HCISD Returns to School - 2022-2023 School Year

HCISD RETURNS TO SCHOOL 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

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ACADEMIC CALENDAR

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SUPERINTENDENT’S LETTER

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INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD

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DISTRICT SAFETY PROTOCOLS

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HEALTH SERVICES

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SCHOOL FACILITIES

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CHILD NUTRITION

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STUDENT TRANSPORTATION

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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

2022-2023 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

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SUPERINTENDENT’S LETTER Dear Families, As we approach the start of the 2022-2023 school year, we’re excited to welcome back our students and eager to help them along their educational journey. I want to share some important information with you about the health and safety protocols in your child’s school—and every school—for the upcoming year.

While we continue to carefully monitor a constantly changing health landscape, one thing remains steadfast: our commitment to the health and safety of our students, teachers, and staff. This priority is the foundation of all of our policies moving into the 2022-2023 school year.

The HCISD Return to School Plan outlines the strategies our district will implement to reduce the spread of COVID-19 amongst students and staff upon the opening of our schools. A safe return to in-person instruction will require a commitment to health and safety each and every day at school and at home. Please take the time to familiarize yourself and your student(s) with the safety protocols that will need to be followed.

DR. ALICIA NOYOLA Superintendent of Schools

If you have any questions regarding your student and school, please contact their teacher or principal. As always, thank you for your trust and support and for choosing to be part of the HCISD family.

Be well and be safe,

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INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD

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All instruction will be delivered in a traditional classroom setting with safety protocols in place.

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Students will receive 100% real time instruction following a regular class schedule

DISTRICT SAFETY PROTOCOLS • HCISD will prioritize student and staff well-being, health, and safety by continued implementation of the following protocols: - Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting The district will continue with the daily

cleaning of all facilities with special

attention to specific high touch areas.

Daily cleaning will include the safest and

most effective products.

The district will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and recommendations to ensure we implement the safest and most current practices for the cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting of all facilities.

- The wearing of masks is a highly recommended practice for all.

- Social distancing practices will be implemented to the greatest extent possible.

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HEALTH SERVICES

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Campus nurses continue to play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of our school community.

- They will continue to educate our students and staff about:

- Proper handwashing techniques

- Social distancing best practices

- Symptom identification and monitoring

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- They will also continue to abide by and ensure essential safety protocols, including:

- Health screenings

- Hand sanitation

- Sanitation of frequently touched surfaces

- Social distancing practices •

HCISD parents and family members also play a crucial role in keeping our students safe. Prior to sending students to school, screen them for fever or other symptoms. If they, or anyone in their household, is exhibiting any symptoms, please keep them home. Symptoms include: - Cough, sore throat, fever or chills, diarrhea, muscle or body aches, headache, fatigue,

congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, new loss of taste or smell, shortness of

breath or difficulty breathing, temperature of 100° F or higher • Campus nurses will address any illness by screening students for symptoms. The nurse will:

- Call the parent

- Monitor fever and/or other symptoms

- Provide the parent with a medical referral, as appropriate - Any individuals who themselves either: Are test-confirmed to have COVID-19; or experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home throughout the infection period and cannot return to campus until the school nurse screens the individual to determine if 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:

⊲ At least one day (24 hours) has passed without a fever and without the use of

fever-reducing medications; ⊲ The individual has improvement in symptoms; and ⊲ At least 5 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

• In the case of an individual that is asymptomatic but has received a positive COVID-19 test result, the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has met the same criteria listed above, with the 5-day period beginning the day after the positive test result.

• In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has met the same criteria listed above.

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HEALTH SERVICES

COVID-19 Case Notifications Consistent with school notifications requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, schools will immediately notify all teachers, staff, and families if a test-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among any individual who was physically present in the school facility. The notification cannot include names or identifying details since we are bound by privacy requirements. Upon receipt of information that an individual was physically present on school premises and is test-confirmed to have COVID-19, the school will notify the school community and submit required reports to local and state health authorities.

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COVID-19 Case Exposure If a test-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified and that individual was physically present in the school building or on school premises, at school related events or extracurricular activities, contact tracing to assess exposure of individuals that were near the positive case may be immediately conducted by the campus.

- Who needs to be quarantined (per the CDC)?

• If no symptoms and fully vaccinated, or those who have recovered from COVID-19 in

the last 90 days

⊲ No quarantine required ⊲ Exposed individual should wear a mask, at all times, for 10 days from date of

last exposure • If no symptoms and not fully vaccinated ⊲ Option 1 • Opt to stay at school • Should wear mask, at all times, for 10 days after exposure ⊲ Option 2 • Quarantine for five days • May return on day 6 in no symptoms • Should wear mask, at all times, for 10 days after exposure • If fully vaccinated or not fully vaccinated ⊲ Option 1 • Complete 5-day isolation • Return on day 6 if no symptoms or improvement of symptoms, and fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication ⊲ Option 2 • Return after receiving negative COVID test and note of clearance from physician or healthcare provider • Return on day 6 if no symptoms or improvement of symptoms, and fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication - Full vaccination status defined as: • For ages 5-17, student has received 2-dose series of approved COVID-19 vaccine • For ages 18 and older:

⊲ Individual has received mRNA booster, OR ⊲ Individual has completed primary series of Moderna or Pfizer in the last 6

months, OR ⊲ Individual has received Johnson and Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months

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SCHOOL FACILITIES

• Maintaining a safe and clean learning environment for our students and staff will continue to be the top priority. We have implemented several practices to ensure a safe environment.

Installation and maintenance of numerous hand sanitizing stations throughout campus facilities and classrooms.

Desk shields will be available upon request for all students at the elementary and secondary level Water filling stations have been installed throughout the schools and will be available for student usage.

All school facilities will be completely cleaned and disinfected every day.

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CHILD NUTRITION

• HCISD will continue to ensure we can safely provide meals in a safe and clean environment.

- During the Day

Social distancing, to the greatest extent possible, will be observed.

- Food Deliveries

Food deliveries by parents will be

allowed as in years past.

- Packed Lunches

Students will be allowed to bring packed lunches.

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STUDENT TRANSPORTATION

• School buses will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized daily, between routes, and at the end of the day using sanitizing products with residual technologies • While Riding the Bus - Every school bus has hand sanitizing dispensers.

- Students will be encouraged to sanitize their hands when entering and exiting the school bus.

- Students will be encouraged to sit as far apart as possible given the number of students.

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EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

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HCISD will allow all extracurricular activities during the 2022-2023 school year.

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Safety guidelines will align with those of HCISD, the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and local and state health officials.

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