NAVASOTA, Texas — Navasota ISD is preparing to welcome back their students for the new school year.
It is safe to say between the construction projects going on at campuses and new safety guidelines being implemented, the 2020-2021 academic year will look different.
“It's what we do, and teachers are fantastic about making it work, being flexible and doing what's best for kids," said Dr. Stu Musick, superintendent of schools for Navasota ISD.
The new school year begins Aug. 31, but on that first day of school, not all of the students in Navasota ISD will be returning on-campus. The school district is will be utilizing both in-person and remote learning.
Bernecia McGinty chose in-person learning for her son, who will be a seventh-grader at Navasota Junior High in the upcoming year. She had her fair share of concerns sending him back to campus, but ultimately it came down to how he would learn the best.
“I asked my child how he would feel going back to school and he said, ‘Mom I want to go back to school. I do not do well virtual learning.’ which we learned last spring break," said McGinty.
McGinty also said her son missed the social interaction school brought for him and his friends.
“You can tell that by them being up all night on the game, Fortnite," McGinty said. "They all miss each other.”
For McGinty and other families who are choosing to send their students back to campus, there are some requirements students have to follow.
Students in third through twelfth grades must wear a face covering and any student who rides the bus must wear a face covering as well.
“The proximity of being on a bus, the closeness and not being able to spread out as much as you would be able to in classroom is a factor in that," Musick said.
For students and families who are choosing to go remote this year, students will be using Google Classroom for instruction and assignments. They will be required to interact daily on the platform to count as attendance.
As for high school students, some may be able to take hybrid classes, which are part on-campus and part virtual. However, for those students opting for virtual and hybrid classes, they won't be able to participate in extracurricular activities.
“It made sense that if parents were uncomfortable sending their kids to school, they would probably be uncomfortable having them get tackled on the football field or playing in the band," Musick said.
For more information on Navasota ISD's return to school plan, click HERE.
Navasota ISD has a survey out asking parents how they would prefer their child learn for the fall. Responses are due by Aug. 17.
Musick said so far two-thirds of families have responded with plans to learn in-person.