SAN ANTONIO — Time is running out for parents with virtual learners in the Northside Independent School District to decide if they want to send their students back to campus for the second grading period beginning October 19. 

What You Need To Know

  • Parents have until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30 to fill out a survey questionnaire sent by the district. 

  • Since August 24 the district has reported 108 confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

  • Parents can reconsider the option for in-person learning again when the third survey goes out in December.

 

Parents have until 11:59 p.m. on Sept 30 to fill out a survey questionnaire sent by the district. 

"If you are not changing your choice [to in-person learning], then you don't have to do anything. Your choice will carry over to the next grading period," said Barry Perez, Executive Director of Communications for NISD. 

To date, Perez said there are 18,500 students back on NISD campuses. That's more than half of the 31,600 students who requested in-person learning through the survey the first nine weeks. 

"The process has been slow one, but I think a very effective one," Perez said. 

Kim Corley and her husband requested to send their children back as part of the first round. As of this past Monday, all of their four students have returned to their campuses after learning virtually the first few weeks. 

"The kids were ready to go back. They wanted to go back," said Corley. 

She knows that decision isn't easy for all parents. However, she feels the district is doing the best they can to keep students safe. 

"I think the school is the cleanest and most sanitized it's ever been," she said.

Perez says their efforts to combat COVID-19 are a work in progress. While they relied on other school districts for guidance in the spring, he says the district now works closely with city health officials and monitors the school safety indicator to shape their response. 

"We also speak with our campus administrators and are being very purposeful around decisions that we make," he said. 

Since the first day on August 24 up until now, the district has reported 108 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Nine of those cases are currently active among students. Low numbers keep Corley and her family optimistic. 

"We are excited to have them back in school," Corley said. 

For other families on the fence, parents can reconsider the option for in-person learning again when the third survey goes out in December.