To Our Seminole ISD Families,
During this challenging time, Seminole ISD remains committed to the education of your child. During the week of March 23-27, the focus will be on two things: connecting with our families and transitioning to distance learning. This will be a work in process. Please be patient with us. Although it may feel overwhelming, please know that we are here to help. We plan to start very simple and provide a good deal of grace. We ask the same in return from our parents. With all of us working together, we will deliver success to our students. Remember, we are ONE TRIBE!
Seminole ISD realizes that you may have a lot of questions and we want to try to answer as many as we can at this time. It is our goal to remain in frequent communication with our families, as we navigate new territory together. Below is the most pressing information we have for our families at this time:
7. School Activities - All school activities involving Seminole ISD students, including University Interscholastic League sanctioned events, have been suspended during the district’s facility closure.
During this challenging time, Seminole ISD remains committed to the education of your child. During the week of March 23-27, the focus will be on two things: connecting with our families and transitioning to distance learning. This will be a work in process. Please be patient with us. Although it may feel overwhelming, please know that we are here to help. We plan to start very simple and provide a good deal of grace. We ask the same in return from our parents. With all of us working together, we will deliver success to our students. Remember, we are ONE TRIBE!
Seminole ISD realizes that you may have a lot of questions and we want to try to answer as many as we can at this time. It is our goal to remain in frequent communication with our families, as we navigate new territory together. Below is the most pressing information we have for our families at this time:
1. Monday's Important Call - Teaching staff will be calling each home to conduct an important survey on Monday, March 23rd. These calls are intended to check on your child, survey the current internet capabilities and ask if you’ll be utilizing our meal service. Please note: our staff may be calling from a number you may not recognize or is identified as No Caller ID. Please take the phone call and use this opportunity to visit with our staff.
2. Distance Learning - Seminole ISD campuses will begin to transition to a distance learning model.
- Phase 1: Transition
- Phase 1 of this new format of learning will be Monday, March 23rd through Friday, March 27th. Students can expect good communication, but limited instruction during this time. We want to distribute teaching materials to you and allow teachers to adequately prepare for Phase 2.
- Phase 2: Implementation
- The goal is to begin Phase 2 on Monday, March 30th.
- Teachers will begin delivering more in-depth instruction to our students.
- All student attendance/performance will continue to be documented in PowerSchool.
- To provide consistency across the district, our staff will be utilizing Zoom Video Conferencing. Zoom Meeting (New to Zoom? Follow our quick How-To guide to get up and running!)
3. Distribution of Electronic Devices and Supplies - Please look for correspondence from campus administration in regard to the pick-up of educational materials, electronic devices, and school supplies. We will have devices packaged and will deliver at the curb.
4. Free Curbside Breakfast & Lunch for All Students During School Closure - Seminole ISD will open for curbside meal service, beginning Tuesday, March 24th. This service is available to all students and siblings regardless of which campus they attend. Meals are free of charge to all children under the age of 18.
- Seminole Elementary and Seminole Junior High campuses will serve lunch from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm (and breakfast for the following day).
- To participate, simply drive to one of the designated locations on the map. Please remain in your car and meals will be handed to each child that is in the car. All children must be present in the car to receive a meal. Meals will not be distributed to adults.
- Please remember it is not necessary to exit the automobile.
- The menu will vary according to available supplies. Please do not use a menu that was published prior to this date.
5. Technical Support - Parents may contact the Seminole ISD Campus Technology Support Team regarding district equipment or assistance with the online platform. Our support staff will be available during regular school hours (8 am - 4 pm).
6. Internet Needs - We understand that not everyone has access to the internet for the completion of distance learning. At least one community partner, TDS, is offering free installation and internet service for 60 days to K-12 students. Call 1-855-696-8368.
- We have internet connectivity that may be accessed from the front parking lots of the following buildings: High School, Junior High. We have additional hardware on its way to expand signal and connectivity around these sites as well as FJ Young, and Primary parking lots
- Many of our programs will be fully functional from a simple cellular signal or hotspot. We recommend you contact your cellular data provider, as many of them are currently waiving data overages.
7. School Activities - All school activities involving Seminole ISD students, including University Interscholastic League sanctioned events, have been suspended during the district’s facility closure.
8. Information Resources - Closely monitor ParentSquare and the district website where we have the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 and its impact on the district.
9. Time Closed - Seminole ISD will be meeting the educational needs of our students via distance learning for an indefinite time period. At this time, we do not know when campuses will re-open to our students. We will communicate in a timely manner when and if changes are made.
10. Special Services - A representative from the SISD Special Education Department will be reaching out to the families of children who receive services.
11. Dual Credit Classes - Odessa College has also gone virtual. All classes will resume on Monday, March 23rd, 2020 in a virtual setting. All students will need to access their class syllabus located in Google Classroom. Students enrolled in our Agriculture and Biology courses and participate on-site through a lab, more information will be released soon.
12. Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration - Seminole ISD will communicate registration dates and times when that information becomes available. Please click here for information to determine if your student qualifies for Pre-K.
13. Precaution and Prevention - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined the need for all communities to implement a social distancing protocol. We want to reiterate a request to our broader community to take the following reasonable precautions to prevent the spread of the illness:
- Don’t shake hands
- Wash your hands regularly
- Limit movement within the community, especially avoiding crowded places and maintaining 6 ft of distance between people (at least an arm’s length)
- If you are moving around in the community, don’t congregate in large groups
- For those who have traveled to areas with known COVID-19 cases – both inside and outside of the country – we ask that you self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms.
- If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider for medical advice.
- Do not leave the house if you are ill, except to access medical care.
Sincerely,
Kyle Lynch
Superintendent of Schools