Released 7/27/20
Revised 6/7/21
Revised 8/9/21
Revised 9/7/21

I hope you have enjoyed a safe and restful summer. As we approach the start of the 2021-2022 school year, I assure you that Cypress-Fairbanks ISD remains committed to providing a safe learning environment for all of our students and staff. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) believes that “everything possible must be done to keep students in schools in-person.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) echoed that opinion, recommending that “children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.” Although the state has not funded a virtual learning option for the 2021-2022 school year, we recognize that our K-6 students are not yet eligible for vaccinations. Therefore, we will offer a temporary virtual learning option for students in grades K-6.

Per Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order, face masks cannot be mandated for students and staff. However, CDC’s guidance recommends universal masking of all individuals in K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Although face masks are optional for all students and staff, after visiting with our local hospitals, at this time, I strongly encourage everyone to wear face masks while indoors on our campuses.

Medical experts from hospitals in our community have all shared with us that the keys for a successful start to the 2021-2022 school year will be vaccines, staying home when sick, wearing masks, and good hand hygiene. We look forward to opening our doors and safely welcoming every student back to classrooms on Monday, Aug. 23.

Mark Henry, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

DETAILS

• This will be a temporary option available for students in kindergarten through grade six at least through the first marking period and will be reevaluated and extended as necessary until a vaccine is authorized for children under the age of 12. Once a vaccine is widely available the virtual option will no longer be offered.
• Students will engage in virtual learning via the Schoology platform and receive direct virtual teacher-led instruction.
• Students opting for virtual learning will not be allowed to participate in extracurricular and other on-campus activities.
• Students will remain enrolled at their home campus, and will be served by CFISD teachers and staff. Teachers providing virtual instruction will be solely dedicated to students learning virtually. No teacher will be assigned to teach virtual and in-person at the same time.
• Families must complete the virtual application by Thursday, Aug. 12 at 8 a.m.
  
  

RESOURCES

CFISD Temporary Virtual Learning Handbook

CFISD Temporary Virtual Learning FAQs

CFISD health and safety protocols are subject to change as updated guidance is provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), governing authorities, and county and state officials. 

PREVENTION

Self-Monitoring

• Students, staff and visitors must screen daily (prior to entering a school bus or school) for symptoms of COVID-19. If symptoms are experienced, individuals must not report to school or work until evaluated by a licensed healthcare provider.
  
  
• Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
  
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Loss of taste/smell
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Fever at or above 100°F
  • Vomiting/diarrhea

Quarantine and Isolation

• Students who show symptoms of COVID-19 at school will be evaluated by the nurse and will be excluded in accordance with CFISD communicable disease exclusion criteria.
• Students or staff members who have been in close contact (within 3-6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or more) with someone who has COVID-19 should consider quarantining unless fully vaccinated or recovered from a COVID-19 illness within the last 90 days.  See “Recommended Close Contact Quarantine Protocol”.
• Students or staff members who test positive for COVID-19 must meet established criteria as stated in the “Isolation and Readmission Criteria Protocol” before returning to school or work.

Vaccines

According to the CDC, vaccination is currently the leading public health strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

• CFISD will continue to offer vaccine opportunities and encourage staff and age-eligible students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. See a list of area vaccine providers and educational resources.

Masks

Per Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order, face masks cannot be mandated in schools; however, the CDC recommends universal masking of all individuals in K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.

• Face masks are optional for all CFISD students and staff.
• Face masks must meet the “Student Code of Conduct” and dress code requirements.
• Bus drivers will provide disposable masks to students upon request.
• Parents of students in grades Pre-K through five may request that their child be placed with other masked students in classrooms and other common areas, such as large group areas, cafeterias, playgrounds, and buses, to the extent feasible. Requests should be made to campus administration.
• Parents of students in grades six through twelve should direct any request for special accommodations to the campus administration. Requested accommodations will be considered and made to the extent feasible.

MITIGATION

Testing

• See a list of area testing sites that offer free or low cost COVID-19 tests.
• To help mitigate the risk of asymptomatic individuals being on campuses, CFISD may provide and/or conduct recurring COVID-19 testing using rapid tests provided by the state or other sources.

General

• To promote good hand hygiene, all campuses have soap dispensers in all restrooms and hand sanitizer dispensers in all classrooms, building and cafeteria entrances, and buses.
• Students, staff and parents will frequently be reminded of good hygiene practices, including frequent and thorough handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and covering coughs and sneezes. See “Hand Hygiene Protocol”.

Disinfection

• High touch surfaces, buses, classrooms, restrooms, gyms, locker rooms, and other areas will be disinfected with a hospital-grade/EPA-registered disinfectant nightly and throughout the day as needed.
• The cafeteria will be disinfected with a hospital-grade/EPA-registered disinfectant after each lunch period. Students will throw their trash away.

Ventilation

• To reduce contaminants in the air in all district facilities, CFISD has increased the introduction of outside air, improved air filtration, increased airflow, and ensured ventilation systems are cleaned and operating properly.  
• The scheduled start time was moved to 3 hours before school begins to bring more treated outdoor air into all facilities.
• The HVAC department regularly inspects all outdoor air dampers to make sure they are open and cleaned and sanitizes all air handler coil surfaces and drain pans on a regular schedule.  
• The temperature set point at all facilities has been lowered and MERV 13 filters have been installed in units capable of accommodating increased filtration as recommended by the CDC.
• District facilities have between six and eight air changes every hour ensuring clean air in district facilities.

Social Distancing

• Each campus will develop systems for social distancing students in classrooms, hallways, and common areas to the extent feasible.
  
  

RESPONSE

If an individual who has been in a school is confirmed to have COVID-19:

• The following notification procedures will be followed:
  
  • Campus: Notification letters will be sent to parents regarding confirmed cases by class, extracurricular activity, and/or before or after school program.
  • District: Daily case counts will be posted on the COVID-19 Dashboard.
  • County: Harris County Public Health will be notified when a student/staff is confirmed with COVID-19.
  • State: By 5:00 p.m. each Monday, the COVID-19 Public School Case Report form will be submitted to the Texas Education Agency with positive case notifications from the prior Monday through Sunday for students/staff who were on a campus within 48 hours of symptom development or positive testing.

CFISD uses SchoolMessenger for student and staff emergency notifications. If you are not currently receiving emails or text messages (text Y to 67587) from CFISD, please contact your campus registrar to confirm your contact information.