Lewisville ISD students are headed back to the classroom Monday after school leaders temporarily closed the district last Wednesday due to staff shortages caused by the Omicron outbreak.
“After reviewing our data and trends this weekend, we are confident we will be able to return to our regular daily operations at all campuses and facilities. We are thankful to say our projected staff and student absences are significantly improved after the five-day break,” Interim Superintendent Gary Patterson said in a letter to families over the weekend.
Right before the shutdown, absences for on-campus staff were running between 700-800 daily. The need is still strong for substitute teachers, and the district is working with a staffing firm to solve the issue.
“We are also working hard to increase our substitute pool by working with a staffing company to recruit as many qualified substitutes as possible. We are hopeful this new partnership will help us avoid future district-wide closures due to staff illness,” Patterson said. “If you are interested in substituting, please visit the LISD website for more information. We sure could use the help!”
Read Patterson’s full message to parents and staff below:
“We are looking forward to welcoming all students and staff back to campuses tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 31. After reviewing our data and trends this weekend, we are confident we will be able to return to our regular daily operations at all campuses and facilities. We are thankful to say our projected staff and student absences are significantly improved after the five-day break.
I want to thank our families and staff for your overwhelming support as we make the best decisions possible for our 50,000 students and 6,500 staff members. We know these are challenging times for our families and we are so grateful for the many messages of support we’ve received.
We’ve heard several questions about making up the days from last week and addressing the lost instructional time. Please know we are discussing all the possible options and will communicate with you as soon as any decision is made.
We are also working hard to increase our substitute pool by working with a staffing company to recruit as many qualified substitutes as possible. We are hopeful this new partnership will help us avoid future district-wide closures due to staff illness. If you are interested in substituting, please visit the LISD website for more information. We sure could use the help!
You may have noticed we are expecting the possibility of winter weather later this week. We are closely watching those reports and will keep you informed of any delays or closures if needed. We are hoping for the best but will always be prepared for the worst!
Again, we are so appreciative of the strong partnership between our families and our district. Thank you for your support of our hard-working staff!”
With gratitude,
Gary Patterson
Interim Superintendent
Lewisville ISD
