Snyder Junior High School

Calling all incoming freshmen!! Save the date! Fish Splash 2020/2021 will take place on Wednesday, August 26th at the SHS cafeteria. To provide ample social distancing, there will be two sessions. Session one will be from 10-12 for students with the last name beginning with A-K. Session two will be from 1:30-3:30 for students with the last name beginning with L-Z. Students will enter via the cafeteria doors and will have temperature screens upon arrival. Masks will be required during the campus tour. Parents are welcome to attend!

Calling all incoming freshmen!! Save the date! Fish Splash 2021 will take place on Wednesday, August 26th at the SHS cafeteria. To provide ample social distancing, there will be two sessions. Session one will be from 10-12 for students with the last name beginning with A-K. Session two will be from 1:30-3:30 for students with the last name beginning with L-Z. Students will enter via the cafeteria doors and will have temperature screens upon arrival. Masks will be required during the ca

Change the date!! The fish splash has moved to August 26th. Calling all incoming freshmen!! Save the date! Fish Splash 2021 will take place on Monday, August 26th at the SHS cafeteria. To provide ample social distancing, there will be two sessions. Session one will be from 10-12 for students with the last name beginning with A-K. Session two will be from 1:30-3:30 for students with the last name beginning with L-Z. Students will enter via the cafeteria doors and will have temperature screens upon arrival. Masks will be required during the campus tour. Parents are welcome to attend!

Dual Credit Students: Dual credit classes will begin on August 12th. Please be vigilant in checking your emails! Information on the 2020-2021 dual credit classes will be sent out over the next few days. If you are new to the dual credit program, you will need to fill out and return an application before the Thursday, July 30th deadline. Dual credit applications can be picked up in the glass office at SHS (3801 Austin Ave) between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:15 pm. Students that have not taken or passed course-specific TSI exams are advised to sign up at shsc3.weebly.com.

The 3rd Annual Back to School Bash is scheduled for Saturday, August 1st! We look forward to seeing you there!

2020-2021 School Calendar Update: After reviewing results from staff and family surveys, consulting with local health officials, and hearing recommendations from SISD administration the SISD Board of Trustees approved an amended Snyder ISD calendar for the 2020-2021 school year with the first day of school for in-person and virtual classes being moved to Tuesday September 8, 2020. The revised calendar and additional details will be released on Monday, July 27th. According to our recent surveys: 34% of families plan to select virtual school while 66% of families plan to select on-campus instruction 79% of both families and staff members are in favor of delaying the start of school until September 8th. By delaying the start of the school year until September 8th Snyder ISD is: allowing the recent increase of COVID-19 cases in Scurry County to recover and monitor local conditions, increasing the number of days to train staff on the virtual platform and allowing more time to secure and prepare technology resources for the virtual platform and 1:1 initiative. UIL recently announced fall sports for 4A schools to continue as scheduled. The first day of practice will remain August 3, and games and matches will begin in August. We will abide by UIL guidelines for these events. More details on spectators and other requirements will be announced soon. The release from UIL is available at https://www.uiltexas.org/policy/covid-19. I want to remind you that online registration is open. Although there is no hard deadline, we ask that you register your child before August 1 so we can adequately plan for the school year. When you ​register your child for school, you will select between virtual or on-campus instruction. Please choose the option that best meets the needs of your family. The district has established a grace period for three weeks after the first day of school, allowing families to change instructional environments. After that date, you can change enrollment between on-campus and virtual instruction at the end of each grading period. If special circumstances arise during the school year requiring a switch to virtual classes, please contact the principal for guidelines. The Back to School Bash will continue as planned on August 1 from 8 am - 3 pm. You may reserve your time when you register your student for school. As soon as we have information about other back to school events, technology distribution, and class assignments, we will communicate that with you. We appreciate the flexibility and support of our families, students, and staff as we navigate these uncertain times together. Our commitment to providing students with a quality education in a safe and inclusive environment remains unchanged. We will utilize this additional time to diligently prepare for the school year and encourage each of you to stay safe and stay well. Eddie Bland, Ed. D. Superintendent of Schools, Snyder ISD

School systems must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participate in any on-campus activities. Should a staff member or student be at risk of exposure because they were in close contact with the individual who tested positive, the Scurry County Health Unit or a SISD designee will contact that staff member or student personally. In this case, no close contacts have been identified and the proper protocols were in place. --

Calling all incoming freshmen!! Save the date! Fish Splash 20/21 will take place on Monday, August 3rd at the SHS cafeteria. To provide ample social distancing, there will be two sessions. Session one will be from 10-12 for students with the last name beginning with A-K. Session two will be from 1:30-3:30 for students with the last name beginning with L-Z. Students will enter via the cafeteria doors and will have temperature screens upon arrival. Masks will be required during the campus tour. Parents are welcome to attend!​

Please take 1 minute to share your thoughts in a quick school start date survey! Your feedback has been critical in shaping our reopening plans. This is a rapidly changing situation, and we need to know how you feel. Survey responses are due by Thursday, July 23rd, at 5 pm. Thank you! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzHGp9WzcA5-zgGTnNYbBb_nuzf1OIJf82Ad2UWP-lBvaT9g/viewform?usp=sf_link --

🍎Returning student online registration is open! Families may register their students through their Skyward Family Access account. If you have misplaced or forgotten your username and password please visit the Back To School HQ link posted below. 📌Back to School HQ Link: https://www.snyderisd.net/o/snyder/page/registration-enrollment--31

We know you are eager to hear about plans for this school year. Please take 5 minutes to watch this video from Dr. Bland for the latest news. https://youtu.be/tF_S2G-nr34 For a detailed plan, please visit our website: https://www.snyderisd.net/o/snyder/page/2020-2021-on-campus-virtual-school-options--2

🍎Returning student online registration is open! Families may register their students through their Skyward Family Access account. If you have misplaced or forgotten your username and password please visit the Back To School HQ link posted below. 📌Back to School HQ Link: https://www.snyderisd.net/…/page/registration-enrollment--31

Snyder ISD is excited to be a 1:1 technology district for the 2020-2021 school year! Each student in grades PreK-12 will be issued an electronic device to use in school or at home. This initiative will be critical for virtual and on-campus learners to remain connected to the classroom and have access to innovative learning opportunities. Additionally, this will allow us to switch quickly to a 100% virtual environment temporarily if needed.

Snyder students and families: Grief resources have been provided on the Snyder ISD website. The Dougy Center is a nationally recognized provider of grief and loss support for families and children. They have developed a series of tip sheets that provide understanding about grief and ways for individuals and caregivers to respond. We hope you find them helpful in understanding and supporting your child during this difficult time. This tip sheet is specific to grieving teens and addresses many of the feelings and experiences they may face during this time. It also provides coping strategies for them to use. The other tip sheet is specific to supporting grieving children and providing caregivers with tools to help. There are many other resources and tip sheets available on the Snyder ISD counselor’s page and www.dougy.org.

SHS dual credit students: Opportunity scholarship applications must be completed by Wednesday, July 8th. Please upload completed applications into google classroom using the code ksqds5a. If you have questions, please email spinkerton@snyderisd.net.

Dear Snyder Family, I am sorry to release such sensitive information in this way, but I want to make sure that everyone is aware. It is with deep regret that we inform you about a death in our school community. Mays Villarreal, who would have been a freshman at Snyder High School this fall, was in a serious accident over the holiday weekend and died. This loss will be felt throughout Snyder. Mays has family entering Pre-K, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 10th grades next year as well as relatives and friends throughout the district and the community. The family has informed us that visitation will be at Bell Cypert Seale Funeral Home on Tuesday from 6pm-7pm and the funeral will be held at East Side Church of Christ, Wednesday at 2pm. During this time of sadness and grief, we will offer support to our students and staff. A virtual support group Zoom led by Snyder ISD counselors will be held at 1pm on Monday, July 6th. If we need to add additional meeting times, we will. Later this evening, we will send a Zoom meeting link to the email and phone number we have on file. If you have a child that was not his classmate, but knew Mays and needs support, please email acrist@snyderisd.net. The crisis text line is also available by texting “home” to 741741. You will be able to text with a counselor for free. To speak to someone over the phone, you may call the West Texas Centers Crisis Help line at 1.800.375.4357. We also have a list of counseling resources available. If you need additional support, do not hesitate to reach out to us. We know you will join us in extending your sympathy and prayers for the family. We will make every effort to help you and your child through this difficult time. Eddie Bland, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools, Snyder ISD

Correction: We have been notified that the staff member who we reported to have a positive COVID-19 test earlier today, was indeed negative. We are relieved to hear that this staff member has not tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. We sincerely apologize for the error and confusion. We appreciate all of the concern for this individual. We are proud to be a part of such a supportive community.

On Thursday, July 2, 2020 Snyder ISD was notified a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The employee worked on Wednesday, but in an isolated area of a SISD campus. There was no known contact with any other employees or students. The district has thoroughly sanitized the areas where the employee worked and the employee has been told to quarantine until released by a physician. Earlier this week, SISD suspended the girl’s athletic conditioning program due to a possible COVID-19 exposure, however this case is thought to be unrelated. The district remains steadfast in our commitment to ensure the safety of our students and employees and we will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Please visit the Scurry County Coronavirus Resource Page at scurrycovid.com or the CDC website for more information about COIVD-19.

Snyder ISD will open schools to students on August 12 with plans to keep students safe and offer families options. Families will be allowed to choose between in-school learning and virtual learning for the 2020-2021 school year. Both in-school and virtual learning options will follow the same curriculum and students will be held to the same grading standards. Dr. Eddie Bland, Superintendent of Schools for Snyder ISD, states, “We believe that having students in classrooms is the best way to teach and we are excited to have students back in the building for the start of school on August 12. Understandably, parents have concerns, and extensive planning is underway to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to keep the school as sanitized and as safe as possible. These plans will be shaped locally by surveying our families, staff, and healthcare experts in addition to guidance from Governor Greg Abbott and TEA Commissioner Mike Morath. We will provide more details on these plans as soon as they are available.” To better understand the needs of families, the district has issued a family survey to learn which schooling option they prefer and what health and safety protocols they would like to see upon returning to school. Surveys were also sent to teachers to learn about their needs and concerns. All surveys are due by Friday, July 3, 2020 to help the district plan for the school year. Students who are enrolled in virtual learning can expect a robust platform and the same rigorous grading guidelines as in-person school. All virtual learners will be assigned a teacher and will follow the SISD school calendar. Although the school will provide students with a school-issued iPad or laptop, families will need to have reliable internet or access to the wi-fi hotspots to connect to the virtual classroom. For students who are struggling, have questions, or need support, students will be able to meet with their teacher virtually through the teacher help desk. Families will designate their choice between in-school learning and virtual learning when they register. If they have already registered and did not make a selection, a staff member will contact them. Registration for students new to the district opens July 6, and online registration for returning students begins on July 15. Virtual learning details: Pre-K-2nd grade: asynchronous*, or flexible classes, will be offered. In the flexible format, lessons will be recorded and completed anytime during the day. Families will need to set aside at least 3 hours per day for school. To be counted present for the day, students must be engaged for the assigned time during the 24 hour time period. *As of 6/30/2020, the TEA states that asynchronous learning is required in the virtual format for grades Pre-K-2nd. However, we will provide virtual interaction with teachers in a real-time format to support student learning. Grades 3-12: real-time (synchronous), or flexible (asynchronous) classes will be offered. Real-time classes will be held at scheduled times in the day. Flexible class lessons will be recorded and are to be completed anytime during the day. For students in grades 3-5, families will need to set aside at least 3 hours and students in grades 6-12 will need to set aside at least 4 hours per day for school. To be counted present for the day, students must be engaged for the assigned time during the 24 hour time period. “Should there be a need to close campuses again due to COVID-19, we will be prepared to switch immediately to a fully virtual format. Our staff demonstrated flexibility, perseverance, and commitment to launching an online format in a matter of days. I know they are committed to helping all students succeed in whatever format they choose,” states Rachael McClain Assistant Superintendent -- Learning and Innovation.

In 20-21, all students will be expected to attend school in-person or virtually on a daily basis. As we await additional guidance from the TEA, we would like to conduct a “check-in” survey with our families. Please visit the SISD News link at https://bit.ly/3eRR2A8 for more information and participate in a short survey. The survey is available in English and Spanish.