR US TO PROPOSE THE REDESIGN FOR A NEW SCHOOL MODEL FOR IDENTIFIED CAMPUSES.
SO THAT'S IN PROCESS THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF INNOVATION, TCLAS IS ALLOWING TO US TO SUPPLEMENT THAT AS WELL TOO.
SO TO EITHER INVITE DISTRICTS WHO DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL ACTION FUND TO START THE PROCESS OR POTENTIALLY ADD IN ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO DO THROUGH TCLAS. SO THROUGH SCHOOL ACTION FUND, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR SIX CAMPUSES TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THROUGH TCLAS IS TO ADD IN THREE ADDITIONAL CAMPUSES WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS A A, B OR C RATED CAMPUS BASED ON OUR 2019 RATING.
SO CAMPUSES THAT WE'VE ALREADY TARGETED AS NEEDING SOME EXTRA SUPPORT.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TYING IT BACK TO THAT BLENDED LEARNING GRANT THAT WE STARTED PRE COVID. SO WE ALREADY KNEW BLENDED LEARNING WAS ON THE ROADMAP FOR GARLAND ISD.
AND AS A REMINDER, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT LEARNING HAPPENS PARTIALLY AT HOME OR PARTIALLY AT SCHOOL. IT'S PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION THAT CAN HAPPEN WELL WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF OUR TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM, BUT IT'S SPECIFIC TO THE STUDENT AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEARNING GOALS. SO WE'VE TARGETED THREE SCHOOLS THAT ARE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN OUR TEA MATH INNOVATION ZONE BLENDED GRANT TO HOPEFULLY THEN WORK TOWARDS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, REDESIGNING THEM INTO FULL BLENDED LEARNING CAMPUSES.
AND THAT COVERS ALL OF OUR DECISIONS THAT WE ARE HOPING TO GET EXCELLENT NEWS ON IN EARLY SEPTEMBER IN REGARDS TO OUR FUNDING THROUGH THE TCLAS GRANTS.
AND THEN MS. JOYNER IS GOING TO TALK YOU THROUGH OUR BENCHMARKING DATA.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO MONITOR AND ASSESS WHETHER THESE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS ARE HELPING OUR STUDENTS MAKE THEIR ADEQUATE PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR ACHIEVEMENT GOALS? SO ON THIS SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT BENCHMARKING DATA POINTS THAT WE COLLECT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE HAVE FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS, CUMULATIVE ASSESSMENTS.
THESE ASSESSMENTS RANGE FROM TEACHER CREATED TO DISTRICT CREATED TO STATE REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS. AND ASSESSMENT DATA ISN'T THE ONLY THING THAT WE ANALYZE.
WE ANALYZE DATA THAT IS BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE.
WE WILL BE ADDING MONTHLY GOAL PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS TO ALL FUTURE DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AGENDAS. ANY DATA THAT IS COLLECTED THAT DOESN'T WARRANT A PRESENTATION WILL BE REPORTED TO YOU GUYS IN YOUR WEEKLY ACADEMIC INSIGHTS.
AND WHILE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR DASHBOARD PROJECT THAT WE WORKING ON.
SO IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR DATA AND ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS TEAM, WE ANTICIPATE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE DATA TO YOU ALL INTO OUR CAMPUS AND DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IN REAL TIME.
SO WHAT DO WE EXPECT THIS DATA TO REFLECT.
THESE STUDENT OUTCOMES, EXPECTATIONS ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN AND THE CURRENT BOARD GOALS.
SO, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THOSE FOUR FOCUS AREAS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SEEING GROWTH IN READING AND MATHEMATICS, STUDENT PERFORMANCE, IMPROVEMENT IN READING AND MATHEMATICS. ALSO LOOKING AT OUR END, OF COURSE, ASSESSMENTS FOR FIRST TIME TESTERS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO REALLY DIMINISH THE NUMBER OF RETESTERS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSING THAT EOC PERFORMANCE AT MEETS AND MASTERS, AND THEN THE BIG PUSH OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ALL CCMR READY.
BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK WITH ALL OF OUR DEDICATED STAFF.
WE KNOW THAT OUR HARDWORKING STAFF BELIEVE THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN ACHIEVE THEIR MAX POTENTIAL WITHOUT REGARD TO WHERE THEIR ZIP CODE IS.
SO BY EMBODYING OUR DISTRICT'S ACADEMIC BELIEFS AND COMMITTING TO THE NON-NEGOTIABLE OF OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN, WE WILL SEE THAT A ON THE BANNER WHEN WE GET OUR RATINGS.
SO OUR CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT STAFF WILL PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR ALL OF THE DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM WILL BE THE VITAL LINK BETWEEN CIA AND CLASSROOMS. MUCH OF THAT QUALITATIVE DATA THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER WILL BE COMING FROM THOSE CAMPUS WALK THROUGHS PERFORMED BY THESE ACADEMIC LEADERS.
AND THE FOUNDATION OF THIS PLAN IS OUR CAMPUS STAFF, OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF
[02:30:04]
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ACADEMIC NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS WHILE ENSURING THAT THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS ARE ALSO MET.ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS? MS. GRIFFIN, YES, EXCITING TIMES WHEN I SAW THE WORD MONTHLY AND WHEN I RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION, I WAS LIKE, REALLY? SO THAT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING TO WATCH AND UNDERSTAND THE DATA.
BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND, YOU MENTIONED THREE CAMPUSES TONIGHT FOR SOMETHING.
AND ALL THIS TERMINOLOGY IS IS BASICALLY NEW THAT ARE GOING TO BE USED FOR MS. HILL WAS TALKING AT THAT TIME.
THE THREE YOU SAID IT WAS GOING TO BE THREE SCHOOLS.
YES MA'AM. YOU DIDN'T SAY WHICH ONES, BUT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ACCELERATED PLAN AND THIS IS WHERE MY CONFUSION COMES IN.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WORKING HARD TRYING TO GET THE GRANTS.
BUT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN ON THE 15TH OF JUNE INSIDE THAT IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THERE.
SO IT WAS MORE THAN JUST THE DATA AND WHAT WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WITH ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT. YOU HAD A LIST OF PROPOSED PILOT CAMPUSES, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE PILOT CAMPUSES MEANT.
AND IT DOES SAY COMBINED STAAR READING AND MATH DATA AS IT RELATES FOR THESE THREE NEW ONES. AND I REALLY DON'T NECESSARILY WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN IT THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING.
OK, BECAUSE I'M READY. I CAN DO IT.
YOU MAY BE, BUT I'M NOT READY.
I KNOW. YES, MA'AM. BECAUSE WE GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO POINT TO.
WE COME AND WE BRING THE PLANS, WHICH ARE GOOD.
YOU ALL KNOW IT BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING WITH IT.
YOU KNOW THOSE CAMPUSES AND YOU KNOW THE DATA.
BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HELP US AS BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT DATA LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHERE WE SHOULD BE USING Y'ALL'S WORDS, HYPERFOCUSED AND SO MOVING FORWARD I THINK THAT'S THE CLARITY THAT WE BASICALLY NEED.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THESE EIGHT DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE ACCELERATION SUPPORT, IF WE CAN HAVE EXAMPLES OF THESE EIGHT AREAS AS THEY RELATE TO THESE PILOT CAMPUSES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, THEN I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT.
AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HELP CLARIFY WHEN YOU HAVE SOME TIME AND A RESTED BRAIN A LITTLE BIT TO ALL OF US TO MAYBE REVISIT THAT, I THINK WILL HELP CLARIFY IS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET IS AN INFO GRAPHIC THAT HAS MORE NOTES AND SPECIFIC DETAILS.
I READ ALL THAT OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO THE SHIFT IS WHEN WE TALKED IN JUNE, WE TALKED ABOUT PILOTING THAT SIX ELEMENTARY AND FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT PLAN TO LOOK MORE AT GRADE LEVELS DISTRICT WIDE.
SO I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP JUST CLARIFY THAT PIECE.
OKAY. AND THAT'S THE DEAL WHEN YOU ALL SWITCH AND YOU ALL ARE SWITCHING FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS. YES, MA'AM.
OK, BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
BUT YOU SEE, I'M STUCK BACK HERE ON WHAT I THOUGHT THE ACCELERATION PLAN WAS GOING TO BE LIKE. YES. BECAUSE I KEEP MY REPORTS AND THEN I REFER TO THEM WHEN I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THESE NEW PROGRAMS AND NEW SUPPORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO ONE OTHER JUST CLARIFYING NOTE IS THAT THE ACCELERATION PLAN IS FOR EVERY CAMPUS, EVERY GRADE LEVEL, EVERY STUDENT.
SO I THINK THE CONFUSION MIGHT BE IN WHAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AS FAR AS WHEN THE NEW MATERIALS WOULD BE PHASED IN IS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT DOING IT IN SMALLER GROUPS AND EXPANDING OUT. BUT YOU UNDERSTAND? YES, MA'AM. ABSOLUTELY.
YOU ALL WORK WITH IT EVERY DAY. ABSOLUTELY.
BUT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REPEAT WHAT OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN IS WE'RE GOING TO NEED THINGS.
YES MA'AM. I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, ALL OF US UNDERSTAND IT.
I'M NOT SAYING ANY OF US DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE, BUT JUST CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE KNOW, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
[02:35:01]
YES, ABSOLUTELY.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OF COURSE.
SO THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAD A VERY INTERESTING LAW THEY PASSED ALLOWING STUDENTS TO REPEAT GRADES OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, I BELIEVE, TO REPEAT COURSES.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANYTHING YET ON HOW MANY STUDENTS OR PARENTS ASKED THEIR STUDENTS OR REQUIRED THEIR STUDENTS TO DO THAT.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU COULD FURNISH US WITH THAT.
BUT HOW IS THAT NEW LAW GOING TO AFFECT SOME OF THESE COURSES AND SO WE HAVE POTENTIAL THIRD GRADERS.
WE'VE TESTED THEM IN THE PAST.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO TEST THEM AGAIN AS THIRD GRADERS AGAIN.
DO WE KNOW THE NUMBERS AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKING ABOUT? SO I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS FOR YOU ON THE AMOUNT OF PARENT REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THOSE FOR YOU AND PROVIDE THEM IN ACADEMIC INSIGHTS.
PART OF I DON'T THINK OUR NUMBERS MAY BE AS HIGH AS SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS, ONLY BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE STATUTE WAS WORDED IS THAT PARENTS HAD TO MAKE THAT REQUEST PRIOR TO THE START OF SCHOOL.
AND SO OUR FAMILIES BASICALLY HAD A WEEK TIME FRAME TO COMMUNICATE THAT REQUEST TO THE DISTRICT. SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE HUGE NUMBERS.
NOW, THE BILL DOES STIPULATE THAT RETENTION AT GRADES, I BELIEVE IT'S FOUR AND UP, IS ONLY A PARENT REQUEST FOR THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
NOW, GOING FORWARD, THAT LAW WILL STILL PERTAIN TO GRADES K THROUGH THREE.
AND SO WE MAY SEE SOME PARENT REQUESTS IN THE FUTURE.
WE WILL DEFINITELY GET THOSE NUMBERS.
WHAT IT MEANS, IT MEANS THE STUDENTS REPEATING THE GRADE OR THE COURSE AND THEY GET THE SAME INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM AS IF THEY WERE A FIRST TIME PARTICIPANT IN THAT.
BUT WE HAVE THAT PRIOR YEAR DATA THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPARE TO AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE SAME STUDENT AS THEY REPEAT.
THE OTHER THING I'M WONDERING ABOUT IS THE INFORMATION NOW ABOUT THAT LAW WAS NOT VERY WELL CIRCULATED AT ALL.
NOW YOU'RE STARTING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT IN NEWSPAPERS.
TWO DIFFERENT RADIO PROGRAMS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.
I WONDER IF THERE ARE SOME OF OUR PARENTS WHO WERE SAYING, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT AND I WOULD HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE.
I WONDER IF YOU'RE HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
AND LET'S SAY A PARENT COMES TO YOU NEXT WEEK AND SAID, I REALLY THINK MY SON OR DAUGHTER NEEDS TO REPEAT THAT GRADE.
WHAT WOULD WE DO? WELL, PER THE STATUTE, YOU HAVE TO NOTIFY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BEFORE THE START OF SCHOOL FOR THAT DECISION.
OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD RETENTION FOR YEARS.
THIS IS NOT NEW JUST BECAUSE THIS LEGISLATION PASSED.
AND SO IF A PARENT WAS REAL, FELT THAT STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
I THINK A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CAMPUS LEADERSHIP AND THE PARENT TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD.
WELL, AS OUR LEGISLATURE MAY HAVE PASSED THAT LAW THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH OUT THERE THAT INDICATES THAT RETENTION IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE PARENTS WHO DO IT FOR OTHER REASONS.
ATHLETIC REASONS IS ONE CERTAINLY WE KNOW THAT THE OLDER CHILD WITH THE YOUNGER CHILDREN IN THE YOUNGER GRADE, MORE ADVANCED PHYSICALLY ALSO MAY BE GETTING ADDITIONAL YEARS OF EDUCATION, MAY HELP LATER ON.
I AGREE THE END RESULTS ARE NOT GOOD.
BUT YES. BUT THE DIFFERENCE, I THINK, THIS TIME IS IF THE PARENT REQUESTED, IT'S WELL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AUTOMATIC NOW, MAYBE NOT, CORRECT? YES, THAT IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE.
IN PRIOR YEARS, RETENTION WAS A CONVERSATION AND A DECISION MADE JOINTLY BY THE SCHOOL AND THE PARENTS.
BUT UNDER THIS BILL, IF A PARENT REQUESTED THAT IS GRANTED.
AND PRIOR TO THE START OF SCHOOL.
YOU'LL GET US SOME NUMBERS AT SOME POINT.
YES, WE WILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.
GOOD MORNING. ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT TO MOVE TO ITEM FIVE ACTION ITEMS, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO COME BEFORE US AT THE AUGUST 24TH BOARD MEETING.
[V. Action Items]
THE FIRST ONE IS ACTION ITEM A FOR CONSIDERATION IS CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, CAMERA INSTALLATION AND ACTIVATION.GOOD MORNING. COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN SELDERS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, TRUSTEES AND DR.
[02:40:05]
LOPEZ. THIS MORNING, I'M REQUESTING TO ACTIVATE CAMERAS IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS. THE REASON FOR THIS REQUEST IS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR STUDENTS.THE CAMERAS WILL PROVIDE EVIDENCE IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED OCCURS IN THE CLASSROOMS, AND THE CAMERAS ALSO WILL PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND TO OUR TEACHERS, TO OUR EDUCATIONAL AIDES WHEN AN INCIDENT OCCURS AND ALSO TO OUR PARENTS.
THERE WILL BE A HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN CAMERAS ADDED AT 43 SCHOOLS IN 87 CLASSROOMS. THE JULY RESOLUTION REQUEST THAT WAS APPROVED ALLOWED FOR THE EXISTING CAMERAS IN CLASSROOMS TO BE ACTIVATED.
THIS RESOLUTION THAT IS BEING REQUESTED TO BE APPROVED WILL ALLOW THE CAMERAS THAT WILL BE INSTALLED IN SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS TO BE ACTIVATED.
AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE WILL ONLY HAVE TO DO ONE RESOLUTION TO HAVE THAT DONE.
I REQUEST THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE APPROVED TO ACTIVATE ALL THE CAMERAS IN THE SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS AS IDENTIFIED ON THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE BOARD PACKET. ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. MILLER. WITH RESPECT TO THE ACTIVATION OF THE CAMERAS, DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ON OR ARE THEY TURNED ON AND OFF OR AND THEN HOW LONG IS THE DATA OR HOW LONG IS THAT STUFF SAVED? SO THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ON THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THE LAW TELLS US THAT WE HAVE TO TURN THEM OFF AND WE HAVE TO GIVE NOTICE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING TO YOU GUYS.
AND GETTING THE RESOLUTION AND TURNING THEM ON WAS THE EASIEST WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THERE ARE SOME STEPS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEY CAN BE TURNED ON.
AND THEN THE INFORMATION, VIDEO AND AUDIO FOR 90 DAYS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE SECOND ACTION ITEM THAT'S GOING TO COME BEFORE US IS ITEM B CONSIDER APPROVAL OF T-TEST APPRAISAL CALENDAR FOR 2021 2022.
YES. AND YOU KNOW HOW I DO THIS WHEN IT'S LAST I AM EXPEDITIOUS.
[LAUGHTER] THIS CALENDAR IS SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED BY OUR BOARD POLICY.
WE HAVE A CALENDAR THAT IS USED FOR OUR TEACHER APPRAISAL SYSTEM, THE TEXAS TEACHER EVALUATION AND SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT IS USED TO DO APPRAISALS FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.
THE CALENDAR BEFORE YOU REPRESENTS DATES THAT INCLUDE EXCLUSION OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AFTER ORIENTATION HAS BEEN CONDUCTED FOR A TEACHER.
IT ALSO EXCLUDES CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS ON THE DAY BEFORE A STUDENT HOLIDAY, AND IT INDICATES THE LAST DAY UPON WHICH PRINCIPALS AND APPRAISERS CAN HOLD THEIR CONFERENCES, THEIR SUMMATIVE CONFERENCES EACH YEAR.
AND THOSE ARE THE DATES THAT YOU WILL SEE ON YOUR CALENDAR.
BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE MS. BROWN, AN AWARD FOR PATIENCE AND FOR STICK TO ITNESS, IF THAT'S A WORD.
THANK YOU FOR WAITING TO THE VERY END.
AND I KNOW IT'S LATE, WHAT TIME IS 1:00? 12:54.
BOARD MEMBERS. I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY OTHER ITEMS. MOVE FOR ADJOURNMENT.
MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 12:54.
WOO HOO.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.