High Schools to Pilot Virtual Fridays

Due to staffing considerations, including allocation of limited substitutes, and the health and wellness of our community, San Angelo ISD will pilot fully virtual Fridays for our high school in-person students Nov. 20th, Dec. 4th, and Dec. 11th.  

This means on Fridays for these three dates only our in-person high school students, grades 9-12 at Central High School, Central High School on Oakes, Lake View High School, PAYS and Carver campuses, will not report to campus but instead connect online for their classes using the Schoology Learning Management System. High school staff will continue to report to campuses for work on Fridays. This update does not impact elementary or middle school in-person students who will continue to have in-person instruction on Fridays as regularly scheduled. All Virtual Academy students will continue as regularly scheduled via the virtual platform.

Additional details for the virtual Fridays for high school in-person students include: 

• Virtual Fridays are only planned for the three Friday dates listed above. This update is only for Fridays. Monday through Thursdays will remain at normal schedules on campus.  
• Students should log-in to Schoology on Fridays by their second period for attendance.
• Extracurricular activities and athletic schedules will be communicated by coaches and sponsors. 
• High school students can pick up “grab-and-go” curbside lunches as part of the free meals for all children each Friday between 1:00 - 1:35 pm at the following locations: Lake View High School - 900 E. 43rd and Lee Middle School - 2500 Sherwood Way. The student does not need to attend one of the listed sites to receive the free meal. Parents and students will not need to pre-order meals through SchoolCafe.
• High school students enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses at Howard College will also receive online instruction on Fridays and will not need to report to the West Texas Training Center (WTTC). 

This temporary shift to virtual Fridays for our in-person high school students will enable SAISD to allocate our personnel resources where they are most needed in our elementary and middle schools. By the numbers, Friday is consistently the most challenging day for staffing purposes. 

We also recognize that our high school students are generally better equipped to be independent learners than our younger students, and have experience working within our Schoology platform. Selecting high school for Friday closures also correlates with the current medical guidance we are receiving.  Information from our local health authorities suggests younger students have lower transmission rates of COVID-19 and are less likely to be infected by it. 

Student and staff health and safety remain our top priority. We continue to evaluate and consult with local health officials and the Center for Disease Control multiple times per week to assess current conditions. SAISD has implemented protocols at all campuses and facilities to maximize safety. 

We look forward to continuing to serve the needs of our community, staff and students. SAISD will provide more information in the coming weeks through our website, social media platforms and email. We appreciate our families and students working with us to provide successful educational experiences as we navigate these new challenges and changes. Your ability to be flexible is important as we partner with you to educate, inspire and empower every student in these times.