Posted Date: 08/11/2020
Jefferson ISD COVID-19 Prevention, Mitigation, and Response Procedures
August 3, 2020
Dear Parent/Guardian,
As we plan for returning to school, we recognize that this will be an unusual school year, but we remain committed to supporting your student’s learning, as well as his or her safety.
This document outlines the procedures our campuses will have in place to prevent or mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to respond if a positive case is identified. We hope this transparency helps you to make a decision about your student’s on-campus attendance.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can infect people of all ages. That said, research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), among others, has found that while children do get infected by COVID-19 and some severe outcomes have been reported in children, relatively few children with COVID-19 are hospitalized or have severe symptoms. For many children, there are distinct benefits to attending school in person, including instructional, social, and safety benefits. For these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics has made a statement supporting on-campus instruction for students in the coming year.
While it is not possible to eliminate all risk of furthering the spread of COVID-19, the current science suggests there are many steps schools can take to reduce the risks to students, teachers, staff, and their families significantly. The JISD strategy for opening and operating is outlined below. A more detailed plan, along with other information, can be found on our district website at www.jeffersonisd.org by clicking on the “Back To School 2020” link.
To prevent COVID-positive individuals from entering our campuses, your student’s school will have the following COVID-19 symptom screening procedures in place:
COVID-19 symptoms include: Fever (Should get a temperature check to determine if temperature is equal to or greater than 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit)
Cough
Difficulty breathing /Shortness of breath
Headache
Chills/Shaking/Shivering
Sore throat
Significant muscle pain or ache
Diarrhea
Loss of smell or taste
Criteria for Return to School
Conditions for return to school after an individual shows symptoms or gets a positive test result:
Either:
Or:
Or:
Mitigation
Our district will be taking the following steps across each of our campuses to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Close contact is defined as: a. being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on); or
b. being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes; (If either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time the infected person was infectious).
Individuals are presumed infectious at least two days prior to symptom onset or, in the case of asymptomatic individuals who are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, two days prior to the confirming lab test.
**Individuals who have had “close contact” with an infected person should contact the school to inform them of such and should not enter school facilities, use school transportation, or attend any school related function for the duration of a 14-day incubation period.
Response
In the event of a COVID-positive case on campus, the campus will take the following steps:
We hope that this information gives you confidence in our systems/protocols and our ability to help stop the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a school administrator at 903-665-2461. Again, your patience and diligence are greatly appreciated. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you. Thank you for what you do.
Sincerely,
Rob Barnwell
Superintendent