Purging water system of brain-eating microbe to take 60 days

LAKE JACKSON, Texas (AP) — A Houston-area official said Monday it will take 60 days to ensure a city drinking water system is purged of a deadly, microscopic parasite that doctors believed killed a boy and that led to warnings for others not to drink tap water. Lake Jackson City Manager Modesto Mundo said that three of 11 samples of the city’s water indicated preliminary positive results for the naegleria fowleri microbe. Mundo said Lake Jackson residents are still urged to boil their tap water before using it. One sample, Mundo said, came from the home of Josiah McIntyre, the 6-year-old boy whom doctors said died earlier this month after being infected with the brain-eating parasite.
Dallas ISD Releases Its Dashboard of Active COVID-19 Cases

The Dallas Independent School District last night published a dashboard that will allow you to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 by school, ZIP code, and trustee district. It’s easy to use and contains simple visuals to go with the numbers. At lunchtime on Friday, there were 39 total cases districtwide. Of those, 30 are students and nine are staff. It was released in time for the first day that students can begin returning to campuses, which will happen on Monday. Some special education students have already returned. Elementary and middle schools will open for five-day schedules while high schools will have a hybrid arrangement that will stagger students. (29)
Conservator Crabill Tells DeSoto ISD To Take CAP Seriously

There were three citizen comments at the DeSoto ISD Board meeting on September 28. Mr. Entaune Tyson began by saying the district is moving in right direction but academics are still a concern. He said if you do not continue to improve he will consider sending his children elsewhere in the future. .(29)
Federal appeals court temporarily blocks ruling that reinstated straight-ticket voting in Texas

A federal judge's ruling temporarily reinstating the practice of one-punch voting has been put on a temporary hold as judges on the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals weigh the issue. A federal appeals court on Monday put a temporary hold on a lower court’s ruling last week that reinstated the practice of straight-ticket voting, again casting into uncertainty whether Texas voters will have the option in the Nov. 3 election to vote for every candidate of a political party with one punch. A final ruling is expected after the court weighs the arguments more thoroughly. Straight-ticket voting was set to end this year in Texas, bringing the state in line with much of the rest of the country, under a law passed in 2017 by the Legislature. But on Friday, a federal judge ordered the state to reinstate the practice, writing that one-punch voting would speed up the voting process and decrease the time that in-person voters would be at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. Early voting is set to start Oct. 13, leaving election administrators little time to make major changes to voting procedures. (29)
Raise Your Hand Texas leading charge for COVID-19 relief for public schools

Since COVID-19 reached Texas, public schools have had to use money not previously budgeted for the pandemic to purchase the necessary equipment, such as laptops, personal protective equipment, and new online learning programs, to meet standards set forth by the Texas Education Agency. Teachers have had to learn how to teach in this new environment on the fly. State of the district: Cy-Fair ISD officials recap COVID-19 precautions “A lot of teachers are struggling right now because of a mechanism of how our schools are funded when it comes to attendance,” Robert Long, regional director for advocacy and outreach for Raise Your Hand Texas, said. “They’re having to teach in person and virtual students at the same time. It’s not the district’s fault, it’s a mechanism of school funding and how we get our schools funded through attendance.” (29)
Port Arthur: Former PAISD superintendent releases debut book, receives honor from Texas State

Growing up in segregated Austin, Johnny Brown envisioned equality would one day mean equality for all. “I wonder, and I continue to wonder, about the reason people treat others a certain way based on [social] class,” Brown said. “I thought about what role I could play to influence society to help people enjoy a better quality of life and stuff like that.” Brown did play a key role in the history of what is now Texas State University in nearby San Marcos, becoming the first black student-athlete at the school and playing basketball there for three seasons. He then began a long career in education, including a run as the first head varsity basketball coach at the present L.C. Anderson High School in Austin and eventually Port Arthur Independent School District superintendent from 2006-13.. (29)

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Vacant	Zavalla ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational Services ad INFO
Vacant	Glen Rose ISD; Search by: Arrow Educational Services ad INFO
Vacant	Mullin ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.C. (search suspended)INFO
Vacant	Rocksprings ISD; Search by: Larry Taylor and the Rocksprings ISD Board of TrusteesINFO
Vacant	Denver City ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
Vacant	La Villa ISD; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo in conjunction with Dr. Daniel King and Dr. Abelardo SaavedraINFO
Vacant	Jarrell ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
Vacant	Burkburnett ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
Vacant	Texarkana ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses, David Thompson & Dr. Alfred Ray INFO
Vacant	Sam Rayburn ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
Vacant	Hardin ISD; Search by: Hardin ISD Board of TrusteesINFO
Vacant	Ponder ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.CINFO
Vacant	Carroll ISD; Search by: Thomposon & Horton LLP - Dr. Mike Moses & David Thompson INFO
Vacant	Galveston ISD; Search by: Thompson & Horton LLPINFO
Vacant	Region One ESC Executive Director; Search by: Region One ESC Board of DirectorsINFO
Vacant	Industrial ISD; Search by: Region 3 ESCINFO
Vacant	Queen City ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search ServicesINFO
Vacant	Aransas County ISD; Search by: Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle P.C.INFO
Lone Finalist	Randolph Field ISD - Brian Holt, Superintendent,Booker ISD; Search by: Education Solutions and Services ad INFO
Lone Finalist	Ector ISD - Jennifer Morris, Elementary Principal,Ector ISD; Search by: ECISD Board of TrusteesINFO
Lone Finalist	Celina ISD - Dr. Tom Maglisceau, Assistant Superintendent,Rockwall ISD; Search by: Celina ISD Board of Trustees ad INFO
Lone Finalist	Galena Park ISD - Dr. John C. Moore, Associate Superintendent,Galena Park ISD; Search by DRV Executive Services, Fred Rush & Dale Dixon INFO
Lone Finalist	Marlin ISD - Dr. Darryl J. Henson, Assistant Superintendent,Cedar Hill ISD; Search by: Educational Solutions and Services, Mike Smith & Letha HopkinsINFO
Lone Finalist	Grand Prairie ISD - Linda Ellis, Interim Superintendent,Grand Prairie ISD; Search by: Leasor Crass, P.C.INFO
Lone Finalist	South San Antonio ISD - Marc Puig, Superintendent,Beeville ISD; Search by: O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo & Moak, Casey & AssociatesINFO
Lone Finalist	Wharton ISD - Dr. Michael J. O'Guin, Assistant Superintendent,Hays CISD; Search by: Walsh Gallegos Treviño Russo & Kyle P.C. with Gary PattersonINFO
Lone Finalist	Holliday ISD - Cody Carroll, Superintendent,Krum ISD; Search by: Holliday ISD & Region 9 ESCINFO
Lone Finalist	Center ISD - Dr. Brian Morris, Superintendent,Columbus ISD; Search By Jim Largent, Largent Consulting Services, LLC INFO
Lone Finalist	Brenham ISD - Dr. Taylor Chaplin, Superintendent,Burkburnett ISD; Search by: Karczewski Bradshaw SpaldingINFO
Lone Finalist	Skidmore-Tynan ISD - Richard B. Waterhouse, High School Principal,George West ISD; Search by: Doug Arnold & Arte AlmendarezINFO
Lone Finalist	Nederland ISD - Dr. Stuart Kieschnick, Assistant Superintendent,Nederland ISD; Search by: Dr. Danny Lovett, Dr, Byron Terrier, Marianne Kondo, Region 5 ESCINFO
Lone Finalist	Kingsville ISD - Cissy Reynolds-Perez, Assistant Superintendent,West Oso ISD; Search conducted by O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo with Dr. Abelardo Saavedra and Dr. Daniel KingINFO
Lone Finalist	Booker ISD - Gary Mills,Perryton ISD; Search by: Educational Solutions and Services, Mike Smith & Letha HopkinsINFO
New Super	Edcouch-Elsa ISD - Dr. Greg Rodriguez; Search by: O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo in conjunction with Dr. Daniel King and Dr. Abelardo SaavedraINFO
New Super	Quanah ISD - Tom Johnson, Principal,Shallowater ISD; Search By: Education Solutions and Services ad INFO
New Super	Trenton ISD - Jeremy Strickland, High School Principal,Trenton ISD; Search by: Trenton ISD Board of TrusteesINFO
New Super	White Deer ISD - Scott Lucas, Principal,Whiteface ISD; Search by: White Deer ISD Board of Trustees & Region 16INFO
New Super	La Porte ISD - Walter Jackson, Superintendent,Brenham ISD; Search by: Thompson & Horton LLPINFO
New Super	Texas City ISD - Dr. Melissa Duarte, Assistant Superintendent,Goose Creek ISD; Search By: Texas City ISD - Thompson & Horton LLPINFO
New Super	Executive Director Fast Growth School Coalition - Dr. Greg Smith, Superintendent,Clear Creek ISD; Search By: Dr. Mike Moses INFO
New Super	Tuloso-Midway ISD - Rick Fernandez, Assistant Superintendent,Tomball ISD; Search by: TASB Executive Search Services ad INFO
New Super	Ralls ISD - Dr. Nathan Maxwell, Associate Superintendent,Pampa ISD; Search by: Ralls ISD Board of Trustees Assitsted by Region 17 ESCINFO
New Super	Shallowater ISD - Dr. Anita Hebert, Assistant Superintendent,Magnolia ISD; Search by: Region 17 ESCINFO

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Waco ISD enrollment down as some parents homeschool, delay starting kindergarten

September 2908:30 AM

If decreased enrollment continues throughout the fall and spring, the Waco Independent School District may face a bigger budget shortfall than anticipated. So far, Waco ISD has enrolled about 2.6% or 388 fewer students this school year, which started in-person and remotely on Sept. 8. Enrollment stood at 14,547 students, as of Wednesday morning, district spokesperson Josh Wucher said. On the same day last year, Waco ISD had 14,935 students enrolled. Most of the missing 388 students represent prekindergarten and kindergarten students who would have enrolled in the district but may have moved or delayed starting school, Wucher said. view article

School Attendance In The COVID Era: What Counts As ‘Present’?

September 2908:30 AM

From shiny red pencils reading "My Attendance Rocks!" to countless plaques and ribbons and trophies and certificates and gold stars: For as long as anyone can remember, taking attendance — and rewarding kids for simply showing up — is a time-honored school ritual. For good reason: Just being there, day in, day out, happens to be one of the most important factors that determines a child's success in school. And average daily head count forms the basis of school funding decisions at the federal, state and local level. Yet now, like so many other aspects of education, that simple measure — "here" or "absent" — is not so simple anymore. States are having to update their attendance policies to cover the realities of virtual learning. And where school is being held in-person, strict coronavirus health protocols mean students must now stay home at the slightest sign of illness, or to quarantine in case of a potential exposure. (25) view article

Garland ISD Launches ‘Ask A Doctor’ Weekly Webinar For Parents, Students During Pandemic

September 2908:25 AM

GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Garland ISD launched new way to help parents and kids during the pandemic. The district held its first weekly “Ask A Doctor” session last Wednesday. “Now that we’re back in school, what we’re seeing is a lot of our students are having emotional issues of what is occurred over the past couple of months,” said Renee Kotsopoulos, the Director of Health Services for GISD. She said with so many parents having the same concerns, they wanted to offer one spot for answers. view article

Dallas ISD Grad Returns To Invest In Students At The North Dallas Career Institute

September 2908:25 AM

Jonathan Lopez last year made a big switch from working in commercial refrigeration to teaching Dual Language Principles of Construction and HVAC 1 at the Dallas ISD North Dallas Career Institute. view article

Burkburnett ISD officials respond to mask enforcement concerns

September 2908:25 AM

Danny Cremeens did not reach out to our newsroom, instead, we obtained the social media post, which was public. KFDX reached out to Cremeens and were unable to receive comment. Cremeens has since removed his social media post. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Social media lit up this weekend with some parents and spectators who were not happy with the lack of mask enforcement at Friday’s Burkburnett Bulldogs Homecoming game. Interim Superintendent Dr. Derek Citty said they don’t want to ask fans without masks to leave the stands but they will if they have to. “We want it to be a pleasant experience for everybody but we want it to be safe as well,” Citty said. view article

Advice from Houston educators for parents to help students with online instruction

September 2908:25 AM

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Virtual learning is well underway for many school children across Southeast Texas, and some school districts have returned to in-person instruction, like Fort Bend ISD. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Dr. Charles Dupre said some students need an in-person learning environment to thrive. "We have many students [that] need more direct interaction, those kinds of things," he said. view article

‘It’s been a tightrope walk’: Fort Bend ISD begins to phase in on-campus learning

September 2908:25 AM

After months preparing, pre-K and kindergarten students were the first to return to campuses Monday morning. FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Fort Bend ISD’s littlest learners returned to school campuses Monday for the first time since March. Photos shared by multiple schools showed social distancing measures in place along with mandatory masking and other COVID-19 protocols. “I know staff have spent months and months preparing for today,” said FBISD superintendent, Dr. Charles Dupre. view article

Hidalgo County Health Authority wants schools to push back their reopening by one month

September 2908:25 AM

EDINBURG, Texas — “What the order says is that they should delay on campus instruction until after October 25,” Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez. “And the reason why is this is an effort to continue mitigation you know slowing down of COVID-19” Governor Greg Abbott declared this month that the Rio Grande Valley is a danger zone, meaning that more than 15 percent of hospitalizations in the RGV are from COVID-19. view article

GUEST COLUMN: Real talk from real GISD teachers

September 2908:25 AM

“Real talk” is a cornerstone in our school district culture. That means we are committed to honest, straight-forward communication, even when the news is not good news. We are in our third week of school, and already, COVID-19 levels have shut one entire campus (Bowie Elementary) and have resulted in dozens of students and staff members being quarantined on other campuses. We have discontinued bus service until Oct. 8 due to a number of positive COVID-19 employees in our Transportation Department. It’s getting real. We all know real people – students, staff members and their families – whose lives are being upended. view article

Eanes ISD campuses to be used as Travis County polling locations

September 2908:25 AM

During a Sept. 22 meeting, the Eanes ISD board of trustees amended the 2020-21 academic calendar to designate Nov. 3—Election Day—as a district holiday. The calendar change will allow the district to safely offer its larger campuses to Travis County for the use of polling locations. Superintendent Tom Leonard stated county officials are anticipating high participation on Nov. 3 and will require the use of large spaces to implement social distancing measures. view article

South Texas ISD requiring all teachers to return to campus, union creates petition

September 2908:20 AM

A Rio Grande Valley school district is requiring all its staff to return to work on campus this week. A petition filed by teacher union Texas AFT on behalf of staff at South Texas Independent School District is asking the district’s board members to consider teachers in their next transitioning phase. view article

Covenant & Lubbock ISD partner to improve social & emotional skills in students

September 2908:20 AM

A new partnership between Covenant and Lubbock ISD is striving to improve social and emotional health in students through the Keep Empowering Youth Program. Through this program, Covenant will provide funding for three years to implement social and emotional learning specialists on 11 Lubbock ISD campuses. view article

Corpus Christi ISD trustees approve additional measures to keep students safe as more return to the classroom

September 2908:20 AM

CCISD trustees approved added measures to try to keep kids safe as more students return to the classroom for in-person learning next week. The board members responding to reports that maintaining a social distance of at least six feet may not be possible in some cases. On Monday, they were back in the board room after months of meetings were conducted online due to COVID-19 safety measures. view article

Austin ISD community grapples with in-person return

September 2908:20 AM

When the calendar turned to Sept. 8, Austin ISD families headed back to the virtual classroom for the start of the school year as local school districts continued to take precautions to ensure the safety of students and staff due to the coronavirus pandemic. New AISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told Community Impact Newspaper that the district has been nimble this summer in creating back-to-school plans and has pivoted as needed. This included delaying the start of the school year by three weeks to help with preparation. view article

Cy-Fair ISD reports 20 new COVID-19 cases on campuses; 220 cases confirmed locally over weekend

September 2908:20 AM

As of Sept. 28, at least 19,666 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed across the 10 ZIP codes that fall within Cy-Fair ISD’s boundaries. This includes 1,163 active cases, 18,338 recoveries and 165 deaths, according to Harris County Public Health. view article

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Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C.

Legal Issues for School Secretaries Virtual Conference

October 2020

Join us for a 3-day virtual conference to prepare your school’s secretary, and first line of defense, with important and helpful information they can use every day. Provide practical methods for handling issues with legal implications a school’s front office frequently confronts.

Sessions run from 9:30 to 11:00 am on October 13, 14, and 15.

Every registered attendee will receive a recording of each session.

October 13, 2020

Admission and Enrollment
Residency
Attendance

October 14, 2020

Family Issues
Child Abuse
Sex Offenders
Student Records

October 15, 2020

Social Media
First Amendment
Bullying
Fingerprinting
Harassment
Search and Seizure

These sessions will be presented by Andrea Mooney and Heather Rutland.

Who Should Attend

School Secretaries, PEIMS Administrators, Office Managers, Attendance Clerks, Counselors

Please Note

A purchase order is not required for registration, but a check or PO must be received on or before the day of the seminar for admission. Please type “pending” when registering without a PO. We also accept credit card payments online.

Materials

Materials will be mailed to each registered attendee. Please provide the mailing address on the registration form.

Registration Fee

$195 per person

Register Now!

Sara Leon & Associates, LLC

ESC2 FALL 2020 PERSONNEL SERVICES SYMPOSIUM

A live, interactive webinar on current personnel management issues

October 6, 2020 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Cost: $75 for members of the ESC2 Personnel Services Advisory Cooperative; $100 for non-members. The registration includes copies of written materials.

Addressing Employee Issues in the COVID-19 Era

Morning Session: Join attorneys John Janssen and Michelle Alcala of Sara Leon & Associates, LLC, as they guide you through various thorny issues that may arise as school district administrators manage employees in the COVID-19 era, such as managing leaves and absences, performance documentation, and terminating the employment relationship. Topics to be emphasized, among others, include:

Managing Leaves and Absences in the COVID-19 Era: EFMLA, EPSL, FMLA and the ADA
Handling Employee Complaints and Grievances Related to COVID-19
Effective Performance Documentation
Taking Adverse Employment Action and Terminating the Employment Relationship

Compliance with the New Title IX Regulations

Afternoon Session: Attorneys John Janssen and Michelle Alcala, who have trained numerous school district administrators in Texas on the new Title IX Regulations, will review how the new regulations affect school district personnel and sexual harassment complaints in the workplace and address issues emerging since the regulation went into effect on August 14, 2020. Topics to be highlighted, among others, include:

Training and Posting Requirements of the New Regulations: The Importance of Educating Employees on Their Responsibilities and Tracking Employee Compliance
The New Definition of Sexual Harassment: What This Means for Employees
Formal Complaints of Sexual Harassment, the New Grievance Process, and the Roles of the Title IX Coordinator, Decision-Makers and other Title IX Personnel
Selected Issues in Responding to Sexual Harassment Complaints in both Employment and Student Contexts

To register, please contact:
Melissa Morin of Region 2 Education Service Center:
melissa.morin@esc2.us
(361) 561-8416

Killeen ISD to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students

September 2908:20 AM

Killeen Independent School District will start to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students at all campuses Monday, October 5 through Friday, December 18. The limited funding for these meals is available through USDA waivers, as part of the Coronavirus Relief Act, according to Killeen ISD. Meals will be available on traditional school days and do not include holidays or weekends. Students will be able to go through the cafeteria line and receive a free meal. A la carte items will still be available for purchase in the cafeteria. view article

Anthony ISD installs air purifiers in its buildings

September 2908:20 AM

The Anthony Independent School District is installing air purification filters in its schools and central offices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “It [the sensor] pushes out positive and negative oxygen ions, which in turn neutralize airborne pollutants,” Oscar Troncoso, Anthony ISD superintendent, said. view article

Beaumont ISD launches new COVID-19 tracker to report positive cases in staff, students

September 2908:20 AM

Beaumont ISD announced on Monday an additional employee has tested positive for COVID-19, and that the district is now launching its new COVID-19 tracker to provide real-time data about positive cases among students, staff and teachers. view article

Cleveland ISD breaks ground on new elementary

September 2908:20 AM

It is being called Elementary No. 5, but in the coming months, Cleveland ISD’s board of trustees will pick a name for a new campus that officially broke ground on Monday, Sept. 28. The new campus is located in Grand San Jacinto Subdivision, one of the Colony Ridge subdivisions south of Plum Grove in far southwest Liberty County. view article

Fitch Rates Northside ISD, Texas’ $200MM Variable Rate ULT Bonds ‘AAA’, PSF/‘AA+’ Underlying

September 2908:20 AM

Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'AAA' rating based on the Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) guaranty and a 'AA+' underlying rating to the following Northside Independent School District (ISD), TX unlimited tax (ULT) bonds: view article

Frisco ISD approves lowest tax rate in over 20 years

September 2908:20 AM

Frisco ISD's newly approved tax rate for fiscal year 2020-21 marks a tax rate decrease for the third year in a row. "This is the lowest tax rate we've had in at least the 20-year history that I've had available to me since 2017," district Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Smith said at a Sept. 28 board meeting. view article

Dallas ISD Eases Into In-Person Learning With Staggered Start

September 2908:20 AM

Months of back and forth are over and students are finally back in the building at schools across Dallas ISD. The district welcomed students who are new to a school Monday, meaning 9th graders in high school, 6th graders in middle, and kindergarten and Pre-K in elementary. NBC 5 education reporter Wayne Carter said it helps both parents and the… view article

El Paso ISD delays in-person instruction due to rise in COVID-19 cases

September 2908:20 AM

Officials with the El Paso Independent School District said they are delaying the in-person instruction start date due to an increase of COVID-19 cases in El Paso. The rate has steadily risen each day to almost 8 percent on Thursday. The World Health Organization’s guidelines state that it is safest to reopen when a com view article

‘We’ve got quite a challenge facing us right now,’: Ft. Sam Houston ISD director reflects on virtual learning

September 2908:20 AM

Education facilities across the world and right here in San Antonio are facing unique challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s unclear if or when it will come to an end. The pandemic is unpredictable and some area educators believe there will be lasting, long-term effects on teaching. Dr. Roland Rios, director of technology with Ft. Sam Houston ISD, joined Leading SA Sunday morning to discuss his district’s current situation. view article

Fort Worth ISD to start transition to in-person learning next week; schedule released

September 2908:20 AM

In the early hours Wednesday, Fort Worth school officials voted to fully begin optional in-person learning on Oct. 19. But, between now and then, officials want to gradually put students in classrooms. The Fort Worth Independent School District wants its teachers on campus on Sept. 28 and they will prep their classrooms for in-person learning, according to the district’s plan. Starting Oct. 5, pre-K, kindergarten, first-grade, sixth-grade, ninth-grade students and self-contained special education classes will return to classrooms if they choose to. Seventh-graders at Rosemont, Wedgwood, McLean, and Forest Oak Middle Schools who choose in-person instruction will also begin this day, according to a district news release. view article

Dayton ISD Spotlight: First-year teacher embraces challenge of teaching after working in TV news

September 2908:00 AM

Growing up, everyone has an idea of what they want to be. As young people, most people move out of their parents’ homes with an idea about an incredible career of doing what we believe we are meant to do. Sometimes that plan works out and sometimes life changes in midstream. This is what happened to Lainie Fritz, the first Dayton ISD educator to be in the spotlight this school year. view article

What to know ahead of Pflugerville ISD’s second grading period

September 2908:00 AM

With Pflugerville ISD's second grading period just around the corner, changes are underway for district capacity restrictions and learning models. From Sept. 28-30, district families can revisit their child's learning format and make adjustments as needed. view article

Dallas ISD Elementary School Teacher Looks To Shine In Familiar Classroom, Her Mom’s

September 2907:55 AM

“I know my students, because I was them,” said Winnetka Elementary School teacher Margaret Martinez. For Martinez, the purple footprints painted on the sidewalk outside the Oak Cliff school are symbolic. Her path took her away, but it also brought the kindergarten teacher full circle. view article

Hamshire-Fannett ISD considering new learning model amid COVID-19 challenges

September 2907:40 AM

HAMSHIRE, Texas — The challenges brought on by the pandemic forced the Hamshire-Fannett ISD school board to start talking about some possible changes. Two weeks ago, more than 100 students and staff members had to self-quarantine, along with 11 staff members. Some students had no choice but to switch to all-virtual learning. view article

Midland: MISD candidates talk about re-entry process

September 2906:04 AM

Even by Midland ISD officials’ admission, the start of the school year was not the best for the district. Online learning created problems for many students, families and teachers, and not long after termination proceedings were initiated against Superintendent Orlando Riddick, MISD officials reversed course and began the process of bringing students back to campus. Interim Superintendent Ann Dixon announced last week that the district was taking the next step to bringing students on campus full time. view article

Federal judge blocks Texas’ elimination of straight-ticket voting

September 2905:33 AM

Less than three weeks before early voting begins in Texas, a U.S. district judge has blocked the state from eliminating straight-ticket voting as an option for people who go to the polls this November. In a ruling issued late Friday, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo cited the coronavirus pandemic, saying the elimination of the voting practice would “cause irreparable injury” to voters “by creating mass lines at the polls and increasing the amount of time voters are exposed to COVID-19.” view article

McAllen ISD to resume fall sports activities Tuesday

September 2905:13 AM

McALLEN — McAllen ISD has approved the reinstatement of on-campus fall sports practices at all three of the district’s high schools — McAllen High, Memorial and Rowe — on Tuesday during a board meeting Monday evening at McAllen High. McAllen ISD Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez made the ultimate decision as it relates to a potential return of athletic activities, approving a thoroughly approved return-to-play proposal composed by district personnel. The decision comes a day after a Hidalgo County health order forbidding on-campus activities at K-12 schools throughout the county expired Sunday, with new recommendations extending through late October in place of the previous mandate. view article

State of Texas: Lawmakers weigh ‘solutions’ proposed for education equity during pandemic

September 2808:41 AM

AUSTIN (Nexstar) – When Texas lawmakers return to the State Capitol for the upcoming legislative session in January, there will be many competing priorities – and education advocates hope equity in learning isn’t lost in the shuffle. As part of a nationwide project called “Pandemic PASS or FAIL,” Texas lawmakers are now taking a closer look at solutions our team has discovered groups implementing across the state to combat learning challenges for students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. view article

DeSoto ISD School Board Meeting TEA-Mandated Public Hearing On Corrective Action

September 2808:41 AM

DeSoto ISD School Board Meeting TEA-Mandated Public Hearing On Corrective Action: he DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees and administration will conduct the district’s monthly board meeting as well as a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2020. The public hearing will be held during the regular meeting and will communicate the Board and administration’s Corrective Action Plans as required following the published findings of the district’s recent TEA investigation. view article

Database: Search for coronavirus cases in Texas school districts

September 2808:40 AM

Nearly 6,730 cases of COVID-19 have been reported across Texas' 1,200-plus school districts so far in the 2020-21 school year, according to new state data released this week. State school districts are now required by the Texas Education Agency to report cases of COVID-positive individuals who have spent time on campuses. Districts are also required to report positive cases to their local health department, teachers, staff, students and families. view article

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Legal Issues for School Secretaries Virtual Conference October 2020

Sara Leon & Associates, LLC

ESC2 FALL 2020 PERSONNEL SERVICES SYMPOSIUM

Addressing Employee Issues in the COVID-19 Era

Compliance with the New Title IX Regulations

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Legal Issues for School Secretaries Virtual Conference

October 2020