From the moment we chose to be one of the few school districts to begin on-campus learning instead of being 100% remote, our Wylie ISD family joined together to create an amazing educational experience for our students. We did so with a balanced percentage of remote and on-campus learners, providing both groups with a quality educational experience. It has been a big success, and we are so grateful for your help in making it happen.

Our remote learners are going strong with our enhanced online education experience and getting better each day as we work towards the completion of digital audio/visual equipment installation. On-campus learners have followed social distance requirements and have worn masks that have kept COVID-19 cases at a minimum and attendance rates at an all-time high. We believe these results are so positive because of the cooperation of our entire Wylie ISD family and the principles and guideposts that will guide our decisions for now and the future.

STATISTICS

Early planning, guidance, and understanding of the expectations of remote and on-campus learning was beneficial in helping parents and teachers to make informed decisions for the first nine weeks. The result was an even balance of choices.

Keeping everyone safe, and keeping exposure to a minimum, was essential for schools to remain open. As we explained from the beginning, Wylie ISD would experience positive cases and/or be impacted from a contact trace that would result in quarantine. Thankfully, early detection, tracing, and quarantining has kept COVID-19 under control. We are so thankful for our kids and employees who have exceeded all expectations regarding the willingness to social distance and wear masks. Great job!

We promised transparency. We currently have a combination of 140 employees and students in quarantine. Our Wylie ISD COVID-19 dashboard is regularly updated to provide the latest information by district and campus.

PLANNING FOR THE 2nd NINE WEEKS

Careful planning has helped to make our start to school successful. Thank you for your input and feedback. Our requirement to ask families to make a commitment for the first nine weeks allowed campus administrators to schedule classes and ensure social distancing requirements were met. Creating basically two schools on one campus is complex. This included a great deal of cooperation and help from principals, teachers, and many others. Thank you, Wylie ISD employees!

Our next step involves planning to make good on our promise to allow learners to switch modes of instruction for the second nine weeks. A few clear and simple guidelines and timelines will guide us to make the second nine weeks as successful as our start to school. If parents do not plan to switch their student’s learning platform, NO further action is required.

1. If parents plan to switch their student to a different learning platform from the first nine weeks, please submit the request through Skyward Family Access.
2. The deadline for submitting a change is Friday, September 25.* 
3. Parents must commit for the entire second term. 

*Thank you for the extra lead time necessary to accommodate personnel changes and ensure any increase in student population does not compromise our current social distancing classroom configuration.

Please note that your child may be rescheduled due to class sizes, master schedules, and teacher changes even though they do not change their mode of instruction.

HIGH SCHOOL HYBRID CONTINGENCY

If the high school on-campus learning population exceeds an enrollment that would ensure we can provide adequate social distancing, Wylie ISD will consider an emergency hybrid option to safely accommodate these students. The Texas Education Agency provides a provision in grades 9-12 that allows a hybrid option. Hybrid instruction assigns students on-campus days and remote instruction days, on an alternating schedule, to allow for a smaller number of students on campus at one time.

MAKING THE SWITCH

We will use the time between the close of the survey and the end of the term to plan for classroom rearranging, teacher changes, and determination of any further protocols needed in order to ensure the safety of all of our students and staff. The second term begins on October 19, but we are requesting that students not change their learning mode until October 26. This allows time for clerical changes to be made after the close of the first term, including class changes and final entering of grades.

YOUR INPUT

We welcome and value your input. Please reach out to us, or to your campus principals, if you have a question or concern. Together, we will keep your children safe and ensure learning is happening, the Wylie Way!

Wylie Family,
From the moment we had to close our schools back in March, our students, staff, and parents have done an amazing job of focusing on learning while remaining hopeful that things would return to normal. We have said from the beginning that Wylie ISD will seek your input, move at the speed of safety, and make decisions that are in the best interest of our community. As the start of school draws closer, the plans we have spent the summer working on will provide the high level of education you expect from us along with the focus on safety we all need right now.

RESPONDING TO FREQUENT CHANGES

You may remember that, on June 23, the Texas Education Agency announced that school districts would be required to offer a choice of remote or on-campus learning for students. Wylie ISD customized our remote and on-campus options for students and asked parents to make a decision for their children.

With the number of COVID-19 cases rising in Texas, Governor Abbott provided an additional option for schools to provide up to 15 days of remote instruction for all students. Later that week, this option was extended to offer additional weeks, with board approval. Thank you for your patience to allow Wylie ISD to slowly and carefully make safe and data-driven decisions regarding these options.

Wylie ISD first worked to determine if we would carefully and safely proceed with our original plan to begin on August 13, which provided parents with an on-campus option OR move to 100% online for the first 15 days of instruction. Because we want our teachers and students to be safe and feel safe, we considered the following factors that impact students returning to campus: Texas Education Agency and Governor Abbott’s guidelines, observing Collin County COVID-19 counts and trends, reviewing our Student Intent survey data, teacher and staff survey data and follow-up survey data, as well as guidance from trustees and district and campus leadership.

Current COVID-19 reporting data indicates that students may safely return to school as long as they follow strict protocols with manageable numbers that allow for social distancing. This includes enhanced safety standards that require employees and students from grades 5-12 to wear face coverings. Please click here to read the Wylie ISD face covering guidelines and other important health and safety guidelines.

PARENT CHOICE

Thank you, parents, for quickly completing our intention survey. Results from this survey show a balance between the choice of on-campus and remote learning.

A campus half-full provides the chance for everyone to practice social distancing.

COMMITMENT SURVEY

With the implementation survey complete, the Wylie ISD parent commitment survey will launch tomorrow, Thursday, July 30. You will receive an email with instructions on how to complete the survey in Skyward Family Access.

TEACHER CHOICE

Because teachers are required to come back to work, we want to not only keep them safe, but do our best to make them feel safe and hear their voices. For this reason, Wylie ISD teachers also have the choice to teach remotely or in person. This was so important to us that we asked teachers choosing the on-campus option a second time to make absolutely sure they felt safe as well.

We are grateful for our teachers and their commitment to our students. These results give us the confidence to fill both remote and on-campus classrooms. There may be some circumstances where an on-campus teacher may be required to teach remotely, as well.

PRINCIPLES

Thank you for your feedback regarding the Governor’s option to move online. The overwhelming majority of the communication I received from parents were requests to keep on-campus learning as an option for our return to school. Based on your feedback and critical data, Wylie ISD continues to use these principles to guide our decision.

After an exhaustive review of our data, and preferences from our stakeholders, Wylie ISD trustees met on Tuesday, July 28, to review options and discuss health and safety protocols with district leadership. After this board workshop, Wylie ISD has chosen to carefully proceed with the original plan to begin on August 13 and provide parents the on-campus and remote learning option.

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE

Since the Texas Education Agency decided to offer both an on-campus and remote option for Texas students in late June, Wylie ISD has been working to equip classrooms and teachers with the tools and training to do their jobs. Some of that equipment may not be completely installed until after Labor Day. Scheduling students into two different modes of learning, training teachers, as well as planning and practicing the logistics of health and safety protocols are big tasks. Your grace and patience as we proceed at the speed of safety is immensely appreciated.

While confidence remains high, our plans can be changed by Governor Abbott, the Texas Education Agency, and the Collin County Health Department. COVID-19 cases may drastically increase, or something outside of our control could change these plans. We are grateful for your flexibility and understanding as we may be required to change our plans.

Please know that your kiddos are in good hands; and, regardless of what comes our way, we will be prepared, the Wylie Way!

Wylie Family,
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we took a little extra time to review all options and carefully prepare our back-to-school plan. This time allowed us to review promising ideas from other published district plans and wait for critical information from county, state, and federal agencies regarding COVID. As we have described in our previous communication, Wylie ISD will offer two options of instructional delivery models for our students. Descriptions of both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning can be found on our Back to School website. This website has a wealth of information and details you may find helpful when making a decision. 

• On Campus Learning
• Remote Learning

As hard as we have worked this summer to make Remote Learning mirror On Campus Learning, not all courses will effectively translate to a virtual learning environment. This impacts high school students more than any other group. Particular courses like welding or culinary, for example, are not structured for an online environment. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your campus counselor for more information about the specific courses you requested in the spring.

Regardless of which learning option you choose for your child, the expectations for coursework and the grading system will be the same for both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning. Wylie ISD believes this is the most fair and equitable solution for all of our students. Applicable courses in grades 9-12 will be included in calculating GPA and class rank for both On Campus Learning and Remote Learning students.

INTENTION SURVEY

Today, we are asking parents to complete the first of two surveys. This survey will ask parents to choose either On Campus Learning or Remote Learning for their student for at least the first nine-week grading period.

This initial survey is a non-binding intention survey, and it will help Wylie ISD finalize our staffing requirements and Remote Learning design. We are asking for this to be completed by Monday, July 20.

COMMITMENT SURVEY

On Thursday, July 30, parents will be sent a second survey for their child(ren) to choose either On Campus Learning or Remote Learning for the first nine-week grading period. This survey is a binding commitment for at least the first grading cycle. Surveys must be completed no later than 8:00 a.m on Thursday, August 6.  All students without a commitment response will be defaulted to On Campus learners.  Please consider completing the form as soon as possible. Students will be expected to remain in their chosen option through at least a nine-week grading period in order to limit scheduling and staffing complexities. We understand that circumstances could change for our families throughout this time, and adjustments will be examined on a case-by-case basis.

Again, thank you for your patience and understanding with our plan to provide our students the best education possible. We are here to help you. Please keep in mind that our plans may change as directives are provided by governing authorities and/or health officials or as environmental conditions change. We will keep you updated and do our best to be timely in communicating any new information to you. If you have any questions, please contact your campus administrator.

Thank you for your efforts to take care of our students, the Wylie Way!

David Vinson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wylie ISD

Wylie Family,
Have you ever met a student who, prior to the first day of school, needs to visit the campus in order to feel good about his/her school experience? For those types of students, sitting in classrooms, learning locker combinations, or visiting the cafeteria prior to the first day can foster a feeling of safety, security, and preparedness. I was not one of those kids. Instead, I was the kid who may or may not have remembered to bring supplies to school the first day. But, I was ready to enjoy every minute of the school experience. To this day, I still get excited for the first day of school. This year is no exception.

Returning to school will be a bit different this year. Different, but great. We are going to take good care of everyone, and we will do our best to keep everyone healthy and safe. You have recently received two blogs from us as we make careful preparations for the new school year. You will continue to receive more updates as we do our best to care for you and our kiddos with a proactive response we want you to feel good about. 

We care about you. We love you; and, with many important guidelines to follow, we treasure your dedication to our precious students.

Our commitment to safety includes offering additional care to those who may need to take extra precautions. With COVID-19 still present, some of you, or someone you live with, may have underlying health conditions that may be compromised if you are required to be in close and regular proximity to others. If you fall into this category, please contact Cindy Dering, Risk Manager, at cindy.dering@wylieisd.net. We appreciate your help in providing us with this valuable information that will help keep you and your family healthy and safe. We are asking that you contact us by Thursday, July 16.

Although the illness, itself, presents many worries and concerns, some teachers may have a different fear than COVID-19. As we prepare to serve students both in our classrooms and digitally, we realize that some may be a little more comfortable using technology than others. PLEASE don’t worry or fret. Our goal is to keep using those tools you are already familiar with in your classroom along with purchasing additional technology for your current setup that promises to keep you thinking more about teaching and less about technology. We promise that it will be easy, it will be seamless, and it will be amazing!

We love you, we trust you, and we know that, together, we are going to make next year amazing, the Wylie Way!

Today, June 23, 2020, the Texas Commissioner of Education has provided our general pathway for how we will be approaching the 2020-21 school year. This information provides greater clarity for our planning purposes. He explained that all Texas public school students would have the option of attending school in person or at home.

This decision by TEA eliminates the “Hybrid” school option mentioned in the previous blog.

More Information Requested

The Commissioner did not provide details regarding in-person learning options. This information will come later. We do not have information regarding sports, fine arts, transportation, personal protective equipment, etc.

We are so proud of what we accomplished last spring and appreciate your help in making it happen. However, the Texas Education Agency has mandated more precise and rigorous guidelines than what we experienced in the spring. These guidelines include, but are not limited to:

• Remote learning must cover all state curriculum standards.
• Students will be accountable for mastery of the state curriculum standards.
• Remote-Learning and in-person grading policies will be the same.

The bottom line, remote learning will be much tighter and expectations much higher than online learning from the spring.

Your Input

This decision means on August 13th your student will either attend school in person or remotely. While many questions remain, we want to know your initial thoughts and feelings about these options. As a parent, if you decided today, which option would you choose? Please click on the link below and take our quick survey regarding your preference for the fall. We will also collect any questions you may have to help guide future decisions.

Back to School Parent Survey

Thanks for your faith and confidence in us as we move at the speed of safety to welcome our students back to school, the Wylie Way!

Wylie ISD parents, we miss your kids! Summer is a busy time for us as we prepare for back to school. We know you are wondering what type of school day we will have when we start the new school year and want the answer to these questions. Will we return to a regular school day as we had before closures from COVID-19? Will we continue to have online learning? Will school begin with a mix of in-school and online learning? None of us have the answers yet, but we can assure you, regardless of what school looks like in August, Wylie ISD will be ready to welcome back your students on August 13.

This photo is of a kindergarten student in China, wearing his “meter hat” to socially distance himself from classmates. Educators across the world find themselves in the same situation—looking for innovative ways for students to practice safe social distancing. Wylie ISD campus and district administrators met on June 9 to begin planning for reopening our schools in August. We understand that all future decisions are framed with guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).We will be attentive to the specific health and safety parameters established to minimize the spread of COVID 19. We also included feedback from parents and teachers in our discussions regarding online learning from spring 2020 and research from other countries that have begun reopening schools like China, South Korea, and France.

Wylie ISD’s goal is for school to resume as close to normal as possible, beginning on August 13. However, pending guidance from state and federal agencies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize that there may be guidelines that cause us to adjust our plans. We are actively working on contingency plans in case we aren’t able to resume the traditional school day. As shown in the graphic below, we are working on three different scenarios for the 2020-2021 school year.

This scenario is the school experience we knew before the pandemic but with increased infection-control practices. All staff and students would return to Wylie ISD buildings; transportation would run as normal; all extracurricular activities would resume. Depending on further CDC and TEA guidance, even if everyone is allowed to return, social distancing and additional hygiene practices may impact typical school routines.

This plan involves a mix of traditional and online learning. If the state at any point reduces class sizes or building capacity, Wylie ISD will have a plan for students to continue learning through a mix of traditional and online learning. In theory, students may have designated days of the week to be at home participating in online learning, and other days they are at the school building in a traditional setting receiving direct instruction from teachers.

This plan involves teachers instructing online and students using technology to learn. This scenario would be enacted if schools were shut down again due to the spread of the virus. The CDC has cautioned that a resurgence of cases will prompt temporary closures during the 2020-2021 school year to slow the spread of the virus. If this is the case, Wylie ISD will be ready to move into online learning immediately.

Parents, we will be asking for your input in a survey the week of July 13. Although some districts are already surveying parents and announcing plans, we chose to wait a few weeks to gather more precise information about the possible increased spread of COVID-19 as the state gradually reopens. Your feedback is valuable to us, so please take the opportunity to complete the survey during the week of July 13.

Wylie ISD Timeline for Opening School

Back to School is a special time of year, and no matter what the school day will look like in August (traditional, hybrid, or online), you can count on us to continue providing the highest level of education to your children. Wylie ISD is committed to improvement, and we will work together—the Wylie Way!

Today, ‪Governor Greg Abbott ordered Texas Public Schools and universities to remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Our kids and families may need a little encouragement as we cope with this new reality of not returning to campus this year. As a superintendent, I share your sadness. As a parent, my heart goes out to the seniors who will not return to school this year.

Graduation

At this time, no decision regarding graduation ceremonies has been made. The governor did explain that the Texas Education Agency would provide guidelines for graduation plans soon. As that information becomes available, high school principals will share it with students and parents.

You Have Questions, We Have Answers

Wylie ISD is well-prepared to continue to offer online learning, and we want to make certain that you have the information needed as we continue through the remainder of the school year.

Our amazing teachers have created assignments based on the most important skills students need to master for their classes. Please visit our online learning website for everything you need to know regarding online learning and more.

Here To Help You

Parents, you are doing a great job of helping our kids with online learning. Our Wylie ISD curriculum is rigorous, and we understand the struggles you may encounter. We are here to help. Students can receive help with their online classwork by participating in live teacher assistance sessions offered daily through Google Meets. We encourage you to contact your teacher to get the help you need.

Here to Connect You

If a student is struggling with online learning due to limited access to technology or the Internet, please contact your campus principal. We have WiFi hotspots available for those who do not have access to the Internet.

Grace Before Grades

It seems like we experience something new every day with online learning. In the spirit of “this is new for all of us,” giving and receiving grace is essential for this journey. This includes a few standards we have established for online learning:

• Teachers will only be entering minor grades during online learning.
• Teachers will be entering at least one, but no more than two, grades per week, per course.

The online grading procedures are posted on our online learning website.

We have not yet made a decision on how this will impact GPA and Class Rank for our high school students and those taking courses that impact high school GPA. We are exploring a variety of options. Our number one non-negotiable priority is that whatever decision we make is in the best interest of our kids. As soon as we have a final recommendation, we will let you know.

Wylie Family,
Thanks to our educators, students, and parents for the amazing implementation of Wylie ISD online learning. We have accomplished a great deal in a very short amount of time. With your help, we have made sure kids are fed and that their social and emotional needs are supported as well. Keeping everyone safe remains our top priority. Today, Governor Greg Abbott ordered Wylie ISD and all Texas public school districts closed and remained closed through Friday, May 1. Thank you for your continued patience, support, and encouragement; it matters.

We can celebrate that we are still able to honor our district calendar by not having school on April 10th and 13th in observance of Easter weekend. Initially, we thought we might have class on Monday, April 13th. However, guidance from the Texas Education Agency now indicates that we can still have this free time to spend with our families.

Many of you have asked about major events like prom and graduation. At this time, we have not made any changes to these plans. We understand the significance of these events, and we are working with our high school principals to look at all options. There are several factors that come into play, many of which are still unknown. I ask for your grace and understanding as we consider these decisions over the next few weeks. Any changes in these events will be communicated as soon as possible.

Spring is full of excitement and celebrations, and I encourage you to join me in focusing on the positive things that are circulating around you and your family. We have so much to be thankful for, let’s work together to focus on the good. We will get through this...the Wylie Way.

David Vinson
Superintendent
Wylie ISD
www.wylieisd.net

Note:  All Wylie ISD parents should have received a campus specific version of this message via email

Parents and Students,
It was good to see many of our families as you came through our Chromebook pickup lines Thursday and Friday!  Now that you have your technology, we are ready for school to start on Monday. Our teachers have been very busy preparing online lessons for you.  Beginning Monday, March 23, Wylie ISD will be monitoring student participation in Google Classroom.

You will receive a daily email from me, your principal, and your teachers each day of online learning.  These emails will give you informational updates and daily assignments. Please check on your friends to make sure they are receiving daily emails.  If they are not, please have them contact your principal.

For each day of online learning, please:

• Read daily emails from teachers and the principal
• Login daily to Google Classroom for assignments from teachers
• Complete online assignments by due dates
• Students who are in need of assistance or have questions about their work should attend the live support sessions from their teachers.
• Elementary schools have communicated login and generic password information for PreK-2nd grade students. Parents or caregivers will log into Google classroom and assist their PreK-2nd grade students with accessing their assignments.

Wylie ISD now has an Online Learning webpage to help give support and information. Here you can find information on low-cost or free WiFi access and a link with instructions on how to access Google Classroom.

We understand that this is new and different.  We are all learning together!  My staff and I are here to support you with your questions. We are available Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:00AM - 4:00PM

Thank you,

Principal

Wylie ISD Family,
Based on talks with local, state and federal officials, and my colleagues in neighboring districts, Wylie ISD schools will remain closed through Friday, April 3. This decision was made in an effort to support the community, region and nation’s need to slow the spread of COVID-19. The district will use the week of March 30-April 3 to reassess whether there is a need to extend the suspension of normal district operations beyond April 3, and will communicate a decision to the public at that time. We are extremely grateful to our entire community of families, staff, volunteers and community partners for your patience and support during these uncertain times.

We spent this week preparing and implementing our on-line learning plans in case this closure was extended. Wylie ISD will remain flexible and sensitive to family’s needs as we continue our long-term plan for instructional continuity, and as we continue to navigate the many details of this unprecedented situation.

Although our buildings remain closed to the public, we will continue to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students and families. Teachers and staff are still working and are a “click” away. We will stay connected with you through our multiple communications channels and we ask that you please visit www.wylieisd.net to receive the most current and accurate information about this extended closure and Wylie ISD’s response to the COVID-19 health concern.

Grit and perseverance are words that truly have meaning in our community and I have no doubt we will all continue to love, support and care for each other…the Wylie Way.

The last nine weeks of school are my favorite, it doesn’t get better than finishing strong and celebrating the accomplishments of our kids and teachers. We are grateful to have the kind of school environment where kids love coming to school and teachers that feel the same way about educating them.

As you know, protecting our kids and community from COVID 19 required Wylie ISD to extend spring break through March 20th. Thank you for your patience and support these past few days. This is unprecedented territory for all of us. This is a complex process but the safety and wellbeing of our entire Wylie ISD family is the priority.

Wylie ISD has been in daily communication with local, state and federal officials for guidance and expertise regarding protecting our kids against infectious disease. Experts indicate that schools may be forced to close their facilities for more than this week, based on the local progression of COVID 19.  Because things change so rapidly, it is difficult to plan for more than one week at a time. However, extending our facility closure beyond March 20 will require Wylie ISD to begin the implementation of what is called online learning, based on the requirements of the Texas Education Agency. It is our responsibility to make sure learning continues in Wylie ISD.

If this takes place, school will be conducted online with materials and lessons coming from your student’s current teachers. The goal is to make sure our kids don’t get behind and stay focused and engaged while they are at home.

Our curriculum and instruction team, along with teachers, will implement lessons by grade level and subject matter. Teachers will provide you and your students with a schedule that will include instructions and resources for each class. Students will receive daily Skyward alerts about work and assignments located in Google Classroom.

Thanks to your support over the years, we have the ability to provide students with a Chromebook. Additional information will be coming soon from your campus administrators regarding this process.  If you or a family you know need help with technology, please let your principal know.

Our goal is to let you know our decision regarding the week of March 23-27 as soon as possible for families to make plans. Thank you for your patience as we chart this course together. There will be more detailed information coming in the days ahead. Wylie ISD is an amazing place and we will get through this challenge as we have before...together...the Wylie Way.

David Vinson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wylie ISD
www.wylieisd.net

Wylie Family,
Nine years ago, my wife and I moved our family to Wylie because she said it would be a great place to raise our family. We made the right decision; this is an amazing community, and we consider our time here to be such a blessing. This is home. The decision to extend Spring Break was tough, but your support has been overwhelming to me. I am so grateful for our Wylie ISD family. No matter what comes our way, you always pull together to do what’s best for kids.

In the past couple of days, we have received a myriad of valuable questions. What I love most about this school district is the fact that most of the questions are about helping students and families in need. We want to update you on what Wylie ISD is doing to help our babies with food and our families with the support they need to make it through the next week with basic essentials. We’ve had many churches, community groups, and individuals offer assistance. We will definitely be working with them on some of these issues.

In addition, we plan to work with PTA, churches, local organizations, volunteers, and local, state, and federal agencies to find a way to provide breakfasts and lunches for families in need. If you or your group are interested in volunteering your services, please complete our survey.

This will likely not be the only time I will be asking for help. The situation is fluid and is continuing to develop. Thank you, in advance, for serving. What makes Wylie ISD great is not expensive. We are in this together, and you can help us by doing what you always do:

• Look out for each other
• Check on your elderly neighbors 
• Be prepared and willing to share
• Wash your hands - cover your mouth when coughing
• Practice “social distancing”
• Reach out when you need help
• Pray and support each other
• Be kind

Next week, the decision will be made regarding future plans and closures. In the meantime, if you are looking for resources on ways to talk with your children about what is taking place, you can find information on the NASP website.

We know that many of our kids may have questions, and we want to ensure that we are doing all we can to put them at ease. Taking care of each other and showing the values of caring and giving are the foundations that make Wylie ISD the kind of place we are glad to call home. This is not the first time we have faced adversity, and it certainly won’t be the last. I am proud to stand alongside you as we come together to support our families and community. It is times like these that we are reminded of what really matters. It is times like these that we are reminded of why we Ride for the Brand. Thank you for all you do, and thank you for being the Wylie Way!

Thank you!

David Vinson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wylie ISD
www.wylieisd.net

Dear Wylie ISD Family,
Keeping our students, staff and visitors safe is a priority for Wylie ISD and the past few days we have seen things change minute by minute. Please know that students are always at the heart of our decisions and we are managing this situation with them and our entire community in mind. We have been in constant contact with local, state and federal health authorities. We are also in contact with neighboring school districts.

Based on recommendations from all health experts we are keeping school closed next week, Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20. During this extended spring break, district offices will be closed and all district events and competitions that have been scheduled during this timeframe will be considered cancelled until further notice. We know this might cause an inconvenience and none of us made this decision lightly. But it is the right thing to do. As families return from spring break, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation prior to reopening school on Monday, March 23. We will communicate updated information as it becomes available.

At this time we do not know what the state will do regarding make-up days. School districts across the state are in this together, and we will do everything we can to finish the year on time.

We are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution. Public health officials have not yet made this a requirement for public institutions. And there are no COVID-19 cases reported in Wylie ISD.  Nevertheless, given all that we know, and what we can anticipate based on information from local, state and national agencies, including Collin County Health Services, Texas Health and Human Services, Texas Education Agency and the Centers for Disease Control, we believe this is the most prudent course of action at this time.

Please care for yourself, your family and those around you, and continue to adhere to the preventative measures as recommended by public health officials, such as limiting interaction and practicing social distancing. Visit the CDC website for more information.

Wylie ISD has created a dedicated COVID-19 web page at to provide the most current and accurate district information: https://www.wylieisd.net/covid19

This is unprecedented territory in my lifetime and I am grateful for your support as we get through this together…the Wylie Way. Thank you for your understanding and we will keep you updated.

Sincerely,
David Vinson, Ph.D.

Dear Wylie ISD Family,
Wylie ISD administrators are in continuous communication with state, county and federal officials regarding COVID-19. This is an evolving situation, and Wylie ISD will make informed decisions based on guidance and recommendations from health authorities and the Texas Education Agency.

Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, Wylie ISD asks that any students or employees who are traveling during spring break, or have members of their households traveling, to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea or Japan, or any additional countries added to the CDC Level 2 and 3 lists during the break, please stay home for 14 days after returning from travel. We will work with each family or staff member impacted during this extended absence to resolve any attendance issues due to self-quarantine from travel. For more information on post-travel safety, please visit: CDC: Post Travel Update

Additionally, if you took a cruise over the break, the CDC has some additional precautions they advise you to follow: CDC: Post Cruise Ship Safety

As with any illness, the district stresses the importance of students and staff staying home if they are ill. Individuals must be fever free for 24 hours, without fever-reducing aids such as Tylenol, Advil, or Ibuprofen. In addition, students should not be vomiting or have had diarrhea for 24 hours prior to returning to school. For individuals who are not ill, we encourage you to continue proper hand-washing and good hygiene techniques to prevent the spread of illness.

Wylie ISD continues to be proactive in providing a safe and clean school environment. Campuses are receiving a thorough cleaning and sanitizing, including:

• Daily wiping/sanitizing of all flat surfaces, desks, door handles and high-touch areas
• Use of electrostatic sanitizing sprayers in classrooms, hallways, foyers and cafeterias
• Sanitizing and wiping down high-touch areas in school buses

The health and safety of our students and staff are our number one priority. Our partners at the CDC, Collin County Health Services and the Texas Department of State Health Services are providing us with information and guidance and we will keep you updated.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we work together to keep everyone safe.

Sincerely,

David Vinson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

Spring Break Cleaning Measures

Wylie ISD has cleaning protocols in place for all district facilities, and we are taking some additional measures next week to deep clean throughout the district. 

• On a nightly basis, custodians use a hospital-grade multipurpose disinfecting cleaner.
• Surfaces are wiped down and auto-scrubber machines are used nightly to clean and sanitize major hallways and common areas on campuses.
• Campuses will be “deep cleaned” during spring break, which means additional areas will be cleaned.
• All school buses will be deep cleaned with a hospital-grade multipurpose disinfecting cleaner using an e-misting sprayer.

Spring Break Travels

Wylie ISD encourages families to stay updated as they consider travel plans, and heed the CDC’s travel advisories. The CDC provides recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. These are called travel notices and are based on the assessment of the potential health risks involved with traveling to a certain area. A list of destinations with travel notices is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.

To help our staff and students be prepared in case they have a medical concern on a Spring Break trip, we have provided sponsors with the following guidelines and instructions.

Wylie ISD Tips for Healthy Student Travel

Wylie Family,
An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, has caused an outbreak of respiratory illness and the United States has confirmed a handful of coronavirus cases related to travel.  I want to assure you that our school district is keeping track of this situation through proven and trustworthy sources: our local health department, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These health officials believe the risk to our school community is low at this time.

Wylie ISD follows the guidance and expertise of national and local health officials to help protect our students and staff from all communicable diseases. While there are no reports of this illness in our area, families are encouraged to visit the CDC website for more information and travel guidance regarding the Coronavirus. 

Please be assured that Wylie ISD will continue to be in communication with our local partners and stand ready to take all appropriate measures. School Health Services is closely monitoring all developments and is in communication with public health officials.

Our campus custodial staff will also continue to disinfect campuses each day with hospital-grade products to help offset the spread of communicable illnesses, but it takes all of us to ensure healthy school environments. As a reminder, we are still in the midst of the cold and flu season, and it’s important for families to take preventative measures to safeguard themselves from the spread of communicable diseases.

More information: Full statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION

We are taking the following measures to ensure a safe learning environment for all students and staff:

• Continuously educate students, staff, and community members about the importance of frequent hand washing; covering a cough or sneeze; not touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when ill, and other measures to prevent the spread of all communicable disease;
• Routinely disinfect campuses with our cleaner which is effective against multiple disease-causing viruses and bacteria;
• Monitor students for symptoms and refer students to the school nurse for assessment as appropriate;
• School nurses exclude students from school attendance according to the Department of State Health Services Guidelines; and  
• Work with Collin County Health and Human Services' Epidemiology Branch for any suspected case of a "Reportable Condition." 

Parents and guardians can help to keep their child, our schools, and our community healthy by:

• Observing their child for signs of infection which may include coughing, colds, fever, itching on the skin and scalp and unusual rashes.
• Keeping sick students at home and seeking medical attention for severe illness.
• Reinforcing the importance of good hand hygiene.
• Adopting healthy practices, such as disposing of used tissues, coughing into a sleeve rather than into a hand, and not touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth
• Keeping children home until free of fever for 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication)
• Keeping children home until diarrhea free for 24 hours (without the aid of anti-diarrheal medication)
• Receiving the flu vaccine

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Wylie ISD Health Services Coordinator, Amy Hillin, RN. at amy.hillin@wylieisd.net

Thanks in advance for helping us keep our kids happy, healthy and safe, the Wylie Way!

David Vinson, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wylie ISD
www.wylieisd.net

WYLIE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Health Services Department

Health Notice: Flu and Coronavirus

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, has caused an outbreak of respiratory illness and the United States has confirmed a handful of coronavirus cases related to travel.  I want to assure you that our school district is keeping track of this situation through proven and trustworthy sources: our local health department, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These health officials believe the risk to our school community is low at this time.

Wylie ISD follows the guidance and expertise of national and local health officials to help protect our students and staff from all communicable diseases. While there are no reports of this illness in our area, families are encouraged to visit CDC website for more information regarding the Coronavirus. 

Please be assured that Wylie ISD will continue to be in communication with our local partners and stand ready to take all appropriate measures. School Health Services is closely monitoring all developments and is in communication with public health officials.  

Our campus custodial staff will also continue to disinfect campuses each day with hospital-grade products to help offset the spread of communicable illnesses, but it takes all of us to ensure healthy school environments. As a reminder, we are still in the midst of cold and flu season, and it’s important for families to take preventative measures to safeguard themselves from the spread of communicable diseases.

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF INFECTION

The District takes the following measures to ensure a safe learning environment for all students and staff:

• Continuously educate students, staff, and community members about the importance of frequent hand washing; covering a cough or sneeze; not touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when ill; and other measures to prevent the spread of all communicable disease;
• Routinely disinfect campuses with our cleaner which is effective against multiple disease-causing viruses and bacteria;
• Monitor students for symptoms and refer students to the school nurse for assessment as appropriate;
• School nurses exclude students from school attendance according to Department of State Health Services Guidelines; and  
• Work with Collin County Health and Human Services' Epidemiology Branch for any suspected case of a "Reportable Condition." 

Parents and guardians can help to keep their child, our schools, and community healthy by:

• Observing their child for signs of infection which may include coughing, colds, fever, itching on the skin and scalp and unusual rashes.
• Keeping sick students at home and seeking medical attention for severe illness.
• Reinforcing the importance of good hand hygiene.
• Adopting healthy practices, such as disposing of used tissues, coughing into a sleeve rather than into a hand, and not touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth
• Keeping children home until free of fever for 24 hours (without the aid of fever reducing medication)
• Keeping children home until diarrhea free for 24 hours (without the aid of anti-diarrheal medication)
• Receiving the flu vaccine

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Wylie ISD Health Services Coordinator, Amy Hillin, RN at amy.hillin@wylieisd.net. 

951 South Ballard Avenue • Wylie, Texas 75098-0490 • (972) 429-2373 • FAX (972) 941-9746