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The Port Arthur Independent School District announced Wednesday evening that the 2020-21 academic year would start as online only for at least four weeks and possibly longer.

Effective immediately, the district will provide instruction remotely for all students beginning Aug. 18 for the first four weeks of the school year.

The four-week transitional period, from Aug. 18 to Sept. 11, or longer, will provide the district additional time to safely prepare for in-person instruction. Students will receive instruction through the Schoology platform.

“In the interest of safety, children and non-employees will not be granted access to any of our facilities during this time,” a District statement read.

“In-person learning will become available on September 14th, for those that chose in-person instruction during the online student registration period, pending improvement in local public health conditions and guidance from local, state, and federal public health officials. Those that choose remote instruction will have to wait until the culmination of the nine-week period before they can change to in-person instruction.”

The safety and security of students and staff are of the utmost importance, and flattening the curve is something all community members should be doing, district officials said.

Effective Thursday, the campus registrars will be available Monday through Thursday from 8 to 5 p.m. to give parents snap codes to complete online student registration.

The telephone numbers are posted on the main page of the PAISD website.

The online registration support line will be available Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 409-989-6154.

In order to receive an online learning device, students must be registered by July 31.