Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

As we continue preparing for the 2020-2021 school year and the start of remote learning at home for all students on August 19, Lake Travis ISD will make every effort to assist families in need of access to technology. The District will loan Chromebooks to students in grades K-12 who have limited or no access to a device at home and who do not already have a device from our initial deployment this past spring. Additionally, the District will loan one (1) WiFi hotspot per family who does not have home access to the Internet for remote learning at home. Parents with multiple students in LTISD schools should request only one (1) hotspot per family.  

Families who meet the above criteria may request a Chromebook and/or WiFi hotspot via Skyward by selecting the “Technology Request Form” in the student’s profile. We ask that you complete one (1) form per child if a device is needed. Because devices are limited, we respectfully request that families utilize resources at home, if possible. If you already have home access to the Internet and a personal device for remote learning, please disregard this notice. 

To better serve our families, Lake Travis ISD staff will deliver devices to the student’s home address as indicated in the “Student Profile” in Skyward. These deliveries are scheduled to occur between August 10-14 and August 17-18. Staff will attempt to contact families by phone prior to delivery.

In order to keep students safe while online during remote learning at home and to comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), LTISD staff have installed content filtering on each device. As a reminder, these devices are on loan from Lake Travis ISD to support learning opportunities for students, and they are expected to be returned at a later date to be determined by the District once in-person learning on campus resumes.

If your child is currently in possession of an LTISD-issued Chromebooks and/or WiFi hotspot, please continue to use the device for remote learning until returning to in-person learning on campus. If your child is withdrawing from LTISD, or if you would like to return the District-issued device and use personally-owned technology available at home for remote learning, please contact our LTISD HelpDesk at helpdesk@ltisdschools.org to make arrangements for the return of the device.

Sincerely,

Chris Woehl
Executive Director for Technology and Information Systems Services

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

As you may recall, last week we shared with you our Student Commitment Form for selecting the return to school option—remote learning at home or in-person learning on campus—that will best serve your child this fall. The Student Commitment Form is available in Skyward Family Access and is due by Thursday, August 6. However, you may revise your commitment form up to two weeks prior to the first day the district is able to offer in-person learning on campus. Out of an abundance of caution, we will begin the 2020-2021 school year on Wednesday, August 19 with remote learning at home for all students through at least September 7. 

To assist you with planning for the in-person learning on campus option in the fall, we are sharing with you our Return to School Protocols for COVID-19 outlining our health and safety guidelines. We fully recognize that you have many questions. Earlier this month, we posted information on our website that detailed our two learning options for the 2020-2021 school year. This information also included a number of Frequently Asked Questions. If you have not yet reviewed the details of these options, please visit the section School Year 2020-2021: Learning. Transformed on the LTISD website.

The conditions surrounding the pandemic are continually evolving. Our plans will be evaluated and updated as needed to comply and adapt to any new orders, guidelines or mandates issued by governmental and/or health authorities. It will be our priority to keep you informed of those changes and updates throughout the coming school year. Thank you for your continued patience, understanding and flexibility.

Sincerely,

Marco Alvarado
Director of Communications, Media & Community Relations

July 23, 2020

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to welcome our students to the 2020-2021 school year on Wednesday, August 19.  As you may already know, by order of Austin Public Health, school districts in Travis County will begin the year with remote learning at home for all students through at least September 7. 

In anticipation of opening our schools for in-person learning on campus in the fall, families with returning students already enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year as well as families new to Lake Travis ISD, must complete a Student Commitment Form.  Specifically, parents are asked to select the return to school option—remote learning at home or in-person learning on campus—that will best serve their individual student(s).  The Student Commitment Form is available in Skyward Family Access.  Once logged in, select the icon “Commitment Form 2020-2021” from the home screen and follow the instructions provided.  If the icon is not available as the final tile on your screen, please contact your campus registrar for assistance beginning July 28. 

District officials need this information to continue planning for the coming school year and are therefore asking parents to submit commitment forms by August 6.  However, you may revise your commitment form up to two weeks prior to the first day the district is able to offer in-person learning on campus.  Please note, the child of any parent who does not submit a form will default to in-person learning on campus.

We fully recognize that you have many questions.  Earlier this month, we posted information on our website that detailed our two learning options for the 2020-2021 school year.  This information also included a number of Frequently Asked Questions.  If you have not yet reviewed the details of these options, please visit the section School Year 2020-2021: Learning. Transformed on the LTISD website.  Additionally, within the next week, we will provide Return to School Protocols outlining our health and safety guidelines for in-person learning on campus to assist you with your planning. 

This is a constantly evolving process, and we are all impacted by new guidance and directives from various health and governmental authorities often provided to us at a moment’s notice.  Accordingly, you should expect conditions and plans to change.  Rest assured, we will continue to update you as quickly and thoroughly as possibly in the coming days and weeks.  Thank you for your patience, understanding and flexibility.

Sincerely,

Marco Alvarado
Director of Communications, Media and Community Relations

Mike Morath
Commissioner
Texas Education Agency
1701 N. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701

July 15, 2020

Dear Commissioner Morath,

On behalf of the Lake Travis ISD staff, students, families, and community, we are writing to you seeking specific relief from your current guidelines for reopening our schools. We all recognize the difficulty in which we find ourselves due to COVID-19. From the moment this pandemic began to impact Texas public schools in March, the Texas Education Agency has provided exemplary support, assistance and guidance. We are grateful for your support and value our partnership with you and TEA.

Like many school districts across Texas, Lake Travis ISD continues to forge ahead with plans to reopen our schools this fall. In doing so, we are guided by the utmost concern for staff and student safety. We are committed to implementing plans that protect our staff and students while delivering a quality education, either in person at school or remotely at home.

However, recent guidance provided by the Texas Education Agency for the reopening of schools does not provide local school districts with the flexibility to make decisions based on local needs and expectations. It removes our ability to fully address teacher and staff safety, including space limitations due to social distancing requirements. Furthermore, given current public health conditions, we are concerned with the mandate that school districts “must provide daily on-campus attendance for students.”  We understand the Travis County Health Authority order issued by Dr. Mark Escott provides for a delay in in-person instruction until after September 7, 2020. This flexibility allows our district staff to further prepare for the safe reopening of schools in September.

As previously stated, our decisions for the new school year are guided by the highest concern and care for our teachers and staff. We will continue to operate within the guidelines provided by TEA and Governor Greg Abbott, taking all precautions available to us to operate schools safely and effectively. However, we strongly advocate for the following items: 

• in addition to the recent order suspending in-person instruction until after September 7, 2020, give superintendents and school boards the authority to further extend remote learning as needed;
• suspend STAAR and the A-F system for the 2020-2021 school year; and
• additional funding to supplement costs incurred by districts to provide safe and effective learning; and 
• a commitment to allocate current or future federal money specified for schools as a supplement to existing funding commitments by the state. 

Lake Travis ISD is home to more than 1,400 dedicated teachers, support staff, and administrators who want to safely welcome our students back to school this fall. We know that ultimately in-person, at school instruction best supports academic success and social-emotional learning. First and foremost, we must do everything possible to protect the health and safety of both our staff and students, so that in time, we can return to onsite instruction.  e want to support our students with regular schedules and the full complement of high-quality services our families deserve. However, we cannot and will not compromise the health and safety of our teachers and staff in the process. We thank you for your careful consideration and continued support. 

Respectfully, 

Brad Lancaster, Ed.D.                                      Kim Flasch
Superintendent of Schools                             President, Board of Trustees
Lake Travis ISD                                                  Lake Travis ISD

July 15, 2020

Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians,

As you may already know, Austin Public Health Interim Director Dr. Mark Escott has ordered all school districts in Austin-Travis County to delay the reopening of campus face-to-face instruction until after Monday, September 7, 2020. This includes athletics and extracurricular activities. However, according to the order, remote instruction shall be permitted as per a school district’s own plans.  As a result, we will begin the 2020-2021 school year on Wednesday, August 19 with remote learning at home for all students. We are grateful to Austin Public Health and the flexibility the order provides as we continue to prepare for the safe reopening of our schools in September.

Clearly, circumstances are changing rapidly. We are in the process of determining how this new order affects our process and timeline to ask parents to commit to in-person or remote learning. More information will be forthcoming.

Please be reminded that our decisions for the new school year are guided by the highest concern and care for staff and student safety. We will continue to operate within the guidelines and requirements mandated by Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency, and Austin Public Health, taking all precautions available to us to operate schools safely and effectively. This is a constantly evolving process, and we will continue to update you as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your continued patience, understanding and flexibility during this time.

Sincerely,

Brad Lancaster, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

July 6, 2020

Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians,

On Wednesday, August 19, we will welcome more than 11,400 students and their families back to school. Whether in person or remote, the Lake Travis Independent School District will be ready to support learning for all students.

District and school leaders are working to finalize safe and viable opportunities to meet the diverse educational needs of our students. We have published an overview and Frequently Asked Questions for both In-person Learning on Campus and Remote Learning at Home on our website, linked here: https://www.ltisdschools.org/Page/3991

The information shared on this and subsequent sections of our website outlines our plans for resuming instructional services this fall. Please note, any and all information is subject to change in response to directives provided by governing authorities and/or health officials, or as environmental conditions warrant. Please visit this site often for updates.

Sincerely,

Marco Alvarado
Director of Communications, Media & Community Relations

July 2, 2020

Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians:

We have been very busy this summer working on various plans and options for the 2020-2021 school year. Despite the ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19, we are excited to be able to open our schools next year and look forward to welcoming our students and staff back in August, whether that is in person or in a remote environment.

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with the latest information concerning our plans to open schools this fall. During a special called school board meeting on Wednesday, July 1, our trustees were presented with several options on how to address learning for all students next year. Please note that any guidelines or details about next year are subject to change based on information from local, state, or federal authorities.

As it stands today, LTISD families will select one of two options for their children for the 2020-2021 school year.

• Option 1: Five days a week full-time in-person traditional learning on campus, with heightened hygiene and disinfection protocols
• Option 2: Full-time remote learning

We are working on a website that will provide greater detail which we expect to make available next week. Until that information is ready, I wanted you to have the latest plan so your family can begin thinking about what is best for the students in your family. I also know that you have many questions about how we will organize in person learning and remote learning. The website will have an extensive question and answer section that will address many of those issues. As you might expect, this is a constantly evolving process, and we will continue to update this website and our plans throughout the next few weeks.

Please keep in mind, like all public school districts across Texas, LTISD is subject to rules and regulations from city, county, state, and federal authorities. These guidelines may require school districts to take specific action, such as requiring face coverings, specifying cleaning guidelines, or even closing schools. Our goal is to provide our parents with as much notice as possible should these plans change.

For now, I hope you and your family enjoy the Fourth of July weekend. You can expect more details to come on these important plans. Thank you for your continued patience, understanding and flexibility.

Sincerely,

Brad Lancaster, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

According to our records, earlier this spring you successfully checked out a Chromebook and/or mobile WiFi hotspot to support your child’s online learning during our school closure. Please note, in an effort to support continued learning and access to instructional materials online throughout the summer, families will not be required to return those devices until the start of school in August. We will reach out to you later this summer with instructions on how to return those devices.

However, Lake Travis High School seniors and other students who will not be returning to LTISD schools in the fall must return devices between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, June 1-4 to the Lake Travis ISD Technology/Distribution Center located at 16101 W. SH 71, Building B.

Questions or concerns should be addressed via email to the LTISD HelpDesk at helpdesk@ltisdschools.org. We wish you and your family a safe and relaxing summer!

Sincerely, 

Chris Woehl
Executive Director for Technology & Information Systems Services