Volume V, Issue 11 (April 3, 2020)

“Remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” ― Henry Ford

Vol. V April 3, 2020

Sharing the good news about Longview Independent School District

SHARING

WORDS OF LOVE Zonta Club members write letters to nursing home residents

R

esidents of the Pine Tree Lodge Nursing Home and Buckner Assisted Living had big grins on their faces Mon-

day, March 30, thanks to the effort of LHS’s Z Club.

The girls teamed up with family members Letters|Continued to page 7

GEE

Teachers, students adjust to using online classes

By Matt Lackritz CBS19

Coronavirus has changed how many of us live our daily lives and that includes kids.

At Longview ISD, students are now doing their school work online.

“Not being able to see my students has been a little bit of MASSEY an adjustment,” said Constance Massey, a 5th-grade teacher at Hudson Pep Elementary.

Massey has needed to adjust how she teaches. She now uses resources like Google Classroom and Zoom to teach her students.

District spokeswoman Elizabeth Ross says their schools are adjusting to this new situation as best they can.

“This is something completely new Online|Continued to page 13

Closure pushed to May 4, instructional and nutritional support continues Longview Independent School District will extend the closure of campuses and district offices through Monday, May 4, as the result of a request from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.

Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said while Longview ISD will follow the directive

THE

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ongview oice

Opinion Supplies

of local, state and federal authorities, “we’re going to continue our efforts to provide child nutrition, delivery of instruction, and support to our teachers and staff.”

“This is going to be an ongoing matter that the district leadership will review daily, and make changes in

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Downtown Meals

accordance with local and state officials,” said Dr. Wilcox.

For more information about what a “mandatory Shelter-In-Place order” means for you, please go the City of Longview webMay|Continued to page 7

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Day Care Social

WILCOX

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

OPINION

A normal routine during a global pandemic

By Tamara Fyke The Learning Counsel Like all of us, over the past few weeks I have been monitoring the CoVid-19 pandemic and making adjustments to my daily routine for both work and home. What I’ve noticed in these first few days we have been encouraged to stay at home is that although we might not be at schools, events, restaurants, or stores, except to hunt for toilet paper, we are all online.

In a recent article I posed the question: What if we stopped fighting technology? Now just a few weeks later, millions of students across the country and around the globe are at home with 24/7 access to their devices. For me, this raises different questions.

As a mom of three children, all of whom are nearly grown, I have had many years of hear-

ing myself say, “It’s school because being time to put your phone around people all day away” or “We do not use was draining. But… phones at the dinner what happens when table”. I don’t believe in they have limited or no a steady diet of screens, time with peers? Will neither do the Silicon they be open to digging Valley parents who in more deeply with create the apps. Howrelationships with sibever, what I’m asking lings and parents? Will FYKE myself is this: Now that screens take a backseat screens have become imperato face-to-face time? tive for at-home learning, will Again, I am an advocate for they become less of an issue? screens for kids. Tech is part of In other words, now that stuall we do from grocery shopping dents are forced to use screens to work to banking to healthto keep up with classwork will care and much more. However, they have an increased desire I believe that our current stayfor time away from screens? at-home challenge provides an Or is there appetite for screens opportunity for us to flip the driven by the content they con- script. Instead of being slaves to sume? technology, we can use technolSecondly, how will forced soogy in service to our needs…our cial distancing impact children’s needs for work and learning in need for social interaction? I proper balance with our need for know from my own kids’ expehuman relationships. rience that sometimes they just Yes, these days are inconveneeded time to be alone after nient, frustrating, and scary,

but what if we flip the script and see it as a time for recalibration. Just as we’ve stopped the busyness, let us stop the complaining. What can we teach our children about heart-to-heart connection?

Here are a few tips: Create a daily schedule that includes time for study and play, especially outside.

Eat dinner together. Conversation around the table is a powerful tool for building relationships and increasing resilience.

Read stories. Travel together to distant lands through the pages of a book.

Play board games. The give & take that occurs during a board game strengthens communication and SEL skills.

Keep a sense of humor. Focus on connection, not perfection.

— Tamara Fyke is an educator and creative entrepreneur with a passion for kids, families, and urban communities.

Coronavirus is affecting students exams as well

By Jay Mathews The Washington Post The national movement against annual state tests in schools never got further than a 20 percent opt-out rate, and that was just in New York state. I bet an invisible spiky virus will wipe out most, if not all, of those tests this year without issuing a single news release.

The latest recommendations from President Trump appear to call for no gatherings larger than 10 people for the next eight weeks. Most state tests are scheduled to start during that time. As the days go by, one powerful thought will grow in the minds of local and state school board members who authorize the exams: Why bother?

At least 16 states so far have canceled their testing or asked permission to do so.

As has been shown in recent days, it is easier and quicker to stop doing something — such as playing professional basketball games — than to do something, such as producing millions of testing kits. My grandsons, their school closed, would vote unanimously for no tests. Their father and mother, both working at home, would be too busy

to object. he said, “but I’d be I can’t think of any surprised if that was a powerful group that problem.” would strongly oppose Eric Hanushek, a test cancellation. Teachscholar at Stanford Unier unions don’t defend versity’s Hoover Instituthe tests. Neither do tion, said the tests are parents, though I susstill necessary “to keep pect they would want students on the learning them back next year. I MATHEWS path.” Because of this cannot think of a single year’s unusual stresses, politician who would campaign he suggested giving the tests but to drag children into testing suspending “any potential penalrooms. Given the distractions, ties for bad results this year.” if the tests were given this year Bob Schaeffer, interim executhe scores would suffer. What tive director of FairTest: Nationstate governor wants to add that al Center for Fair & Open Testto the pile of troubles? ing, said he expects canceling Educators I know around the the annual testing will become country see the need to dump the default policy if schools don’t the tests as obvious. Jack Balreopen in early April, when most dermann, principal of Westmont tests are scheduled. States that High School in Illinois, said his use the tests in deciding on high school is closed and that “we may school graduation, third-grade be out for more than a month. retention and teacher evaluaThat does not seem like the time tions will have to find other ways to have students return” for to do that, he said. testing.

Historian, activist and Tom Loveless, a former Brook- best-selling author Diane Ravings Institution scholar who has itch, famous leader of the anwritten widely on testing, said, ti-testing movement, told me “I’m guessing a lot of states will she believes most tests will be cancel their grades three to eight canceled but return next year. tests, especially if schools remain “The tests are useless, but our closed longer than anticipated.” leaders don’t have the courage They would have to get waivers or wisdom to acknowledge it,” from the federal government, she said. There may also be more

cancellations of college entrance tests. Two nationwide sessions of those tests in April and May were canceled in recent days, with the ACT scheduled for April 4 postponed till June 13, and the SAT scheduled for May 2 canceled outright.

That could affect the debate among leaders of the University of California whether to stop requiring those exams for admission. College-level tests for high school students, including Advanced Placement, also face challenges. Not only are they often administered in large proctored rooms such as school libraries, but they also are graded by huge gatherings of veteran AP teachers and college professors at major hotels in June.

AP and the similar International Baccalaureate program have the advantage of being part of courses that are popular in high schools, so they will survive. State tests are merely tolerated, weakening their chances of being used this year.

Ravitch is correct, however, about how deeply woven those tests are into our culture. They might not be given this year, but they will be back.

— Jay Mathews is an education columnist for The Washington Post.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

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ABOVE AND BEYOND Ware helps students get the supplies they need Ware had a busy day Thursday, March 26! They had student work packets, food, health care products, a good book for students, as well as a Chrome book that they could check out. Great job, Ware!

Questions about City’s COVID-19 hotline, answered

By Matt Lackritz CBS19 Hundreds of people have called into a coronavirus hotline run by the City of Longview.

The city started the hotline to help answer any questions people may have regarding the virus and the city’s response.

However, since Gregg County and the City of Longview issued a shelterin-place order, calls into the hotline have skyrocketed.

“We went from a few calls to a lot of calls,” HARA Longview spokesman Shawn Hara said.

“We had about 100 calls the first day, and then that ramped up to over 500 calls on Thursday.”

In all, the city received more than 1,000 calls. While the city received calls on a variety of topics, Hara says there are three questions that stick out.

The first question is whether the shelter-in-place order is the same as a lockdown. Hara says unlike a lockdown, residents may still leave their homes for important reasons.

“It’s really more, let’s make

sure we’re doing everything we can to have social distancing be at home unless you need to do something else,” Hara explained.

Hara says another common question the hotline focuses on whether someone needs a document to travel around the city.

“You don’t need a permission slip or a letter or anything like that in order for you to be able to travel around,” Hara said.

Johnson wants to help Foster students, parents

JOHNSON

As a licensed master social worker (LMSW), Foster’s Parent/Student Intervention Specialist Alicia Johnson is available to help Foster students and parents locate resources, refer, and help meet their emotional and mental health needs during

the school closure. Feel free to contact Johnson at amjohnson@lisd. org to arrange to speak with her via Google Meet.

Johnson will send directions for using Google Meet after arranging your student’s virtual session.

All travel within the city will be considered essential. However, Josh Tubb with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office says if law enforcement determines a person is deliberately putting others at risk, that person could face a fine or jail time.

The third most often asked question concerns what is an essential business.

There are a number of businesses the city and county have determined essential, including some that may come as a surprise to residents.

The city has a full explanation of essential vs. non-essential business at longviewtexas.gov.

The hotline is available to Longview residents seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The number is 903-237-1215.

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Resources available for students Longview ISD has several resources that students can take part in, some that are required. Be sure to check the list, as well as updates at facebook.com/longviewisd.

EMAIL CHECK

All secondary students (grades 6-12) need to check their emails and Google Classrooms everyday for updates or assignments from teachers. Please remind your students to check their emails and Google classrooms.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM GUIDE

ITS has a great guide for parents to assist their students with GClassroom. It has specific login info for LISD students. If their login does not work, email ask@lisd. org and we will try to get that for you. ITS will need the student’s name, campus, ID if possible and birthday to reset their password.

MATH RESOURCES

Need a graphing calculator? No problem.

Desmos.com has you covered. You can even download the graphs generated and drop them into documents. So your math teacher wants you to “show your work”? No problem!

Yes, even if it is handwritten. Go to the Google Web Store for Chrome. Install the EquatIO extension.

ADDITIONAL FAMILY RESOURCES

Virtual Field Trips: We have an amazing resource that allows your student to take a virtual field trip every week day and has great daily activities to turn those distance learning blahs into wahoo! A different virtual field trip takes place everyday, Monday through Friday. A Google Doc with each week’s field trips listed can be

found at facebook.com/longviewisd.

Podcasts: Kids Listen (https://app. kidslisten.org/) is a great site with some wonderful entertaining and educational podcasts for kids to listen to when you need a few minutes in between distance learning and other activities. Podcasts aren’t just for adults! There are a lot of great podcasts geared toward children that are entertaining and educational.

LISD Tech Tip: FBI warns of teleconference hackers As individuals continue the transition to online lessons and meetings, the FBI recommends exercising due diligence and caution in your cybersecurity efforts. The following steps can be taken to mitigate teleconference hijacking threats: Do not make meetings or classrooms public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guests.

Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post or web page. Provide the link directly

cess/meeting applications. In January 2020, Zoom updated their software. In their security update, the teleconference software provider added passwords by default for meetings and disabled the ability to randomly scan for meetings to join.

For additional information, review the FBI notice fbi.gov.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

to specific people. Sharing in Google Classroom is private and acceptable. Do NOT post on your publicly available website.

Manage screensharing options. In Zoom, change screensharing to “Host Only.”

Ensure you are using the updated version of remote ac-

As large numbers of people turn to video-teleconferencing (VTC) platforms to stay connected in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, reports of Tech|Continued to page 11

KC registration underway for summer/fall classes Kilgore College registration is underway for the summer and fall 2020 semesters with remote registration and advising options available for students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Student services on both the Kilgore and Longview campuses are still available to students by phone and web request.

With the social distancing mandates, students can schedule a telephone/video confer-

ence for academic advising and/or registration for summer/fall classes on the Kilgore campus by calling 903-9838206.

For students registering for classes at KC-Longview, appointments are available through video chat with Google Hangouts, appointments with QLess and advising by telephone.

For more information on registering for classes at KC-Longview, or to set up a

remote appointment with an advisor, call 903-753-2642.

Utilizing video chat gives students the opportunity to be able to see the same screens (registration and degree audit)

that advisors use during the advising session.

For more information on academic advising and registration for classes, visit kilgore. edu/advising.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

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April’s Downtown Live concerts canceled The Spring 2020 Downtown Live concert series was scheduled to begin on Friday, April 3, but due to the current restrictions mandated by city, state, and federal officials to lessen the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), all April dates for Downtown Live (April 3, April 10, April 17 and April 24) have been canceled. The May 1 concert has also been canceled. Longview Main Street is carefully monitoring the situation with the primary goal of keeping Longview residents healthy and helping slow the spread of the virus. Still the hope is that all remaining Downtown Live concerts scheduled in May – May 8, May 15, May 22 and May 29 – will be

held as scheduled.

“Downtown Live is something that we look forward to after a break in the winter – but unlike so many other things that have been outright

canceled, it is our sincere hope that we can still salvage part of our season,” said Melida Heien, Main Street coordinator. “We can all look forward to May and hopefully we will

have the worst of this behind us so that we can enjoy this event that we all love so much.”

Downtown Live concerts are held in the Spring (April/ May) and Fall (September/ October) at Heritage Plaza, 219 E. Methvin St., in Downtown Longview. They are free to attend, and all ages are welcome. Beer and wine are available for purchase and food trucks offer a variety of food options for purchase as well.

For more information about Downtown Live and other Downtown events and activities, please follow Longview Main Street on Facebook or visit LongviewTexas.gov/ MainStreet.

‘Blessing Box’ put up in Kilgore to aid those in need

By Alex Leroux KLTV

“This just fit right in with our church, of reaching out into the community,” said Wilkinson.

Lita and her husband Greg had a box, put it together, and added a couple non-perishable items they had to start the box.

“The response has been really good,” said Greg. “The whole community has gotten behind it and realizes how it works.”

“We just can’t get over the

KILGORE — A church in Kilgore is has created a way for East Texans to help one another during their time of need.

“I thought, well, it would be a great outreach for any church,” said Lita Wilkinson.

When Wilkinson learned about a blessing box in Henderson, she knew she wanted to bring one to her church in Box|Continued to page 17 Kilgore.

Congress preparing for phase four $2 trillion stimulus package

By Jacob M. Schlesinger The Wall Street Journal As lawmakers last week completed a record-shattering economic-rescue package estimated at $2 trillion, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) predicted: “This is certainly not the end of our work here in Congress—rather the end of the beginning.”

Legislators from both parties, administration officials, economists, think tanks and lobbyists are already roughing out the contours of yet another emergency-spending package—perhaps larger than the last—to try to keep the Coronavirus crisis from turning into a 21st-century Great Depression.

Many expect the debate to begin in earnest by late April.

“There’s talk of a multi-trillion-dollar program, given the size of the shutdown,” says

Stephen Moore, a fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation. “There’s a general recognition that we need something big to get some juice into the economy,” adds Moore, an outside economic consultant to the Trump administration and some congressional Republicans.

The ideas being floated include extending last week’s package to make the benefits last longer, as well as plugging Money|Continued to page 14

LISD tech tips Show your work, even if it is handwritten, with EquatIO Google Extension. Go to the Google Web Store for Chrome and install the EquatIO extension.

For those in need of a graphing calculator, head over to desmos.com who has you covered. It is also possible to download the graphs generated and drop them into documents.

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Questions and answers about public ‘charter’ systems at Longview ISD Last year the LISD received the green light from the TEA to turn six campuses into “in-district” charter schools. The approval came after the passage of Senate Bill 1882.

Since then, there’s been a lot of discussion about potential charter partnerships at the campuses of Longview Independent School District. There’s also been a lot of faulty and inaccurate information being passed around.

Here’s the story about why we’re pursuing these opportunities for our students and how it will work here in Longview.

Why is Longview ISD doing this?

Families are making choices for other options — private schools and charter schools — and of course we want them to choose our district schools. We are committed to building a system in which every experience that families want to choose is part of what we offer within LISD. “Change is inevitable and the gradual move toward charter schools nationwide is only going to increase,” said Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox. “Longview is going to get ahead of the changes in order to ensure public school accountability, and also to prevent tax funds being taken from public schools.”

A Senate Bill 1882 partnership provides the district with the ability to protect, sustain, build and replicate a successful model while providing additional options for families within the district.

Here are the primary goals for this kind of partnership: Protect: Longview ISD’s high-performing school leaders and educators have refined and implemented innovative programs that provide Longview students with access to exceptional programs, including Montessori, IB, STEAM, and career and college experiences. A Senate Bill 1882 partnership with a contract codifies and protects those innovative models from any future changes in district leadership or policy, ensuring they will last and serve students long after personnel retire or leave.

Sustain: A Senate Bill 1882 partnership provides additional per-pupil funding that contributes to the long-term financial sustainability of successful programs.

Build: Knowing what works for students within a current structure doesn’t mean there are not additional ideas for how to improve.

Additional autonomies available in a partnership will open new options to build upon the success of the model.

Replicate: Replicating a model in a Senate Bill 1882 partnership will allow the ability to reach more students. The replication will ensure that more students in the district are able to attend high-quality best-fit schools and that parents

have more access to high-quality options. What’s already working for some students, such as a rigorous International Baccalaureate education, can be accessed by every child across every neighborhood and not limited to just some.

What does this mean for teachers?

Teachers will still be employees of the district. Charter partners are able to utilize the additional resources that come with a Senate Bill 1882 partnership to increase teacher salaries, in addition to providing more educational resources, professional development opportunities, and classroom autonomy.

The teachers will remain LISD teachers, and as such will retain all of the same benefits and protections of other district employees.

Will teachers be fired/replaced?

We have an excellent school system because of our high-quality teachers, and we are committed to retaining our teachers in Longview ISD. All of our teachers will maintain their chapter 21 protections. The partners under these Senate Bill 1882 partnerships seek to collaborate with and build from the expertise of our talented educators.

What does this mean for students?

Students will obtain access to resources and programs that are not dependent on where they live, their family’s income or their demographics. LISD will be expanding the digital and technology footprint which will enable us to create opportunities for teachers and students that the district has not been able to in the past.

How will this change my student’s day-to-day?

From the student perspective, there will be very little change in their basic schedule and academic expectations. Many of the shifts that may occur will involve details behind the scenes, mostly on an administrative level. What students will notice is increased access to resources and programs that are not dependent on where they live, their family’s income or their demographics.

How will this affect my Special Education student?

Special Education services and 504 accommodations will not change. Longview ISD will continue to give our SpEd students the best possible education and services that are available.

Will students still be LISD students?

YES. Just as all campuses and teachers remain a part of the district, students also remain part of the district.

Is LISD “surrendering control” to an appointed board?

NO, the district is not losing control over the campuses. The publicly elected LISD Board of Trustees are the final deciding

authorities, delegating day-to-day operations to the charter boards with high accountability for results.

The non-profit charter boards have authority over their organizations, but they are subordinate to the LISD board’s authority. The LISD board can sever the contract if the terms are not met.

Legally, Senate Bill 1882 partnerships are in-district charters, which means the students are still district students and the school board continues to maintain responsibility for the schools.

By having LISD be the authorizer of charter schools, the district maintains the authority to set the ground rules the partners have to follow. This way, LISD board can ensure a level playing field for all LISD campuses, as well as allowing the district a mechanism to intervene if partners breach the contract.

What does it mean for a partner to “run” a district campus? Who manages the principal, teachers?

The partner has sole responsibility for personnel as well as authority over decisions related to curriculum and assessment, schedule and calendar, and allocation of the budget. The district and its board of trustees holds the partner accountable through a performance contract outlining academic, financial, and operational goals for the school as well as the division of roles and responsibilities. For a partnership school to be eligible for Senate Bill 1882 benefits, the partner must manage the principal and faculty.

How will these changes affect our high school’s identity and role as a central institution in our community?

The new administrative structure will not affect the core values or identity that our high school represents. The community will continue to see school faculty at district-wide gatherings and the community will continue to join the school’s athletic and other extracurricular events. Further, the nonprofit board members will be selected on the basis of their commitment to this community, and maintaining the high school’s role in the community, as well as their expertise.

Will campuses be run by someone who doesn’t know the community?

NO, the goal of the application process is to make sure there is a good match between the community and the partner. Longview ISD has conducted a rigorous authorizing process to evaluate each nonprofit organization’s capacity, expertise, and commitment to our community.

Many of the partner staff and board members are local leaders with strong ties to Longview schools, and we are confident that they will be responsive to our unique context and leverage the amazing assets we

have here in Longview.

Will the partner be making money off of the students?

NO, all partners are nonprofit organizations and the performance contract will require that they spend all of the money for the benefit of our students. Partner board members serve as volunteers and all partner board members and leaders are subject to the same ethics and conflict of interest requirements as other public employees.

Will the school board play any further role?

YES, the school board is crucial in executing the performance contract, making sure the district is operational and monitoring school performance. They are the ones who will need to take action to either continue or end the partnerships. They will monitor and hold the partner accountable for their progress in meeting the performance goals outlined in the contract. The elected school board does not and cannot under state law give up its ultimate responsibility for a district school.

The difference is that rather than contracting with a principal to oversee educational services at the school, the elected board contracts with an organization to provide services that the school board specifies in the contract. The school board is therefore delegating day-to-day decision-making to the nonprofit organization without losing the obligation to hold the school accountable for its outcomes.

This will allow more decisions to be made at the campus level, where those discussions are closest to the students and teachers.

How does the LISD school board carry out its oversight responsibilities when it contracts with a nonprofit under a performance contract?

Contract terms: The school board carries out its governance responsibilities by seeing clear performance expectations in the contract it enters into with the nonprofit and monitoring whether the nonprofit is meeting those expectations.

Contract continuation or termination (revocation): The performance contract under consideration ensures that the school board is able to intervene or terminate the contract if student performance or financial compliance requirements are not met.

For more information How will information be about communicated to the teachers these programs check out the and administrators? website at lisd.org/charters. Do LISD administrators will be you have a question that is not visiting all LISD schools to meet included on and here?campus Let usadminknow! with teachers You cantosend questions to istrators helpyour disseminate this ask@lisd.org , go as to to ouraddress Coninformation as well any questions or concerns.

Furtact page at LISD.org or call thermore, developments of this the LISDthe Department of Innoendeavor have been consistently vation at 903-381-2200. covered in various LISD communi-

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

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Wisconsin Esports team shows gaming growth in education

By Austin Montgomery The News Tribune CLINTON, Wis. — There’s been one team at Wisconsin’s Clinton High School this year that’s won a conference title. It wasn’t the football or basketball teams. It was the Clinton Cougars Esports team.

Early in the mornings and late into the afternoons tucked away in a computer lab at the high school you’ll find a group of students led by Technology Director Bryan Erskine preparing for their matches just like any other organized team would by training and game planning strategy.

one more example of the growing popularity of video games, including in the world of education.

In East Texas, Kilgore College has an Esports team, holding a ribbon cutting ceremony for a newly opened ‘gym’ for the team on March 2.

Clinton High’s team play popular games including League of Legends, the main game played by the team, along with Overwatch, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros.

League of Legends is a multiplayer online arena battle game.

This is the third year for Esports in Clinton, the Beloit Daily News reported. The Cougars are part of the Wisconsin High School Esports Association, a group of over 200 high school

teams. It’s organized differently than normal high school conferences, with teams going against schools of similar size rather than based on location.

Clinton High’s success is just

Esports|Continued to page 15

can access these lessons through Google Classroom online and complete the lessons online. If you do not have technology access, please call the school at 903.663.1301 to have packets mailed home to you. When you call, please provide your name, your student ID number, and the

address you want the packets mailed. Please feel free to email your teachers with questions or concerns.

Longview High School has placed a collection box in the cafeterias of all eight schools that are serving lunches. Students may drop their complete packets

in any of the eight boxes, including the high school.

Campuses with curbside meal service: Longview High School, Forest Park Middle School, South Ward, Ware, Foster Middle School, Bramlette STEAM Academy, J.L. Everhart, and Judson STEAM Academy.

MAY |Continued from page 1 site: LongviewTexas.gov/ COVID-19.

Please know that Longview High School is committed to continuing your education while we are on leave because of the Coronavirus. All subjects have created lessons for you to complete while you are at home. You LETTERS |Continued from page 1

to write letters to residents

at Longview area nursing and assisted living homes.

“Our Z Club is always trying to find ways to take care of those in our community, and what better way than to help those feel loved that may not be able to get in touch with those that love them,” said LHS Z Club advisor and LHS coach Heather Gee. “The letters are just something simple to brighten a moment during a difficult time!”

Due to the Coronavirus, nursing and assisted living homes have gone into lockdown. Only essential personnel are permitted to enter.

Thankfully, Gee’s husband is the administrator at Pine Tree Lodge Nursing Home, so the letters were still able to make it to residents.

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• LISD schools earned 40 total distinctions on state accountability ratings, an increase from 34 earned last year, and the highest in the region.

• Each year HUNDREDS of out-of-district students transfer INTO into Longview Independent School District, citing “education opportunities” as their reason.

• International Baccalaureate project partners with “We Help Two” and sells “funky socks” to help supply legs and feet to amputees all over the world.

• Brand new partnership for innovation with East Texas Advanced Academies which will bring new funding and ideas to public education.

• Three campuses with national STEM certifications (Judson STEAM Academy, Bramlette STEAM Academy, and Ned E. Williams).

• Largest FREE public Montessori school (for 3-to-5 year-olds) in the Nation. Provided free of charge to Longview area children.

• Partnership with Longview Chamber of Commerce to help foster community partnerships and mentors for Ware students.

• Went totally ‘green’ on all building projects resulting in a $200,000 award from SWEPCO for energy conservation • Graduates matriculating to EMT, Cosmetology, welding, Culinary Arts, Meat and Butchering programs nationally.

• Eight-week Montessori training for other districts in Texas hosted by East Texas Montessori Prep Academy • Award-winning Theater Arts program with a director who has been with the district for more than 50 years.

• Raising Highly Capable Kids parenting class in partnership with Longview Chamber of Commerce.

• Horticulture Program harvests own bee hives to sell honey, wax, and wax products at FFA shows.

• LIFT program annually paying out close to $1 million in staff bonuses for improved testing scores.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

• Hosted Adjunct Fair for SFA to help employ Adjunct staff in Longview and through Longview ISD. • Purchased multiple pieces of strategic real estate, without increased debt, for future expansion.

• Every year of Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox tenure the LISD budget has been “in the black.”

• Local corporate partnerships with Eastman and Komatsu and Longview Manufacturing Academy.

• Hosted “Axe”epted East Texas meet and greet for area students attending SFA in Fall 2019.

• Lobo Band continuing their string of 69 consecutive first-level honors at State Sweepstakes.

• Bramlette STEAM Academy as National Capturing Kids’ Hearts national recognition/award.

• Partnerships in education with UT, SMU, Texas Tech, SFA, KC, Letourneau, and UT-Tyler.

• “Playing for Keeps” childcare program for students with children, as well as LISD staffers.

• May 2019 hosted first LHS CTE Signing Day for students going to college or workforce.

• More than 100 teachers earned Project Based Learning certifications in Spring 2019.

• Multiple graduates with offers to Ivy League and other prestigious universities.

• Lobo University to help prepare students and parents for life after high school.

• 36 students graduate with Associates Degrees (50 projected in class of 2020).

• Longview ISD middle school students earn “Duke Scholar” honors every year • LISD farm-to-table program, partnering with local farmers for cafeteria produce.

• Award-winning elementary, middle school, and high school choir programs • Perfect scores on PSAT as middle schoolers from Foster Middle School.

• Only free public K-12 International Baccalaureate program in the world.

• Fall 2018 LHS donated more than 400 coats to KLTV’s Coats for Kids.

• Summer backpack program to make sure kids get fed year-round.

• Signing Santa to help deaf ed students communicate with “Santa.”

• Culinary Arts CTE student-led catering program began Fall 2018.

• Only International Baccalaureate program east of Interstate 45.

• More than 500 LHS students were taking dual-credit last year.

• 116 incoming Freshman applying for dual credit courses.

• State and National Technical Student Association winners.

• Orchestra offered at elementary, middle and high school.

• Named 2018 School Board of the Year from Region VIII. • More than 30 teachers with national STEM certifications.

• Wall of Honor honors Veteran alumni and their families.

• LHS music students annually perform at Carnegie Hall.

• Privatized custodial services to save taxpayer dollars.

• Gold Standard Award yearly for financial transparency.

• Less than 2 percent dropout rate at Longview High.

• Class of 2019 earned $8.5 million in scholarships.

• 236 unduplicated seniors with dual credit hours.

• Over 6500 hours of college by 2019 graduates.

• 6,531 semester credit hours for dual credit.

• Award-winning high school art program.

• 2018 UIL Academic District Champions.

• Class 6A State Football Champion.

• 2,601 Workforce hours earned.

• National Welding Champions.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Page 9

State changes rules over school lunches

By Aliyya Swaby The Texas Tribune After pleas from Texas school superintendents and lawmakers, t​​​​​he U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday granted school districts more flexibility on how and what they feed students in free and reduced-price meals while

schools are temporarily closed statewide due to the new Coronavirus.

The Texas Department of Agriculture, which administers the federally funded school meal programs, had already received a federal waiver allowing school districts to hand out curbside Lunch|Continued to page 9

What do I tell my kids about the Coronavirus?

The importance of good communication

Talking to Children and Teens is Necessary Whether you realize it or not, your children and teenagers are taking in a lot of information about this new virus. Unlike adults, they do not have the ability to sift through the information and determine what is correct and what is incorrect to develop an appropriate course of action. They are relying on you to do this for them.

The top 5 things to discuss with your kids about COVID-19

1 3 5

What is it?

Kids can clearly see this situation is making adults worry and because of this it can be very scary to them.

A parent should adjust the amount and type of information they give to their child based on the child's age level.

Follow the Guidelines: COVID-19 is spread through contact with someone who is infected. Remind your child to wash their hands properly on a regular basis and not to touch their face or mouth area. If they cough due it in the crook of their arm.

2

Reassure them: The fear of the unknown can be greater than the known. Let kids know that yes, this is a problem right now but there are many adults working together to make everyone safe.

4

Monitor Media Information: Our televisions, radios and social media feeds are being inundated with information about this virus.

Hearing other talk repeatedly about this scary topic can be overwhelming for kids. Adult supervision is necessary.

Leave the Lines of Communication OPEN: Due to the situation, parents should check in on their kids often. Let them know you are available if they have any new questions or just want to talk about this topic. And remember they are looking to you to be a role model during this challenging time.

Well-being Safety Assessments, LLC 573.451.2151

www.well-beingsafetyassessments.com

Page 10

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

White House extends social-distancing guidelines

By Rebecca Ballhaus The Wall Street Journal

that he hoped to reopen the U.S.

by Easter on April 12 were “just an aspiration.”

Trump extended the guidelines as Coronavirus patients besieged hospitals in New York and other cities and the U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus surged past 2,400 over the weekend, according to Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 700 of the deaths were in New York City, the American center of the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins.

Globally the death toll quintupled over the past two weeks to 33,881 on Sunday, with more than two-thirds of the fatalities in Europe, according to Johns Hopkins. Deaths reached nearly 10,800 in Italy, which has suffered the most fatalities.

Public-health experts have said extended social distancing is needed until the U.S. develops a vigorous testing regime to identify and isolate cases. Widespread testing is still a long way off and labs now are struggling with supply issues that are further hampering the ability to identify cases. The Coronavirus can be spread when people are asymptomatic.

Trump said he didn’t anticipate relaxing the guidelines before

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Sunday, March 29, said he was extending the administration’s social-distancing guidelines for another 30 days through the end of April, after saying for days that he was hoping to open up the country in the coming weeks.

Trump, speaking at a news conference in the White House Rose Garden, said the peak of the death rate from the new Coronavirus was expected to hit in two weeks. Trump predicted the country would be on its way to recovery by June 1.

“Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before victory is won,” he said. “It’s very important that everybody strongly follow the guidelines.”

The administration last month announced a 15-day program that instructed all Americans to avoid nonessential travel, sit-down restaurants and gatherings of more than 10 people, among other steps. Governors and mayors nationwide have rolled out their own restrictions, shutting schools and many retail businesses.

Monday will mark the 15th day of the program. The presiSocial|Continued to page 17 dent said his earlier comments

Seven states in U.S. have now extended school closures

By Matthew Impelli Newsweek Seven U.S. states have closed school for the remainder of the year, as the new coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the country.

According to a tracker provided by Johns Hopkins University, the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19 has infected over 144,000 people across the U.S. as well as at least 2,575 deaths.

When the virus began to spread in the U.S., many states temporarily closed schools, but as the virus has continued to spread, a few states have decided to move ahead and closed school for the rest of the year.

ARIZONA

Arizona was the most recent state to closed school for the remainder of the year when Governor Doug Ducey released a statement announcing the move on March 30.

According to the tracker, there are over Seven|Continued to page 12

LUNCH |Continued from page 5 breakfasts and lunches to parents who show up. But until Wednesday night, the law required parents to bring their children with them to prove they qualify for school meals — which educators and lawmakers argue contradicts public health recommendations during the crisis.

“This is ridiculous to expect somebody to put all their kids in a car and bring them up here and possibly expose them to the virus,” said Troy Parton, superintendent at Munday Consolidated Independent School District in the Texas Panhandle.

State Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, who chairs the House Agriculture

and Livestock Committee, co-signed a letter this week asking the TDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture to give school districts more flexibility on that requirement.

“That could spell trouble if a child is sick with COVID-19 and unable to show up,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

“And in rural districts, some families rely on lengthy bus rides to get to the nearest school, which may also prove to be infeasible for working families when the school buses aren’t running anymore.”

The letter also asks officials to loosen nutrition guidelines as many school districts struggle to get shipments of food

staples in bulk.

The TDA applied for and received federal waivers allowing school districts flexibility on both restrictions this week.

Texas school districts will be reimbursed for free or reduced-price meals given to parents even if children are not present, as long as the TDA comes up with a plan to ensure the food is going to the right recipients.

“It’s legally complicated because you need to make sure that a child is actually receiving that meal. These are child nutrition programs and so we give them to children,” said Angela Olige, TDA’s assistant commissioner of food and nutrition.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Page 11

Survey: Hospitals rated best, media worst during pandemic

By Justin McCarthy Gallup WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans are generally positive in their evaluations of how each of nine leaders and institutions has handled the response to the Coronavirus situation. Eight of the nine receive majority positive ratings — led by U.S. hospitals, at 88 percent approval. Only the news media gets a more negative than positive review.

These data are from a March 13-22 Gallup poll, with the field period starting on the same day President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the Coronavirus outbreak, and spanning sharp increases in the number of documented cases in the U.S., as well as the number of deaths.

About four in five Americans approve of the way their state government and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health are handling the Coronavirus outbreak. Similarly, 83 percent of parents of children younger than 18 rate their children’s school or daycare positively for its handling of the situation. And 82 percent of U.S. workers rate their employer’s response positively.

Meanwhile, about six in 10 U.S. adults approve of the response by their elected leaders

in Washington: President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the U.S. Congress as a whole.

Trump’s 60 percent approval rating for his handling of the Coronavirus is higher than his 49 percent overall job rating, meaning that a substantial percentage of Americans approve of his handling of the current health crisis while disapproving of his performance more generally.

GOP GIVEs MORE APPROVAL RATINGS

Republicans and Republican-leaning independents rate

their state government’s reIn addition to partisanship, sponse to the Coronavirus as the lower ratings among Demhighly as Democrats and Demo- ocrats also appear to be a funccratic-leaning independents do. tion of higher levels of worry Majorities of both groups also among this group. approve of the job that hospitals, Only on the news media’s government health agencies and handling of the Coronavirus Congress are doing, although are Democrats more approving Republicans’ approval is higher than Republicans — 61 percent than Democrats’ in each case. vs. 25 percent, respectively.

By contrast, nearly all Repub- Gallup has consistently found licans (93 percent), compared that Democrats have more with 29 percent of Democrats, confidence than Republicans in approve of Trump’s performass media. mance, although Democrats’ BOTTOM LINE approval on this measure well Americans are largely apexceeds their overall 13 percent proving of how U.S. institutions rating for Trump in the same poll.

Poll|Continued to page 15

In a time of crisis, communities step-up, and how you can too

By Megan Menchaca The Texas Tribune As schools close and thousands of people across the country are being laid off due to the new Coronavirus pandemic, many Texans are finding themselves stuck at home with no income or access to necessary resources like food or medical supplies.

In response to growing concerns around the nation, President Donald Trump recently signed a bill mandating 12 weeks of paid leave for people quarantining or experiencing

COVID-19 symptoms that applies only to companies with less than 500 employees. The federal bill, which will go into effect April 2, also provides $1 billion in emergency unemployment insurance to the states and requires free testing for the new Coronavirus.

In Texas, the economic damages are amplified as local businesses are shuttered, the service industry is halted, and the oil and gas industry is hammered.

But as state and federal leaders continue to formulate their responses, what can you do in

the meantime if you’re looking for assistance? And if you have the means to do so, what can you do to help others?

Food banks, school districts and some local pantries are Help|Continued to page 19

TECH |Continued from page 4 VTC hijacking (also called “Zoom-bombing”) are emerging nationwide. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.

Within the FBI Boston Division’s area of responsibility (AOR), which includes

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, two schools in Massachusetts reported the following incidents: In late March 2020, a Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing software Zoom, an unidentified individual(s) dialed into

the classroom. This individual yelled a profanity and then shouted the teacher’s home address in the middle of instruction.

A second Massachusetts-based school reported a Zoom meeting being accessed by an unidentified individual. In this incident, the individual was visible on the video camera and displayed swastika tattoos.

Page 12

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

DeVos floats ‘micro-grants’ for students and teachers

By Sarah Darville Chalkbeat WASHINGTON, D.C. — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Friday that she will push for legislation offering “microgrants” to individual students and educators adapting to remote learning.

Speaking at a White House briefing on the Coronavirus, which has closed schools nationwide, DeVos said the grants would help “the most disadvantaged students in states or communities where their school system has simply shut down.”

For students, the grants would help them “continue to learn,” DeVos said. For teachers, the grants would “help them pivot to supporting all of their students in a different environment than they’ve been used to.”

DeVos took no questions and offered no information about the size of the grants or how they would reach teachers or students. A department spokesperson said later Friday that the proposed grants could be used for physical items like computers or other devices, In-

ternet access or hotspots, and textbooks or other materials, or for services like tutoring, therapy for students with disabilities, DEVOS or tuition and fees for an online program at a public or private school.

The proposal would “focus” on students with disabilities and those eligible for government food benefits, and whose school has been closed for at least 30 days, spokesperson Angela Morabito said in a statement.

The idea — especially the grants for students that could pay tuition — is a glimpse at how DeVos will use the upheaval to advance her ideas about education. A proponent of private-school vouchers and school choice, DeVos has long downplayed the role of the federal government and scoffed at those who see school buildings or school districts as education’s key organizing principle.

10

FACTS about the Coronavirus Disease and how to be better prepared at your school

The Coronavirus is being discussed every time you turn on the radio or the television. Getting the right information and knowing the FACTS will help all of us care for our students and our school system.

1

2

The Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses causing illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.

The COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus; meaning it is a new strain that has not been previously identified.

The Coronavirus is a respiratory disease that is mainly spread person to person.

When someone with the virus coughs or sneezes, the virus is spread.

3

4

5

At this time, children are NOT as affected by COVID-19 as adults are. Kids typically have a better immune system to fight against the disease.

However, children with preexisting illnesses may be more vulnerable.

To reduce the spread of the virus, a variety of approaches are recommended.

It is important to keep your child at home if they are feeling sick.

AND Taking your child to see a doctor to rule out the COVID19. It will prevent the uneasiness of not knowing and will also start treatment if necessary. Addressing the problem early is the key to a quick recovery.

Knowing what to do in case of an outbreak in your areas is the key to protecting your family.

SEVEN |Continued from page 10 1,156 confirmed cases in Arizona as well as at least 20 deaths.

ALABAMA

On March 26, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that all schools in the state will be closed for the rest of the year. Schools were scheduled to begin regularly on April 6, but classes have now been moved to alternate online instruction.

There are currently at least 830 confirmed coronavirus cases in Alabama and 12 deaths, according to the tracker.

KANSAS Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced on Tuesday, March 17 that the state will be closing schools for the remainder of the year for public and private K-12 schools. The classes will be moved to online instruction.

According to the tracker, there are at least 330 confirmed cases in Kansas and seven deaths.

NEW MEXICO

On March 27, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that school closures would extend through the rest of the year.

In New Mexico, there are at least 237 confirmed cases and

Was

h tho

6

two deaths.

OKLAHOMA

On Wednesday, March 25, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to close public schools across the state for the remainder of the year.

The schools across the state use a “continuous learning plans,” which includes an outline for age-appropriate learning.

According to the tracker, Oklahoma has over 428 confirmed cases and at least 16 deaths.

VIRGINIA On March 23, Governor Ralph Northam ordered all K-12 schools to stay closed for the remainder of the year.

In Virginia, there are at over 1,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 15 deaths, according to the tracker.

VERMONT

On March 26, Governor Phil Scott directed all schools across the state to remain closed for the rest of the year.

School districts across the state will be required to “implement continuity of learning plans for remote learning.”

According to the tracker, there are over 250 confirmed cases in Vermont and at least 12 deaths.

se b

What can parents do at home to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus?

Hold a family discussion about the virus to ease any uncertainties. *Explain how it is contracted *Protective steps to prevent it *Recommend kids to tell you when they start feeling bad

ackp

WASH THOSE HANDS REGULARLY

KEEP KIDS HOME WHEN THEY ARE ILL

Reminding your child to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol

Staying home is very important to contain the spread of viruses.

acks

Even if your family is quarantined, realize this will only be temporary.

7 What can schools do to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus?

Practice Preventive Behaviors.

Regularly washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water (sing the ABC song) or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Remind students to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or with the bend/crook of their arm when coughing or sneezing.

Send students home who are feeling ill.

A child who is sick, regardless of the cause should not be in contact with other students if not feeling well.

Avoiding close contact.

Students love their friends and their teachers however hugging, touching, shaking hands, high-fives and whispering should be kept to a minimum.

8

9

10

Keep updated about what is happening in your community.

Turn to credible media outlets, local public health authorities and updates from public health websites (ie.CDC)

Minimize exposure to media outlets or social media that promote fear or panic. Be particularly aware of/limit how much media coverage your child is exposed to about an outbreak.

Focus on supporting children during this time *Talk to them about their feelings and validate them *Help them express their feelings by drawing and other activities *Provide comfort and patience *Check back with them on a regular basis to see how they are doing

Well-being Safety Assessments, LLC - www.well-beingsafetyassessments.com 573.451.2151

!

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Page 13

Report: Rural counties face challenges with remote workforce

By Roberto Gallardo The Daily Yonder In the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, large segments of the U.S. workforce have shifted to remote work. A substantial share of Americans will be working remotely for the foreseeable future.

But not all workers and communities are equally prepared for remote work or e-learning.

Two factors in particular affect workers’ ability to work remotely in their communities.

The first is the availability of ubiquitous, adequate and affordable digital connectivity, which varies widely across the country.

The second is the share of jobs that can be done via remote work. This too varies across the country, with remote-work amenable jobs concentrating in large metros and tech hubs.

So, how ready are America’s communities for the new realities of remote work?

To get at this we looked at two factors: 1) the availability of digital connectivity and 2) the share of workers employed in industries and occupations that are amenable to remote work.

We focused on how vulnerable counties are by looking at the places that have inadequate digital connectivity—including access to the internet and to digital devices—and places where a higher share of workers are employed in industries/occupations that are not remote work friendly.

If a particular county has both limited digital connectivity and a higher share of non-remote work workers, it will more than likely struggle to leverage e-learning and remote work.

We looked at the geography of remote work across America’s

vulnerability. In addition, about one-fifth of residents (22.6 percent) in high vulnerability counties were children (under 18).

ETHNICITY

3,000 plus counties.

WHAT WAS FOUND?

Counties best positioned for success with remote work are more urban, have larger economies, more educated workers, and higher incomes. Conversely, those that are most vulnerable are smaller, more rural, suffer from high rates of unemployment and have less educated workers.

That said, even the least vulnerable places across the country have some percentage of residents and workers who are not well suited for remote work, who suffer from inadequate connectivity, and work in occupations or industries that are far less amenable to remote work.

COUNTY TYPE

First, rural counties were more likely to face difficulties shifting their residents to remote workplaces. Figure 3 breaks down the vulnerability groups by type of counties using the urban influence codes developed by the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.

Roughly two-thirds of counties (63.4 percent) with no vulnerability were large/small metro areas compared to one-fifth of the high vulnerability counties (20.3 percent). On the other hand, two-thirds (66.4 percent) of counties with a high vulnera-

ONLINE |Continued from page 1 and unheard of that we haven’t ever bridged before,” said Ross. “Being out of school for an extended period of time, and basically having to create classrooms in a setting that we are not used too.”

Kate Langston has three children who attend Longview schools and all three are getting used to this new way of learning but it’s not all smooth sailing.

“The main disappointments would be with our oldest, the senior,” said Langston. “They’re missing out on so many important events but the kids are learning to manage their time well. They’re learning that they have to be organized.”

Massey says she’s trying to

lighten the workload for students as they adjust.

This is because some lessons are difficult to teach over the internet even with a camera.

“We were supposed to be teaching in school was moon phases, and that’s really hard to teach virtually,” said Massey.

For Longview, this way of teaching works for most of their students but for others, an alternative’s been put in place for families that don’t have computers.

“For our families that don’t have internet service, we are providing packets and those are being mailed out every two weeks,” Ross said.

bility were rural counties.

INCOME

The share of household in each of the vulnerability groups by annual income. Close to onethird of homes in no vulnerability counties made $100,000 or more per year compared to 13 percent in counties with a high vulnerability. On the flip side, 43.5 percent of homes in high vulnerability counties made less than $35,000 per year compared to 27.2 percent in counties with no vulnerability as defined by this study.

AGE GROUPS

The report shows a slightly higher share of those ages 65 and over in counties with a high vulnerability (18.2 percent) compared to those with no (14.9 percent) or low (15.4 percent)

It shows that a higher share of White Non-Hispanic residents lived in high vulnerability counties compared to 58.5 percent living in no vulnerability counties. The share of minorities was higher in no and low vulnerability counties compared to areas with high vulnerability.

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

The cumulative GDP of no vulnerability counties was a little more than $16 trillion compared to $236 billion of high vulnerability counties.

Although it may seem that the economic impact could not be that high, keep in mind that economic multipliers and supply chains affect all vulnerability groups.

UNEMPLOYMENT

High vulnerabilities counties had a lower employment rate among those ages 16 to 64, a higher unemployment rate, and a higher share of those not in the labor force.

Page 14

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Day cares are closing when parents need them most

By Aliyya Swaby The Texas Tribune Heather Martinez now takes every child’s temperature at the door to Happy Octopus Early Education, the day care she runs from her home in Corpus Christi, following a new state regulation for child care centers issued as COVID-19 cases continue to surge across Texas.

She disinfects tables, sanitizes toys and requires parents to stand outside the door at pickup and drop-off each day. But she worries the new rules are not enough to keep everyone healthy. It’s hard to stop in-

fants from putting toys in their mouths, let alone keep them 6 feet away from one another.

“I know they want us to practice social distancing. But these little ones don’t even understand the concept of personal space,” Martinez said.

Child care is becoming scarcer across Texas even as some working parents need it more desperately. At least 14% of Texas’ more than 17,000 licensed and registered facilities have closed, according to an informal state survey, and that number seems to be rising.

Care|Continued to page 15

Model shows why social distancing is crucial to fight COVID-19 in Texas

By Paul Livengood KVUE Researchers at the University of Texas have released a new pandemic model of COVID-19, which shows the positive role social distancing has in mitigating the spread of the Coronavirus in Texas.

The report projects significantly higher numbers of cases of infection, hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions and deaths in 22 Texas communities under scenarios in which social distancing measures are moderate, according to researchers at UT Austin’s College of Natural Sciences.

Region-based graphs can

MONEY |Continued from page 5 in likely holes in the hastily assembled bill. One item in particular cited by both President Trump and Democratic leaders is a desire for more money to shore up state government budgets collapsing under lost tax revenues and new spending demands.

A common theme from economists and legislators across the political spectrum: The latest measure was mainly about keeping U.S. commerce on life support while it endures a medically induced coma.

That is, paying businesses and workers revenues and wages lost during the shutdown. A next phase would likely pivot from stabilization to stimulus—providing the patient a robust regimen of physical therapy in an attempt to get the economy back to full health.

Action so far has been “about mitigation,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said at a Thursday press conference. “Next, we’ll go from emergency mitigation to recovery…to grow the economy and create more jobs.” She later called the new law “a very big down payment.”

As the Coronavirus has ravaged U.S. business over the past month, lawmakers have reacted with uncharacteristic speed and unity to try to contain the damage. In just three weeks, a divided Congress has passed three major pieces of legislation to address the pandemic.

Phase one, which President

Trump signed March 3, provided $8.3 billion in fresh funds for health agencies and testing, and for small-business loan subsidies. Phase two, enacted March 18 and worth about $100 billion, had tax credits for employers offering paid sick leave, and increases to unemployment benefits and food assistance.

The phase-three package of roughly $2-trillion, completed Friday, includes checks to households, bailouts for airlines and other distressed industries, and loans and grants for small business.

One question hanging over what is already being called “Phase Four” is whether that spirit of urgency and compromise can continue as the downturn advances. Or, will Washington return to the polarization that has often paralyzed Congress in recent years—especially as the November elections erode incentives for cross-party cooperation?

Another concern: Legislating amid travel restrictions and the risk that more in Congress come down with the disease.

Policy makers and economists will need to assess in coming weeks whether the most recent package does enough to tide over companies and workers through the end of the shutdown—whenever that occurs—or whether prolonged closures require another dosage of the same medicine.

be found in the report regarding how social distancing affects the total number of infections, hospitalizations, ICU beds required to treat patients, how many ventilators would be needed and more, projecting as far as Aug. 1 Here is a look at the overall burden that UT researchers project COVID-19 will have on Texas given these five scenarios: • No social distancing • Closing schools • Closing schools and 50% reduction of non-household contacts Model|Continued to page 15

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020 ESPORTS |Continued from page 7

MODEL |Continued from page 14

Players take on roles of a champion with complementing abilities to work as a team to destroy the opposing team’s “nexus,” a structure similar to a home base that’s protected by various defenses. Teams draft strategy and plans for counteracting the opponents strengths and abilities.

There are two junior varsity teams and one varsity team. On the varsity team, seven Clinton Middle School students have made the jump from JV to varsity.

The varsity team led by senior team captain David Paulson-Warn finished 7-1 this year before wrapping up the conference title.

Paulson-Warn helped form the team three years ago, and with the help of Erskine, the after-school club quickly turned into a competitive breeding ground for elite gamers.

Paulson-Warn said he didn’t expect the team to be competing at the level it is today compared to when he first started.

“I had a love for video games and i came in and I wanted to be competitive and I wanted to make something from the ground up,” Paulson-Warn said. “We’re expanding pretty well and I want to help set the standard now for everyone going forward after I leave.”

That’s evident in how the team prepares for matches against other schools.

“Practices have evolved for the team,” Erskine said. “We realized we had gone beyond playing a match every morning to getting into helping build the team.

The students took it upon themselves to help bring each other up and make each other better.

Esports has seen massive growth in terms of both revenue and fandom across the world. In 2019, the League of Legends world championship finals held in South Korea saw 100 million unique viewers tune in to the event. In comparison, the 2019-2020 Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs drew an average of 99.9 million unique views, according to ratings data.

Colleges across the country are also starting to offer scholarships for Esports competition as the professional Esports world continues to grow, having brought in $1.1 billion in 2019, according to Newzoo analyst group.

Erskine said the ability to offer Esports to students through high schools helps boost access to a sport that can sometimes come with hefty price tags in terms of startup costs.

• Closing schools and 75% reduction of non-household contacts • Closing schools and 90% reduction of non-household contacts According to the graph, with no social distancing, it peaks at more than 4,000,000 COVID-19 cases statewide before May 25, more than 200,000 hospitalizations before June 22, nearly 30,000 ICU beds

POLL |Continued from page 11 and leaders are responding to the Coronavirus situation.

Hospitals are held in the highest regard during this health crisis, consistent with the high trust and ethical ratings medical and health workers receive in normal times.

The global health pandemic is far from over, and many more challenging decisions on how to handle it will need to be made, both in the near and the long term.

Page 15

required to treat patients before June 22 and more than 15,000 ventilators needed by June 22. Just by closing schools and limiting non-household contact by 50%, the number of projected COVID-19 cases cuts nearly in half to just over 2,000,000, and the other three categories decrease significantly as well. The research team found that reducing daily contacts in the community by 50% – or even 75% – may not be sufficient in some Texas cities to prevent an unman-

ageable surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, UT officials said.

The graph showed closing schools and limiting non-household contact by 90% would cut the number of cases, hospitalizations, ICU beds and ventilators required, dramatically.

UT officials said the model suggests that reducing daily contacts between people by 90% would be expected to “flatten the curve” through the spring and summer in each of the cities.

CARE |Continued from page 14 There’s no count of how many unlicensed operations have shuttered.

Many parents working from home have pulled their children from day care, unwilling to take the risks. But police officers, doctors, nurses, grocery store clerks and others with essential jobs need somebody to watch and protect their children as they try to continue working. With schools closed, there are few places for them to turn.

About 1.1 million Texas children were in state-licensed and registered home day care centers before the new Coronavirus struck, including about 127,000 low-income students receiving subsidies, according to state estimates. The number of available slots is

decreasing across the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott’s order Thursday to shut down many businesses — including bars, restaurants and schools — did not apply to the thousands of private child care centers that take in infants and young children.

Without a statewide mandate, day care owners like Martinez are left to decide if they should stay open and how many children to accept. They are following the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s newest safety guidelines as best they can, hoping their businesses survive. Some are watching student attendance drop precipitously and fearing an outbreak of the disease.

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

OBITUARIES We offer our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of these beloved former Lobos

Andy Malone’s son reflects on his legacy

By Tina Nguyen CBS19 Andy Malone no doubt lived the life of a local legend.

A graduate of Longview High School, Andy Malone coached high school baseball for 41 years, winning more than 800 of his games.

He passed his love for coaching to his son Scott Malone, a successful coach in MALONE his own right.

Andy Malone sadly passed away on March 20. Scott says the outpouring of support has been inspiring, particularly by New Diana High School. New Diana was one of the schools Andy Malone coached. To pay tribute, the school left the lights on at their baseball stadi-

um for 24 hours.

“I don’t believe that they turned [the lights] on for me or for my mom. I think they turned them on for everybody that my father touched,” Scott Malone said. “It just made [me] realize the magnitude of the lives that he had an effect on and how far reaching his touch was.”

Scott Malone says even in a

LARRY W. SIMMONS Larry W. Simmons passed away on March 27, 2020, he was born on October 22, 1950 in Marshall, TX to Emmett Lee and Mary Jeanette Bryan Simmons. He graduated from Longview High School in 1969. He served in the U.S. Army, trainSIMMONS ing at Ft. Polk, LA. and then went to jump school at Ft. Benning, GA. He served as an infantryman with special duty as a scout dog handler during the Vietnam war. He was awarded the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal

football-crazed state, baseball was king in the Malone household. For father and son, it was a year-round job.

“If it was baseball season, we were probably mowing the field and chalking the lines,” Scott remembered. Growing up in the field, whatever sport was in session, if it was football season, that meant I was probably

with one Campaign Star, and a Combat Infantry Badge. During Veterans Day in 2019, he was presented the U.S. Flag that was flown over the Capitol.

Mr. Simmons was a crane operator for 31 years with Joyce Crane. He was a member of Forest Home Baptist Church in Kilgore, TX. He was an avid outdoorsman.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Charla McGregor Simmons; children, Dylan Simmons and fiancé Tiffany Wooten of Hallsville, Dia Simmons Christie and husband Gary of Diana, Jamie Tucker, and Stacy Stewart of Kilgore, and Marshall Tucker of Henderson; Brothers and Sisters, Sunny (Wanda) Sellers of Longview, Garry Simmons of Longview, Morty Simmons and wife Phoebe of Lake O’ Pines, Annette Lus-

ter and husband David of Longview; grandchildren, Raela McCrory, Garrett Christie, Caleb Tucker, and Waylon Christie. As well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; sister, Mary Lee Perkins; and brother in law, Charlie McGregor.

Due to the current health crisis, a private family graveside service will take place officiated by Phillip Simmons. Pallbearers are Gary Christie, Jim Perkins, Glenn Perkins, Bobby Perkins, Jesse McGregor, and Jered Price. The VFW Post #4002 Honor Guard in Longview will perform military honors.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Veterans Association of your choice.

An online guestbook may be signed at RaderFH.com.

PUBLIC NOTICES LISD accepting competitive requests for proposals for Contracted Educational Services

washing towels and washing laundry.”

Scott eventually got the opportunity to play on his father.

He remembers his father did not go soft on his son.

“In coach’s terms, he would bury me,” Scott remembered.

“He wanted the other players, the other parents at the high school level to know, ‘Hey, if my son’s going to be on this team, I’m going to get him just like I’m gong to get anybody else.’”

Despite his reputation as a fiery competitor, Andy Malone had a soft side, especially for his family.

“My dad inherited two of his younger brothers, and he coached those guys,” Scott said.

“When I read that, I yelled at my mom like, ‘Hey, this can’t be right.’”

Scott Malone, an alum of TCU’s baseball, is currently the head coach of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Longview Independent School District (LISD) is accepting competitive requests for proposals for Contracted Educational Services for the 2019-20 school year and under the guidance of EDGAR and approval of funding made available for services to be rendered. Awards will be considered NON-EXCLUSIVE, ones by which multiple vendors may be designated as suppliers for the goods and/or services covered under the terms of the contract for the duration of said contract. Contracted Educational Service providers will be used on an as-needed basis throughout the District to provide services to students and staff. Please contact Sheri Broadwater at 903-381-2260 to obtain a proposal packet, or download one from below. Proposals must be addressed as follows: Attn: Sheri Broadwater, and clearly marked “#2001 CS-RFP-CONTRACTED EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.” Proposals will be accepted throughout the school year on an ongoing basis until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2020, at the LISD Education Support Center, 1301 East Young Street, Longview, Texas, or mailed to P. O. Box 3268, Longview, TX 75606. Longview ISD reserves the right to accept or reject any or all of the bids submitted in the best interest of the District. For more information, go to lisd.org.

Attention readers, do you have a friend or loved one who was a Lobo that has recently passed? We would be honored to pay tribute to them in The Longview Voice.

Please send the obituary and mug to ask@lisd.org.

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

Page 17

Rent is due, thousands of Texans can’t pay

By Naomi Andu The Texas Tribune It’s the first of the month, which means that for millions of Texans, the rent is due.

But much has changed since a month ago. Thousands of people have lost their jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down businesses across the state.

Many more have taken pay cuts.

Now, renters who can’t pay and landlords who are losing rent money are both worried about

how they’ll make ends meet.

Most evictions are halted across the state until at least April 20, thanks to a Texas Supreme Court order, but landlords are still posting notices to vacate and threatening to kick out renters after the moratorium elapses, Zoe Middleton of Texas Housers said. “[Rent notices] change in tones, but they are all pretty insistent on the fact that rent is due and you will be not living Rent|Continued to page 19

BOX |Continued from page 5 response,” said Lita. “Everybody wanting to give — that’s great — because so many people need right now.”

The Wilkinsons said the box is for anyone in the community, not just members of the Trinity Assembly of God Church, where the box is located.

“They can get anything they want out of there, anything

they need,” said Greg. “They don’t have to put back; if they feel like putting back they can.

You can receive a blessing or return a blessing.”

Lita said the box can also help those who don’t want to go to the grocery store.

“If they have underlying issues that make them more susceptible,” said Lita. “They

can go to the box and pull up and get what canned good or groceries they need, that we have, and not have to come in contact with anybody.”

Lita and Greg said the blessing box is completely anonymous and they’re hoping this encourages those in need to use it and those able to give to do so.

Greg said they learned quick-

ly they needed a bigger box, so they’re working on making a bigger one soon.

Lita said the box will remain after the COVID-19 pandemic to help people year-round. She said they’re hoping to keep it stocked with food items, person hygiene products and other things needed throughout different seasons.

Trump said there were once projections of over 2 million deaths. “So, if we can hold that down, as we’re saying to 100,000—it’s a horrible number—maybe even less, but to 100,000—so we have between 100,000 to 200,000—we all together have done a very good job,” the president said.

Both Democratic and Republican party governors highlighted severe shortages of equipment that medical professionals on the front lines need to do

their jobs, including masks, face shields and gowns. One particular point of concern is the scarcity of ventilators used to help restore breathing capability among severely stricken patients.

“We’ve put in orders with the national stockpile,” said Louisiana’s Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, speaking on CBS’s

Face the Nation. “But we’ve also pursued manufacturers and vendors trying to place orders for about 12,000 ventilators.”

“I think thus far we’ve received 192,” Edwards said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo this weekend joined other states in calling for more supplies and asking for federal coordination.

SOCIAL |Continued from page 10 April 30 even for regions less affected by the virus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CNN Sunday that projections he has examined showed the disease would kill between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans and infect possibly millions.

“What we’re trying to do is not let that happen,” Dr. Fauci said at a White House press conference Sunday.

LISD Campuses Closed To May 4 Longview Independent School District will extend the closure of campuses and district offices through Monday, May 4, as the result of a request from Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.

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THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

SPOTTED ON SOCI AL

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020 RENT |Continued from page 17 there if you don’t pay,” said Middleton, the southeast director of the affordable housing advocacy organization.

Some cities and counties have opted to ban evictions for even longer than the Texas Supreme Court has ordered.

Austin has instituted a 60-day grace period, and the Dallas City Council may follow suit.

Page 19

Earlier this month, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins halted evictions through May 18. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo suspended them through the end of March and signaled she was prepared to extend the ban past April 20 if the state didn’t act first.

But an eviction moratorium isn’t a cure-all. Tenants are still worried about racking up late fees in the meantime and hav-

ing to back pay several months of rent when the state and city orders lift.

Whether the Supreme Court, city councils and county judges can go beyond eviction moratoriums and forgive owed rent is unsettled, but that is likely beyond their authority. Austin City Council member Greg Casar said in a tweet that although “the City, by law, cannot waive rent

agreed to in a private contract,” there are other remedies available.

“The new law buys everyone valuable time,” Casar tweeted, referring to Austin’s grace period. “In 60 days, some families will recover. Others won’t.

That’s why we’re working on a big rental assistance program in coming days to support the new law [and] fight to ensure no one loses their home.”

Agency launched the Texas Students MealFinder Map with a list of local education agency facilities serving meals in their communities. The map includes the address of each facility and dates and times meals will be served.

MEDICAL SERVICES The Texas Association of Community Health Centers has a website where people can search for community health centers, health center networks and other providers serving the uninsured in Texas. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, many centers are asking patients to call first before coming in.

Texans can call 2-1-1 and select option 6 for questions about symptoms, travel concerns, unemployment insurance, emergency food assistance, city and state orders, and more. Various counties across Texas also have websites with public health

information and local hotlines for COVID-19 questions and virtual screenings.

The American Red Cross is facing a blood shortage, and it is strongly urging people to give blood due to cancellations of blood drives across the state.

People can sign up to give at various locations in Texas here.

EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES Texans whose employment has been affected by the new Coronavirus can apply for benefits using Unemployment Benefits Services or call 800939-6631 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays for assistance.

Texas small-businesses owners can access long-term, low-interest loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s economic injury disaster loan program. Texans can visit the SBA’s website to apply for loans.

OTHER RESOURCES Comcast is providing free Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots around the nation. People can find hotspots here and then select the “xfinitywifi” network. Charter Communications is also providing free Wi-Fi hotspots and broadband to students without a subscription until April 6.

Students can enroll by calling 844-488-8395.

Aunt Bertha is a nationwide website with a searchable index of a variety of free support services, such as food banks and health care. Texans can search for services in their area by typing in their ZIP code.

Need Help Paying Bills has a list of organizations on its website offering housing support or eviction prevention services throughout the state of Texas, including emergency housing and homeless shelters.

HELP |Continued from page 11 providing free meals for people and asking for donations and volunteers as they face a significant increase in demand. Texans also have access to a variety of other resources, including free internet and housing support. Here’s a list.

MEALS Texans who meet certain income eligibility guidelines can apply for various federal benefit programs. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides money for food, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children provides resources for pregnant women and people with children younger than 5.

Feeding Texas has a website where people can find 21 member food banks that can provide free groceries and a place to sign up for SNAP benefits. The organization is also asking for donations for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, and local organizations are looking for volunteers, food donations and monetary donations.

Local chapters of the Salvation Army in Texas are also offering a variety of services, including shelter, addiction services and curbside pickup for groceries. Texans can donate directly to the Salvation Army Texas on its website or to their local chapters, which can be found here.

The Meals on Wheels Texas website allows Texans to search for local Meals on Wheels chapters that are providing meals to elderly individuals that can be picked up or home delivered. Local chapters are also looking for volunteers and certain items to be donated. Specific needs can be found on the local chapters’ websites.

Little Free Pantry is a nationwide network of local pantries providing food and resources to people experiencing food insecurity. Texans can find a map of pantries in their area here or list their own pantry if they would like to start one.

The Texas Education

Page 20

THE LONGVIEW VOICE — April 3, 2020

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