Eagle Pass Independent School District Scheduled to Start 2020-2021 School Year on August 17, Texas Education Agency to Provide Guidelines on June 23
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
Eagle Pass Independent School District (EPISD) Superintendent Samuel Mijares announced at a press conference held on Thursday, June 18, 2020, that the District has scheduled to commence the start of the 2020-2021 School Year on Monday, August 17, 2020, a week earlier than previously scheduled due to major school renovations completed ahead of schedule.
Superintendent Mijares noted that the EPISD Board of Trustees will be discussing and taking action on approving the 2020-2021 School Year Calendar at their Tuesday, June 23, 2020 regular Board meeting at 4 P.M. at the District’s Board Room, located at 587 Madison Street, in downtown Eagle Pass, across the street from the historic San Juan Plaza.
Mijares noted that he had suspended all U.I.L. Summer strength and conditioning programs for football at C.C. Winn High School and Eagle Pass High School scheduled to start on Monday, June 8, to Monday, July 6, 2020 due to the recent surge of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in Maverick County, including the infection of a C.C. Winn High School Coach with the coronavirus. Mijares added that Maverick County has reported over 200 positive COVID-19 cases to date with a significant rise in cases in the past few weeks.
Mijares added that new school teachers will commence working on Monday, August 3, 2020, while all other teachers will report a week later on Monday, August 10, to prepare for the start of school on Monday, August 17. The 2020-2021 school year is scheduled to end on May 27, 2021.
The State of Texas will not require students to wear face masks during the 2020-2021 school year, but does recommend that students wear them. Texas has provided the EPISD a total of 130,000 face masks, 30,000 reusable face masks, 60,000 gloves, 108 thermostats, and 1,315 gallons of hand sanitizer to assist the local school district maintain a safe and clean learning environment for students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mijares.
Although the EPISD teachers have a 178 days contract of work, Mijares stated that the 2020-2021 school year calls for a 180 days of work. He indicated that the new calendar year will have only two dismissal dates.
Mijares stated that students will have live, in-person instruction during the 2020-2021 school year with an option for remote instruction for those students concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic or with underlying health conditions. Classes will be scheduled from 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. during the 2020-2021 school year, added Mijares.
Mijares concluded the press conference stating that the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Health Commission are scheduled to provide all public school districts with guidelines for social distancing and face masks due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Mijares noted he and all administrators are anxiously awaiting for these state guidelines to be issued to public school districts.
Updated 06/21/2020 at 11:24 P.M.
Updated 06/22/2020 at 1:51 P.M.
