McCool Academy Mission Update

Greetings all McCool Academy Families! We wanted to give families information to help you in making your decision regarding McCool Academy virtual or face-to-face. We are excited to announce that McCool academy students that have registered for virtual learning will be assigned to McCool Academy. More information about Mccool Academy's virtual guidelines will be announced later. Although I don’t have answers to all of your questions right now, Lubbock ISD is in constant contact with T.E.A. and the latest information from our local health experts. We will continue to send information and updates as they arise. Please continue to look at your emails. Within this newsletter you will find McCool Academy's celebrations and guidelines as they relate to COVID-19 safety measures being enacted for the 2020-2021 school year.

We will have an incoming orientation for all of out McColl Academy learners the week of Aug. 10-14. There will also be a virtual open house sent out to all families in order for everyone to have policies, procedures, and meet teachers! Information will be sent out as soon as plans have been completed. None of the planning can happen until we have names and the number of students who are coming for face to face instruction. I hope all of this makes sense and I apologize if you have already taken care of this. Thank you for your patience during this uncertain time, and for helping us to do what we need to for the safety of everyone involved.

If you haven't gone online to complete your students registration please do so by end of day August 3rd, 2020.

www.lubbockisd.org/registration

The 9th page of the Registration Tab is Student Forms. The last form needs to be fully completed to select face-to-face or virtual online learning.

You must go through the registration process AGAIN to choose VIRTUAL or FACE TO FACE instruction if you have not already done so BY AUG. 3!!! If you do not take care of this, your student will AUTOMATICALLY be placed in FACE TO FACE instruction and you will not be allowed to change this until the end of the 9 week grading period.

Last week, LISD's Foundations of Excellence committee approved a grant McCool academy applied for back in May!

What is zSpace? The zSpace® system is an all-in-one technology that combines 3D images with haptic (force) feedback within a Virtual Reality (VR) environment. To learn more about what zSpace is along with student and educator testimonials please visit zSpace videos (https://zspace.com/videos/).

zSpace is intended as pedagogical tool to enhance, not supplant, robust learning in the K-12 classroom. This provides students a means to garner different understandings, engage in conversation and creativity, guided by their interests to learn content.

McCool parents and astronauts, as always, please be aware of your chromebook usage as students are utilizing their chromebooks at home currently and during the school year. Students will be assigned their chromebooks for the school year and will be bringing their devices back and forth with them. Student history is immediately available to administration and counselors. We are able to view content that students upload or view on their devices and receive alerts when the content is inappropriate. Please be responsible with your technology usage as this could impact your child's ability to remain as a transfer student at McCool Academy. GoGuardian software helps our McCool Academy community navigate through their devices, better understand their students, and keep them safer online.

• Each student will receive 1 reusable cloth face mask, but may elect to wear a mask of their own. Bandanas will not be allowed as a mask. Fask masks must adhere to to our Student Code of conduct.
• McCool Academy will provide adult size disposable masks for students as a backup.
• Hand sanitizing stations are provided throughout the campus
• Hand sanitizer in each classroom

• Face masks are required to enter the building.
• Face masks will be worn at all times inside the building when social distancing is less than 6 feet. Face masks will be allowed to be taken off only when students are eating or drinking.
• Refusal to wear a face mask by a student will be addressed addressed by McCool Academy staff. Students must adhere to the district policy in regard to student masks otherwise.
• If the student refuses to put on the face mask or keep it on administration will contact the student's parent/guardian. Lack of compliance will result into behavioral documentation and could result in the students ability to remain as a transfer student at McCool Academy.
• If the student continues to refuse to comply the student will be sent home to complete the day's learning by Chromebook either synchronously or asynchronously.

• McCool Academy doors open at 7:30 A.M. although we highly recommend drop off after 8:00 A.M.
• 6th grade students will enter through the front entrance (south doors) - exceptions will be made for 7th graders that ride the bus.
• 7th grade student will enter through the staff parking lot back doors (north doors).
• Students must have mask on prior to entering the building.
• Parents may not enter the building at any point during the day, unless they have an appointment or are picking up a student.
• Students will be dismissed at 4:03 P.M. each day by the nearest exit door and will be encouraged to leave campus immediately.
• Students must keep their face mask on while waiting to be picked up while on campus.

• Social distancing will be enforced to the extent possible when passing between classes.
• During the passing periods teachers and administration will move students along and discourage stopping and congregating.
• Hallways will include two one way and two way hallways depending on the location and width of the hallway.
• Face masks must be worn during all passing periods.
• We are considering staggered bells for passing period period transitions.
• Teacher classroom location will be taken into consideration to allow to allow for the least amount of travel as possible.

• Students will be seated as far apart as possible depending on room configuration, size, and type of seating - either desks or tables.
• If classrooms include a courtyard window, teachers will be encouraged to open windows to increase ventilation with outdoor air.
• Students will be assigned seating in all classes and seating charts will be updated and provided to campus administration.
• Masks will remain on for all staff and students; the teacher may remove the face mask to give direct instruction as long as 6 feet from all students.
• Students will not leave the classroom unless it is for a restroom break, an emergency, or a pass has been sent for them to leave the classroom.
• At the conclusion of every class period the teacher will spray disinfectant on the desk/table top, seat, and any other area the student may have worked. The student will then use 2 paper towels to wipe down the area and put the paper towel in the trash can on the way out the door.

• During passing periods McCool Academy stall will monitor bathroom entry and exit. Students will need to request permission from their upcoming class period teacher to use the restroom which will be digitally documented
• Students will need to request permission from their current class period teacher to use the restroom which will be digitally documented.
  
• The number of students allowed into individual restrooms will directly correlate to the number of available stalls in the restroom.
• Students will not be allowed to congregate in restrooms.
• Sodexo, the LISD Cleaning Company, will sanitize and wipe down restrooms through the day and deep clean when the instructional day ends.

• Breakfast will be served within the classroom where students will eat in their first period. The cleaning protocol will be followed after class.
• McCool Academy is considering assigned seating within the cafeteria to ensure accurate contact tracing.
• Lunch in the cafeteria will be setup to only allow for 50% capacity.
• Tables will be placed apart as space allows.
• A reduced number of chairs will be at each table inside the cafeteria.
• The gym and teacher classrooms will be utilized for lunch to help meet the capacity limits during lunch times.
• When entering the cafeteria students must keep face masks on, even when moving through the serving lines.
• All McCool Academy students will be receiving student ID badges and will scan them in the cafeteria. This minimizes touch points.
• Aramark is individually packaging food items so students may "grab-and-go" to minimize touch points.
• Students may only take their face mask off when eating and drinking. Student will be required to then put their face mask back on when finished.
• McCool Academy's bell schedule will allow time between lunches to wipe down and sanitize all surfaces and touch points.

The information presented above is to help our McCool Academy community regarding face-to-face instruction as we near the start of the 2020-2021 school year. As you can see McCool Academy has an extensive safety plan in place to open our doors on August 17th and we will continue to explore ways to further increase our safety measures.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to click here. This link includes videos and Lubbock ISDs guidelines in regard to Covid-19.

Principal: Carolyn Wadley

Assistant Principals: Yvonne Valdez

Counselors: Connie Russell & Valerie Llanas

Instructional Coach: Dwenette Stevenson

Email: carolyn.wadley@lubbockisd.org
Website: lubbockisd.org/mccoolacademy
Location: 4402 31st Street, Lubbock, TX, USA
Phone: (806)219-4701
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McCoolAcademy/
Twitter: @McCoolAcademy