Dear Jourdanton ISD Community,
I know the closure of schools is not easy for many of you. Logistics and schedules are hard to navigate right now. We are in unprecedented territory, and developments as they relate to the coronavirus (COVID-19) are evolving daily.
I want to be as transparent as possible with you, and I want to make decisions that will give families as much time as possible to plan. Jourdanton ISD will remain closed an additional two weeks. Effectively, this will close campus operations through April 3rd. JISD hopes to re-open on April 6th.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending that for the next eight weeks, organizers cancel all gatherings that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States. This recommendation does not apply to the day-to-day operation of organizations like schools or businesses. However, this recommendation is certainly something that will weigh into our decision on whether to extend our closure of JISDD schools beyond April 6th. We are not there yet – but, the reality of the situation is that we need to prepare for a potential long-term closure.
There are field trips, prom, extra-curricular activities etc. scheduled during this time of closure that I am sorry to say are postponed or cancelled. As far as graduation ceremonies, a decision cannot be made yet. It’s too early to determine how important events may be modified in the event of a prolonged closure.
In the meantime, we will continue to offer free, curbside to-go meals for students at the ECC Cafeteria and the Christine Baptist Church.
This week, principals are meeting to make plans for distance learning. Beginning next week, we will begin at-home instruction. As part of that plan, we will have different options for different campuses regarding technology and/or paper packets. It’s important that we provide a continuity of education for our students, and we are dedicated to making sure that happens. This will be communicated to you by Friday, March 20th via the JISD webpage. Until that time, you can access age appropriate learning resources by going to the JISD homepage (jourdantonisd.net) and clicking on “Instructional Resources”.
We remain in constant communication with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) who continues to work with the Office of the Governor, Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to coordinate and plan the state’s response to COVID-19. We are also in contact with our local health officials and other school districts as well.
My commitment to you is that when decisions are made, I will share them with you as quickly as I can. I know this is a time of extreme uncertainty, and I will try to ease your concerns with factual, up-to-date information.
Sincerely,
Theresa McAllister, Jourdanton ISD Superintendent