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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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General
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In-Person
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Online/Remote
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Employees
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Special Populations
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COVID-19 Dashboard
General
The first step in registration is to complete the Enrollment Online forms which you can find on the Conroe ISD Enrollment & Transfers webpage. After you have submitted the form, you can contact the campus for a registration appointment using the contact information on the campusâs webpage. If you are not able to complete the form in advance, please notify the registrar when you make the appointment so they allow time to assist you with the process.
Please bring a proof of residency, birth certificate, social security card (if student has one), identification for parent, and the student’s immunization record to your registration appointment. Texas requires immunization records for both In-Person and Remote/Online Instruction students. Masks/face coverings will be required when you come to the campus for registration. Please limit the number of people you bring with you as much as possible.
Parents/Guardians will be asked to select one of the instructional options, Traditional In-Person or Remote/Online Instruction, when they complete their enrollment or information review in Enrollment Online (formerly known as InfoSnap). Any changes to the selection for the first nine-weeks must be requested by midnight on July 28, 2020, by emailing or calling the student’s campus using the contact information at the top of the campus website. Changes to the selection can also be made at the end of the nine-week grading period.
All campus buildings will be e-misted and/or fogged nightly to ensure cleanliness. Additionally, each classroom and office area will have liquid disinfectant available for use as needed by teachers and/or office staff. All cleaning materials have been approved for effectiveness and safety by the Centers for Disease Control. Custodial staff will be actively cleaning all campuses throughout the day and evening to ensure maximum cleanliness and safety. Please see the protocols on the In-Person Instruction webpage for more details.
Conroe ISD uses a Buckeye disinfectant for e-misting and daily cleaning and disinfecting at our campuses and facilities. This product has been used to clean all surfaces throughout our facilities as part of our normal cleaning process for more than eight years. This product was selected for its effectiveness and the safety of our students and staff. The disinfectant product, Quat 256, is listed by the CDC as an effective disinfectant to fight against COVID-19.
There are many mitigation strategies we are implementing to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 in our schools. These include daily employee pre-screenings, weekly student pre-screenings, enhanced routine cleaning and disinfecting, physical distancing in classrooms and common areas, frequent hand hygiene by students and staff, and many others.
COVID-19 policies are intended to mitigate, not eliminate, risk. No single action or set of actions will completely eliminate the risk of contracting COVID-19. Please see the protocols on the In-Person Instruction webpage for more details.
If the District is notified that a student or employee has a positive COVID-19 test, contact tracing will be conducted to identify and notify close contacts for quarantine. A notification letter will be sent to all parents/students and employees of the facility and the Montgomery County Public Health Department will be notified.
Any student or staff member who becomes ill during the school day will be sent to the nurse for assessment and isolation. Students with fever and/or other symptoms will be isolated, masked when developmentally appropriate, and cared for by school personnel until the parent/guardian can be reached to pick up. Parents/Guardians are asked to pick up their student as soon as possible within one hour. Employees will be sent home immediately. EMS will be notified when warranted to care for any individual with severe symptoms of COVID-19.
At this time, there is not a number or percentage that would trigger a campus closure. We continue to track our data daily. Based on student and staff data, the District, with input from our local health authorities, may decide to limit activities for a period of time, or take other mitigation steps prior to totally closing a school or moving to remote learning only. Any decisions regarding a campus closure and shift to remote learning will be made with guidance from local health authorities.
In-Person Instruction
The first step in registration is to complete the Enrollment Online form which you can find on the Conroe ISD Website. After you have submitted the form, you can contact the campus for a registration appointment. You will need to bring proof of residency, birth certificate, social security card if it exists, identification for parent and your immunization record to your registration appointment. Texas is going to require immunization records for both in-person and virtual students. If you are not able to complete the form in advance, please notify the registrar when you make the appointment so they allow time to assist you with completing the form. Masks will be required when you come for registration. Please limit the number of people coming to registration as much as possible.
Yes. It is expected that parents will screen their child each day for symptoms of illness, and it is important that students are not sent to school when ill. In addition, parents will be asked to attest weekly that they are screening their children through a screening questionnaire sent via email.
Yes.
Conroe ISD plans to e-mist or fog campuses nightly to ensure cleanliness. Additionally, each classroom and office area will have liquid disinfectant available for use as needed by teachers and/or staff. All cleaning materials have been approved for effectiveness and safety by the Centers for Disease Control. Custodial staff will be actively cleaning all campuses throughout the school day and evening to provide the best environment possible.
There are many mitigation strategies we are implementing to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 in our schools. These include daily employee pre-screenings, weekly student pre-screenings, enhanced routine cleaning and disinfecting, physical distancing in classrooms and common areas, frequent hand hygiene by students and staff, and many others.
The use of face coverings will be determined from the guidance of various agencies including the Department of State Health Services, the Montgomery County Health Department, and/or executive orders from state and county leaders. At this time, students in grades 3-12, as developmentally appropriate, are required to wear face coverings in all areas, including classrooms, and when social distancing of at least 6 ft. is not possible. Students in grades PreK-2 are asked to wear face coverings. All students (PreK-12) will wear face coverings, as developmentally appropriate and feasible, on buses, during transitions, and in school common areas. This could change depending on future guidance.
TEA has indicated that students can wear full-face shields in lieu of masks. The CDC has stated that it is unknown if face shields provide any benefit as a source control and are not recommended for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. The CDC recommends that if face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend below the chin.
Students in grades 3-12, as developmentally appropriate, are required to wear a cloth mask/cloth face covering or non-medical grade mask while at school unless they provide a written medical exemption from a physician. Students in grades PreK-2 are asked to wear face coverings. All students (PreK-12) will wear face coverings, as developmentally appropriate and feasible, on buses, during transitions, and in school common areas. The CDC has indicated that it is unknown if face shields provide any benefits as a source control and are not recommended as a substitute for cloth masks/face coverings or non-medical grade masks. However, TEA has indicated that students can wear full-face shields in lieu of masks. Students whose families do not want their child to wear a cloth face mask/cloth face covering, non-medical grade mask, or face shield for any reason other than a medical reason should select the Remote/Online Instruction option for their child.
Washing hands is an effective alternative to using hand sanitizer. If a staff member or student is unable to use hand sanitizer, the staff member or student will be required to frequently wash their hands.
No. This is a public health emergency. The only exception to the requirement to wear a mask is a written medical exemption from a physician. Additionally, while the CDC has indicated that it is unknown if face shields provide any benefits as a source control and are not recommended as a substitute for cloth masks/face coverings and non-medical grade masks, TEA has indicated that students can wear full-face shields in lieu of masks.
The District will be providing transportation for all eligible students during the 2020-2021 school year.
The District enjoys transporting children as part of our mission and will maximize safety for all riders, including monitors, children, and our drivers. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to consider driving their children to and from school as possible for the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak. Campuses are working to maximize the flow of car lines while at the same time ensuring safety of all. Please look for potential information from your child’s school regarding procedures, best practices, or alterations to existing car lines. Additionally, when available carpooling, walking, and bicycle riding are also encouraged.
The District will work to maximize distance between students on all buses. Total students on each bus may be impacted by driver availability and total number of students electing to use transportation.
The following procedures will be utilized:
- Students may be assigned to sit with siblings or other household members.
- Assigned seating will be utilized and required for all students on the bus.
- Students may be arranged in cohorts, or groups of students, to minimize exposure to others.
- Seats will be assigned to maximize distance between students in all directions.
Conroe ISD will continue with our high expectations of cleanliness on school buses. Procedures to provide maximum cleanliness and health on the bus include:
- Buses will be thoroughly cleaned after each bus route including special attention to high-touch surfaces.
- Windows will be opened as possible to ensure maximum ventilation and air flow.
- Hand sanitizer stations are currently installed on each bus. Students are highly recommended to utilize this solution when entering the bus.
- It is highly recommended students appropriately wear a mask or face covering at all times they are on the bus. Note governmental expectations at any time may require the use of a mask or face covering.
- Consumption of food or drink on the bus may be prohibited by the driver.
The District transportation centers and campuses will work to communicate information on bus delays, changes, or other pertinent items utilizing Bus Hub and SchoolMessenger emails as appropriate. It is very important to have updated phone and email information for all parents/guardians. Please contact your child’s campus to update any changes.
Temperature checks of asymptomatic students at school is not recommended. All parents are asked to monitor their student(s) for signs and symptoms of COVID including taking their temperature and keep their student(s) home who have symptoms and/or a temperature of 100˚F or greater.
Temperature of 100.0˚F or higher, new uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing or for those with a chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline, new onset of severe headache, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.
Conroe ISD utilizes air filters for all HVAC units with a MERV rating of 9. Air filters of this type are effective at trapping up to 85 percent of airborne particles 3-10 microns in size. These filters are commonly used throughout buildings and homes to protect high-quality air conditioning and heating units. Our filters are changed routinely to protect both the quality of air and prolong the lifetime of the units.
Remote/Online Instruction
Parents/Guardians will be asked to select one of the instructional options, Traditional In-Person or Remote/Online Instruction, when they complete their enrollment or information review in Enrollment Online (formerly known as InfoSnap). Parents of returning students will select the ‘Remote/Online Instruction’ option on our annual re-enrollment process. These forms/emails will go out during the week of July 13.
Parents of new students will make the selection when they enroll in the District through Enrollment Online which you can find on the Conroe ISD Enrollment & Transfers webpage. After you have submitted the forms, you can contact the campus for a registration appointment using the contact information on the campus’s webpage.
Any changes to the selection for the first nine-weeks must be requested by midnight on July 28, 2020, by emailing or calling the student’s campus using the contact information at the top of the campus website. Changes to the selection can also be made at the end of the nine-week grading period.
Students in the Remote/Online Instruction option will have opportunities to engage in real-time learning with the teacher via the computer or other electronic device. There will also be learning activities to complete each day. Lessons will consist of direct instruction as well as a combination of guided practice, independent work, collaborative group work, and formative assessments. Lessons could include video clips with guiding questions, graphic organizers, time to share, checks for understanding, and reflection opportunities. Students are expected to engage daily and participate in each class following a daily schedule. Students in grades PreK-2 will use Seesaw as a learning platform. Canvas will be used in grades 3-12.
The curriculum in both Remote/Online Instruction and Traditional In-Person Instruction will be the same. The curriculum is based on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Yes. According to the Texas Education Agency, there is currently no plan to eliminate any standardized testing regardless of whether students participate online or in person.
Students in both programs are subject to compulsory attendance laws. All students enrolled in remote/online instruction must check-in and engage in learning activities in all classes daily. Students must be in attendance for at least 90 percent of the time the course is offered in order to receive credit or a final grade.
Students will need internet access and a laptop, tablet, or similar device capable of connecting to the internet.
Parents can contact their child’s home campus and sign a device use agreement, and the campus will provide the necessary technology for remote instruction.
Students who chose the Remote/Online Instruction option will be able to participate in extracurricular activities. Some extracurricular activities have a class period associated with the specific activity that students may be required to attend on a daily basis. Families should consider transportation limitations when considering this option.
Special education instruction and/or related services will be provided in accordance with the ARD/IEP. Campuses will work with individual parents to ensure student needs are met.
Yes. Teachers trained in the dyslexia program will provide Remote/Online Instruction to identified students.
GT students will be served virtually by their classroom teacher through extensions and enrichment. Those students who are part of the Challenge Pull Out classes will also receive remote enrichment lessons weekly from their Challenge Pull Out teacher.
Yes. According to TAC §89.1210 (g), all students who are eligible and participate in a Bilingual or ESL program are entitled to services under the law. The Bilingual and ESL Department is creating an online instructional plan for Bilingual and ESL students and their teachers. In addition, each online course being created for general education students will have the instructional resources that scaffold for English language learners.
CISD school counselors will assist students and/or families with any concerns virtually.
Students can transfer from one instructional model to another at the end of the nine-week grading period.
Not all courses will be available through Remote/Online Instruction. Students may be required to attend a course on campus through Traditional In-person Instruction
Employees
All symptomatic employees will be given instructions to have testing at MCHD. If they choose to be tested elsewhere, the days waiting for an appointment or waiting for test results will not be paid leave but rather their own personal leave days. Any questions about leave days should be directed to Human Resources.
When feasible, departments and campuses can allow employees to bring their school-aged children to work with them when in-person instruction is not available in Conroe ISD, so long as the child’s presence does not interfere with the employee’s ability to complete his/her job responsibilities. Please contact your principal or department supervisor to determine if this allowance will be feasible for your campus/department.
No. Employees must wear a non-medical grade disposable face mask or cloth face mask/cloth face covering that covers the nose and mouth any time the employee is performing work related duties, inside or outside a CISD facility or at a school sponsored activity or event off school property, and the employee may come within 6 feet of another person. There may be limited exceptions to the mask requirement depending on one’s medical condition. For exceptions due to a medical condition, employees must provide a written medical exemption from a physician. Any job duty exceptions related to medical exemptions must be approved by HR. Employees who are unable to wear a mask for medical reasons may be required to wear a face shield.
Cloth face coverings are a critical preventive measure and are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult. If cloth face coverings cannot be used, make sure to take other measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, including social distancing, frequent hand washing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. There may be times Principals/Directors may allow the use of face shields as an alternative when teachers/staff are working in situations when distancing is not able to be achieved. These activities would include:
- working with the deaf and the hearing impaired;
- working with students with certain disabilities that may require the ability to recognize facial cues;
- working with Pre-K and Kindergarten age students doing certain activities;
- teaching speech or phonemic awareness;
- while participating in high intensity activities, working outside, or working where the face covering will get wet, etc.; and
- while working in an area where there may be a hazard safety risk or increased risk of heat-related illness.
It is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. If face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend to below the chin. Face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use and discarded if cracked or torn.
If a teacher tests positive for COVID-19, any staff member or student who has had “close contact” with the teacher, as defined by TEA, will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Staff members who are required by the District to quarantine due to COVID-19 will not have to use their personal leave days.
Employees who may be at greater risk for getting COVID-19 if exposed should contact the Human Resources Department to discuss workplace accommodations or leaves that may be available. If an employee has a family member in their home who has a condition that makes them higher risk for complications, the employee can use personal days and/or apply for available leaves, such as leave under the FMLA. The CDC has established the conditions that are considered “high risk” for complications from COVID-19.
If an employee believes he/she contracted COVID-19 in the workplace, the employee should report that to the administrator on their campus who is responsible for completing the First Report of Injury for submission to Workers’ Compensation. The claim will be sent to the District’s Workers’ Compensation carrier for a determination regarding coverage like all other Workers’ Compensation claims.
Employees who are symptomatic will be sent for testing if testing in the community remains available.
No.
Under TEA guidelines, if an employee or student tests positive for COVID-19, the school or a portion of the school may be closed on a limited basis for cleaning. Only the governor or the local health authority has the authority to close schools for longer periods of time.
Employees who are symptomatic will be sent for testing by the District, if testing is available. The District will pay for the employee’s test. The District will provide a list of resources where families with limited financial resources may be able to be tested.
Special Populations
In-Person: Students with disabilities will be able to access in-person instruction while meeting district safety requirements.
Remote:
- Synchronous: Two-way, real-time/live, remote instruction between teachers and students when students are not on campus.
- Asynchronous: In this method, students learn from instruction that is not necessarily being delivered in-person or in real time. This type of instruction may include various forms of digital and online learning, such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own, and pre-assigned work and formative assessments made available to students on paper.
If you elect to have your child participate in remote instruction, yes. CISD will send out information regarding technology needs and otherwise determined in their IEP meeting. Students who attend in-person will have access to the technology available at school or otherwise specified by their IEP.
When students attend in-person, CISD will ensure that the services can be provided with attention to health precautions and consistent with their IEP. Students attending in-person may also receive related services remotely, using synchronous and asynchronous means.
For students participating remotely, An ARD meeting will be held to determine services need for the student as well as synchronous and asynchronous methods of these services. Parent may receive in-person therapy if in a virtual environment if the parent provides transportation (CISD will determine scheduled time, place and provider.)
IEP services and supports will be delivered as specified in your student’s IEP. Hand-over-hand instruction, physical prompting and cueing, and other aspects of your child’s IEP that may require close physical proximity will be delivered with staff utilizing mask, gloves and other PPE may also be worn and supplies and equipment will be sanitized regularly.
To the extent possible, the District will continue to implement your child’s IEP, through remote delivery models. For some students, remote learning may not result in full implementation of your child’s IEP. If your child’s IEP cannot be fully implemented during remote instruction, your child’s ARD committee will determine which services it can provide to meet the student’s needs. Available remote instruction models include synchronous instruction through Canvas or See Saw and asynchronous assignments that target your child’s IEP goals. Many disability-related accommodations and modifications may be effectively provided online, such as extensions of time for assignments, videos with captioning or embedded sign language interpreting, accessible reading materials, and speech/language services through video conferencing. Special Educators will be collaborating with parents to discuss delivery of these services in a way that promotes your child’s progress toward meeting the goals in their IEP, to the extent possible.
Behavioral support at home will likely look very different than behavioral support in schools, and parents/caregivers may request support on how to implement interventions and supports. Examples of behavioral supports that may be implemented in the home include parent/caregiver behavioral coaching, or coaching and support around interventions such as: “first, then choice boards,” activity schedules, functional communication strategies, implementation of reinforcement contingencies, etc.
Staff will follow a student’s IEP.
CISD will provide services in the manner appropriate for the student and the parent.
Yes. If you choose to enroll your child in virtual learning, an ARD meeting should be held to determine the appropriate services.
To maximize safety for all participants, a virtual ARD is the first option. However, if you believe a virtual ARD meeting does not meet your needs, please discuss your concerns with the campus administrator.
In situations in which the District already has consent for evaluation, but the evaluation was not completed due to the need for face-to-face administration of assessment instruments, the District will prioritize based on when consent was obtained and if students are attending in-person instruction. If students are receiving remote instruction, evaluation staff will contact families and schedule a face-to-face assessment, as appropriate.
As the District receives consent for additional evaluations and reevaluations, the District will meet timelines, to the extent students are available for administration of assessment instruments. In circumstances where students are not available for in-person assessment, evaluations may not be completed by the deadline, as some evaluation instruments require face-to-face administration.
If your child does not meet the goals in their current IEP due to their participation in remote learning or due to the disruption during spring 2020, an ARD committee meeting will be scheduled. The ARD committee will review progress and determine whether compensatory services may be needed to address any lack of anticipated progress toward those IEP goals.
If you believe that your child’s ARD committee should consider compensatory services parents may request an ARD committee meeting through the campus Diagnostician.
For parents or teachers who believe that students with disabilities may need unique health accommodations or precautions, ARD committee meetings should be convened to consider the input of qualified health professionals concerning appropriate health precautions and accommodations.
*Please reach out to your campus Special Education Department prior to school beginning to begin arrangements for the ARD committee to consider your child’s needs and to review the health plan.
CISD will be sensitive to a student’s sensory needs when using PPE, visual supports, and boundaries to assist with social distancing, use of social narratives, and video modeling to teach new hygiene routines such as more frequent hand washing.
It is recommended that students wear masks in the classrooms, common areas, and on CISD transportation. While many students may prefer not to wear a mask due to general discomfort, this expectation will be enforced consistent with the guidance of health authorities to protect the health of students, staff, and our community. Some students with sensory needs may present unique challenges and CISD is considering options such as face shields, social stories, and behavioral interventions such as recurring, frequent verbal and other reinforcement to promote tolerance.
Any decision that a student with a disability cannot attend school will be made by the student’s ARD committee and only when consistent with state and federal law concerning placements of students with disabilities.
The Special Education department is committed to providing information to families. In addition to the regular communications to families, individual teachers or service providers, we will be providing specific information to families of students who receive special education services monthly. This communications will be added to the Special Education department webpage.
If you have questions, we encourage you to get in touch with your student’s Case Manager (contact your campus directly). You can also reach the CISD Department of Special Education at 936-709-7813.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Isolation:
- This is the total number of everyone isolated, students and employees, due to either testing positive or exhibiting symptoms.
Quarantine:
- This includes everyone in quarantine regardless of where the close contact originated whether it be home, school, or the community.
- For example, students are often quarantined when someone in the household tests positive. This quarantine is not the direct result from a campus exposure, but it is still important for us to track and identify because it gives us a clearer picture of neighborhood or community trends.
- The District also includes students who are in remote/online instruction in the isolated and quarantine numbers since remote/online students often participate in extracurricular activities. In addition, it allows us to have a clearer picture of neighborhood and community trends.
Positive results reflect confirmation of a positive test result. Isolation numbers include those who have tested positive or are symptomatic and have not tested. Individuals in quarantine have been in close contact with someone who tested positive.
You may have received the notice because a District employee assigned to a District Department (such as a member of our child nutrition, transportation, or custodial departments) may have tested positive and been on campus. The number would then be reflected under one of the department options in the dropdown menu or in the total District number.
Notifications are sent if the individual was on campus during the time when they would have been contagious. If the individual has not been on site during this time, no notification is necessary.
The District includes students who are in remote/online instruction in the isolated and quarantined numbers because remote/online students often participate in extracurricular activities and we want to make sure to include these students in our isolation/quarantine tracking system. Additionally, it allows us to have a clearer picture of neighborhood and community trends.
The dashboard is updated twice a day, once in the early morning and once in the afternoon.