Return to Excellence: Reopening 2020

SUPERINTENDENT MESSAGE |
Tomball ISD Parents and Students,
I wanted to take a moment to express the extreme gratitude I feel for the support and understanding each of your families has given to the district during these unprecedented times. We have traversed some difficult obstacles but have managed to make it through the fall semester without compromising the integrity of our district’s missions and goals. Thanks to your support, the district continues to provide the excellent education our families expect and deserve.
As we transition into the second semester of the school year and welcome back more students to on-campus learning, it is important to reflect on the practices and procedures that have allowed us to remain open for face-to-face instruction up to this point.
Although we understand the inconvenience and, in some cases, difficulty some of the existing requirements may create, we believe the dedication of our staff, students, and parents to following these rules is the most important factor in ensuring we will be able to continue face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the year.
Please take a moment to review the revised guidelines for the spring semester. Where feasible and appropriate, we have made adjustments, but much of what contributed to our success in the fall will continue to be an important requirement for the spring.
I am so proud of the work we have accomplished as a team of educators, students, parents, and community members. Please be assured, your student, whether virtual or face-to-face, will continue to receive the outstanding education you have entrusted Tomball ISD to provide.
We truly look forward to the day when we can all come together again, but until then, we thank you for your continued patience and support.

RETURN TO EXCELLENCE HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
LEARNING OPTIONS |
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The Texas Education Agency provided guidance for school districts reopening for on campus instruction this fall, as well as offering an option for remote instruction.
Tomball ISD will offer Face-to-Face learning with numerous health and safety protocols and Tomball Virtual School, a new remote learning option.
Both options will follow the same instructional year calendar, grading procedures, and attendance policies, as well as the same curriculum.
Families will adhere to their selected learning option for the first grading period.
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![]() Face-to-Face (F2F)
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![]() Tomball Virtual School (TVS)
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Overview | |
Students in F2F will report daily to their campus according to their bell schedule and engage in Face-to-Face instruction based on their class schedule and the TISD Instructional Calendar. | Students in TVS will be expected to follow a full instructional day plan according to the campus bell schedule and expectations of individual teachers. and the TISD Instructional Calendar. |
Curriculum | |
Tomball ISD’s curriculum is the same for both learning options, covering the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for all grades and Texas graduation requirements. TISD’s online learning management system is Schoology | |
Grading | |
The grading policy will remain the same for both learning options. According to TEA guidance, the grading policies for remote instruction must be consistent with the District’s grading policies for on-campus assignments. | |
Attendance | |
The face-to-face learning option will follow traditional on-campus attendance procedures. | To be considered in attendance, a student will be expected to be engaged daily as evidenced by access to Schoology, daily progress via student-teacher interaction and completion of assignments. In addition, requirements to attend live lessons at specific times will be communicated by individual teachers according to grade level and course. Attendance is required at synchronous instruction times. |
Extracurricular Activities | |
All programs and activities will be conducted in alignment with UIL guidelines and District protocols for F2F students. | Students enrolled in TVS will be able to participate in extracurricular UIL extracurricular activities such as athletics and fine arts, but all participation will be before or after the face to face school day. Tomball Virtual School students will not be allowed to attend courses that are aligned to these UIL extracurricular activities during the school day on campus. The curricular portions of these activities will be delivered in the virtual environment for the corresponding courses that they are enrolled in. |
Meals | |
As always, breakfast and lunch will be served and price will be dependent on student’s eligibility |
A curbside meal service will be available at a designated location, Oakcrest Intermediate, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4-6 p.m. and price is dependent on student’s eligibility.
• Tuesday pick-up: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches
• Thursday pick-up: 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches
Curbside Communities:
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Transportation | |
All students that elect to receive transportation services are eligible, but in alignment with TEA’s guidance on public health, Tomball ISD encourages families that can provide transportation for their student to please do so.
However, the district will continue to provide transportation for all families that register for service.
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Commitment
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Whether students chose to participate in our Face-to-Face (F2F) instruction or in Tomball Virtual School (TVS), they are committed to their option until the end of the second grading period (end of Fall semester).
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BELL SCHEDULES |
Please note that bell schedules at some campuses have changed due to the adjustment in the Instructional Calendar.
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KEY ASPECTS OF TOMBALL VIRTUAL SCHOOL (TVS) |
Content learning and activities will be planned by the teacher to make sure each student receives appropriate instructional minutes in synchronous or asynchronous learning opportunities. |
TVS will provide a mix of pre-recorded videos and real-time virtual lessons. |
TVS will follow the same scope and sequence as students in the classroom. |
Expect increased rigor and accountability. |
There will be daily expectations for learning and progress, not weekly completion grades. |
Students are expected to have daily engagement with teachers via Schoology. |
Tomball Virtual School is designed with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instructional time based on research, state recommendations and guidance, attendance accountability requirements, and our commitment to quality instruction. In addition, the structure of the school day will create the least amount of disruption for students when they transition back to face to face instruction. We know that many families may struggle with the synchronous instruction time, and therefore, teachers will provide opportunities for students to engage in the instruction at a different time through recording and posting of lessons or other formats. Each teacher will design the instruction and communicate with students and families about the expectations for instruction. |
Grading guidelines will be consistent student-to-student whether the student participates at the scheduled time or a flexible time. |
We highly encourage engagement according to the teacher’s schedule due to the fact that this will provide the best opportunity for students to learn at the highest levels during this difficult time, but for those that require flexibility, we will provide it through a variety of resources. |
HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS |
The purpose of this handbook is to provide students and parents with information regarding Tomball ISD’s return to face to face instruction. These guidelines are based on guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In TEA’s Public Health Planning Guidance for the 2020-21 school year, recommendations to prevent, mitigate, and respond are outlined to minimize the likelihood of viral spread of COVID-19.
This handbook will mirror those headings of Prevention, Mitigation and Response to outline requirements and procedures Tomball ISD staff will follow to keep our students and staff safe while we return to face to face instruction.
Parents, please review this information with your child(ren) to ensure they are aware of health and safety procedures and to review their responsibility in following the requirements for our return to face to face instruction.
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IMPORTANT: TISD health and safety protocols are subject to change as updated guidance is provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), governing authorities, and county health officials. |
PREVENTION |
Practices to prevent the virus from entering the school | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Are you experiencing any of the following in a way that is not normal to you? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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HEALTH SCREENING
Students must screen daily for COVID-19 symptoms prior to entering a school bus or school. Please refer to the following Daily Health Screening for Students {Español}document.
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Preventative Actions to Decrease Risk
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CDC Recommendations for Masks/Face Coverings
CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Masks can help prevent people who have COVID-19 that do not have symptoms from spreading the virus to others.
Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used.
All students in grades PK-12 must wear a face mask while on campus and when utilizing transportation services.
Per CDC guidelines, masks with exhalation valves or vents are not acceptable masks for students or staff to wear. These masks allow the virus particles to escape and do not provide protection for our school community.
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MASKS/FACE COVERINGS
Updated Guidance
Tomball ISD has a responsibility to enact protocols and procedures to keep students safe while at school. During our Return to Excellence, TISD was tasked with bringing students back to school during a global pandemic. Considering the entire District and all the students, teachers and staff as an ecosystem, the District set forth health and safety protocols to not only bring students back to school, but to keep them in school.
The District as an Ecosystem
The simplest definition of an ecosystem is that it is a community or group of living organisms that live in and interact with each other in a specific environment. Our District ecosystem is composed of students, teachers, facility personnel, administrators and parents, and our actions and interactions have an impact on one another. Student safety is our top priority, but to achieve the goal of face to face instruction, the health and safety of staff—teachers especially—is paramount to our success.
Following Orders, Seeking Guidance
In creating the health and safety protocols for our Return to Excellence plan, Tomball ISD followed executive orders and consulted guidance from federal and local health authorities. Specifically related to the use of masks, Tomball ISD is complying with requirements regarding Executive Order 29 (GA-29) from Governor Abbott.
Regarding the language in GA-29, the governor mandated “Every person in Texas shall wear a face-covering…wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person…”but made an exception for “any person younger than 10 years of age.” The mandate was intended for individuals who are older than 10 years of age; there is no mandate from the governor concerning children under ten. Therefore, districts must make the best, most informed decision possible to determine measures that are most likely to promote a safe, healthy environment for their students.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA), in SY20-21 Public Health Planning Guidance for September 24, 2020, does stipulate that “schools are required to comply with the governor’s order,” but they quickly add that districts can require the “use of masks or face shields” when it is “developmentally appropriate.” Since the governor did not have any mandates in place for children under ten years of age, TEA is also suggesting that districts must determine what is appropriate for younger students in regards to masks.
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “evidence continues to mount on the importance of universal face coverings in interrupting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 [COVID]. Universal face-covering use in schools for children older than 2 years is recommended. It is important to note many children, even those with medical conditions, are able to safely and effectively wear face coverings…” This recommendation, in addition to guidance from the CDC which encourages mask wearing for anyone over 2 years of age in a public setting, and many other reliable medical sources have helped the district come to the decision that the use of masks will be required of all students, staff and visitors in all Tomball ISD facilities and on buses when proper social distancing is not possible. The District does have a medical exemption process for students in need of an alternative to a mask.
Preventing Major Disruptions
The District understands the community may have vastly differing opinions on the use of face masks. However, in addition to the research supporting that masks prevent individuals from catching and spreading COVID, the mitigating measure of using face masks can also prevent unnecessary quarantining of both staff and students when they are exposed to individuals with COVID.
Without minimizing concerns about the impact of wearing a mask, evidence continues to mount on the importance of universal face coverings in interrupting the spread of COVID. We understand and acknowledge that being required to wear a mask while at school or on a bus, in an effort to protect the District ecosystem, may be viewed as an inconvenience or detriment. However, wearing a mask helps the District and parents avoid long periods of quarantining for students exposed to COVID and school closures due to high COVID infection rates and/or loss of teaching staff. In a recent Tomball ISD elementary exposure to a positive COVID case, the use of masks reduced the number of students required to quarantine from a potential 33 to only 6, with no teachers or staff required to quarantine, as well. A 14 day quarantine period and school closures are major disruptions and pose a risk to the health and safety of all members within our District ecosystem.
Specifically to elementary-aged students, District and campus leadership have provided guidance to teachers to provide students with opportunities to have safe mask breaks throughout the school day and to inform students they are able to remove their masks at recess or PE, when appropriate, if they choose.
For more information about when masks are required in various school settings, please review the reference chart on our Return to Excellence website.
Success in Numbers
As we approach the end of the first grading period, the District has seen less than 0.5% of its staff and students test positive for COVID, and we have been able to keep all of our campuses open up until this point. The use of masks is an important factor in keeping our positivity rate low, and student and staff quarantines at a minimum.
Staying Vigilant
While there is much to celebrate in our low positivity rates for students and staff, as members of the District ecosystem, we must stay vigilant in our adherence to mitigating strategies like wearing masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing that have led us to our overall success in keeping students and staff safe and in school.
With a return of 15% more of our students to face to face instruction beginning October 26, 2020, and the upcoming cold and flu season, Tomball ISD believes it would be extremely detrimental to the safety of our staff and students to change our practices at this time. We will continue to monitor our District and county COVID data and consult with medical authorities in an effort to review our practices to determine if our guidelines need to be more or less restrictive. With any and all health and safety decisions, we will make the best decision for the entire District ecosystem as a whole.
Working Together as Members of the TISD Ecosystem
It is important to remember that although we may not all agree every time as members of this District ecosystem, we have a common interest in the success and well-being of our students. As District staff, we want to return to normal pre-COVID operations and allow our students to have milestone moments and memories, and as we know parents do as well. Understanding that we share the same end goal and that our practices have resulted in low positivity rates, we ask that parents continue to work with us in our efforts to keep all students, teachers, and staff healthy and safe. That includes supporting important mitigating strategies like daily screening of your child’s health, keeping your child home if sick, and wearing a mask when at school and utilizing transportation services.
As we have seen many times before, the strength of our ecosystem is the Team Tomball spirit. We know that working together, we will not only survive the current challenges in front of us, we will thrive and be stronger for what we have learned and accomplished together. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.
Resources/References
For additional information, please see the full article from the American Academy of Pediatrics at:
Previous Guidance
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Stay-at-Home Period for Close Contacts of Individuals Who Tested Postitive
For individuals who are close contacts to individuals who tested positive, a 14-day stay-at-home period was previously advised by the CDC, based on the incubation period of the virus.
The CDC amended their guidance to allow two shorter options for the stay-at-home period. Based on current CDC guidance, the stay-at-home period can end for individuals experiencing no symptoms:
If individuals return to school from these shorter stay-at-home windows, they should regularly monitor themselves for symptoms to ensure they remain symptom-free and take appropriate precautions (e.g., more consistend mask usage) for the duration of the 14-day incubation period.
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MITIGATION |
Practices to diminish the likelihood of COVID-19 spread inside the school | |
HEALTH AND HYGIENE PRACTICES: GENERAL
HEALTH AND HYGIENE PRACTICES: CLEANING & DISINFECTION
STANDARD SANITATION
VISITORS
EDUCATION ON MITIGATING STRATEGIES
TRANSPORTATION
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TEA Transportation Guidelines
Per the SY 20-21 Public Health Planning Guidance documents released on August 4, 2020 by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the following recommendations were made for school bus transportation:
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BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS & CLUBS
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RESPONSE |
Practices to react to a lab-confirmed case in the school | |
SUSPECTED OR NOTIFICATION OF LAB-CONFIRMED COVID-19 POSITIVE CASE
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CLEANING AND DISINFECTION
For students suspected of having COVID-19 like symptoms, teachers are equipped with the necessary cleaning supplies to clean and sanitize surfaces touched or occupied by the student.
When a classroom or school has a case of COVID-19, the campus nurse communicates with the Director of Health Services to deploy our enhanced sanitation services.
In addition to the standard sanitation protocols, we use a disinfecting misting system.
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COMMUNICATION
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OTHER RESOURCES |
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COMMUNICATION
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TECHNOLOGY
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SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
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TISD uses SchoolMessenger for student and staff emergency notifications. If you are not currently receiving emails or text messages (text "Y" to 67587) from TISD, please contact your campus registrar to confirm your contact information. |
For technical support including logging into ClassLink, contact the Technology HelpDesk at 281-357-3052 ext. 4001 or email helpdesk@tomballisd.net.
For instructional support, contact Digital Learning at 832-422-8680.
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TISD is committed to the overall well-being of all of our students. Social Emotional resources, related to COVID-19, are available. |
Learn more about SchoolMessenger | Digital Learning Help | Social Emotional Resources |
Harris County Public Health
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Previous Updates