School districts won't lose state funding if they stick with virtual classes this fall because a local health authority has mandated that classrooms remain closed.
The mask requirement doesn't apply to students younger than 10. The Texas Education Agency guidelines also require schools to post coronavirus prevention plans and encourage hand-washing.
A new statewide report from the TEA shows that more than 600,000 students didn't complete assignments or respond to teacher outreach during the pandemic.
A high-tension hearing is expected Monday as the Texas State Board of Education begins considering changes to its statewide policy for health education, including teaching middle schoolers about contraception.
"It will be safe for Texas public school students, teachers, and staff to return to school campuses for in-person instruction this fall," said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
As a way to introduce himself to the community, new Principal Cody Gibson helped pass out popsicles at the school last week. Over 50 showed up, he said.
Cooper ISD students from grade two through 12 are invited to join weekly virtual book clubs as a way to stay engaged and help them retain reading skills.
With 51 chairs spread 6 feet apart, Cooper High School seniors in maroon robes marched out to sit in them.
Daily temperature checks and supervised hand-washing are some of the safety rules for schools that decide to hold in-person classes this summer, under new guidance from the Texas Education Agency.
This week, the Cooper High School Senior Class of 2020 will be celebrating their graduation separately, and on May 22, they will celebrate it together.
School districts can keep ceremonies completely virtual, celebrate seniors in a procession, knit pictures of individual seniors into a graduation video or host a socially distanced outdoor ceremony. North Lamar ISD is choosing the latter.
Schools have started highlighting seniors on social media for their accomplishments and achievements during their high school careers. For many area high schools, this is the first time they are doing something like this.
Delta County will offer free testing to residents exhibiting symptoms of the virus on Thursday at Cooper Elementary School.
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed an executive order closing Texas schools through May 4 and ordering non-essential businesses to close during the coronavirus pandemic.
Superintendents at Detroit, Rivercrest and Cooper ISDs have extended school closures through May 1 and Hugo (Oklahoma) Public Schools are closed indefinitely as U.S. cases of coronavirus continue to climb.
It’s not easy for some parents to transition to a home schooling environment at such short notice. Two kindergarten teachers and an experienced homeschooling mother say the best advice is to be organized and diligent, Also, to continue to breathe and relax.
Cooper ISD schools will remain closed through at least April 3, Superintendent Denicia Hohenberger said.
Although there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in Lamar and surrounding counties, schools will remain closed for an additional week of spring break, according to school officials.
Cooper Elementary combined Reading Night with Open House this week to provide parents another opportunity to get involved in the school.
Candidate filing is over, and now campaigning can start for nonpartisan elections in cities and school districts across Northeast Texas.
Now believed to be a hoax, Smith said a student received a Snapchat video that said “making a bomb. I’m going to get the people that have been making fun of me.”
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