Back to School 2020
First Day of School: August 19
2020-21 Campus Start and End Times
- Head Start 7:15am-3:10pm
- Edison 7:25am-3:20pm
- Chalmers 7:30am-3:25pm
- Lee 7:45am-3:37pm
- GJH 7:45am-3:40pm
- GHS 8:10am-4:00pm
Water, water, water!
For the safety of our students, all water fountains will be inaccessible going forward. Parents are encouraged to send a labeled water bottle with their student each day. Because the water fountains will be inaccessible to refill the bottles as needed, additional bottled water will be available for students throughout the day. New touchless, hands-free bottle refill stations have been ordered for placement throughout the district, but due to high demand causing a delay in shipment, these will not arrive for several weeks. When the stations are installed, parents will be notified. In the meantime, we assure you that all of our students will have adequate access to drinking water.
Meals for Virtual Learning Students
Meals will be provided via curbside pick up for students who are receiving virtual instruction. However due to federal guidelines, we are not able to provide these meals free to all students. The pricing status for these meals will mirror those for in-school students. Once the student ID is verified at pick up, the student meals provided will either be free, reduced, or full price. As a reminder, breakfast is free for all students, with the exception of high school.
Locations for pick up will be the same as it was for summer meal service: Edison (front side of school) and Chalmers (back side of school).
The meal pick up schedule will be as follows:
Breakfast may be picked up from either location from 8:30am-9:00am.
Lunch may be picked up from Chalmers from 12-12:30pm or Edison from 12:25-1:15pm
For this week only, meals will only be able to be picked up one meal per student per pick up time. For example, only one breakfast will be able to be picked up during the breakfast time and the same with lunch.
Beginning August 24th, meals will be available for pick up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Mondays and Wednesdays, both breakfast and lunch can be picked up at one time and will include two days of meals (4 meals provided both days). On Fridays, both breakfast and lunch can be picked up at one time. For example, a student will be provided 2 breakfast and 2 lunches on Monday mornings and the same for Wednesday. This will ensure that students can receive all 10 meals with only 3 trips to the school.
As a reminder, the free or reduced meal status for returning GISD students will remain active through the first 30 days of school. For new GISD students and those who are newly qualified, please complete the application asap to ensure the reduced/free meals can be provided.
Online Free & Reduced Meal Applications
The new online application for free & reduced meals is live! The application is linked on the Child Nutrition website as well as the Back-to-School webpage in addition to the links below. As a reminder, the free or reduced meal status for returning GISD students will remain active through the first 30 days of school.
Paper applications are available at all campus offices if one of the following apply:
Your child is a new GISD student and you believe you may qualify
You child qualified for reduced meal prices last year, but your family income changed and you believe your child may now qualify for free meals.
If your child did not qualify for free or reduced meals last year, but your family income has changed and you believe you may now qualify.
IMPORTANT BUS RIDER INFORMATION
*ALL BUS RIDERS MUST WEAR A MASK*
If a student does not have a mask, one will be provided. In addition, the temperature of each student will be checked PRIOR to boarding the bus. A student with an elevated temperature (after multiple checks) will not be allowed to board the bus. Parents will be notified and the bus will remain until the parent and/or district police have safely returned the student to their residence.
Please complete a form for ALL students who will need bus transportation TO or FROM school. As a reminder, Head Start and Pre-K students are not eligible for bus transportation.
If you have not yet completed a request for transportation, please click <<<HERE>>> and make further arrangements until the request can be processed.
New this year, you can track your child's route and see exact pick up and drop off times. Once your child's request is processed, you can see all transportation details on the portal. This will be an important messaging tool for the transportation department throughout the year.
Just click <<<HERE>>> to set up the Ride 360 account AFTER you have submitted the request (see above).
Virtual Learning Device Request
Virtual Technology Help Desk
A virtual learning help desk will be available beginning August 25 & 27 and will continue throughout the next several weeks. More details including the link to attend a virtual help desk session will be shared at a future date.
Parent/Student Help Desk Schedule:
August 25 & 27 (10am, 2pm, 6pm)
September 1 & 3 (10am, 2pm, 6pm)
September 8 & 10 (10am, 2pm, 6pm)
Athletic Event Guidelines & Online Ticketing
This year, in accordance with suggested UIL guidelines, tickets for all athletic events will be sold online only – no tickets will be sold at the gate. Every spectator must purchase their online tickets prior to the event, and all tickets will be general admission with first-come, first-serve seating. Tickets may be purchased at goleopards.org when the box office opens for that particular game/sport. Student athletic passes and Senior Citizen passes will be honored at the gate. Online ticketing will begin the week of August 24th.
With the health and safety of our students, staff, and community in mind, and in accordance to the state’s mass gathering regulations, and recently issued UIL protocols, attendance at all Gainesville ISD athletic events will be at a maximum capacity of 50%.
Capacity limits are listed below:
Leopard Stadium: 50% Capacity - 2,000
High School Gym: 50% Capacity - 650
High School PE Gym: 50% Capacity - 70
JH Competition Gym: 50% Capacity - 200
JH PE Gym: 50% Capacity – 250
Due to the capacity limitations for the 2020 football season, GISD will not be selling season tickets or reserved seating tickets. All 2019-2020 season ticket holders will be offered their same seat locations for the 2021-2022 season if capacity limitations are lifted and season ticket sales resume.
We are finalizing details on how to ensure our participants’ families will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets before tickets are made available to the general public.
Spectators at all GISD events, 10 years and older are required to wear masks at all times.
Face mask exemptions require medical documentation.
Stay connected!
Teacher Communication:
Head Start, Edison, and Chalmers parents: download the Class Dojo app and your teacher will provide the appropriate class code.
Lee, GJH, and GJHS parents: download the Remind app and look for additional instructions to be sent from the district on next steps once all classes have been rostered.
If you don't have a smartphone, you will still be able to receive messages via text message.