San Marcos CISD Moves To At-Home Learning Following Spring Break

San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District is suspending all normal operations until April.

The announcement was made in a letter addressed to parents, staff and faculty Monday by Superintendent Michael Cardona.

According to Cardona, the district has created four stages of response to the current Coronavirus Outbreak; the district expected to return from spring break in Stage Three, where it would be up to the discretion of parents whether to send their students to school. 

San Marcos CISD has created four stages of response.

Stage 1: Daily operational procedures with intensified sanitizing protocols; all students and staff report to school. Prior to spring break, we were in Stage 1.

Stage 2: All staff report to work. Parents have the choice to send children to school or keep them at home without penalty. Over the last few days, we were anticipating to be in Stage 2 when we returned from spring break.

Stage 3: All teachers and all students stay at home and SMCISD moves to at-home learning. Essential staff reports to work. The Superintendent’s Cabinet will determine essential staff and will contact the employees.

Stage 4: All students and all staff stay home, and SMCISD would not be in operation. There would be no instruction during this time.

However, Cardona said with Hays County’s first presumptive case of COVID-19, he is moving the district to stage three.

“I am keenly aware that our decisions impact students and their extended family who may be susceptible to illness,” Cardona said. “My team is in daily contact with local, county, and state officials. My focus is to ensure that our students, staff, and families are safe.”

The suspension of normal operations will be in effect as of Monday, March 23, until after April 5. The district will then re-evaluate the situation and move forward accordingly. 

“My focus is to ensure that our students, staff, and families are safe. Right now, try not to worry about academics, the calendar, graduation or trips,” Cardona said. “In a time like this, it is more important to take care of one another by practicing healthy habits and social distancing. Everything else will take care of itself.”

The district is finalizing logistics on distance learning options for students. More information and guidance will be made available on our website this week and will be messaged to SMCISD families.

Beginning Monday, March 23 meals will be provided at the following times and locations:

Breakfast: 8 AM – 9:30 AM (Travis Elementary and San Marcos HS)

Lunch: 11:30 AM – 1 PM (Travis Elementary, San Marcos HS, and Redwood Baptist Church) Anyone 18 years old and under is free. Adult meals will be $3.50

“This is a rapidly-developing issue and continues to change daily,” Cardona said. “We remain in close communication with health authorities, and we will communicate an update with our community as quickly as possible. I want to thank our students, parents, teachers, administrators, and central office staff members as we deal with this unprecedented issue. Together, we Strike As One.”