Several North Texas school districts made the decision to temporarily close some of their campuses Monday after COVID-19 cases in the districts continued to rise. NBC 5’s Ben Russell explains.
Several North Texas school districts made the decision to temporarily close some of their campuses after COVID-19 cases in the districts continued to rise.
Dallas ISD
F.P. Caillet Elementary School will remain closed to in-person instruction through Nov. 17. The campus was closed Monday, Nov. 8 after several staff members tested positive for COVID-19, administrators announced in a letter to parents.
For families who are interested, the district planned to offer free rapid testing to students at Caillet from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 16. Further information would be provided to parents.
Cedar Hill ISD
Administration staff members at Cedar Hill High School were sent into quarantine until further notice after a staffer tested positive for COVID-19, the district said.
Plummer Elementary will move to 100% online flex learning for students and staff from Nov. 16 to 20, the district announced Nov. 13. The district said there is an increase in the number of staff exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms and the campus has had some staff and students in quarantine because of close contact with a COVID-19-positive person.
Coppell ISD
Coppell ISD announced Nov. 11 that two campuses — Coppell High School and Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus — would move to remote learning from Nov. 12 through Nov. 18 with the exception of makeup volleyball games and an outdoor band competition. The decision was made because of high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and quarantined students and staff, the district said.
In-person learning will resume Nov. 19.
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Chisolm Trail High School in the Eagle Mountain Saginaw Independent School District will close for the rest of the week after more than 450 students and staff members were deemed "close contacts" of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, according to a letter from the district to families.
The district wrote there were 26 positive coronavirus cases at the high school and 458 people considered close contacts, including 39 teachers or staff.
The school will move to remote learning Tuesday and students who selected in-person learning will be able to return to campus Monday, the letter said.
Greenville ISD
Greenville ISD announced Nov. 16 that it would close all district facilities through the end of the week due to COVID-19 cases and exposures that forced more than 10% of its students and staff into quarantine.
The district said it did not have enough staff members and substitutes to continue in-person instruction.
Greenville ISD is scheduled to go on Thanksgiving break next week, so by "not congregating on campuses for the next two weeks," the district said it hoped to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Krum ISD
Three schools in the Krum Independent School District switched to remote learning Nov. 10.
The district's Early Education Center, Hattie Dyer Elementary School and Krum High School will go virtual through Thanksgiving, with students allowed back on campus Nov. 30, according to the district's website.
"During this time, please remember to stay socially distanced from individuals who do not reside within your home. These actions are being taken by the district in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 on the EEC, Dyer, and KHS campuses," the district's letter to families read. "Please know that this decision was not made lightly, but we feel it is necessary in order to protect the health of all involved."
Students at Blanche Dodd Elementary School went virtual days after the initial announcement, leaving Krum Middle School as the district's only campus to continue in person as of Nov. 16.
According to the district's COVID-19 dashboard, through Monday there were 30 active cases at Krum High School, five at Krum Middle School, 13 at Hattie Dyer Elementary, three at Blanche Dodd Elementary and nine at the Krum Early Education Center.
Plano ISD
Jackson Elementary School in Plano ISD switched to remote learning for the week of Nov. 16-20 due to an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
With students on Thanksgiving break next week, students will return to campus, Nov. 30, the district said.
Plano ISD said the decision was made in conjunction with Collin County Health and Human Services.
Sanger ISD
Sanger High and Middle schools will be closed for two weeks after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases there.
District officials made the announcement Nov. 9, saying positive cases of COVID-19 were still prevalent among the student populations at the high school and middle school campuses.
The district closed its high school campus Nov. 5-6 due to the coronavirus as well.
During the closure, students will access the learning platform from home, missing no instructional time.
Students will return to in-person learning on Nov. 30.
The district said it would provide hot-spots for any student who may not have internet access.
All UIL competitions will continue as scheduled.
Sanger ISD's middle school and high school are the only two campuses impacted by the closure. All other campuses will remain open.
