Katy Virtual Academy
KVA Update: Sunday, September 27, 2020
ELEMENTARY: REMAINING A KVA STUDENT
Window to Opt-in to or Opt-out of KVA for Next Grading Period
Secondary Students who opted for a change to their instructional delivery model (either KVA or Face to Face) for the second six weeks will begin in that setting on Monday, September 28. If no change was selected, students will continue in the same setting as they were enrolled for the first six weeks. Elementary Students who opted for the Katy Virtual Academy (KVA) learning option will continue with their KVA schedule through the end of the current nine-week grading period. Campuses have worked extremely hard to balance in-person and virtual classes as well as implement all campus phase 1 safety protocols.
Secondary – 2nd Six Weeks submission window to change your child’s current instructional delivery option is closed. The window to change your child's instructional delivery setting for the 3rd Six Weeks will begin on Monday, October 12th – Friday, October 23rd. The link will be available on your students’ campus home page.
Elementary – submission window will be open September 21-October 2. The change in instruction will begin on Oct. 19 (the first day of the second grading period). The commitment link will be available on your student’s campus home page.
Important Reminders
- All opt-in changes are in effect at the beginning of the second six-week (secondary) and nine-week (elementary) grading period. Changes to instructional delivery settings can result in a change in your child’s teacher(s) and daily schedule.
- If you would like your child to remain in the instructional delivery setting he/she is currently in, there is NO action needed on the part of the parent.
If you have any questions regarding the next opportunity to change your child’s learning option for the second grading period, please email KVA@katyisd.org.
If there is a need for a change in your child’s learning option due to a medical hardship, please email your concern to medicalhardship@katyisd.org. Pending the decision of the review committee, students will remain in their current, selected, learning option.
Home Access Center (HAC) to view IPRs and Report Cards
The Interim Progress Reports and Report Cards for grades PK-12 will be electronically viewable in the Home Access Center (HAC). To view the electronic grade reports, please click on the “Grades” icon.
If you need further information on the HAC, please click here: English- HAC FAQs and Spanish- HAC FAQs.
Phase 1 Safety Protocols Effective September 28
In preparation for the next secondary six-week grading period, the Phase 1 Safety Protocols will continue to be in effect. Additional modifications to the Phase 1 Safety Protocols can be found here.
Fine Arts Updates
With updated safety protocols in place, secondary fine art programs may begin performing live events as of Monday, September 28.
Opening weekend of football and halftime performances, parents of performing fine art students will receive a link to purchase tickets for these events from their campus directors. These tickets will become available on Monday morning at 9 a.m. the week of the game. Due to the limited seating capacity it is highly recommended to reserve your tickets as soon as possible.
To review the Katy ISD district football schedule visit http://www.katyisd.org/dept/athletics/Pages/default.aspx for details.
Virtual theatre performances have begun! Visit the district fine arts calendar http://www.katyisd.org/dept/finearts/Pages/Calendar.aspx for information to gain access to these performances.
Texas Art Education Association names Katy ISD as a 2020 District of Distinction. This honor recognizes the highest rated art programs in the state and this year identifies Katy ISD as one of the top 4% visual art programs in the state.
CTE Courses - Before/After School Activities
Many Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses require in-person instruction in order to receive practice on skills, and access to specialized equipment and technology in order to successfully complete the course.
Beginning September 28 through December 11, 2020, KVA CTE labs will be opening before and/or after school for lab instruction. All KVA students enrolled in a CTE course that requires in-person instruction are required to attend the before and/or after school labs. In-person labs may be assessed and calculated as major grades. If a student fails to attend the required labs his/her semester grade will be negatively impacted and may result in a failing semester grade. CTE teachers will be communicating to students the weekly in-person schedule. Transportation to campus will not be provided.
CTE Course Fees
KVA CTE students enrolled in Floral Design, Principles of Human Services, Culinary Arts I, and/or Cosmetology I are required to pay a course fee. Lab supplies and materials are purchased solely using the course fee. All course fees for KVA students must be paid on Katy ISD Pay N Go app. Instructions on how to access the fees can be found here: Pay N Go Course Fee. Parents may request a course fee waiver by completing and submitting a Course Fee Waiver form. Forms can be requested from the campus and/or CTE instructor.
Floral Design and Principles of Human Services will have lab supplies that will need to be picked up at various times throughout the six weeks. Teachers will communicate with students and parents the dates, time, and location of lab item pickup, as well as how the labs will be submitted for evaluation and assessment. At-home labs can begin the second six weeks, September 28, 2020. KVA students enrolled in these CTE courses are required to pick-up lab supplies to complete their assignments at home.
Motivation for At Home Learners
Parent Resource Guide for Motivation
Secondary Students
FALL
REGISTRATION:
Registration for AP exams is now open until October 25, 2021 at 11:59 pm. Students who are
enrolled in an AP class during the fall semester MUST register to take AP exams by the
deadline on October 25th. This includes Miller and KVS students as well as summer KVS
students.
To access the entire letter for full details, click here.
PSAT/NMSQT® Testing for 10th and 11th graders
Katy ISD will continue to administer the PSAT/NMSQT®, which helps students prepare for future SAT testing and provides entry into the National Merit® Scholarship Program for students who meet the criteria.
The district will offer two testing days to accommodate students:
October 14, 2020: 11th grade Face-to-Face and KVA students and 10th/11th grade registered homeschooled students for the PSAT/NMSQT®
- 9th, 10th & 12th will remain at home and engage with assigned asynchronous lessons.
- KVA students may ride district transportation to and from their campus on their scheduled PSAT date.
- KVA parents may pick up their KVA child prior to the end of the school day.
- KVA students may opt to stay at the campus and ride the bus home after school hours; however, students will be placed in a large room setting.
- Before and after school programs/practices will remain on schedule.
- Homeschool students must register with attendance zone home campus. Both 10th and 11th graders will test on October 14, 2020.
October 29, 2020: 10th grade Face-to-Face and KVA students for thePSAT/NMSQT®
- 9th,11th & 12th will remain at home and engage with assigned asynchronous lessons.
- KVA students may ride district transportation to and from their campus on their scheduled PSAT date.
- KVA parents may pick up their KVA students to transport home prior to the end of the school day.
- KVA students may opt to stay at the home campus and ride the bus home after school hours; however, students will be placed in a large room setting.
- Before and after school programs/practices will remain on schedule.
Elementary - Gifted and Talented Updates
For Parents of Kindergarten Students:
Information for parents wishing to have their child screened for the KISD gifted and talented is provided on the links below. The links below will provide access to the letter to parents, information on how to refer your child, and typical characteristics of a gifted learner.
Online parent checklists are available from your child’s KVA teacher and are due by October 2nd, 2020. Please contact your child’s KVA teacher or your child’s campus Challenge teacher by September 21st to get the link to the checklist.
Click on the language link (English Spanish) to access the information listed above.
5th Grade GT Referral Information Update:
Reminder: The deadline for submitting the parent checklist for referring your child for GT services is Wednesday, September 23rd. An online checklist is now available for your convenience. Please contact your child’s KVA teacher or your campus Challenge teacher for the link specific to your child’s campus.
FREE Breakfast and Lunch Meals
Beginning Monday, September 21, breakfast and lunch meals will be free to all students whether on campus or enrolled in KVA and using the grab n go pick up. Breakfast and lunch meals served at the curbside sites are also available to all Katy area children 18 and under. This free meal benefit is a temporary program which is expected to last through December 2020.
Curbside Grab and Go breakfast and lunch, ready to heat and eat at home, can be picked up at: Morton Ranch High School, Mayde Creek High School and Cinco Ranch High School from 4 – 6 p.m. Monday through Friday as per the school schedule.
Katy ISD students may have one breakfast and one lunch per day. Students who eat meals at school are not eligible for a meal at the Grab and Go location. If parents are picking up meals for their children and the children are not present, identification for each Katy ISD enrolled child such as an ID, report card, or birth certificate must be presented prior to receiving the meals.
Free and Reduced Lunch Form
The Katy ISD Nutrition and Food Services Department would like to remind parents/guardians that the District offers free or reduced-price meals to families that qualify. It is important for eligible families to apply, as eligibility information impacts school funding. More information, including the application can be found on SchoolCafe.
- A new meal benefits application must be submitted each school year for families that may qualify for receiving free or reduced-price meals.
- One meal benefit application is needed per family.
- To expedite the approval process, we highly recommend that families submit an online application at SchoolCafe.com.
- Parents/guardians are responsible for all meal account charges prior to being approved.
As a friendly reminder, Katy ISD offers Pay N' Go, which allows convenient ways to make payments for cafeteria meals, set low balance email notifications, schedule auto-pay, pay activity fees, and various other campus and district related services.
If you have any question please visit our website, email us at NutritionFoodServices@KatyISD.org or call us at 281-396-6240.
Katy ISD Nutrition and Food Service Department
Click here to read the USDA Nondiscrimination statement.
Student Mask/Face Covering/Face Shield Requirements
Katy ISD asks all students and staff to provide their own face covering from home. Katy ISD will make every effort to provide a face covering to those unable to provide their own or should an individual’s face covering become ineffective during school hours. Katy ISD safety protocols for student masks/face coverings/face shields have been updated to ensure consistency and to maximum safety protocols and protections across all buildings and grade levels.
- All staff are required to wear a mask, face covering, or face shield when in a Katy ISD facility
- Students, grades 4-12 are required to wear a mask, face covering, or face shield upon arrival to school and dismissal, when riding buses, in hallways, common areas, and in classrooms.
- Students in grades PK-3 are required to wear a mask, face covering, or face shield upon arrival and dismissal, in the hallways, common areas, on the school bus and, when developmentally appropriate, in the classrooms.
- Katy ISD recognizes our younger students and their range of abilities, including the wearing of a facial covering during classroom instruction, may vary due to the child’s stage of development. Alternative measures of safety are available for our younger students who may not be able to wear a facial covering at all times when inside the classroom. Parents of PK-3 grade students are encouraged to contact their child’s campus principal or campus nurse with questions regarding the wearing of a facial covering within the classroom.
Face coverings include non-medical and medical grade disposable face masks and cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), and face shields. Full-face shields may be used in place of a mask to protect eyes, nose, and mouth and must cover one’s face, extending below the chin.
Non-Compliance with Mask Requirement
Katy ISD is offering parents the option of virtual or in-person instruction. Students who do not comply with safety protocols in place for in-person instruction will be transitioned to Katy Virtual Academy for the duration of the grading period. KVA students participating in in-person school related activities before and after the start of the instructional day must also follow the same safety protocols. Students who do not wear masks/face coverings as required by District safety protocols will not be allowed to participate in school related activities. Should a student have a medical condition that would preclude him/her from wearing a mask, the parent is requested to provide the campus nurse documentation from their medical provider.
COVIS-19 Self Reporting System
The District has a COVID-19 Reporting System in place to allow staff, students and parents to self-report if they have received a COVID-19 positive test result. The self-reporting system enables the District’s Emergency Management team to conduct contact tracing, as well as call and notify individuals in Katy ISD buildings who may have been directly exposed to the infected person. A general email notification is also sent to campus staff and families whenever the district is informed of a potential “indirect” COVID-19 exposure in their building.
Receipt of the general notification alone indicates that the recipient was not in close contact to the COVID-19 positive case reported for their building.
Many school personnel and other staff are teaching and working on Katy ISD campuses and facilities. Should there be a potential COVID-19 exposure on any campus or facility, a general notification is sent to staff at the work site impacted, by the end of the day in which the self-report was submitted. Staff who may have been directly exposed because of failed COVID-19 safety protocol will be notified directly by a member of the Risk Management Department.
Parents receive applicable campus-based general notifications during the regular school year, when in-person instruction is taking place.
Students and staff may report positive COVID-19 results using the COVID-19 Self Reporting app on the District website homepage and MyKaty Cloud.
National Alliance on Mental Health Resources and Information
To Access more of NAMI's information and resources related to suicide, please click the link below:
https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Risk-of-Suicide
Warning Signs
Here are a few other warning signs of suicide:
- Increased alcohol and drug use
- Aggressive behavior
- Withdrawal from friends, family and community
- Dramatic mood swings
- Impulsive or reckless behavior
Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one starts to take any of these steps, seek immediate help from a health care provider or call 911:
- Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon
- Giving away possessions
- Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts
- Saying goodbye to friends and family
Athletics Update
Click here to learn more: Katy ISD Athletic Department Ticketing Update
College and Career Night
A short video demonstrating how to access and navigate the virtual College and Career Night can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOXWLzjviA&feature=youtu.be.
Students will be able to register for Katy ISD’s College and Career Night through GoToCollegeFairs.com beginning Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
Virtual Learning Readiness!
Be virtual learning ready!
- Know your Katy ISD username and password. If you do not know this information, click here for help
- Go to the Home Access Center (HAC) and view your schedule
- PreK-4th grade students will need their parent/guardian to login to the HAC
- 5th –12th grade students can login to the HAC using their student credentials
- Launch the Google Chrome browser on your device
If using a personal device, make sure it is up to date, click here for help.
- Go to MyKaty Cloud: https://mykaty.katyisd.org
- Ensure you have Webpass enabled, click here for help
- Find Canvas (under the Elementary or Secondary tab on MyKaty Cloud):
- Click on the course that contains the name of your first class (refer to schedule in HAC).
- Be on time to each course throughout the day, as attendance will be taken. Your teacher will have instructions for you about content and an online meeting link.
Temporary Student IDs
How to Access Them
Elementary and secondary students can access a temporary ID badge via the Student ID App available on the MyKaty Cloud. Families received an email on Friday, August 14 with instructions on how to access and use the Student ID App.
Secondary campuses will soon communicate additional information about specific dates and times when secondary students will receive their permanent student ID.
Technology & Digital Support Information
Parent Tech FAQs
http://www.katyisd.org/dept/technology/PTH/Pages/Parent-Tech-FAQs.aspx
Parent and Student Knowledge Base
http://www.katyisd.org/dept/technology/PTH/Pages/Knowledge-Base-for-Students-and-Parents.aspx
Technology Help Desk Contacts for Parents/Students Support Inquiries
- Online: Katy ISD Tech Help
- Or, click “Help” in Canvas
- Or, call: 281.396.7400 (6:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
- Or, e-mail: parenttechsupport@katyisd.org
“How to Guide” for Parents on the Home Access Center (HAC)
Need to know how to view a report card, student grades, or other information?
Check out our “how to guides” on the Home Access Center, or click below.