When Brazos ISD students resume school following winter break, they will no longer have the option to enroll in remote instruction.

Superintendent Brian Thompson announced last Tuesday the district will discontinue its virtual program. In a letter to district families, Thompson said beginning Jan. 6, families can either “return to school for face-to-face instruction, enroll in a private school, withdraw to a homeschool program or transfer to another school district that offers remote instruction.”

Thompson said pandemic protocols will remain in place but explained the adjustment was made in part to allow faculty’s focus to fall solely on the in-person instruction.

“The effort required of our teachers and administrators will no longer be divided by the requirements of offering remote learning,” the letter reads. “This does not apply to a student that is quarantined due to COVID-19 or has a positive COVID-19 test. We will offer instruction support just as we would for any other illness.”

The superintendent reiterated he was not making decisions for parents but wanted families to choose the best option for them personally.

“Please prepare to make a decision that best suits your family. I am not mandating that your family chooses to return to school. Yet, I am suggesting that you make a decision that continues to provide the appropriate needs of your children,” the letter says. “We believe that nothing replaces a strong connection between our teachers and our students.”

At the beginning of last week, Brazos ISD was down to one active case of COVID-19 after cases spiked in November. As of Monday, the number of active cases had risen again to nine.