Here’s a MASSIVE UPDATE of everything we know as of August 23, 2020 about the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

Last update 1:40 p.m. August 19, 2020.

Be aware that any and all information on this page may change due to District, local government, State of Texas, or other officials making decisions. This is just what we know right now — and what we can try to answer at this time.

This document is sectioned into a large-scale FAQ, but is designed specifically for Timber Creek High School for the 2020-2021 school year. While much of the information should match exactly with the official word from Keller ISD, please note that if you see something that doesn’t match from this document compared to the official links shared below.

This story has been updated with details as of August 23, 2020 at 11 a.m. A previous version of the article containing many of the same questions and answers is contained here (Everything We Used to Know About the 2020-2021 School Year), but should be considered slightly out of date.

Best bet? Use this link, which will continue to be updated through the start of school on August 26.

New Bell Schedule, Class Periods Replace “A/B Days” with “Even/Odd”

and B Days are a thing of the past as the new AERIES scheduling system will provide students with classes that match to “even” and “odd” days. Let’s break it down.

When schedules are made available (currently estimated for August 25, 2020) students will see periods 0-8 on their class lists. Zero period is for KCAL only, for classes that begin before the standard start time of high school.

First (1) period is a daily class that students will attend from 8:30 to 9:20 a.m. every day, Monday through Friday. (Except for holidays, and other occasions, but let’s not get that complex yet.)

Similarly, eighth (8) period is a daily class that students will attend from 3:07 to the new end time of school at 4 p.m.

The 1 and 8 periods are the standard 50 minutes length, while the periods periods 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be longer like traditional blocks. Here’s where the even/odd stuff gets engaged.

On Even days, students will attend their 1st period, then 2nd, 4th, 6th, and finally 8th period.

On Odd days, students will attend their 1st period, then 3rd, 5th, 7th, and finally 8th period.

In actuality, it’s not really a change from the block scheduling in the past — other than naming. Instead of A or B days, we’ll have Even and Odd days.

Check out the bell schedule below to see what we mean

Timber Creek High School – 2020-2021 Bell Schedule

As you might have noticed above, classes will have lunch during their 4th or 5th period classes. Lunch schedules have not yet been finalized and won’t apply to the first three days of school on August 26, 27, and 28th as those are early release dates.

Speaking of early release, here’s the schedule for those first three days:

Both in-person and remote students will follow this schedule on these dates. Any student that has a hybrid class will attend their remote or in person classes, but not begin attending their hybrid course in full until Monday, August 31.

So which is an Even day or an Odd day?

Well, for the first week, August 26 is an Even day with early release. That’s periods 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8.  August 27 is an Odd day with early release. That’s periods 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8. Then August 28 is an Even day again, with early release.

That will make August 31 an Odd day for the first full day of school.

Don’t worry if you forget, @TCHSTalon on Twitter will remind you — at least until we all get the hang of it.

Timber Creek High School 2020 Safety Protocol Process

Arrival:

• The building will open at 8:00 a.m.
• If a student does not have a reason to arrive early, we ask them to not arrive before 8:20 a.m.
• Students will make their way directly to class when entering the building.
• Student entrances will be limited to the North Front Entrance #1, South Entrance #13, West Side Entrance (Fine
  Arts Hallway #29), and East Side Entrances (by the Fine Arts Center (FAC) #5 and by the Cafeteria #8). Staff
  members will be assigned to all entrances. For those entrances that are closed, a staff member will direct those
  attempting to enter to an open entrance as listed above.
• Students are not allowed to open or prop doors for each other.
• The QR Code/Medical Screener, which is located on the poster at each entrance on campus and on our websites (including on EVERY TALON ARTICLE),
  will be completed by all staff members and students prior to entering campus. Random temperature checks will
  occur as well.
• Masks and ID Badges are required to be worn.
• If a student needs to eat breakfast, they may pick it up in the cafeteria, beginning at 8:00 a.m. It will be eaten in a
  designated area of the cafeteria.
• Staff members will be stationed throughout the building to monitor students and ensure masks are being worn
  and that students are socially distancing.

Dismissal:

• Students will be released by hallway area at the end of each day to provide a staggered release.
  • At 3 minutes prior to the bell, please release those students in the Field House, Portables, and
    Downstairs North Hall and those heading to a KCAL class.
  • At 2 minutes prior to the bell, please release those students in Upstairs and Downstairs South Hall,
    Downstairs Main Hall, and Fine Arts Hall.
  • At 1 minute prior to the bell, please release those students in Upstairs North Hall, Upstairs Center Hall,
    and Athletics Hall.
  • At the bell, please release those students in Downstairs Center Hall and Upstairs Main Hall.
• Students will be expected to exit the building upon dismissal, and teachers will lead their classes to the nearest
  exit. Congregating in the hallways or other areas is prohibited. If there is bad weather, students that remain in the
  building will need to socially distance from one another.
• Students will not be allowed to stay in the building past 4:00 p.m., except for approved athletic/fine
  arts/extracurricular activities. Students involved in these activities will exit the building upon dismissal and then
  meet their sponsor/coach outside of the building and will be escorted back into the building.
• Students involved in after-school activities must report to their designated meeting areas within 10 minutes of
  dismissal.

Passing Periods:

• Tape has been placed in all hallways to ensure separation between two-way traffic. Students must stay to the
  right side of the hallway as they travel from one class to the next.
• The Main Hall Center Staircase that leads to the cafeteria will permit one-way down traffic only.
• The Fine Arts Hallway will permit a one-way traffic flow only.
• Students will be released by hallway area at the end of each class period to provide a staggered release and
  reduce the number of students in the hallways at one time.
  • At 3:57 p.m., please release those students in the Field House, Portables, and Downstairs North Hall.
  • At 3:58 p.m., please release those students in Upstairs and Downstairs South Hall, Downstairs Main Hall,
    and Fine Arts Hall.
  • At 3:59 p.m., please release those students in Upstairs North Hall, Upstairs Center Hall, and Athletics
    Hall.
  • At 4:00 p.m., please release those students in Downstairs Center Hall and Upstairs Main Hall.
• Hallways will be marked for social distancing if students arrive early to class.

Lunches:

• Lunches will take place during 4th/5th period. During their designated lunch time, students will eat in the cafeteria
  along with other areas of the building that will be set up with individual tables. One student per table will be
  allowed.
• Lunches will be scheduled by specific classes in specific hallways.
• Three hot options and one cold option will be available for food choices.
• Hand sanitizing stations will be set up throughout the cafeteria and the building.
• Lunches will be available in designated serving lines and will be packaged so that students can grab and go.
  Parents/guardians will be able to add money to their students’ account online. Students will swipe their ID badge
  when paying. Students may use their ID badge from previous years until they receive a new one for the current
  school year.
• Students without their ID badge will use a designated line. Staff will key in the student ID number if the student
  does not have an ID badge.
• Lunch tables will be cleaned between lunches by custodial staff.
• Food drop-offs or deliveries from parents/guardians or third parties (Uber Eats, DoorDash, etc.) are prohibited at
  all times during the school day.

Campus Visitors:

• Every effort will be made to limit building access to only those with a critical need. This will include not accepting
  drops-offs for students unless it is an emergency. Students must bring their lunch or plan to purchase lunch in the
  cafeteria as we will not accept food deliveries for students or allow them to be dropped off on campus by
  parents/guardians or food delivery services.
• Anyone who enters campus will be required to wear a mask, comply with all safety protocols, and complete the
  information on the QR Code/Medical Screener, which is located on the poster at each entrance on campus and
  on our website.

And right here:

Hybrid Learning:

• Students will enter the building through the North or South Entrances of the school only and be allowed in by the
  school receptionist.

Restrooms:

• A maximum of two students will be allowed in the restroom at a time.
• All staff members will utilize the E-Hall Pass Program when students leave the classroom. Teachers will train
  students on how to use this new program.
• Stickers have been placed 6 feet apart outside of each male/female restroom to ensure social distancing.

Classrooms:

• Extra furniture will be removed from classrooms to maintain social distancing for all students and teachers.
• Please keep personal items in your classrooms to a minimum.
• Teachers must create seating charts for all classes. These must be posted in Google Drive.

Masks:

• Students will always be required to wear masks, unless they are actively eating or drinking in the Cafeteria during
  lunch.
• If a student is not wearing a mask, they will be asked to wear it. If the student chooses not to wear their mask, the
  parent will be contacted, and the student will go home. Remote Learning options will then be discussed.

Meetings:

• Club and organization meetings will take place on zoom.
• All 504s and ARDs will be held through zoom, if possible.

Tutorials:

• Tutorials may begin at 8:00 a.m. only if a student has a pre-approved appointment with a teacher.
• There will not be in-person tutorials after school. Teachers can create podcasts or videos on their Google
  Classroom/Canvas to assist student learning.

Sanitation Process:

• Hand sanitizing stations will be set up throughout the campus.
• Teachers will be provided with cleaning materials to sanitize high touch areas in their classrooms between
  classes and during class, as needed.
• Custodians will be frequently cleaning high traffic areas throughout the day and replenishing cleaning supplies for
  teachers and hand sanitizing stations.
• Upon dismissal each day, the school will be cleaned with the use of our electrostatic sprayers.
• Custodial staff will clean and sanitize the cafeteria after breakfast and between all lunches.

Student Check Out:

• If a student needs to be dismissed during the school day for early release, parents/guardians must either email or
  call their attendance clerk to have their student dismissed (Last Name A-K: elizabeth.harper@kellerisd.net/817-
  744-2340 & Last Name L-Z: debra.boehringer@kellerisd.net/817-744-2341).
• Students will meet their parent/guardian outside of the school building.
• Students who need to take medication will enter through the Counseling Hall directly to the Nurse’s Office.
• If a student is ill, the student will be isolated in the Nurse’s Office until a parent/guardian can pick them up.

Library:

• The Library will open beginning on August 31st during the school day only.
• Students will utilize the E-Hall Pass Program to be able to visit the Library. There will be a restricted number of
  passes (10) available throughout the school day.
• Librarians will assist with remote technology distribution and will push into classrooms for campus support.
• Book check-out will occur through a request system. The Librarian will deliver these books to the classrooms.
• Books will go through a quarantine process for 4 days prior to redistribution.
• Students who do not have a 1st, 4th, or 5th period with no means of transportation will report to the Library during
  these times. There will be a designated area for them to wait for their next class or for transportation at the end of
  the school day.

What You Need to Know About In-Person and Remote Learning Options

All Keller ISD students (as of the publishing of this article) will begin school on August 26, 2020. There are two choices for Timber Creek students: In-person (as in, you go to the actual building) or remote (as in, you’re learning online). We need to detail this a little further.

Every Timber Creek Student will follow a schedule of classes for the day. Regardless of if you’re in-person or remote, students will be expected to attend classes on their schedule in the time and order listed. Unlike previous online learning in the Spring of 2020, students will have a traditional grading scale, be required to participate in activities and complete assignments as required by each course. It’s school, just like you remember it.

Grades 9-12 Summary

In-Person Instruction: School as normal, with safety protocols in place.

Remote Instruction: Blend of live instruction, self-paced assignments, and practice through online programs.

• Teacher: District-wide teacher facilitates online learning. (Teacher may be from home campus, but not guaranteed.)
• Schedule: Will reflect a regular school day as closely as possible.
• Grading: KISD grading guidelines will apply.
• Assessments: Students must participate in District-wide assessments; some may require a virtual proctor.

A quick note about Hybrid Instruction: When you completed your AERIES survey, you were able to see which courses are “hybrid courses.” Additionally, you can Click here for available Hybrid courses. It’s CRITICAL to note that students that take Hybrid courses will need to provide their own transportation to be on campus for the time of their course.

Hybrid Instruction: Schedule consisting of course-specific In-Person and Remote courses.

• Teacher: Students will attend their home campus for selected In-Person courses, with safety protocols in place, while receiving Remote Instruction for selected courses offered online.
• Schedule: Created individually according to a student’s graduation plan. Allows for unique courses that cannot be taught remotely to be taken in person, without requiring a student to be at school the entire day.
• Grading: KISD grading guidelines will apply.
• Assessments: Students must participate in District-wide assessments.

Keller ISD provided some simple checklists for both in-person and remote learners that might help parents and students understand what each group will be doing each day. Take a look:

IN-PERSON CHECKLIST

REMOTE LEARNER CHECKLIST

More Timber Creek Specific FAQs

Exactly. It has a lot of new features behind the hood, but you won’t really notice them under after the school year begins. Please note, if you see anything odd in AERIES (Physical Education requirements, course credits, schedules, etc.) that doesn’t match up right now, just wait. For instance, high school parents may see a section on the Course Requests page in the Aeries Portal page that says Algebra I requirements not met and High School Physical Fitness Not Tested/Undetermined. Ignore that section for now, it’ll be straightened out as data populates into the new system.

I can’t log in to AERIES? Help!

More information is coming on how to log in, but there’s currently no data within the system that you need to access at this time. Expect details Monday, August 24, 2020.

What other digital tools are there?

KCLOUD is still around, and it’s been significantly upgraded to include “My Backpack” which will show you just the tools you need for each class you’re taking. Very handy. There are many other features that you might use as we get into the full school year. One note: Again, it might now be showing your correct data just yet. Data is still moving around.

When will Seniors get to pick their parking spots?

We shared that info here: https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2020/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-class-of-2021-senior-parking-spots/

Oh yeah, parking! How’s that going to work?

That information is also in the Parking story above: https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2020/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-class-of-2021-senior-parking-spots/

When are school pictures or Senior pictures?

We’ve got all those details here: https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2020/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-yearbook-pictures/

What should I do about medication drop off before school?

Our nurses sent us information that you can drop off medication and forms on August 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. There’s more details here: https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2020/08/back-to-school-updates-from-your-campus-nurses/

Is there any even for Freshmen or other new students to walk the campus?

Yes! Monday, August 24! All the details are here: https://www.timbercreektalon.com/2020/08/tour-scheduled-for-freshman-and-new-students-on-august-24/

What if my questions aren’t answered?

Join our August 23 #AskTalon on Twitter from 7 to 9 p.m. and/or our Back to School Live Broadcast on Tuesday, August 25 and we’ll have as many answers as we can get you.

Can you close this FAQ out with some good news?

Sure! We believe in the Timber Creek Community to rise to any challenge, and this start of the year is no exception. We know there will be growing pains, rough roads, and odd times, but we never have doubted the resolve of our administration, teachers, staff, students, parents and members of the community to come together (virtually or in person) to do what’s necessary for students to get a high-quality education. From Timber Creek Student Media alone, we’ve planned dozens of projects to help connect the school even if not all students are in the building. We will be working with Social Emotional Learning and providing more education on the world around us, as well as continuing to do award-winning coverage of Timber Creek clubs, sports and organizations.

You Matter. We believe in you. And, as always, we’re #ForeverTimberCreek

Official Keller ISD Back To School Resources

As of August 23 Back-to-School Updates:

The Keller ISD Back to School Plan: https://www.kellerisd.net/backtoschool/plan

General FAQs: https://www.kellerisd.net/Page/6771

Question and Answer Videos: https://www.kellerisd.net/Page/6775

Instructional Choice — Remote/In-Person Learning: https://www.kellerisd.net/Page/6744

Safety Protocols: https://www.kellerisd.net/Page/6754

District COVID-19 Response since Spring: https://www.kellerisd.net/domain/3626

School will begin Wednesday, August 26 – both In-Person and Remote – with the first three days as Early Release Days. Timber Creek will release at 12:30 p.m. but you can check other campus times here. For those high school students attending Remote@KISD but enrolled in a Hybrid course, those Hybrid classes will begin meeting Monday, August 31.

High School and Middle School schedules will be available after 12 p.m. Tuesday, August 25. Elementary and intermediate schedules are being finalized and will be communicated to parents in the days leading up to the first day of school. We appreciate families’ flexibility and patience as our counselors work tirelessly to prepare for the new ways KISD is delivering education this year.

On Monday, August 17, Keller ISD’s Board of Trustees approved extending the school day by 15 minutes to accommodate for lost instructional minutes due to the District’s delayed start. This change allows KISD to retain the previously scheduled breaks and holidays on the calendar. Click here for a list of the new campus hours. (Timber Creek’s hours will now be 8:30 to 4 p.m.) Campuses will be providing more information about what this means for your specific campus and how it impacts arrival and dismissal, but click here for a general overview of how the additional 15 minutes will impact the school day.

For those students attending In-Person, no early drop-offs will be allowed in the morning as there will be no supervision prior to campus doors opening. Students will report directly to classrooms or to designated areas of the school. At the conclusion of the school day, students will be expected to immediately leave the building. Students involved in after-school activities must report to designated areas within 10 minutes of dismissal. These measures are designed to help discourage students from congregating before or after school.

Masks must be worn by all students attending school In-Person. Keller ISD has approved Face Mask Guidelines, providing information on what type of face coverings are recommended and what types are prohibited. Click here to view Keller ISD’s Face Mask Guidelines. Please note that most masks that cover the student’s mouth and nose are acceptable, but masks with valves, vents, or ports will be prohibited as they do not filter exhaled air. Students in grades PreK-first will wear face masks while on buses, in hallways, in common areas like restrooms, while entering and exiting the building, and when requested to do so by an adult when very close contact is necessary. Students in second grade and up will wear face masks at all times indoors, and outdoors when distancing cannot be maintained.

Here are the images from the Face Mask Guidelines to view a little easier:

For information from the Texas Education Association on COVID-19 Rights and Responsibilities, please see this flyer.

Keller ISD will be launching a service called ASK for its Remote@KISD students. ASK will provide technical and curriculum support for Remote@KISD families from 4-6 p.m. each evening. More information about how to take advantage of ASK will be provided to Remote@KISD families as the school year gets underway.