COVID-19 Resources

Return to in-person, face-to-face instruction for 21-22 school year *8/9/21 Update

After the change in COVID-19 related guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) at the end of the week, last week, I wanted to let you know that Mission CISD is keeping all planned protocols in place.

We will notify parents and staff members when a person confirmed with COVID-19 has been on campus.

We will continue to conduct contact tracing if there is a positive COVID-19 case, in conjunction with the County officials.

As the first day of school on August 16 begins to get closer, we look forward to safely welcoming our students as we return to in-person, face-to-face instruction. The Texas Legislature did not approve a bill that would have provided funding for school districts to offer a remote learning option. That is why we can only provide in-person, face-to-face instruction for students this year.

The state is now allowing for up to 20 days of online instruction for students who have to quarantine due to COVID-19. During the stay-at-home period, the school system may deliver remote instruction consistent with the practice of remote conferencing outlined in the proposed Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH) rules, as described here

The first line of defense begins at home

We ask that parents screen students daily for fever and other symptoms of COVID-19 before leaving home. If your child is not feeling well, has symptoms or a temperature, we ask that you keep your child home and see your doctor.

Face Masks Are Required *8/13/2021 Update

Protocol for individuals who are test-confirmed to have COVID-19

Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, or displayed symptoms consistent with COVID-19, will be required to quarantine.

Any individuals who themselves either:

(a) are test-confirmed to have COVID-19; or

(b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until the school district screens the individual to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:

In the case of an individual who is symptomatic and is diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:
1. at least one day (24 hours) has passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
2. the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
3. at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

Medical clearance may be requested depending on the facts of each particular case.

Who needs to quarantine

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 must quarantine.

Close contact is defined as:

being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on); or
being within 6 feet for a total of approximately 15 minutes throughout the course of a day; however, additional factors like case/contact masking (i.e., both the infectious individual and the potential close contact have been consistently and properly masked), ventilation, presence of dividers, vaccination status, prior infection status, and case symptomology may affect this determination.

To help mitigate the risk of asymptomatic individuals being on campuses, parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period. Although the TEA gives parents the option, Mission CISD will strongly recommend that close contacts stay home.

Quarantine procedures for unvaccinated individuals *8/15/2021 Update

Parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may opt to keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period. Parents opting out of quarantine for their child must contact the school nurse prior to returning on campus.

Unvaccinated individuals who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 must be quarantined for 10 days.

For individuals who are determined to be close contacts, a 14-day stay-at-home period was previously advised by the CDC based on the incubation period of the virus. CDC has since updated their guidance, and the stay-at-home period can end for students and staff experiencing no symptoms on Day 10 after close contact exposure, if no subsequent COVID-19 testing is performed.

Alternately, students and staff can end the stay-at-home period if they receive a negative result from a PCR acute infection test after the close contact exposure ends.

They should regularly monitor themselves for symptoms to ensure they remain symptom-free and take appropriate precautions (e.g., more consistent mask usage) for the duration of the 14-day incubation period.

During the stay-at-home period, the school district will deliver remote instruction consistent with the practice of remote conferencing for quarantined students.

Quarantine procedures for fully vaccinated individuals *8/15/21 Update

Parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may opt to keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period. Parents opting out of quarantine for their child must contact the school nurse prior to returning on campus.

As per CDC, fully vaccinated individuals that have a close contact exposure will not be quarantined if they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Fully vaccinated people should be PCR tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Mask use in public and indoor settings is strongly recommended for 14 days or until they receive a negative PCR test result.

Fully vaccinated people should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure.

Although the risk that fully vaccinated people could become infected with COVID-19 is low, any fully vaccinated person who experiences symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested.

Fully vaccinated individuals must have had their second dose two weeks prior to the exposure.

During the stay-at-home period, the school district will deliver remote instruction consistent with the practice of remote conferencing for quarantined students.

No-Cost COVID-19 Testing - New Location: Central Office Parking Lot 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Notification to parents and staff of COVID-19 cases on campus will continue

Mission CISD will continue to be transparent and will continue to send notices to parents and staff regarding any positive cases of COVID-19 on campus, as we did as students started to return to class last school year.

Masks will be required on school buses *8/10/21 update

Mission CISD will require all students who ride a school bus, to wear a face mask. This in following federal orders, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any student boarding a school bus that does not have a face mask, will be provided one to wear. Bus drivers and staff must also wear a mask while on school buses.

TEA allows for up to 20 days of online instruction for students who have to quarantine due to COVID-19.

The Texas Education Agency will be proposing changes to the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook to add certain flexibility to rules describing Remote Conferencing.

Remote Conferencing is a mechanism by which remote instruction can be provided, but was previously available only upon issuance of a waiver requested for each individual student. In order to allow school systems to begin implementing changes in practice to align with the new rule (which, when adopted, would apply to the entirety of the
2021-22 school year), the relevant portion of the proposed rule language is provided below.

TEA Remote Conferencing Frequently Asked Questions Document

Return to In-Person Plan Document (Detailed)

Mission CISD has developed a Return to In-Person and Instructional Continuity Plan.

The purpose of this document is to outline operational protocols and procedures that will allow for the continued safety of students and staff during the 2021-2022 school year while mitigating spread of COVID-19. This plan is a requirement of accepting and utilizing ESSER III funding provided by the federal government through the US Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. MCISD will follow all local, state, and federal health guidelines including those issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

On August 19, 2021, the Texas Education Agency provided new Public Health Orders.
Public Health Guidance (PDF) August 19 2021

As per the August 19th guidance, TEA states:

Students Who Are Close Contacts
As a reference, close contact determinations are generally based on guidance outlined by the CDC, which notes that individuals who are fully vaccinated may not need to follow the stay-at-home period.

If school systems are made aware that a student is a close contact, the school system must notify the student’s parents.

Parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may opt to keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period. Parents who opt to send their children to school in the two weeks following exposure are encouraged to closely monitor their children for symptoms.

For individuals who are determined to be close contacts, a 14-day stay-at-home period was previously advised by the CDC based on the incubation period of the virus. CDC has since updated their guidance, and the stay-at-home period can end for students experiencing no symptoms on Day 10 after close contact exposure, if no subsequent COVID-19 testing is performed. Alternately, students can end the stay-at-home period if they receive a negative result from a PCR acute infection

Staff Who Have COVID-19 or Who are Close Contacts
Similar to students, school systems must exclude staff from attending school in person who are actively sick with COVID-19, who are suspected of being actively sick with COVID-19, or who have received a positive test result for COVID-19. Staff may return when the re-entry conditions have been met, as described in the DSHS rule used for students.

For staff who are not fully vaccinated who meet the close contact threshold with a COVID-19 positive individual, it is recommended that the staff remain off campus during the stay-at-home period. For staff who meet the close contact threshold with a COVID-19 positive individual, if these staff continue to work on campus, rapid testing must be performed at the start of the day, at least once every other day until the end of day 10.

Learn more about our no-cost COVID-19 testing sites!

The district has partnered with Goodside Health to make it possible for your child to be treated under the care of a pediatrician or pediatric specialized provider right in the school nurse’s office through two-way video conference. It’s like a visit to your pediatrician’s office without leaving school!

Learn more and register at https://goodsidehealth.com/register

Mission CISD uses high-tech, electrostatic disinfection units in schools and school buses

These germ fighting tools are an important part of the regular cleaning and disinfecting that happens in Mission CISD facilities. They use electrodes to introduce an attractive charge and atomizes the Clorox sanitizing/disinfecting solutions that are used. The charged particles are attracted to surfaces in a way that allows the solution to reach and wrap around surfaces. Read more about it here.

Safety Protocols on School Buses *8/10/21 Update

Buses will be running at capacity. We are implementing several safety measures for school buses such as:

cleaning and disinfecting between routes using e-mist and other disinfecting products
students will be assigned seats to assist with contact tracing, if needed
hand sanitizer is available on all buses
students in the same household will be allowed to sit together
our students, drivers and employees will wear masks on buses
the air filters on our buses are replaced weekly and are effective against COVID-19 viral particles that are captured by the filter
we will open bus windows a small amount to increase the amount of fresh air intake in conjunction with the air conditioning system.

New touchless water fountains installed district-wide!

Our maintenance department has been busy installing brand new touchless water fountains throughout the district. Students and staff will be provided with a re-fillable water bottle for their own personal use. Parents are advised to sanitize the refillable water bottles frequently.