KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 21, 2020
By Jennifer Miko
Today, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced revised guidelines for the 2020-21 school year, delaying certain activities for five weeks, most notably for Katy – the high school football season. Decisions to change schedules in certain regions of the state directly reflect the local impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo: Rams Reyna
The revised University Interscholastic League (UIL) schedule (see below), effective August 1, delays activities in the Class 5A and Class 6A conferences. Schools in Class 1A-4A will maintain their original schedules.
In Katy, the first day of practice for volleyball and football has been pushed out more than a month, to September 7. According to the UIL's new schedule, the first day of matches/games are scheduled to begin on September 24.
In a statement released this morning, the UIL said, “Acknowledging the situation is not always clear-cut and that COVID-19 affects every community differently, the plan also allows for local flexibility and encourages districts to plan for possible interruptions in order to complete district seasons.”
Proposed Schedule from UIL
“Our goal in releasing this plan is to provide a path forward for Texas students and schools,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “While understanding situations change and there will likely be interruptions that will require flexibility and patience, we are hopeful this plan allows students to participate in the education-based activities they love in a way that prioritizes safety and mitigates risk of COVID-19 spread.”
The UIL’s new schedule comes on the heels of Houston ISD’s decision last week to reopen schools September 8. All classes will be taught virtually for six weeks, and students are anticipated to return to a face-to-face format October 19.
Harris County Judge Suggests Postponing School Events Further
Yesterday, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Executive Director and Local Health Authority, Harris County Public Health issued a plea to the superintendents of Harris County.
Based on the “Red Level 1: Stay Home” warnings, Judge Hidalgo and Dr. Shah recommended the following:
“In-person, face-to-face instruction should not be made available for any grades from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 until October 2020.
All school-sponsored events and activities, including but not limited to extracurriculars, fairs, exhibitions, and academic and athletic competitions, should not take place in-person, on or off campus, at least until school systems resume in-person instruction.”
Katy ISD Reviewing Guidance for Reopening Plans
Yesterday, Katy ISD issued a statement from Superintendent Dr. Ken Gregorski. He thanked Katy ISD families for their patience as the District continues "to work through these matters with the guidance of our families, staff, the state and local authorities."
Dr. Gregorski received the letter from Judge Hidalgo and Dr. Shah and said, "Should any change in our reopening plans be decided, I will update our community as quickly as possible."
UIL Monitoring CDC Guidelines
The UIL said the organization will continue to work with state officials and monitor the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal guidance to determine any potential modifications that may become necessary.
For more information about the UIL announcement, visit their website.