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Read This Section First

THE HEALTH & SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF IS OUR TOP PRIORITY!

Cedars follows the Texas Education Agency, Austin Public Health, and Travis County orders therefore we will NOT have students on campus for remote learning until after September 15th. The district is aware that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness (COVID-19) caused by a novel (new) coronavirus. Families are encouraged to visit the CDC website for more information and travel guidance regarding the Coronavirus.

General Health & Safety Protocols

Staff, Teachers, Students, and Community Members-
In anticipation of having students and staff back in our school buildings, the district will implement a variety of health and safety measures. These include the following:
General Health & Safety Protocols
 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Texas Education Agency has approved two different virtual (at-home) school models in response to the COVID19 pandemic for districts to utilize in addition to on-campus instruction for the school year.
 

TWO OPTIONS

SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION

  • real time/live, virtual instruction between teachers and students.

 
ASYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION

  • teachers provide pre-recorded videos of instruction and guided support while students engage in learning materials on their own time and interact daily with the teacher.

CEDARS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY PLAN

CIA students participating in virtual instruction (asynchronous and synchronous) will be required to engage in learning activities on their own time during the school day, interacting daily with the teacher(s) via computer or other electronic devices, or over the phone. Teachers will post an assignment/activity each day and give guided support under this model of instruction. The student will be considered enrolled in Cedars International Academy for attendance and funding purposes.
 

ATTENDANCE

For students participating in synchronous instruction to be counted for attendance purposes, they must be engaged in one of the following ways for each enrolled class during each school day:

Per Texas Education Code (TEC) 25.092, students must attend 90 percent of a course in order to be awarded credit for the course and/or to be promoted to the next grade. This requirement remains in effect during the 2020-2021 school year. Students who are not logged into the class are marked absent. Truancy will be monitored.
 

GRADING POLICY

Grading policy will be consistent with the guidelines in our campus handbook for all assessments and assignments.

More information can be found on the Restart and Reimagine School website. 

The buildings, classrooms, and teachers are preparing instruction and safety protocols for our students to be on campus for remote learning. We will offer on-campus remote learning after September 15 depending on closure orders from national, state, and local agencies. A safety protocol plan will be published on the website for all stakeholders to review. More information can be found on the Restart and Reimagine School website.
The buildings, classrooms, and teachers are preparing instruction and safety protocols for our students to be on campus. A safety protocol plan will be published on the website for all stakeholders to review. Pathway 3 means students will be on campus for in-person, face-to-face learning after the first nine weeks depending on closure orders from national, state, or local agencies. Having all students on campus is our goal. It is the best instructional approach allowing us to meet student needs- academically, socially, and emotionally. More information can be found on the Restart and Reimagine School website.
Face masks will be required for employees and students at Cedars International Academy Schools. Students and employees will need to provide their own personal facemasks. Students and staff may remove their masks once they are in the classroom as long as there is another PPE such as clear plexiglass available, but staff can require students to continue to wear them in situations in which distancing will not be achieved. Students will need to wear them when they enter the building and as they transition through the halls. Face coverings include non-medical grade disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), or full-face shields to protect eyes, nose, and mouth. More information can be found on the Cedars Restart Safety Plan on our Restart and Reimagine School website.
Students and staff will be regularly reminded about the importance of proper handwashing. Teachers may allow for more breaks to give students the opportunity to wash their hands, either at a classroom sink or in a restroom.
In addition, we will place hand sanitizer stations throughout our buildings. Students and staff will be encouraged to use hand sanitizer regularly. More information can be found on the Cedars Restart Safety Plan on our Restart and Reimagine School website.
Cedars International Academy Schools Custodial Services department is dedicated to providing clean, safe, and well-maintained environments that support all educational activities. Custodial Services cleaning practices focus on cleaning for health, which includes an emphasis on disinfection of health sensitive areas, where bacteria or viruses are most likely to be transmitted.
The greatest health sensitive areas are disinfected a minimum of once per day.
These areas include:
■ Restrooms
■ Designated Sick Room
■ Cafeterias
■ Staff Lounge
■ Specials Classrooms
■ Drinking Fountains
■ Sinks
■ Hallways
Many other areas within the schools are disinfected frequently each day.
These areas include:
■ Desk Tops
■ Table Tops
■ Countertops
■ Doors and Door Knobs
■ Handrails
■ Many other high touch areas throughout buildings
ARRIVAL PROCEDURES

 

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

 

DURING THE DAY

 

We are discouraging students from using the drinking fountains. Instead, we recommend that all students bring water bottles to school so that they can refill them. Students should not share water bottles with others. Water bottle filling stations should be installed by September. More information can be found on the Cedars Restart Safety Plan on our Restart and Reimagine School website.
At this time, we will NOT participate in Extracurricular Activities in the Fall. We will discuss playing Spring sports depending upon closure orders from national, state, and local agencies.
 
Following the order issued by Travis County, no extracurricular sports or activities are allowed until school systems reopen for on-campus instruction. At this time, Cedars is set to begin in-person instruction after October 16, 2020.
As circumstances regarding COVID-19 continue to evolve, Cedars will continue to follow guidance from state and local health authorities, the Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Charter School Academic & Athletic League (TCSAAL) to determine the best course of action to ensure the safety of students and staff. More information can be found on our Athletics section of our website.
Will virtual learning students be offered meal service?
Yes, students who will participate in virtual learning will have access to meal service. Meal service information will be communicated to families when school begins.

 

What will meal service look like for on-campus learning?

Will Food Services staff be checked for symptoms every day?
Food service staff will have their temperature verified and be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms each day.

 

What additional safety measures will be taken?

 

Can I volunteer to hand out meals?

More information can be found on the Food Services section of the website.
Will students eligible for special education be able to choose between on-campus and virtual learning?
Yes, the option to attend school in-person or participate in virtual learning is one that is available to all students, regardless of whether students have a disability and/or are eligible for special education services.

 

An overview of virtual learning for Special Education students can be found on the Reimagining Education Plan.

 

Yes, we are committed to providing a full continuum of services via distance learning. The implementation of those services will look different than it does when the services are provided in a brick-and-mortar setting.

 

Initial evaluations that were delayed due to school closure will resume as it’s feasible to do so, given local and state orders. At this time, evaluations have been suspended as a result of the Travis County Order issued on July 14 and will resume once able to do so safely.

 

ARD committees will utilize TEA guidelines to consider the need for compensatory services to address any knowledge or skill gaps resulting from school closure.

 

Cedars International Academy Schools is responsible for identifying students with disabilities who have a need for special education services. If you are concerned your child has a disability, please contact your student’s campus administrator or counselor to discuss a full individual evaluation.
How can students and parents communicate with the Counselor and School Psychologist?
Our Counselor and School Psychologist will be available for students to communicate via email. Students are encouraged to email their counselor if they have questions or concerns. Cedars Counselor may also reach out to students and parents with helpful information. Our counselor will share additional resources and information with students based on their individual needs and work with them to address their respective situations.
 

 

Yes, students will be able to work with school counselors. As with in-person services, our school counselor will offer similar large groups, small groups, and individual guidance counseling sessions to students in a virtual environment. Occasionally, the school counselor might have a brief check-in with a student. Since the virtual environment is different from the campus environment, certain precautions will be required. Parents and students can obtain more counseling resources on the Counseling Services Department website.

 

Mental and Behavioral Health support will continue in-person and in virtual environments. For students needing extra support, the school counselor can refer any student for services outside the school. These services will only be provided once consent is given by the parent/guardian. If a student is receiving education through a virtual environment, mental health services will be provided by teletherapy.
Cedars International Academy Schools will provide devices to all students in grades PK-12 so that all students can engage in at-home learning starting August 18th. The parent/student is financially responsible for negligent damages to the device.
We also know that not all families have reliable internet access at home. The district is exploring options for securing Wi-Fi hotspots for some of our students to ensure they have the tools they need to learn remotely.
Devices will be deployed on Friday, August 14th and Monday, August 17th. Device Distribution Schedule can be found HERE.
What does a 1:1 student device program mean?
Students in grades PK-12 will be assigned a specific chromebook for the whole school year. They will take the chromebook home with them and to school each day.
What is the parent/student 1:1 device agreement?
The parent/students 1:1 device agreement is an agreement that the parent will accept during the online student registration process for both new and returning students. The agreement can be viewed at the click of this link.
When will students receive their Chromebook?
We would like to check-out the Chromebooks to as many students as possible during the 2 days before school is scheduled to start. Device Distribution Schedule can be found HERE.
What if we don't have internet access at home?
Cedars International Academy Schools will provide mobile internet hotspots that can be checked out at the same time devices are distributed. Device Distribution Schedule can be found HERE.
What precautions are taken to keep students safe?
Cedars takes the safety of students very seriously. All 1:1 student issued chromebooks are content filtered at school and off-site. It does not matter if it is used at home, Starbucks, McDonalds, the library, or any place else, it will be filtered. In addition, the filter enforces Google safe search and blocks common inappropriate search terms, enforces YouTube Safe Mode, and all internet access is logged by student name.
In addition, only Chrome extensions and Chrome web apps on an approved list are able to be installed by students. If a Chrome extension or Chrome web app your student would like to install is not allowed but it has value for education or productivity, please have them ask their teacher to open a Technology support ticket to have it added to the allowed list.
All use of any District devices is also subject to the terms of the student acceptable use policy at this link.
Can a student use a personal device instead of a school owned device?
Yes, students may use their personal device at home for at-home learning for the 2020-2021 school year. A fully virtual student may still receive a District Chromebook if desired.
What guidance did the District use in developing the Instructional Plan for 2020-2021?
 
All students and parents will be able to connect with teachers via zoom on Thursday, August 13. A letter will be sent out the week of August 10th.
The teachers will host a virtual "meet the teacher" before school starts. Each campus will send out specific instructions about how each grade level will meet.
This is an unusual year, but rest assured that each campus principal will find ways to make that first day as smooth and as pleasant as possible.
 
Families who normally pay tuition for Pre-K will still be charged their normal tuition during online learning. Teachers will continue to provide high-quality instruction during this time.
 
Please visit https://www.cedars-academy.org/apps/pages/apply to complete an online application.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

CDC saves lives and protects people from health, safety, and security threats. For more information about COVID-19, click the website link. https://www.cdc.gov

 

EMPLOYEE/WORKPLACE FLOWCHART FOR
COVID-19
 
STUDENT FLOWCHART FOR COVID-19