Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians,

We look forward to welcoming additional students to in-person learning on Monday, September 21 as phase 2 of our school reopening plan. This includes students in 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades whose parents have selected in-person learning.

With more students in our schools, in particular at the secondary level, we will continue to adhere to protocols which require that all staff and students wear face coverings and self screen for COVID-19 symptoms. Please know a safe work environment for all staff and students is our highest priority. We have provided teachers the option to teach remotely where possible. In addition for our staff at greatest risk, we have provided access to additional Personal Protective Equipment, or other accommodations ranging from providing plexiglass shields at desk/work areas, access to showers prior to leaving campus, and providing non-classroom personnel to facilitate in-person learning. 

With regards to instruction, please be reminded of the two learning options available to best support your children. Specifically, students currently in remote learning may switch to in-person learning at school only at the beginning of each grading period. Conversely, a student who is currently at school for in-person learning may revert to remote learning at home at any time. To prepare for the next grading period which begins Tuesday, October 13, parents are asked to make the appropriate selection using the Instructional Status Change Form posted on our website before Thursday, September 24. If you will not be making a change to your child’s current instructional status, no action is required.

As we welcome more of our students back to school Monday, your continued patience, understanding and flexibility are appreciated. We will continue to update you as we proceed through this constantly-evolving process together.

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

As we approach the midway point of the first grading period of the 2020-2021 school year, we would like to remind you of the learning options you have available to best support your children.

Specifically, students currently in remote learning at home may switch to in-person learning at school only at the beginning of each grading period. Conversely, a student who is currently at school for in-person learning on campus may revert to remote learning at home at any time. 

To prepare for the next grading period which begins Tuesday, October 13, parents are asked to make the appropriate selection using the Instructional Status Change Form posted on our website before Thursday, September 24. If you will not be making a change to your child’s current instructional status, no action is required.

A listing of Frequently Asked Questions and other resources regarding our learning options are available on the School Year 2020-2021: Learning. Transformed section of our website. 

As a reminder, this is a constantly evolving process; conditions and plans are subject to change.  Thank you for your continued patience, understanding and flexibility.

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians,

In accordance with applicable laws, Lake Travis ISD officials must notify the local health authority and the Texas Education Agency of an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. In addition to the required notification, we have created a dashboard to provide our staff and families with transparent communication.

A positive case indicates that a staff member or student who was onsite in a district facility has tested positive for COVID-19. Individuals who test positive are excluded from participation in any in-person/on-campus activity until the school nurse or personal medical provider verifies that the individual meets the return criteria set by local and state health authorities. Once the individual is cleared to return, their case is removed from the dashboard. The dashboard was initially released Friday, September 11 via our School Matters parent newsletter. It is also posted on our website and will be updated weekly.

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

As we transition to in-person learning on campus, our Food and Nutrition Services will be in full operation and available at each of our school cafeterias beginning Tuesday, September 8.

Guided by the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs, meals will be available at the student’s assigned campus to both in-person and remote learners as follows (times may vary by campus): 

• Students present for in-person learning on campus will proceed through the school serving line and choose their meals according to our Online Menus.
  
  
• Students in remote learning at home may purchase a meal for pickup from his or her school cafeteria. Please note, menu options may be limited. If a parent or child in remote learning at home wishes to pick up a meal at school, accommodations must be made via email directly with the café manager at the student’s assigned campus before 10:00 a.m. daily. A complete list of school Café Managers is available on our Food and Nutrition Services website. All meals for remote learners must be picked up at the school’s front office during the regular meal schedule. 

All students will be charged in accordance with LTISD Food and Nutrition Services standard pricing, with the exception of those with approved meal benefits.

Additional resources are available on the Food and Nutrition Services website. Questions or concerns may be directed to foodservice@ltisdschools.org.

Sincerely,

Ryan Mikolaycik
Director of Food and Nutrition Services

In an effort to improve student safety and security districtwide, Lake Travis ISD officials will expand its SMART tag solution, the badge system previously used exclusively for bus ridership.

Beginning this fall, all students will receive an ID badge upon return to in-person learning on campus. Secondary students will be required to wear their ID badge throughout the school day in accordance with our Lake Travis Secondary Schools Student/Parent Handbook 2020-2021.

Aside from student identification, the badge will also support automation and increase the efficiency of key services in a contactless manner including bus ridership, elementary dismissal, library services, school meals, and our Extended Care after school program. Only the student’s photo, name and associated barcode will be printed on the ID badge. No other information will be stored on the badge, nor will badges be used to track a student’s location.

The SMART tag system also offers a secure Parent Portal where parents and guardians can manage notifications and alerts regarding transportation services and student dismissal changes. To access an existing SMART tag account, or to register a new account, visit the SMART tag Parent Portal. Please note, the same Parent Portal will be used to access student bus ridership and elementary dismissal.

For more information about SMART tag, please visit the SMART tag section on our website.

Sincerely,

Marco Alvarado
Director of Communications, Media & Community Relations

Taking into consideration recent feedback received from both teachers and parents expressing concerns for staff and student safety, a special called meeting of the school board was held Monday evening, August 31 to discuss the District’s plans for in-person learning on campus. 

Trustees discussed several options in an attempt to best address concerns raised by our staff and the varied needs of our students and families, all while considering the latest recommendations from our local health authority. Ultimately, the school board approved the submission of a request to the Texas Education Agency for a waiver to extend the back-to-school transition period under the condition that the District implement the following phase-in approach:

• The following student groups who selected in-person learning on campus on their Student Commitment Form can begin Tuesday, September 8:
• Prekindergarten through 5th grades
• 6th and 9th grades 
• Centralized Special Education Programs (Early Childhood Special Education, G3, Life Skills, Structured Development Class, 18+ and Project Search)
• Students of Employees
  
  
• All other students who selected in-person learning on campus on their Student Commitment Form can begin Monday, September 21
  
  
• Students who selected remote learning at home will continue with remote learning at home

We know that you have many questions about our phase-in plans for in-person learning on campus. We are presently updating our district and campus web pages with additional information to prepare you and your family for this transition.

As you know, conditions surrounding the pandemic continue to evolve. 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. We appreciate your continued patience, understanding and flexibility.

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

To prepare for in-person learning on campus, all Lake Travis ISD teachers will participate in professional development on Friday, August 28 and Friday, September 4.

Specifically, teachers will prepare their classrooms for in-person learning and receive training on a number of items including safety protocols and the delivery of instruction for both in-person and remote learners. As a result, elementary students will receive real-time, live instruction (synchronous teaching) through 10:00 a.m. as teachers prepare them for the rest of the day to be self-paced (asynchronous). Secondary students will complete asynchronous (self-paced) assignments only. Parents should note that learning will be temporarily modified as described for all students on Friday, August 28 and Friday, September 4. We kindly ask that you and your students plan accordingly and contact your teacher(s) directly with any questions or concerns.

Returning to in-person learning means many things will look different. Rest assured, we are doing our best to equip and prepare teachers with the training and resources needed to welcome students safely and efficiently. This is yet another demanding task for our teachers. Your continued patience, understanding and support are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

In anticipation of opening our schools on Tuesday, September 8 for in-person learning on campus, families have been asked to complete a Student Commitment Form for the 2020-2021 school year. The form was posted July 23 in Skyward Family Access. Specifically, parents may select the option that will best serve their individual student(s)—continue with remote learning at home or transition to in-person learning on campus. 

As a reminder, Student Commitment Forms are due Tuesday, August 25, two weeks prior to the expected start of in-person learning on campus. If you have already submitted your form, you may revise your commitment through August 25. Please note, the child of any parent who does not submit a form will default to in-person learning on campus.

Once logged in to Skyward Family Access, select the icon “Commitment Form 2020-2021” from the home screen and follow the instructions provided. If the icon is not available on your screen, please contact your campus registrar for assistance.

We fully recognize that you have many questions. Last 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. 

Sincerely,

Marco Alvarado
Director of Communications

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

As a reminder, 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. Learning will look different from last spring, and we are excited to bring a more robust online experience to our students and families. We want to share some important steps your student will need to perform prior to the first day of online learning. Please note, this is a multi-step process which we recognize can be overwhelming. Given a traditional setting, teachers guide our students through these steps on site during the first days of school. To facilitate this process at home for our families, a visual infographic and video supporting the information in this email are forthcoming. 

Our primary learning dashboard for the year is referred to as LT1 ClassLink. The dashboard includes a number of applications students will access each day for online learning, the most common of which is Schoology, our Learning Management System. The District uses single sign-on for most learning applications which means the student’s password will be automatically synced across most of the apps in LT1 ClassLink. The exception, however, is Skyward. To maintain the integrity and security of our student information system, Skyward requires a separate login.

Beginning at 8:00 am, Monday, August 17, passwords in our LT1 ClassLink platform will be reset for all students in 6-12 grade. The password reset does not impact elementary students in K-5 grade. However, all students in K-12 grade must perform the following steps in order to get connected and be ready for online learning:

• Using your preferred device, go to your school website and click on the LT1 ClassLink icon at the top of the page. Or, you can also type “lt1.ltisdschools.org” into any web browser.
• To login, enter the student’s username and password, then click the “Sign In” button. Student usernames begin with the letter “s” followed by the student number. (Example: 's123456'). Parents can find their student’s username, also called the Student Number, in Skyward Family Access under the Student Profile section.
• For students in grades K-5, passwords are in a fixed format and will not be reset. The password is the student’s birthdate using the following format: year in four digits, month in two digits, and day in two digits. (Example: a student born on March 17, 2006 would use the password “20060317”)  
• For students in grades 6-12, passwords are specific to the student’s graduation year as follows:
• A graduate of the class of 2021 would use the password format “LTISD2021!” Here’s another example: a graduate of the class of 2025 would use the password format “LTISD2025!”
• It is important to note that this will be a temporary password.
• After initial login to LT1 ClassLink, all secondary students will be immediately prompted to create their own unique passwords.
• In the “Old Password” field, enter the temporary password. As a reminder, the student’s temporary password is specific to his or her graduation year. 
• Students should then create and confirm their own unique password. Please note, the new password must meet the following criteria:
• Minimum of eight characters
• Must include a capital letter
• Must include a number or symbol
• Cannot use any of the student’s last five (5) passwords

Once elementary and secondary students are logged into LT1 ClassLink, click on the Skyward icon. As a reminder, students will be prompted to enter a separate login to Skyward. If students need assistance with logging in, select the “Forgot your Username or Password” link. Secondary level students new to the District will receive their password via email to their ltisdschools.net address on Monday August, 17. In Skyward, elementary students can locate their homeroom teacher while secondary students can access their class schedules. 

Your child should now be ready to begin his or her journey through online learning. For technical assistance with any of these aforementioned steps, please contact the LTISD Helpdesk at helpdesk@ltisdschools.org. Parents should continue to consult their principal’s newsletters and school website for additional support. We look forward to serving our students and a successful year of Learning Transformed!

Sincerely,

Chris Woehl
Executive Director for Technology and Information Systems Services

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

I am Paul Norton, and I have the honor and privilege to serve as your Superintendent of Schools. On behalf of our school board, our administration, teachers and support staff, I want to be among the first to welcome you and your family to the 2020-2021 school year.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit our newest campus, Rough Hollow Elementary School. This beautiful facility was made possible by our most recent voter-approved bond, and we cannot wait to open our doors. However, we know these are unique times. As a parent of two students enrolled in our Lake Travis schools, I too share the frustration, stress and uncertainty created by the pandemic. It has taught us to expect change, to be flexible, and to adapt. But it has also challenged us to think out of the box, to be innovative, and to do things differently. Whether our students are learning remotely at home or in-person at school, things will be different.  

Yet, I believe the challenges facing our District create an opportunity for us to do things better and shape the future of our community. But we can only do this together. As we prepare to embark on the new year ahead, I will be with you every step of the way. Together, we will build new relationships and strengthen existing ones. We will do what is best for students and do everything possible to meet their individual needs. We will continue to prioritize student health and safety, now more than ever. And above all else, we will do these things with a kind heart. 

I love our theme for the new year, “Learning. Transformed,” because that is exactly what is happening, and it is what we must support, starting with me. I know it will be frustrating at times, and we will make mistakes. But we will ultimately succeed by focusing on what is truly important—our students.

In closing, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your superintendent. I share with you my hope, optimism, and excitement for the new year ahead. I look forward to meeting you soon. 

Sincerely,

Paul Norton
Superintendent of Schools

• Lake Travis Elementary School - 15303 Kollmeyer Drive, Austin, 78734 (at bus dropoff)
• Serene Hills Elementary School - 3301 Serene Hills Drive, Austin, 78738 (at bus dropoff)
• Bee Cave Middle School - 5400 Vail Divide, Austin, 78738 (at bus dropoff)
• Lake Travis Middle School - 4932 Bee Creek Road, Spicewood 78669 (at bus drop-off)

• Official letter/email/electronic application from the school listing the individual child's current enrollment; 

• Report card for each individual child; or

• Attendance record in Skyward Family Access, printed or electronic, for each individual child

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

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