Bucking a trend among their North Texas neighbors, Prosper Independent School District officials are sticking with plans to offer parents what they want: the choice to send their students to school for in-person learning or keep them home for remote virtual instruction when the school year starts.
“At tonight’s meeting, the Prosper ISD Board voted unanimously to keep the current Instructional Plan,” Prosper Magazine posted Monday night, adding that about 70 percent of students have chosen the in-person option.
The district’s first day of school will remain August 12, and parents will have the option of in-person or virtual learning, as originally announced in Prosper ISD’s Instructional Plan for Fall 2020.
Prosper school officials’ decision comes as other suburban districts, as well as entire counties, have shut down campuses for weeks due to fear of the Chinese coronavirus.
Parents’ response to the news on social media was overwhelmingly positive, though some expressed concern for teachers.
“Love my kids’ school district!” posted one PISD mom. “Glad they didn’t follow the other districts.”
“Thank you Prosper ISD,” said another:
“We moved here in June from Utah and one of our biggest reasons was for this school district! We have 5 children 4-12 yrs old who all will be going to school! Thank you for allowing school to start on time with in person learning. My children are really needing their teachers & friends!”
“Proud of our school district for prioritizing our children’s education above all else and by giving our families the right to choose and respecting those choices!” another parent wrote. “Now, let us rally around our teachers and support them in any way we possibly can as they take on this year!”
“We’re trying to adhere to all guidelines, but also stay true to Prosper ISD and what we’ve all come to know and love,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Holly Ferguson said in a video outlining the district’s plan. “We can’t wait to see the return of your students in either a virtual or in-person setting.”
