Splendora Independent School District (SISD) is making public notice for implementing the American Rescue Plan, ESSER III Federal Grant for funding multiple initiatives within the district. This plan will provide funding to the district in two major categories. One area would address the student learning loss due to COVID-19 and the second area would address the safe re-opening of the public school district. The application also deals with other areas related to COVID-19 issues such as retaining employees, operational needs of the school district due to COVID-19 issues, and teacher support.

General Specifics on the grant are as follows:

• Time Frame for the grant:   Pre-award costs can be recoded from March 13, 2020 and allowed to spend funds until September 30, 2024.
• Districts are required to follow all federal, state and local regulations and requirements for federal grant administration and fiscal spending of funds.
• District entitlement for the grant for the 3 year period: $4,731,328.

How SISD will use the funds to address the academic impact of lost instructional time

Splendora ISD will engage in evidence-based interventions and activities to address academic loss including, but not limited to:

• Implementation of an intensive after-school tutoring program
• Partnering with institutions of higher education to recruit tutors to support before, during, and after school in one-on-one or small group instruction for students who have been identified as having gaps
• Implementation of evidence-based programs such as the America Reading Company’s Independent Language Reading Level Assessment program to track student progress
• Transportation for programs outside of the school day
• Training in Professional Learning Communities so that teachers and campus leadership can engage in conversations about student work and data.
• Implementation of high-quality assessments and reports such as the NEWA MAP to produce data that supports getting at the root of student gaps and identification of personalized learning best suited to meet the needs of students.

How SISD will use the funds to implement prevention and mitigations strategies that are practicable and consistent with the most recent CDC guidance on reopening schools in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning

Splendora ISD will engage in activities to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of students and employees from Covid which include, but are not limited to:

• Activities specifically geared toward improving the air quality of the buildings such as:
  • performing required repairs to correct district-wide HVAC deficiencies
  • Updating and upgrading the aging and outdated HVAC equipment and control systems identified to directly impact the campus indoor air quality of campuses
  • Repair, maintenance, and upgrade various aging window and door systems which impact air quality
• Acquisition of the required consulting, engineering, and professional design services needed to produce the specifications of all designated activities

How SISD will use the funds in other ways consistent with section 2001(e)(2) of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act

Splendora ISD will engage in activities to further assist students and employees with hardships created by Covid which are allowable by ARP including, but not limited to:

• Staffing a Director of Counseling and Wellness position to oversee Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) activities to help students cope with stress brought about by Covid
• Implementation of a comprehensive SEL program on all campuses
• Upgrades to existing technology infrastructure to assist with student access to both on-campus and remote instruction
• Additional staffing in technology

*Splendora ISD is exploring possible hybrid models that would include both remote and on-site learning models.

• VISITORS - Visitors will not be permitted on campus. All parent conferences, ARDs, 504 meetings, and LPAC meetings will take place virtually. Parents will not be allowed to visit classrooms, walk their child to class, or eat breakfast/lunch with their child. Parents who enter the campus to pick up students will stay in the “lobby” area. Face coverings must be worn when picking students up from the lobby area.
• HAND WASHING - Hand sanitizer stations will be available and hand-washing protocols for each campus will be established.
• BREAKS - Restroom, recess, classroom changes, and lunch breaks will be scheduled to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
• CAFETERIA - At this time, no visitors or outside food delivery will be permitted. Students should bring their own filled water bottle. Following CDC guidelines, drinking fountains will be unavailable.
• PARENT EXPECTATIONS - Parents can partner with SISD by monitoring their child's health, reinforcing hygiene practices, providing face coverings, and hand sanitizer.
• COVID-19 PROTOCOLS - Any employee or student with symptoms must stay home. Individuals or households with positive COVID-19 results must quarantine for 14 calendar days before returning to school.

P.E. and other classroom activities will be held outside when possible for those on-site. Remote learners may still be required to attend athletics, extracurricular, CTE courses, and some electives on-site.

All plans are subject to change due to federal, state, or local health mandates.

To see updates and the Teaching and Learning Models Plan in its entirety, visit the District website at www.splendoraisd.org.

Reviewed June 28, 2022