Launch to Learning 2020–21 updates are ongoing and subject to change as we continue to prepare for the school year. Please visit this article for the latest FAQs and information.
Good afternoon LISD families,
The upcoming school year will start with all LISD students in Virtual Empowered Learning. We’re asking families to choose between continuing virtual learning or beginning in-person learning after Sept. 7. Doing so will help us prepare the safest, most efficient learning experience for our students.
In this update, you’ll find information about:
- The student selection form
- Governor waives grade promotion requirements tied to STAAR
- Supporting our LISD staff by becoming a substitute teacher
- A COVID testing site at Leander HS on Wednesday
- Launch to Learning 2020–21 guides and FAQs
Student Selection Form now available in 8 languages
The Student Selection Form site for families to pick either in-person or virtual learning for their students is now available in eight languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Telugu, and Vietnamese.
As a district where more than 60 languages are spoken, we want to make this important process for families during the COVID-19 global pandemic as accessible as possible.
While the school year will open with all students in Virtual Empowered Learning (no in-person instruction) from Aug. 13 – Sept. 7, students will be able to choose between in-person and virtual learning starting Sept. 8. In order to assign teachers and students into classrooms and minimize change, we need parents and guardians to select their choice by Aug. 6.
We are asking students to stick with their selection through the first grading period, six weeks at middle and high school and nine weeks at elementary school
We are also asking families without access to technology to please call your student’s campus, where a receptionist can help you complete the form over the phone.
Governor waives grade promotion requirements tied to STAAR
The state test, STAAR, for students in grades 5 and 8 will not count towards grade promotion, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday.
Typically, students enrolled in grades 5 and 8 are required to re-take a STAAR test late in the school year, and sometimes again in the summer, if they do not meet grade level when taken during the spring. With this waiver, there will only be one administration of the STAAR grades 5 and 8 mathematics and reading assessments for the 2020–21 school year. The test will be administered in May to coincide with the administration of other STAAR grades 3-8 assessments.
Click here to read more from the Governor’s office.
Support teachers! Substitutes needed for the 2020–21 school year
Our teachers have never needed the support of our community more than the upcoming school year. It takes all of us to make a great year happen, and we are actively recruiting substitute teachers ahead of the start of school.
As a substitute teacher for LISD you may:
- select the campuses you want to serve,
- choose your preferred grade levels and teachers, and
- fulfill assignments as little or as much as you can under the circumstances.
Extensive safety measures are in place at each campus, and details about our safety measures and plan for learning during the 2020–21 school year can be found on our Launch to Learning 2020-21 webpage.
For more information about our substitute teaching program or to apply to become a substitute teacher, visit our website at www.leanderisd.org/substitutes.
Launch to Learning Guides and FAQs
As the upcoming school year takes shape, we want to ensure the information families need to make important decisions is easy to access in our Launch to Learning 2020-21 guides.
We know that our community still has questions, so we’ve worked hard at cultivating an expansive, updated FAQ section of the Launch to Learning site. The latest additions will be highlighted green for a few days and then moved into a queue under the appropriate heading.
Wilco Health District to host COVID testing site at Leander HS
We’re partnering with the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) to bring a one-day, drive-through test site to Leander! WCCHD will test from 8 a.m. – noon, Wednesday, July 29, at the Don Tew Performing Arts Center at Leander High School. There are 500 test slots for the day and testing is by appointment only.
Create a profile, take the assessment, and schedule an appointment at our Leander site here: www.wcchd.org/COVID-19/testing.php
