SAN ANTONIO – Southside ISD has been helping students during the coronavirus pandemic by providing meals and Chromebooks for online learning.
More than 85 percent of students in the district are economically disadvantaged, according to the Texas Education Agency.
A district spokesperson said the district has been helping students as much as possible.
According to district officials, more than 40,000 meals were served from spring break to April 10. Starting Monday, the district will begin serving dinner to students.
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The district said it has received 500 WiFi hotspots that will be distributed for families.
“I can see definitely in the future the need to integrate the instruction in technology into our traditional classrooms and making that available, make that a mainstay, because it is going to enhance instruction,” said Southside High School Principal Demetria Sance.
Sherly Martinez said her children who attend Southside ISD schools have been receiving the meals and are thankful for the resources.
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“I didn’t know that there would be so much people working together to help the community and the kids,” Martinez said.
The district will remain closed through at least May 4.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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