Some face-to-face classes are gradually returning to South Texas College this summer after integration of federal, state and county safety protocols. STC will begin in-person courses for select programs and will continue for summer courses which officially begin on June 1.
STC is currently open for its police and fire academies at the Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence. Throughout the week of April 27, nearly 200 students were completing the hands-on component of their courses at RCPSE.
The college has also began face to face instruction with welding courses at its Starr, Technology and Mid Valley Campuses by appointment only. STC was able to accommodate 107 welding students throughout the week at its Technology Campus in McAllen. The Starr County campus welding lab instructed 27 students while 17 welding students attended Mid Valley.
Summer sessions will be mostly online with a limited face-to-face instructional activities. Although most instruction will take place in an online format, some Nursing and Allied Health courses require in-person labs. Skills and simulations, as well as clinical participation, will take place on designated days and times following safety guidelines.
STC will still be ensuring it is following local, state and federal guidelines for scheduled appointments. This includes no more than 10 people per group, social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment.
“At this point, we understand the importance of continuing to train students who are entering essential service career fields,” said Sara Lozano, point of contact for STC’s Division of Business, Public Safety and Technology. “We value our staff and students at South Texas College, so necessary protocols have been implemented to ensure we can continue with our educational learning without compromising anyone’s safety.”