COVID Safety Plan

We are excited to have our SWISD students back for the 2022-23 school year.

We understand the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and school districts must take active measures to ensure the safety of all students and staff. SWISD will continue a safety plan based on the most up-to-date public health guidance, scientific data, and governmental guidance. We will continue to review, adjust, and communicate changes to our protocols and plan due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. SWISD will prioritize the safety and health of our students and staff during the upcoming school year.

Vaccinations

Vaccination is the leading public health strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine helps lower the risk of contracting COVID-19, and spreading it to others, and it has been shown to be effective in preventing severe illness. SWISD strongly encourages staff and eligible students to get their COVID vaccine and boosters. SWISD has worked to bring numerous opportunities for the SWISD community to receive the vaccine and will continue to work with local community organizations to provide more options. Click here to find clinics, pharmacies, and other locations that offer COVID-19 vaccines.

Face Coverings/Masks

We modified our Temporary Indoor Facemask Requirement on November 29, 2021. Face masks will no longer be required, however, we continue to strongly encourage the use of facemasks by all students, staff, and visitors indoors and on school buses.

Hygiene Practices: Hand Washing & Respiratory Etiquette

Regularly washing hands is an effective way to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and avoid the spread of the COVID virus and other germs (CDC, 2021).

SWISD encourages the practice of regular hand hygiene (i.e., washing hands/use of hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol) and respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. SWISD will have hand sanitizer stations available at the entrances of buildings & other designated locations within the campus building. In addition, hand sanitizer stations are also available in each classroom. SWISD custodial staff will diligently monitor soap dispensers and hand sanitizer stations to ensure soap and hand sanitizer is always available.

Student & Staff Screenings

Students & staff should self-screen for symptoms of COVID-19 and/or contagious illness at home before attending school/work. SWISD will no longer perform temperature checks or require staff to fill out the COVID-19 screener online.

Therefore, it is imperative that staff and students stay home if exhibiting signs/symptoms of COVID-19 or a contagious illness. This action is imperative to keep COVID-19 infections out of schools and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Refer to the SWISD Isolation and Quarantine protocols.

Isolation and Quarantine Protocols

TEA Public Health Guidance:

Re-Entry Conditions: Southwest ISD reviews guidance from national and local health organizations to make determinations on which health protocols to amend for the safety of all students and staff.

Symptomatic:

At least 5 days have passed since symptom onset and you must wear a mask until day 10
Fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medications. Fever is a temperature of 100 F or higher
And other symptoms have improved

Asymptomatic:

At least 5 days have passed since the date of the test and you must wear a mask until day 10.

SWISD will authorize the return of the symptomatic student (prior to the 5-day exclusion) if the following conditions are met:

The student has obtained medical consultation on/after the start of current symptoms
Medical documentation or a negative COVID PCR result is provided to the school nurse PRIOR to the student's return allowing the student to return based on an alternate diagnosis.
The student has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medications. Fever is a temperature of 100 F or higher.

Physical Distancing

Physical distancing is a strategy that contributes to the effectiveness of SWISD’s layered approach against COVID-19. SWISD will continue to promote physical distancing when feasible.

Masks are encouraged to be used among those who are not fully vaccinated and cannot maintain distance. Physical barriers will be available for classroom use upon request from our students and staff.

Cleaning & Disinfecting

SWISD will provide daily and weekly routines to clean and disinfect District facilities and campuses with a concentration on frequently touched surfaces. All campuses will be equipped with multiple electrostatic applicators for disinfection purposes.

Employees and students are encouraged to disinfect their own personal workspace throughout the day, giving special attention to commonly touched surfaces.

COVID-19 Testing

Parents, students, and staff will be referred to community locations or to their primary physician for diagnostic testing if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or would like to be tested. Asymptomatic testing is no longer routinely performed at SWISD schools and diagnostic testing sites are at off-campus locations. Click here to find COVID-19 testing sites.

Ventilation

SWISD has installed improved HVAC equipment on District campuses. Improving ventilation helps in reducing the number of virus particles in the air and is an important additional mitigation measure to the District’s safety plan.

Transportation

Buses will operate at full capacity during the 2022-23 school year. Parents should screen children daily prior to boarding the bus, and students who are sick should stay home. Masks are recommended to be worn during bus transportation. In addition, SWISD buses will require seating charts, encourage the use of hand sanitizer upon boarding, open windows to allow for airflow mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and siblings will sit together. Buses will be cleaned routinely after each route to campuses.

Visitors

Visitors are welcomed on SWISD campuses for scheduled appointments, meetings, and conferences. Each visitor will be required to adhere to SWISD visitor policies and procedures.