ORANGE, Texas — Classes in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District will be delayed a little more than a week later than expected.
The district announced Monday night in a Facebook post that school will now start on Monday, August 17, 2020.
The district’s previous schedule, which was approved early last month, showed school had been scheduled to start on Thursday, August 6.
The calendar had been modified to comply with state directives on adding additional make-up days in case schools had to close a district spokesperson said in an email.
The delay will allow the district to obtain additional PPE installed and give teachers more time to prepare to teach on multiple platforms and “adjust to new requirements and expectations before students arrive” the district said in the post.
The schedule change was approved in a special meeting of the school board Monday night.
The post noted that the virtual option had not previously existed for the district but now that it does they do not expect to have to halt classes.
The district will switch to virtual instruction for the day or two a classroom may not be physically available the post said.
From the LC-M CISD…
As we continue to work through the many changes of COVID-19 it was determined tonight in a Special Board meeting of the LCM Board of Trustees to return to the originally adopted calendar, with school starting August 17th, for the 2020-2021 school year.
As beneficial as it is to move the start date for some, it also creates major issues for others. I know and fully understand parents must return to work and family plans were changed when we initially changed the calendar. At this time, we feel changing the start date is what is best for kids and their education. A delay allows time to get additional PPE materials installed in District facilities, it gives the teachers time to prepare to teach on multiple platforms, and it gives everyone time to adjust to new requirements and expectations before students arrive.
Please know when we first changed the calendar to an earlier start date there was not a virtual option. We were cautioned by the Commissioner of Education to build in extra days to accommodate the need to close school for the virus. Now that the virtual option is possible, we should not need to "close" as we did when this option didn't exist. If we're required to secure a classroom we will switch to virtual instruction for the day or two the classroom isn't physically available to access.
Prepare to meet the challenge of CHANGE as we face this new year! Each week we are met with new requirements from Governor Abbott, TEA, CDC, UIL, and local authorities. We'll do our very best to keep you informed, but know that continuous change will be part of the 2020-2021 school year. I'm confident we can m ake this school year a great one for our students!
Please watch for notifications through School Messenger, Facebook and the District and campus webpages. We appreciate your flexibility as we try our best to do what is safest and best educationally for your children. Details of campus-specific meetings and activities will be sent to you from your campus administration.
We look forward to seeing your children and having a great school year.
Stacey Brister, Superintendent
Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD
