John Villalba

This plan outlines Blum Independent School District's approach for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services for the 2022-2023 school year. The primary priorities are student safety and academic success, with key objectives including engaging the community on safety protocols, evaluating academic gaps for accelerated growth, assessing social and emotional needs, and maintaining open schools. The plan details instructional continuity, rigorous materials, mental health and behavioral supports, facility improvements, and specific COVID-19 health and safety protocols like optional face coverings, hygiene, disinfection, and no quarantines for asymptomatic individuals.

The Blum ISD Back-to-School Plan for the 2021-2022 school year outlines comprehensive protocols to prevent infectious viruses, specifically COVID-19, from entering school facilities and to ensure the continuity of educational services. Key areas of focus include implementing health and safety guidelines from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and CDC, such as staff training, disinfection, personal hygiene, and restricted visitor access. The plan details health pre-screening for staff and students, protocols for individuals with COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms, and quarantine procedures. Additionally, it addresses assessing academic gaps, providing accelerated learning opportunities, and evaluating the social and emotional needs of all students, particularly those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, with the overarching goal of keeping schools open for the entire academic year.

The Board of Trustees discussed the return to in-person instruction and continuity of services plan, updates to local policies, and personnel evaluations. Additionally, reports were provided by the Superintendent, the secondary principal, and the elementary principal. The board also addressed procedures for closed meetings, including deliberations on real property, contracts, and personnel matters.

The committee discussed the multi-hazard emergency operations plan review cycle. During a closed session, the committee reviewed and approved updates to the cyber security annex and the basic emergency operation plan, discussed updated evacuation maps, the status of door number updates, emergency drills with Raptor, and the addition of AEDs and stop-the-bleed kits. Additionally, safety changes to security fencing were reviewed.

The board meeting focused on several key action and information items. Action items included an update to the return to in-person instruction and continuity of services plan, the finalization of the district of innovation plan, approval of principal and special education director contracts, and personnel matters involving professional employees. The information segment covered the superintendent's report, which included enrollment data, updated stakeholder input regarding ESSER III, and a facilities update, as well as reports from secondary and elementary school principals.