Our communications team will soon provide parents with a video that gives details about and illustrates each instructional model. It will include specific information about safety. If you have additional questions, please email them to customerservice@gpisd.org, and we will work to provide answers. This webpage is constantly updated with new questions and answers.

According to the current Texas Education Agency guidelines, parents must commit to a learning format two weeks prior to the start of school at the latest. This choice is to remain in place for an entire grading period. GPISD will work to accommodate the changing needs of our families. Parents will be able to make changes in programming at the end of each nine-week grading period.

As always, GPISD will work to provide an exceptional educational experience in any scenario.

No. That is not an option, according to the TEA. Parents will have the option to select in-person instruction or virtual.

This has not been determined. We will know more once we see how many families select online classes over in-person.

Those decisions will be determined based on student enrollment in virtual or in-person student need. All GPISD teachers and staff, both virtual teachers and in-person, will report to a GPISD campus and utilize GPISD internet and instructional materials to lead instruction, whether virtual or in-person instruction.

Parents will be able to make the choice for online virtual school or in-person school, beginning July 14, 2020. All parents will be required to select which method of schooling when they register online. GPISD welcomes all returning students to register for the 2020-2021 school year beginning July 14, 2020. All students new to GPISD may begin enrolling that day as well.

We are awaiting guidance from the Texas Education Agency on social distancing requirements in classrooms, gymnasiums, auditoriums, playgrounds, and more.

We will be able to provide instruction to all students in whichever format their families choose. We will also meet or exceed the requirements and mandates regarding social distancing as well as health and hygiene protocols.

Lunch protocols will be finalized next week and communicated to parents soon after. The lunch procedures will be based on input from campus principals, the Child Nutrition department, and district medical officials.

Yes, transportation will be provided for all who qualify. Bus transportation is provided for all special needs students when required by the student’s ARD and IEP.

General education students will be provided transportation, if eligible from the designated transportation areas.

As teachers account for the students through remote attendance – the student is marked Remote Asynchronous - Present.

The parent will see a “V” in Family Access Attendance for “Virtually Present.”

This is different from the past when parents only saw an attendance mark if the student was absent.  Parents will now see an attendance mark of “V” when the student is Virtually Present.

Direct instruction will be delivered by highly qualified teachers via live ZOOM video, pre-recorded instruction, and/or instructional guided lessons through Canvas or Google Classroom, based on the student’s grade. Direct instruction will be provided by teachers prior to all assignments via a set daily schedule for the class.

No. You will not lose your spot. It is the desire of our Superintendent, Board and staff that all our families continue to choose GPISD.

Options are being explored for providing meals to qualified students who select virtual school.

Yes, at this time the Texas Department of State Health Services has not waived the vaccine requirements for students.

Yes. That is our expectation. All students will all follow the same scope and sequence, assessment calendar, and TEKS-based instruction regardless of the setting they choose (in-person or asynchronous).

Principals and staff are working on this schedule currently. You can expect a regular class schedule with “brain breaks” built in over the course of a normal school day. Here are a few more details:

Your child will have a combination of the following learning approaches:

Direct Instruction:

Direct instruction through the Zoom platform

Prerecorded instructional videos

Online assignments that students will access either through Canvas or Google Classroom, according to their grade level.

Teacher Office Hours

Teachers will hold office hours during set periods throughout the day. This will allow students to contact teachers for the support they need to complete their assignments.

Yes, it will be more structured. The asynchronous model will be presented in a structured format that follows a set schedule for a typical school day.

Any individuals who themselves either: (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19; or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the conditions listed below  for campus re-entry have been met:

In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:

• at least one day (24 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
• the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
• at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above.

If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) obtain a PCR test at an approved testing location (https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/) that comes back negative for COVID-19.

Our custodial team will only use chemicals that are approved for use in school settings. These include hospital-grade aerosol cleansers that will be used in our buildings, in addition to the cleaning products that are already in use in our regular cleaning protocols. Sanitizing our school buildings for students and staff safety is a top priority for GPISD.

Facilities Cleaning

The safety of our employees and students are our first priority.  Upon reopening, all schools will have been completely cleaned and disinfected and we will continue to adhere to all necessary safety precautions.  In addition to the deep cleaning of the office and school before employees and students return, the cleaning steps outlined below will be taken to disinfect workplace surfaces, chairs, tables, etc. to protect employees/students and reduce the risk of spread of infection.  We will direct employees to maintain this safety standard by continuously cleaning and disinfecting based on the frequency stated below:

Each site will be 100% disinfected prior to anyone returning to work.

General Disinfection Measures Protocol

• All custodial staff members will be required to use Personal Protective Equipment the entire workday; Custodial staff members will wear disposable gloves to clean and disinfect, in addition to wearing face masks.
• Additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required based on the cleaning/disinfectant products being used and whether there is a risk of splash.
• Hand sanitizers will be stocked daily in classrooms and common areas and throughout the campus.
• Cleaning supplies readily available in common areas for proper cleaning/disinfecting.
• High touch surfaces will be disinfected throughout the day – including tables in common areas, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, handrails, push bars, toilets, faucets, sinks etc.
• Student desks, employee desks, phones and keyboards will be cleaned at the end of the school day.
• Restrooms will be cleaned/disinfected a minimum of twice a day, following CDC guidelines.
• Common areas will be cleaned/disinfected a minimum of two times daily.
• Cleaning and restroom checklist to be completed by custodial staff and monitored by supervisors.
• At the end of each school day, all classrooms and offices will be deep cleaned using EPA-registered disinfectants.

Deep Cleaning And Disinfection Protocol

Deep cleaning is triggered when an active employee or student is identified as positive for COVID 19 based on testing.  Deep cleaning will be performed as soon as the confirmation of a positive test.  While the scope of deep cleaning is presumed to be the full site, sites may reduce the footprint to be deep cleaned if there is sufficient rationale to do so, and they gain consensus of the superintendent and the COVID19 Crisis Team. 

Daily Health Screenings for Students:

While a daily screening for symptoms should be completed each morning before coming to school, the following protocols will be implemented regarding screening for temperature upon arrival at the campus:

• All individuals should be screened at home before coming into the school for fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste or smell, congestion and runny nose or shortness of breath.
• Students with a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will not be permitted to stay in school. 
• Identified sick persons will be isolated immediately and sent home as soon as possible.
• Parents should not enter the facility unless arranged by an administrator.  Students will be escorted outside the building and delivered to a verified custodian.  

Student or Staff Displaying COVID-19 Symptoms on Campus

• When a student has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the student will be moved to an isolation room, where the school nurse will provide a clinical assessment to determine if it is necessary to send the child home.
• Students who are ill will be separated from their peers and should be picked up within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time the campus contacted the student’s parent/guardian.
• If the nurse determines that the child should be sent home, other students will be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus and the room will not be accessed until disinfecting is complete. 
• District communication will be provided to the parents of students who came in contact with a COVID-19 positive student or staff member.  
• Staff members displaying COVID-19 symptoms will follow district protocols including isolation from students and other staff members.

We will implement increased signage around campuses promoting disease mitigation strategies, increased cleaning and sanitation practices, as well as frequent reminders of hand hygiene and social distancing.

We have ordered plexiglass shields for use in high traffic areas such as front office reception and other public areas.  In addition, we are providing clear face shields for staff and students. We will update this information as it becomes available.

Our full safety and reopening plan must be submitted to TEA and to Dallas County for approval. It will also be posted online, once approved. GPISD will comply with all health and safety recommendations established by the health department and Texas Education Agency.

Safety guidelines have been developed for conducting all on-campus workouts, rehearsals, and practices. The district will continue to follow all guidelines provided by UIL, TEA, and the state.

While a daily screening for symptoms should be completed each morning before coming to school, the following protocols will be implemented regarding screening for temperature upon arrival at the campus:

• All individuals should be screened at home before coming into the school for fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste or smell, congestion and runny nose or shortness of breath.
• Students with a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will not be permitted to stay in school. 
• Identified sick persons will be isolated immediately and sent home as soon as possible.
• Parents should not enter the facility unless arranged by an administrator.  Students will be escorted outside the building and delivered to a verified custodian.  

District staff members will wear masks when in the presence of students or other staff members.  They may also choose to wear a clear shield in addition to the mask. The CDC does not currently recommend the use of face shields as a substitute for a face mask. 

Students in grades PreK – 12 will wear masks when in the presence of students or staff members. They may also choose to wear a clear shield in addition to the mask. The CDC does not currently recommend the use of face shields as a substitute for a face mask. 

Students in grades PK – 2 will wear clear shields in classrooms and will wear masks in areas/times that social distancing will be difficult (ie. arrival, dismissal, restroom breaks, transitions in hallways.)

Campus principals and athletics/fine arts staff will work to provide PE, music, and art experiences in a way that keeps all students safe.

Yes, students who select virtual school may participate in extracurricular activities if they meet all UIL requirements, are enrolled in the applicable extracurricular course section, and are able to attend on-campus practices and competitions. Students must have their own transportation to and from practices, rehearsals, etc.

Technology devices will be distributed from students’ home campuses. Date and time of this distribution is to be determined.

Contact your campus for dates and times of technology distribution beginning August 10, 2020.

During online registration there will be an opportunity for you to indicate a need. GPISD is investigating the best way to assist families in accessing online learning platforms and lessons via the internet.