ALDINE, Texas — Chester W. Nimitz High School is named for a native Texan and one of the nation’s most famous Navy admirals.
Its parent district, Aldine ISD, is currently navigating its own demanding journey.
"With this particular situation, we don't see that light at the end of the tunnel at this point," Dr. Todd Davis, Aldine ISD's chief academic officer, said.
Davis said the district of about 67,000 students has dealt with crisis before.
But COVID-19 has no end in sight as a new school year quickly approaches.
"Changes are happening everyday," said Davis. "We are monitoring the conditions and making sure that we’re agile, we’re ready to pivot.”
Aldine ISD pivoted just this week by announcing that students would learn online only for at least the first three weeks.
That's something Houston ISD decided to do for twice as long.
"We might be able to extend the virtual instruction to longer than six weeks if additional flexibility is provided by the TEA,” said HISD interim superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan on Wednesday.
More leeway is something most expect based on what Gov. Greg Abbott already revealed this week and the changing trajectory of the virus from district-to-district.
Aldine ISD launched its hybrid plan on Monday, combining in-person and online learning, and has already gotten some 19,000 commitments.
Seventy percent of families selected online learning.
“The learning opportunities that we’re providing in the Fall are significantly different from what they experienced in the Spring,” said Davis.
Part of the district's message is that academics, attendance and engagement will be vastly improved.
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