RIO HONDO — The students of Rio Hondo ISD with no access to technology will be able to go back to the classroom Monday.
After being in remote learning, the district decided those with no internet access in their homes can start transitioning to school on Sept. 28.
Students who decide to continue remote learning and have internet access will return on Oct. 26.
Superintendent Roger Ellis said this decision was made by the district and approved by the Texas Education Agency.
He considered it to be the best choice for students.
“The majority are staying at home and if anything will come back until October. Only about 30 percent of our student population will be coming back next week,” Ellis said.
Because of COVID-19, Ellis assured the district will be implementing the necessary CDC guidelines to keep students and teachers safe.
“We will be sanitizing the classrooms and hallways and maintaining the six foot distance as much as possible,” Ellis said.
When it comes to the return of extracurricular activities such as sports, Ellis said it has not been determined when those activities will resume.
“Football season is approaching but there is a lot of contact in the sport. I don’t think for now it would be best to get ready for it,” he said.
The district administration will discuss and consider re-opening the remaining fall activities and sports in October, Ellis added.
“When we developed our school start-up plan in the summer, we decided that if it wasn’t safe for students to come back to school. It wasn’t safe for them to participate in extracurricular activities,” Ellis said. “While in the end this decision effectively cancelled our football season, we had to act in the best interest of our students.”
