School districts throughout the Rio Grande Valley are extending their spring break closures to April as calls to avoid gatherings of 50 or more people intensify.
Each district will continue to remain in communication with parents, students and staff to plan how they will continue past April.
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Classes at UTRGV remain canceled until March 20.
On March 23, classes will resume through online.
While students are being encouraged not to attend campus, they still have access to campus resources such as health centers, student support services, libraries, student unions, food services and transportation.
A list of open and closed resources can be found at the university’s website.
Sharyland
Sharyland ISD will close on March 23, with no expected date of return until the superintendent determines otherwise.
In addition to school closures, Sharyland ISD campus athletic, academic, club and organizational activities will also shut down.
Limited staff will continue to report to work such as transportation, maintenance and operations, child nutrition and finance, while teachers and support staff will work from home; all employees will continue to be paid without interruption.
Soon, the district will provide parents details of their distance learning plan.
Meals will be provided during the closures and information will be available on the district website.
Any updates on the situation can be found at the district’s site: https://sharylandisd.org/covid19.
Vanguard Academy Charter School
All Vanguard Academy schools will be closed for the week of March 23.
Vanguard Academy developed levels to indicate the severity of the situation in regard to the coronavirus. It is currently in Level 3 — all students and teachers stay home, with limited staff reporting to work.
As of March 16, a plan had been put together, by Vanguard Academy’s teachers and administration, to continue instruction through technology usage and packets.
Every campus will provide breakfast and lunch to their students from Monday to Friday next week; breakfast will be available from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Idea Public Schools
IDEA Public Schools will reopen on March 30.
At all school locations, IDEA will provide breakfast and lunch for all IDEA students, families and staff, starting March 23.
While the schools remain closed, specific IDEA campuses will provide free weekday childcare for IDEA parents working in jobs essential to community health and safety including, but not limited to, health care workers and first responders.
La Joya
Classes at La Joya ISD will resume April 6.
Only limited staff will report to work, such as, maintenance and operations, food service, police and payroll, while teachers and support staff will work from home.
Starting March 23, La Joya ISD will provide meals for students; information can be found at the district’s website and social media accounts.
Edinburg
Edinburg ISD will remain closed until April 6.
The district is providing three methods for distance learning beginning March 30: pick up standardized instructional packets by grade levels at designated locations, download the PDF version of the packets through the Edinburg CISD Distance Learning webpage, or attend scheduled online meeting times for teachers and students through Google Classroom.
Meal services will be provided at all elementary school sites for all students; any student of 18-years of age or younger must be present to pick up a breakfast or lunch meal.
Meal services are expected to take place for breakfast at 8 a.m.to 10 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Rio Grande City
Rio Grande City CISD expects classes to resume on April 6.
Limited staff will report to work; district employees will receive an email from their campus leaders.
The district is assuring their employees that pay periods will not be interrupted; the existing operational budget will continue.
Students are expected to stay at home as the district will provide instruction through online and instructional packets.
The district will also be providing meals, beginning on March 23. More information will be posted on the district website and social media.
Hidalgo
Hidalgo ISD extended their suspension through Friday, April 3.
In their statement, the school district said they are coordinating with other school districts through the week of March 30 to discuss any decisions to extend the suspension.
As a result, Hidalgo ISD will launch their Academic Continuity Plan, which includes a hybrid of instructional methods to support students with limited access to technology and special needs students.
The school district will begin instruction using electronic and non-electronic materials on Monday, March 30.
In addition to instruction, the district is also providing free breakfast and lunch for the students. Students must be present to receive their meal. A parent cannot receive the meal if the student isn’t present.
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo
Classes at PSJA ISD will resume on March 30.
Limited staff, such as maintenance and operations, food service, the police department and payroll, will report to work, while teachers and support staff will work from home.
The district is working with the city partners to minimize any digital divide by finding affordable means for families to have internet access.
Meals are being offered this week on March 18 and 19 at seven locations. Beginning on the week of March 23, the district plans to deliver breakfast and lunch to additional sites and possibly expand sites; information on the locations will be posted soon.
Weslaco
Weslaco ISD announced in a statement on Facebook that their schools will remain closed until Friday, April 3.
Aside from the closures, the school district is providing food services and instructional support for the children. More details are expected to be released on Friday.
The staff of the school district will continue to be paid during the closure, but must remain available to meet the needs of the children and each other.
Donna
Donna ISD plans to return on Monday, April 6.
Students are being redirected to a website where they can find academic instruction assignments online.
The school district is providing a technical staff to be on standby to ensure students can complete their assignments without conflict.
The following locations are designated for meal pick up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Donna High School, Donna North High School, Arise Muniz Community Center, Arise South Tower Community Center, Aurora Valley Park, Macedonian Christian Academy, Nueces Circle, Boyce Memorial Park (Donna Little League Park), City of Donna Library, Iglesia Apostolica De La Fe En Cristo Jesus, and Rattler Road.
Mission
Mission CISD announced their schools closures in a news release, citing the first case of COVID-19 in Laredo, which is within Region One.
Before Spring Break, Mission schools prepared web-based and handout instructional materials for the students. According to the release, those materials are being duplicated and will be distributed soon.
In the next few days, the school district will give information such as how students can access the digital content and instructional packets, grab-and-go meals and mobile locations for meal pick-up for students.
McAllen
McAllen ISD is now in stage 3 of its coronavirus action plan, which calls for all students and teachers to stay home, with the exception of some staff, through April.
Implemented during an emergency school board meeting Monday afternoon, these requisites will be implemented for the two weeks following Spring Break, beginning March 23 to April 3.
During this time, students will receive instruction and school work online.
