In its weekly email newsletter, Coppell ISD announced that it will allow families to choose between in-person and remote learning for the 2020-21 school year. Families will commit to their choices for the first nine weeks of the school year through a survey that will be sent out on Tuesday and is due by July 29. 

“I know a lot of kids, including me, miss going to school and the social environment, so I’m glad we have the option,” Coppell High School sophomore Tavishka Arora said. “I’m probably going to be doing in-person school and it impacts me because it allows me to be able to practice with my team for cross country, as well as being able to learn better. Online school, for me personally, was a bit difficult to catch on to topics and pay attention and be focused as compared to a physical classroom.”  

The first day of school remains Aug. 12. The district will release a Draft Return to School Guide with FAQs and further details early next week. 

“At this time, we plan to keep our daughters [Denton Creek Elementary fifth grader Katelyn and CHS junior Claire] home for the first nine weeks,” Coppell parent Renee McCoppin said. “The fact that they disclosed so early what the plans were has helped us prepare for fall, rather than wondering what will happen. I appreciate that, and I’m glad that they did it. We live in a fluid situation, though, so we’re going to stay flexible for the foreseeable future.”

The CISD Return to School Task Force is currently planning for each learning option by evaluating survey results from the staff and families as well as discussions with the CISD Board of Trustees. The committee is also working in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), which issued a statement on June 18 declaring that all schools in the state will reopen in the fall without mandatory mask wearing. 

“I’m a little bit sad about having to miss out on some of the classic high school experiences,” Arora said. “It’s already been about a fourth of our freshman year and it’s going to impact our sophomore year, too. It’s a little bit disheartening in that way, but overall if it keeps everyone safe, it’s fine.”   

CISD will hold a Facebook live event on July 16 at 6:30 p.m. for the community to ask questions. Further information about the 2020-21 school year can be found at http://www.coppellisd.com/returntoschool.

“[CISD] has done an excellent job in communicating and letting us know where they’re going and what they’re thinking and helping us plan as much as they can, because it’s such a difficult situation,” Mrs. McCoppin said. “Clearly they have to take guidance from the state and local government, and I think they’re doing the best job they can at managing the situation.”

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