Clear Creek ISD offering virtual learning again as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Parents are pondering how to protect their kids during the COVID-19 pandemic and struggle with choosing virtual or in-person learning.

GALVESTON, Texas - As COVID-19 cases continue to rise Clear Creek ISD (CCISD) has decided to offer virtual schooling once again.

The decision comes a little more than a week into the school year but unlike last year, this time virtual learning is only for students in Kindergarten through 6th grade.

With COVID cases climbing many parents want the option for virtual schooling but deciding to actually do it can be difficult. For example, Sara Langham, the mother of a 10-year-old CCISD student tells us she's weighing the pros and cons of virtual versus in-school learning.

"It’s so hard. It’s so hard," she said. "These children are not getting the interacting part of learning but on the other hand, it keeps my child safe knowing he’s home. It’s very difficult. My son does not want to come back to virtual learning."

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"He is an only child he doesn’t have brothers and sisters to play with. It’s me, dad and him. He cherishes the time he has at school. I’m not a teacher. I don’t feel like my son got as much education last year as he should have as a third-grader," Langham continued.

The district announced late Tuesday learning from home is again an option for students K through 6th.

"Within 24 hours we’ve had 300 applicants so far," explains Elaina Polsen with Clear Creek ISD.

In their second week of school Clear Creek has more than 460 cases of COVID. So the virtual option is for kids under 12 who can’t be vaccinated. Virtual instruction is set to start on September 7, 2021.

"This is all pending legislation approval from Senate Bill 15 which does have a cap at 10% of your enrollment," Polsen says. "We don’t anticipate we will get to that point."

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"I’m totally not sure yet but these emails scare me," Langham adds referring to emails informing her a child in her son’s class-tested positive for COVID. "It is very, very, very nerve-wracking because for one it’s totally different than it was last year. COVID-19 last year mostly hit the elderly and the non-healthy. At the end of the day, I probably will end up doing it just because I know that I’ve taken every step I can to keep my son safe, keep him out of these hospitals that are packed."

At least two classrooms in Clear Creek are closed this week: One is at Ross Elementary. The other is at Goforth Elementary and the kids are learning from home because of COVID clusters identified in those classes. The district says those students will be back in their classrooms Monday.

Also if you’re in CCISD and you want your child to learn virtually this semester you have to submit your application before midnight on Saturday, August 28, 2021. The district is urging you to turn in your application as soon as possible.

"It’s somewhat of a challenge if you can imagine. We’re in our second week of school so this will have an impact on class rosters across the school district," Polsen adds." We’re trying to minimize that impact."

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Some parents are asking why it seems the district is not taking aggressive safety measures this year when it comes to quarantining students who have come in contact with others who have tested positive for COVID.

"Well, currently the Texas Education Agency says that we can not do that. We can only exclude students that are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19," she explained. "Outside of that parents have the option to keep their child at home or send them to school."

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Polsen says the TEA's Close Contact Guidelines changed this school year and CCISD has to follow those guidelines. Additionally, the district is encouraging students to wear face coverings although wearing a mask isn’t required currently in Clear Creek ISD.