Following Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-34, effective March 10, 2021, Melissa ISD made face masks optional for all students, staff, and visitors. All other COVID-19 safety protocols remain in place at Melissa Schools in order to help mitigate the potential spread of the virus. All UIL activities continue to adhere to the updated UIL COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Guidelines.
This overview is intended to answer a number of common questions and provide pertinent safety information regarding Melissa ISD’s 2020-2021 school year, so that parents and guardians feel empowered to choose a school setting that best suits the students in their household.
TEA Education Rights & Responsibilities During COVID-19 | Download | |
TEA Derechos y responsabilidades de la educación durante COVID-19 | Descargar |
In-Person School: Face-to-face traditional instruction in the school building, with the possibility of going remote.
Virtual School: 100% online asynchronous learning using Melissa ISD’s dedicated learning platform.
Remote Instruction: Temporary online learning from home, in the event that remote instruction is needed for a student who typically attends in-person school.
Schoology: Melissa ISD’s dedicated online learning platform that will be used by all students for the 2020-2021 school year, no matter their chosen school setting.
Edgenuity: The contracted service through which a virtual student’s online instruction will be produced and delivered, facilitated by a Melissa ISD teacher.
Definitions for asynchronous and synchronous learning can be found in the following document: SY Attendance and Enrollment FAQ (TEA, July 7, 2020)
The comparison chart below outlines Melissa ISD’s In-Person School and Virtual School programs. Mobile users can click on the PDF link below for easier viewing.
Aug. 25, 2020: Students attending virtual school (100% online asynchronous learning) will start school on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. Following registration, additional information will be shared with the parent/guardian regarding how their student can log in and begin virtual school.
First School Holiday: Melissa Schools will be closed district-wide on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020 in observance of Labor Day; no in-person school or virtual school.
Sept. 8, 2020: Virtual school resumes on Tuesday, Sept 8, 2020.
Virtual teachers will be available during the following Virtual Office Hours:
Elementary: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Secondary: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Melissa ISD’s In-Person School will follow a phase-in schedule for the first two weeks of school, from Aug. 25 – Sept. 4, 2020, so that students and staff can get acclimated to being back in the school building while following new safety protocols. As part of this phase-in, students will also get set up on the district’s online learning platform in the event that a switch to remote learning from home is needed.
The Academy After School Program will be available for students on any day that they attend in-person school beginning Week 2. The Academy will follow the Melissa ISD academic calendar for the 2020-2021 school year unless in the event of an unexpected school closure.
Please make sure you are registered for The Academy After School Program if you are planning for your student(s) to attend. Click here to learn more.
Schoology will be Melissa ISD’s dedicated online learning platform for all students, utilized for in-person school and virtual school, in order to maintain the continuum of curriculum, and offer a way for any student to learn from home. Every student will have their own Schoology account, as well as every primary guardian.* Click here to watch an introductory video.
*Each household typically has one parent designated as the primary guardian upon registration. However, more than one primary guardian can be designated for each student. If you need assistance in determining who is listed as your student’s primary guardian(s), please contact your student’s school.
During Week 1, all students will learn from home using Schoology. Secondary students in specific extracurricular programs will attend scheduled in-person activities before and/or after the school day.
During Week 2, a predetermined schedule will dictate which groups of students will attend in-person school on specific days, and which groups will continue learning from home. Every student enrolled in in-person school will attend school on campus at least two days during Week 2. All students attending in-person school, except for those in Kindergarten, will learn from home on Friday, Sept. 4, 2020.
Melissa Schools will be closed district-wide on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020 in observance of Labor Day; no in-person school or virtual school.
Full operations for in-person school begin on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020; all students will attend school on campus.
Outlined below are Melissa ISD’s general safety protocols for the 2020-2021 school year. These guidelines are based on recommendations and requirements provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Governor of Texas, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). See the campus procedures for more detailed protocols.
See Also: Public Health Guidance for School Year 2020-2021 (TEA)
Melissa ISD will follow requirements and additional recommendations put forth by TEA in order to minimize the likelihood of the viral spread of COVID-19. These requirements fall under four focus areas: provide notice, prevent, respond, and mitigate.
In the event that a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19:
Linked below are Melissa ISD’s flow charts outlining protocols in response to students and employees who are lab-confirmed for COVID-19, those with COVID-19 symptoms, and those who have been in close contact with an individual lab-confirmed for COVID-19.
Note: Individuals participating in UIL activities will follow the above guidelines as well as any additional requirements outlined in the 2020-2021 UIL COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Guidelines.
In addition, please see TEA’s Public Health Guidance for School Year 2020-2021 for more extensive information.
Following Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-34, effective March 10, 2021, Melissa ISD made face masks optional for all students, staff, and visitors.
(See Also: Updates to Melissa ISD Attendance Reporting Procedures for the 2020-2021 School Year)
We have developed procedures for each campus, as well as for our extracurricular programs, which outline additional safety information and logistics for the 2020-2021 school year. Click on the links below to access the information via Google Docs.
The registration window for the 2020-2021 school year is Aug. 3-7, 2020; during this time, as part of the online registration process, please register each student in the household for either in-person school or virtual school. Click here to begin.
Parents and guardians of students new to Melissa ISD who completed enrollment prior to Aug. 3, 2020 must log into the Parent Portal between Aug. 3-7, 2020 and select a school setting for each student in the household. Those who do not select a school setting will default to in-person school.
Questions related to COVID-19 can be directed by email to connect@melissaisd.org and will be rerouted accordingly. Alternatively, please fill out our Contact Form and select COVID-19 as your topic.