Like most Texas school districts, administrators in Seguin ISD are eager to receive bi-weekly updates from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for guidance on what school will look like in August.

While Gov. Abbott has indicated that students will be returning to Texas schools this fall, important details due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and specifically the recent spike in cases, have brought more questions than answers.

“I know that our Seguin ISD parents, students and staff are eager to know details about our 2020-2021 school year. With each passing week we get a clearer picture, but due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in Texas during June, it is going to take some time to sort out the details,” said Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, Seguin ISD superintendent of schools.

And rightfully so.

“First and foremost, our primary concern when school starts in August will be the health and safety of our students and staff. I am confident that our campuses will have ample equipment and supplies, including soap, hand sanitizer, face coverings and disinfectant,” he said.

Seguin ISD serves a diverse community and Gutierrez notes that this has to be taken into account when figuring out what the typical school week will look like.

“Our community survey to gauge stakeholder perceptions will give us a better idea of how a typical school day will be structured. We have parents who will want their children back in school each day due to work and family obligations. We also have parents who may not feel comfortable having their child in the traditional classroom setting. The survey wraps up on June 30 and I will review the data with my team to help guide our decisions,” he said.

At this point, Gutierrez expects that Seguin ISD schools will be open and teachers will be providing instruction to students in the classrooms. He also anticipates that some students will be learning remotely from home with a device. A mix, or hybrid, version of classroom and remote learning could come into play.

“I am basing separate classroom and remote models on the current COVID numbers and recommendations from TEA. If COVID numbers continue to rise in the coming weeks, we can likely expect a return to 100 percent remote instruction, just like we had during the spring. As I learn more and finalize details, I will communicate updates with our school community,” he said.

Plans for student registration continue. For the first time, student registration will be online for all Seguin ISD students. The online registration platform will open in mid-July and parents will be notified through email and social media when registration is live.