Goshen Gazette
August 2020
Dear GCES Families,
Sincerely,
Kelly Jones- Principal
New & Returning Student Registration for 2020-21
Springtown ISD's Registration Portal is now open. Parents are asked to review the "Return to Learn" Plan before committing to either our face-to-face (traditional) program or our online/virtual program.
*Link to Registration Page: https://www.springtownisd.net/Domain/30
On-Campus Learning
Our face-to-face program will be a good option for students who are more comfortable in a traditional learning environment and prefer the interaction a group setting provides. Parents should note that social distancing (six feet of separation between each student) in every classroom cannot be guaranteed; there is simply not enough space to physically do so. We will expect our students in grades 4-12 to comply with Governor Abbott's Order GA-29 (requiring face masks or face shields).
Parents whose children enroll in our face-to-face learning program are asked to provide their own transportation if possible. The District will continue to provide bus service, but social distancing cannot be guaranteed on our buses. All riders, regardless of their age, will be expected to wear face masks or face shields while riding the bus. **Requiring six feet of distance between each rider would reduce the capacity of a 72-passenger bus to only 11 students.
*More information can be found in our "Return to Learn" Plan found below.
Online/Virtual Learning
Our online/virtual program will be a good option for students who already have internet connectivity and hardware/devices with which to complete coursework. Be aware that elementary students in our virtual program should expect to engage in learning for at least 180 minutes each day, and secondary students should expect to engage for at least 240 minutes. *It is especially important to note that the online program's grading policies will mirror the traditional model's policies. The rigor of the online courses will be much higher than what we saw last spring.
The District is in the process of securing over 900 WiFi hotspots made available at a significant discount through Governor Abbott's "Operation Connectivity" Program. The District has already purchased over 600 new Chromebooks, and plans to order almost 1500 more through the program mentioned above. These devices will help ensure that, should an emergency situation warrant a pivot to district-wide distance learning, our students will be better prepared to remain engaged in learning.
Parents who intend to enroll their child in SISD's Virtual Learning Program are asked to complete this survey.
*More information can be found in our "Return to Learn" Plan found below.