Information provided by Matthew LeBlanc, BISD
Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Bryan ISD finalized some changes to the academic calendar, including new early release times, and sent out this letter to parents on August 3, 2020.
Dear Bryan ISD Parents and Guardians,
After listening to feedback from you, our teachers, staff, administrators, and local health officials, the
Bryan ISD Board of Trustees today approved changes to the 2020-2021 school calendar.
Here are the primary changes:
– The first day of school is now Thursday, August 20 to give teachers more time to prepare their
classrooms.
– We will have an early release on most Wednesdays to allow for a midweek additional,
thorough cleaning of our schools in addition to daily cleaning.
– We are considering switching to a block schedule format in grades 7-12 to reduce the number
of times students change classrooms. (You will receive more information from your principal if
you have a secondary student).
The times for early release will be:
● High School: 12:50 p.m.
● Middle School: 12:55 p.m.
● Intermediate School: 2:20 p.m.
● Elementary School: 2:10 p.m.
We’ve staggered the early release times like this so if you have older children, they can be home first
to help take care of elementary students. AlphaBest will also offer after school care for students on
early release days following Bryan ISD health guidelines. If you haven’t yet, please click here to
review our Return to Learn Plan including our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about
everything Byran ISD is doing to keep our campuses healthy. If you’d like to switch how your child will
learn the first six weeks (on-campus, at-home, hybrid grades 7-12) please call your child’s campus or
email BISD_enrollment@bryanisd.org through Thursday, August 6.
It is not going to be a normal year, but we are committed to providing a safe environment so that
children can learn face-to-face or online. As we get our students in school, whether at-home or
on-campus, and they meet their teacher, and get comfortable with their schedule, I believe it will feel
more normal than you expect. A lot has been continually changing and we will continue to monitor
COVID-19 in our local area and adjust if needed. We are working to move out of ambiguity and into
action and our team will remain dedicated to assisting you and your children.
Respectfully,
Dr. Christie Whitbeck
Bryan ISD Superintendent