ESSER Funding
Gateway Charter Academy Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER)
Expenditure Synopsis:
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund) was signed into law on March 20, 2021. The purpose of the grant is to provide local education agencies with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
This grant program authorizes activities in three broad areas including: providing students with a well-rounded education, supporting safe and healthy students, and supporting the effective use of technology. In accordance with the guidelines of the grant, GCA’s primary purpose is to increase academic achievement in a safe and supportive environment.
Utilization of the funds included, but is not limited to the following:
- Supplies for teachers, staff, and students
- Improvement of technology resources and technology integration into the curriculum
- Ensuring a safe, clean, and sanitary school environment
- Salaries for highly effective teachers and staff
GCA ISD, in consultation with stakeholders, has identified three priority areas for the use of the ESSER III funds.
These areas are:
* Improving Student Learning Needs
*Increasing Campus Technology and Broadband Connectivity
*Health and Safety Enhancements
Click Here to Access ESSER III Use of Funds Plan, Haga clic aquí para acceder al Plan de uso de fondos de ESSER III.
Gateway Charter Academy’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan will be reviewed and revised as needed, at least every six months, until Sept. 30, 2023. This process will include stakeholder input provided by district leadership, stakeholder surveys, and our District Improvement Committee. Your input will be considered during reviews of the plan.
If you would like to provide feedback on the plans or input to be considered during the periodic review of the plans, please click HERE
i desea proporcionar comentarios sobre los planes actual o comentarios que se considerarán durante la revisión periódica de los planes, haga clic aquí
Gateway Charter Academy Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Maintaining Health and Safety
Overview of ESSER Requirements
The district’s plan includes how it will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other school and LEA staff, and the extent to which it has adopted policies or practices and a description of any such policies or practices, on CDC safety recommendations.
Description of maintaining health and safety
Gateway Charter Academy will continue to follow the recommendations and guidance by the SC DHEC and CDC. We anticipate many changes/revisions/modifications to these health and safety protocols for the 2021- 2022 school year as we continue to utilize practical measures to provide the safest situation possible for our students and employees.
Click here to access the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan.
Haga clic aquí para acceder al Plan de Regreso Seguro a la Instrucción en Persona y Continuidad de Servicios en español.
The District has created its plan in an understandable and uniform format.
GCA,s plan is, to the extent practicable, written in a language that parents can understand, or if not practicable, orally translated.
The District will, upon request by a parent who is an individual with a disability, provide the plan in an alternative format accessible to that parent.
The District will periodically review and revise its plan as needed, at least every six months.
GCA Six Month Meaningful Consultation
- Preliminary Plan
- ESSER III Use of Funds Survey Results & Preliminary Plan - May 25,2021
- Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Plan - Initial Plan posted on June 1, 2021
The District Improvement Planning Committee reviewed the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan. GCA- DIPC-Agenda December 2021 and District Improvement Committee Attendance Sheet - December 2021
- Review #2: May/June 2022
- The District Improvement Planning Committee reviewed the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan.
GCA-DIPC Agenda – May/June 2022 and District Improvement Committee Attendance Sheet - May-June 2022
- A meeting occurred with GCA High School Student Groups to seek input on the plan as well.
- Review #3: November 29, 2022
- The District Improvement Planning Committee reviewed the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan.
GCA- DIPC Agenda – Nov/Dec 2022 and District Improvement Committee Attendance Sheet - November- 2022
Gateway Charter Academy will continue to take appropriate actions to ensure continuity of service to students. These actions will focus on addressing students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental needs. Proposed plans to provide a continuity of services are as follow:
- Increased Counseling
- Summer School will be provided for students who need credit recovery as well as remediation
- Professional Development for Educators
- Increased Special Education Staff
- Behavioral Support Staff
- Increase Response to Intervention Staff
Gateway Charter Academy invited feedback from stakeholders on the district’s plan for funds available to the district from the American Rescue Plan. Input was sought on this plan from all stakeholders including students, parents (families), school and district administrators, special education administrators, teachers, principals, staff, business members, church officials, and community members. Stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English Language Learners, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, migrant students, and other underserved students were included in the planning.
Thursday, December 1, 2022: ESSER/RIPICS Community & School Board Meeting at 6:00PM
Week of November 18, 2022: Parent & Community Survey available
Thursday, August 11, 2022: Initial stakeholder meeting at 6:00PM
ESSER III Plans Stake Holders Sign-In Sheet 8.11.22
Wednesday, May 12, 2022: School Board Meeting: ESSER funding discussion at 6:00PM
Monday, December 6, 2021: ESSER/RIPICS Community Meeting at 6:00PM
Monday, August 16, 2021: School Board Meeting: ESSER funding discussion 6:00PM
Health & Safety Guidelines
Gateway Charter Academy is committed to working with our local health departments to receive information and implement safety protocols that slow the spread of diseases of Covid-19. At Gateway Charter Academy our goal is to keep all school stakeholders informed of all health and safety protocols that will be in place. The safety of students, teachers, and staff physical and mental/emotional health is our foremost priority. During the 2022-23 school year we will advocate hand washing/sanitizing, social distancing as much as possible. We will continue established cleaning protocols, regularly review of CDC guidelines and local health authority guidance.
NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY (NTBHA)
Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas
24/7 Crisis Line (214) 828-1000 or (800) 273-8255
