U p d a t e d A u g u s t 1 3 , 2 0 2 1

READY, SET, GOH I S D 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 2 2 B A C K T O S C H O O L P L A N

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Masks & Face Coverings

Mask Exemptions & Non-Compliance

Continual Self-Monitoring

Vaccinations

COVID-19 Guidelines

COVID-19 Testing

Hygiene

Sanitization & Disinfection

Physical Distancing

School Bus Service

Student Meals

HISD Visitors

Student Uniforms & Dress Code

Attendance & Grades

Athletics, UIL, & Extracurricular Activities

Field Trips

In-Person Gatherings

Out-of-District Travel & Conferences

Closure Plan

Temporary Online Learning

SAFE IN-PERSON LEARNING & WORKING

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• Effective Monday, August 16, masks/face coverings are required to be worn indoors at all HISD schools, facilities, and buildings, regardless of vaccination status, and must cover both the nose and the mouth.*

Indoors

• Masks/face coverings are highly encouraged outdoors.Outdoors

• If a student, employee, or essential visitor does not have a mask, one will be provided upon entry.Visitors

MASKS AND FACE COVERINGS

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*Unless medically unable.

• Parents of students who cannot wear a mask/face covering for medical reasons must provide appropriate documentation from their medical provider. This documentation should be submitted to the school nurse.

MedicalExemptions

• If a student does not have a mask/face covering, one will be provided.

• If a student refuses to wear a mask/face covering, the student will be placed in a separate area, and the parent/caregiver will be contacted.

• Students who continue to refuse to wear a mask/face covering will be directed to stay home and will be counted absent. However, they will be offered temporary online learning.

Student Non-Compliance

MASKS AND FACE COVERINGS NON-COMPLIANCE AND EXEMPTIONS

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• As children younger than 12 are not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, all ES students will have their temperatures taken upon entry to any district campus or facility. This process will be revisited after the first two weeks of school.

Elementary Schools

• As COVID-19 vaccinations are available for students ages 12+, parents and guardians are advised to monitor their children and take temperature checks at home each day before school starts.

Secondary Schools

• All scheduled visitors will have their temperatures taken upon entry to any district campus or facility.Visitors

CONTINUAL SELF-MONITORING

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Students, parents, and visitors are required to self-monitor, and should not enter any district school, facility, or building when sick or exhibiting symptoms of a

recognized communicable disease.

• As of August 2021, people ages 12+ are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which is free and does not require ID or proof of residency, citizenship, or insurance.

Vaccination

• HISD is working closely with health and education professionals as well as the City of Houston. For more information, visit www.HoustonEmergency.org/covid-19-vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccine Access

• HISD Back to School Immunization Clinics will be hosted throughout the City of Houston. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination, students can receive all immunizations required to attend school, including meningitis, chicken pox, Measles, etc.

Immunization Clinics

VACCINATIONS

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• All campuses will have a Student Health Isolation Pod (SHIP), a designated space for students to isolate. This is separate from the school clinic and is reserved for students exhibiting symptoms of a recognized communicable disease* until the parent/caregiver can pick the student up from campus.

On-Campus Isolation

• If a student becomes infected with COVID-19, they must stay home and quarantine for 10 days from the onset of symptoms, notify their campus, and attend temporary online learning as established by their campus.

• Students will not be counted absent if they attend 4 hours of temporary online learning.

Quarantine

COVID-19 GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

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*www.bit.ly/3xBry2A

• The School Nurse or designee will initiate and complete the contact tracing process, documenting exposed, presumed, and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

• All HISD classrooms, buses, and cafeterias will implement assigned seating for students.

Student Contact Tracing

• Parents/caregivers of affected students will receive notifications with next steps on whether their children should quarantine, as well as any other measures that should be taken. If contact tracing next steps indicate that a student should quarantine, the student must stay home and begin temporary online learning.

COVID-19 Notification

Process

COVID-19 GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS, CONT.

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• Testing for COVID-19 provides students, families, and staff with the information needed for a safe and effective return to school. Information about free COVID-19 testing is available through Harris County at www.readyharris.org/Get-Tested.

Free COVID-19

Testing

• HISD encourages all students and staff to participate in COVID-19 screen testing regularly to stay apprised of their status over time. Additionally, HISD strongly recommends immediate screen testing if you are sick or are feeling sick.

Regular Screen Testing

COVID-19 TESTING

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• Individuals are strongly encouraged to routinely wash or sanitize their hands throughout the day, prior to eating, and after each visit to the restroom. Individuals are also encouraged to practice proper respiratory etiquette by covering coughs and sneezes with the inside of the elbow, a tissue, or a mask / face covering.

Handwashing & Respiratory

Etiquette

• Sanitization stations will be maintained at all HISD schools, facilities, and buildings.

Sanitization Stations

HYGIENE

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• All district schools and buildings are cleaned, disinfected, and fogged nightly with hospital-grade products as a precautionary measure.

• Schools and offices also are provided with hand soap, paper towels, tissues, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant.

Sanitization Process

• Air ventilation systems are inspected regularly, with repairs prioritized and filters replaced using the highest-grade allowable.

Air Ventilation Systems

• HISD is reinstating its regular process of cleaning high-touch surfaces (e.g., door handles, water fountains, restrooms) on all campuses. Additionally, all campuses and buildings/facilities will continue to use plexiglass dividers.

Cleaning High-Touch

Surfaces

SANITIZATION & DIS INFECTION

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PHYSICAL DISTANCING

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• While no longer required, physical distancing of at least three (3) feet is encouraged indoors as space allows.Indoors

• Transportation Services is resuming normal operations and bus service at full capacity. Students and bus operators are required to wear a mask/face covering above both the nose and mouth regardless of vaccination status.

Regular Transportation

Operations

• Buses will be cleaned and sanitized regularly with hospital-grade products as a precautionary measure. Each bus will be equipped with hand sanitizer, disinfectant, towels, and first aid supplies.

Cleaning Process

• Assigned seating will be observed on school buses.Assigned Seating

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

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• Breakfast and lunch will be provided in the classroom and cafeteria, respectively, as well as snack and dinner service at select campuses.

• Assigned seating will be observed in the cafeteria.

Regular Student Meals

• While campus water fountains will be fully functional, they are available as refilling stations only. Students should not drink directly from water fountains and are advised to bring refillable water bottles to school each day.

Water Fountains

• Students are required to wear a mask/face covering over both the nose and mouth when entering and exiting the cafeteria, as well as when not actively eating or drinking.

Masks/Face Coverings

• Students are to minimize physical movement throughout the cafeteria during designated meal periods. Where possible, students should be spaced out at every other seat in the cafeteria.

Physical Movement

STUDENT MEALS

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• Schools and buildings are limited to pre-scheduled visitors, including after-school program staff, as well as VIPS-approved parents and community volunteers with appointments. Parents looking to register their children will not be turned away.

Allowable Visitors

• All HISD visitors are required to wear a mask or face covering while on a campus or district facility and will be screened prior to entry.

Masks/Face Coverings

• Visitors exhibiting symptoms of a recognized communicable disease* must stay at home and off HISD premises.

Continual Self-Monitoring

• For more information on the Volunteers in Public Schools Program (VIPS) and to register as a volunteer, please visit www.HoustonISD.org/VIPS.

VIPS Process

HISD VIS ITORS

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*www.bit.ly/3xBry2A

• HISD is aware that the retail industry is experiencing severe inventory challenges. Student uniform policies will be flexible at all campuses for the 2021-2022 school year.

Flexible Uniform Policy

• Students should still adhere to the dress code standards set by their campus, but no disciplinary action will be taken.Discipline

• HISD is committed to meeting the needs of students and families. For assistance with uniforms or clothing, please contact your campus or submit a Student Assistance Form (SAF) to HISD’s Wraparound Services Department via www.HoustonISD.org/SAFHelp.

Families Needing Assistance

STUDENT UNIFORMS AND DRESS CODE

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ATTENDANCE & GRADES

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• Perfect attendance will not be recognized this year as an award category. If a student becomes ill with any communicable disease, the student must follow the district’s communicable disease guidelines. For full guidelines, please visit www.HoustonISD.org/COVIDGuidelines.

Perfect Attendance

• There are no plans for grade exemptions. All students must meet the corresponding criteria to earn a passing grade on assignments and classwork. All grades will count toward a student passing a course/grade. For more information about grades, please contact your campus directly.

Grade Policy

ATHLETICS, U IL , & EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVIT IES

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• Competitions and practices, as well as extracurricular activities and performances will take place following district guidelines.

Competitions & Practices

• All indoor and outdoor competitions, practices, and extracurricular activities/performances occurring at HISD facilities will allow spectators. However, spectator capacity is limited to 50%.

Spectators

• At indoor events, all spectators, visitors, and students who are not actively participating must wear a mask/face covering above the nose and mouth, regardless of vaccination status. At outdoor events, masks are highly encouraged.

Masks/Face Coverings

FIELD TRIPS

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• Non-athletic field trips are suspended during the Fall semester, including enrichment or curricular trips. This decision will be evaluated throughout the school year, pending public health conditions.

Enrichment & Curricular Trips

• Competition- and performance-based field trips are permitted, including: UIL, fine arts, etc.Competitions

• Campus health and social services trips are permitted, including: eye care, dental care, and basic needs such as food and clothing.

Health & Social Services Trips

IN -PERSON GATHERINGS

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• In-person gatherings, common meetings, and events are permitted on campuses and in HISD buildings/facilities, provided that the following guidelines are met: • Attendees must wear a mask/face covering over the

nose and mouth at all times, unless medically unable to do so (refer to Masks and Face Coverings Non-Compliance and Exemptions).

• Attendees must physically distance by 6 ft.• If these conditions cannot be met, the in-person gathering

must be held either outdoors or in a virtual capacity.

In-Person Gatherings

CLOSURE PLAN

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• We do not anticipate any school and/or partial closures. If needed, however, that determination will be made on a case-by-case basis by HISD Health & Medical Services in consultation with the Houston Health Department.

School and/or Partial

Closures

• While done in consultation with HISD Health & Medical Services, the Superintendent of Schools will make the final decision on any school and/or partial closures.

Authority to Close

TEMPORARY ONLINELEARNING (REQUIREMENTS)

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• The student is unable to attend school because of a temporary medical condition.

• The total amount of remote conferencing instruction does not exceed more than 20 instructional days over the entirety of the school year.

Both Conditions Must Be

Met

• The student’s temporary medical condition is documented by a licensed U.S. physician. The documentation must include a statement from the physician that the student is to remain confined to their home or a hospital.

• The student has a positive COVID-19 test result or is displaying symptoms of a recognized communicable disease

• The student has been identified as having been in close contact with COVID-19.

One Condition Must Be

Met

TEMPORARY ONLINE LEARNING

• Students are eligible for a maximum of 20 days of Temporary Online Learning for the 2021-2022 school year.Eligibility

• Temporary Online Learning will be delivered synchronously by a certified teacher for four hours per day and follow the standard HISD Scope and Sequence for each of the four core subject areas (English, Math, Science, Social Studies. Students will be assigned a new temporary teacher until they return to campus.

Delivery

• Schools will issue a device and hotspot for any student who requests one while participating in Temporary Online Learning.Devices

TEMPORARY ONLINE LEARNING PROCESS

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Parent notifies campus and submits documentation

Student is enrolled in the HUB course

Student Accesses the HUB to locate daily agenda and Teams Meeting Links

School nurse or designee confirms documentation

Campus Temporary Online Instruction Coordinator enrolls students