• Safety & Security
  

• Enrollment for NEW Students
  

• Information Verification for RETURNING Students

• Bell Schedule Changes for 2022-23

• Bus Transportation Update

• Get Your Child's Required Immunizations This Summer!

• How to Read the STAAR Report
  

• Summertime Good News

• 2021 Bond Program Update

• Mark Your Calendar: Elementary/Intermediate Meet the Teacher

• Mark Your Calendar: Orientation for Incoming 5th/7th/9th graders

• Summer Office Hours for BISD

• Back to School Bash ~ August 2

WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER!

The safety and security of our students and staff is our highest priority. We are continually evaluating how to keep our schools safe. This summer we are taking a look at all of our campuses to see what steps we can take to improve overall safety. In some cases that may involve changes in protocols such as how we check in visitors. In other cases this may involve physical changes such as improved fencing and door security. Some of these changes are outlined in the 2021 Bond Update below.

Police Department Expansion

The BISD Police Department has hired two additional officers this summer and is in the process of adding two more officers prior to the start of school. This will bring the total # of law enforcement officers to 17, which provides important coverage for our entire district. All officers are trained Mental Health Officers to assist students in crisis. In addition, BISD police officers have advanced training in ALERT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) and Advanced Behavioral and Digital Threat Assessment. This helps to support our overall safety and security response at our schools.

I Love U Guys Foundation Training

In August, BISD will conduct Standard Reunification Protocol Training with the I Love U Guys Foundation to help us understand the best way to respond to a crisis event that requires reuniting students with parents. During August inservice with teachers and staff, our police department will also be providing enhanced safety training to all campus staff including Stop the Bleed, CRAAE (Citizen Response to Active Attacker Event), and Emergency Operations Plan protocols.

As a reminder, our staff and students routinely practice emergency drills including what to do in the event of a lockdown or a lockout, how to handle severe weather, and how to respond in the event of a fire. The District works closely with the Bastrop Police Department, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office, the Texas DPS, and the Texas School Safety Center.

Tip Line

Bastrop ISD operates a tip line that is available to students, parents, staff, or the general public. The tip line accepts tips for a whole range of issues including bullying, suicide, drugs, weapons, social media threats and more. The tip line is available on our website at bisdtx.org or by texting 512-412-3373. The Tip Line can be anonymous if necessary although it's helpful to have contact information for the tipster. We sincerely appreciate the partnership we have with our students who are the ones most likely to become aware of any type of threat. Because of our tip line, we have been able to learn about and address safety concerns before they reach a critical point.

Clear Bags at Memorial Stadium

One change we will make at Memorial Stadium involves the use of clear bags. An update will be coming separately to help our students, parents, and guests understand our protocols at the stadium and potential other facilities to create a safer environment.

If your child has never been enrolled in Bastrop ISD, parents must complete New Student Online Enrollment. A valid email account is required. Visit BISD's Account Request webpage to request a Family Access account. You will receive an automated email with your login credentials. After logging in using your new credentials, you will select "New Student Online Enrollment" and complete the process. NOTE: If you are enrolling a child who is the sibling of a child currently enrolled in BISD, you do not need to create a new Family Access account. You can simply add another child when you verify information for your currently enrolled child.

Visit BISD's What You Need to Enroll webpage for documents required to enroll in BISD. You can also reach out to the registrar on your child's campus if you have questions, or you can send your question to registrationhelp@bisdtx.org.

Parents who need help with the registration process can contact their child's campus beginning Wednesday, July 27th to schedule an appointment with the school registrar.

If your child is currently enrolled in BISD and returning with us for next year, parents must log into their Family Access account to verify information and update permissions. After logging into Family Access, you will select "Returning Student Online Registration". This allows you to verify all of your child's data and provide updates for any important information that has changed such as phone numbers, emergency contacts, and student health history. HAVING ACCURATE INFORMATION IS CRITICAL TO KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE LEARNING SPACES!

STUDENT INFORMATION VERIFICATION FOR RETURNING STUDENTS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE STUDENTS CAN RECEIVE A SCHEDULE OR HOMEROOM TEACHER ASSIGNMENT.

If you cannot remember your Family Access credentials, use the Forgot Your Login/Password? link. If you're still having trouble logging in to Family Access, contact the Help Desk at 512-772-7199. NOTE: If you are enrolling a child who is the sibling of a student currently enrolled in BISD, you do not need to create a new Family Access account. You can simply add another child when you verify current student information.

IMPORTANT!

Live technical support for login assistance from BISD staff will not be available during the July 4th week when the District is closed.

This past year we experienced significant bus driver shortages. Despite increased pay and other financial incentives, we continue to be understaffed with our bus drivers.

In the spring we brought together a team to brainstorm a solution to this dilemma. As a result of those efforts, we have made adjustments to the bell schedules for the coming school year. Elementary will remain the same as it is currently (7:30-3:00), and Intermediate will match the elementary schedule. To create a greater gap between the elementary and secondary bus routes, middle school will start at 8:50 am and end at 4:20 pm, and high school will start at 9:00 am and end at 4:30 pm. Students assigned to Gateway DAEP will attend school 7:00 am to 2:00 pm each day.

This solution is not a perfect one, and we realize that any change in operations has implications that are positive for some families and negative for others, but we are confident that it will help us to get more children to school and more children to school on time. We also believe this solution will alleviate the significant traffic congestion issues that are present at BIS/BMS and at CCIS/CCMS.

After school care will continue to be available under the new bell schedules. STARS will be available on early release days as well.

• STARS at Elementary - After school to 6:00 pm
• ACE at Elementary/Intermediate - After school to 5:30 pm
• ACE at Middle School - Before school 8:00 to 8:45 am and after school to 6:30 pm
• BTB at High School - After school to 6:15 pm

Our transportation partner, GoldStar Transit, is currently working on revising bus routes, bus stops and pick-up/drop-off times based upon the revised bell schedules. They anticipate having this process complete during the week of July 18. To ensure GoldStar has all of the information they need to make decisions, it will be important for all parents to complete the Returning Student Information Verification and to indicate whether or not bus transportation will be needed. Visit your Family Access login page beginning July 1st to do this.

We will keep parents informed as we know more.

Our BISD nurse team created a helpful FLYER about required immunizations for the 2022-23 school year. Talk to your pediatrician or contact the BISD Health Clinic at 512-772-4887 to schedule an appointment so that your child is able to start school on the first day.

Immunizations will be available at the District's Back to School Bash on August 2 from the BISD Health Clinic booth.

Summer Meals Program

The summer meal program is available for anyone 18 years old and younger. Meals must be consumed on-site where they are received. For times and locations, visit https://www.bisdtx.org/Page/8294.

Social Emotional Learning for Families

This Jump Back July calendar has a simple action that can be done each day to increase happiness and keep self-care routines going strong all summer long. For families looking for resources to continue student learning over the summer, check out Captain Compassion's YouTube channel. This is a resource provided by Committee for Children, the same organization that provides BISD's SEL curriculum for grades PK-8.

For high school age students, BISD utilizes CharacterStrong, and they provide a kindness journal activity. Check out their YouTube Playlist for 30 days worth of videos to guide students with the journal.

The Understanding Your Child's Score (STAAR) webpage helps you, as a parent, understand the STAAR report card and will give details for each test that your child participated in. You will find samples of the report card in over 12 languages!

To view your child’s results, please visit the Texas Assessments Family Portal.

In this first year after passing our 2021 bond, we have experienced a construction market like never before with significant price increases and labor shortages. This has had a tremendous impact on the projects that have been first out of the gate including our two new elementary schools, Mina Elementary, Bastrop High School, and Cedar Creek High School. We have been forced to make adjustments.

Mina Elementary

Our goal for Mina was to have 100% of the school on the east side of Hill Street. Based upon what we can afford and in consultation with Mina administration, we made the decision to keep the dining facilities on the west side. Beginning in 2023-24, all instructional programming will be on the east side, including a new two-story building that will house PK-1st grade, life skills, and early childhood special education. The other buildings on the east side will house 2nd-5th grade including specials (art, music and PE). Students will cross the street for meals.

BMS & CCMS

One of the bond projects involved securing the courtyards at BMS and CCMS. We are planning to have those secure courtyards completed before school starts.

Cedar Creek High School

Our goal for Cedar Creek High School was to add a wing to accommodate student enrollment growth. As a result of increased costs, we are instead renovating the existing open-area "learning communities". This will provide an additional 16 classrooms.

Bastrop High School

As one of the oldest campuses in the district, our goal for Bastrop High School was to add a two-story addition of classrooms, a more secure administrative area, a dance facility, auto shop, and other major refurbishments including flooring, lighting, ceilings, paint, etc. Initial estimates came in substantially over budget. Even with multiple adjustments and numerous design concepts, we were still well over budget and too far from the original concept, which was based upon campus needs. We should have a final design and cost update in the near future.

Because of inflation, price increases, and general market conditions, we had to explore alternatives for saving money. The most cost effective solution was to delay the conversion of the intermediate schools into middle schools. By delaying the conversion, we eliminate the immediate need for a competition gym, concessions, locker rooms and the like. The intermediate schools will still see security improvements and general refurbishments, but beginning in fall 2023, they will house 6th graders as part of Bastrop Middle School or Cedar Creek Middle School, respectively. We will keep you informed as we refine these plans. Seventh and eighth graders will continue to attend school on their current campuses.

These are difficult decisions, but we believe that concentrating our bond dollars on growth at the elementary levels and improvements to our high schools was the greater priority at this time.

Groundbreaking Ceremonies

On July 13, we will have our official groundbreaking ceremonies for the 812/21 elementary school site and the new Colony elementary school site. We are eager to get "shovels in the ground" and to see our two new schools come to fruition. Groundbreaking ceremonies are scheduled for 11:00 am for the 812/21 site and 12:15 pm for the Colony site. When we actually open the new schools, we will also schedule a community-based RIBBON CUTTING to officially open our new schools. This will be sometime in the spring or summer of 2023! Stay tuned!

The Bastrop ISD Service Center will be open Monday through Thursday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. We will return to a regular Monday through Friday schedule beginning Monday, August 8. The District and all campuses are closed to the public from July 4 through July 8.

Relationships with our students, parents, and staff are what make this a great place to learn, teach, and work. In Bastrop Independent School District ... THEIR future is OUR focus!

Email: news@bisdtx.org
Website: bisdtx.org
Location: 906 Farm Street, Bastrop, TX, USA
Phone: 512-772-7100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bastropisdtx
Twitter: @BastropISD