Frisco Independent School District adopted COVID-19 Disease Mitigation Guidelines to protect the health and wellbeing of Frisco ISD employees and students. These guidelines govern the protocols for employees and students to follow while physically present at a Frisco ISD campus. Disease Mitigation Guidelines apply to all Frisco ISD students and staff, including those who have previously tested positive or been vaccinated, unless otherwise stated. Pursuant to those guidelines, Frisco ISD has adopted these protocols for responding to a confirmed case of COVID-19 or an individual with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 at a Frisco ISD campus. These guidelines have been developed with input from various campus-based and central office personnel and reviewed and approved by local health officials.

The Campus Principal has designated a Campus Close Contact Review Team (“CCRT”) utilizing existing Crisis Response Team members as appropriate and other relevant personnel. CCRTs will utilize these guidelines, in coordination with the Frisco ISD Nursing Department ("District Nursing"), to respond to a confirmed positive case of COVID-19. CCRTs meet regularly to assign roles for Close Contact Reviews and monitor progress of completion of Close Contact Reviews.

Reporting

Parents are required to notify the campus when their student will be absent because the student is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Parents are also required to notify the campus if their student tests positive for COVID-19. Campuses may also be informed of a positive test result by county health departments.

Staff are expected to monitor students for symptoms of COVID-19 and should send any student experiencing symptoms to the campus nurse for a clinical assessment.

Staff who begin experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 while at work must report to the campus nurse for a clinical assessment and if the campus nurse determines the individual meets the criteria for symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the staff member must inform their Principal. Staff are also required to notify their Principal if they test positive for COVID-19.

Symptoms include:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Definitions

Close contact	within 6 feet of a confirmed case for a total of approximately 15 minutes throughout the course of a day; however, additional factors like case/contact masking (i.e., both the infectious individual and the potential close contact have been consistently and properly masked), ventilation, presence of dividers, and case symptomology may affect this determination OR being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g. being coughed or sneezed on)
Confirmed case	individual receives positive COVID-19 test
Infectious period	48 hours prior to symptom onset or positive test (if no symptoms) until the individual has completed the applicable quarantine period
Symptoms consistent with COVID-19	new onset of at least two of the following symptoms: fever or chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea OR new onset of at least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
Quarantine period	for confirmed case (screening at campus required): at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset, or positive test if no symptoms, AND symptoms have improved for symptoms consistent with COVID-19: until the individual’s symptoms have improved and one of the following: 1) at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset (screening at campus required); 2) the individual receives a negative test (no additional screening required); 3) a physician identifies the individual’s symptoms as something other than COVID-19 (doctor’s note confirming that the doctor reached an alternative diagnosis required) for close contact with confirmed case (no screening at campus required): 10 days after the last day of close contact with the individual during the period of time for which they are under quarantine OR at least 7 days after the last day of close contact with the individual, if the close contact has received a negative test from a test that was administered on day 5 or later. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to the date of close contact, and people who have received all recommended doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine (proof of vaccination required) when the close contact occurred between 14-90 days after the last dose was administered, do not need to quarantine unless they develop symptoms View this slide deck for an explanation of quarantine periods.

Protocols for COVID-19 Positive Case or COVID-19 Symptoms

Initial Notification

Confirmed Case

Upon learning that an individual has a confirmed case of COVID-19, the CCRT will immediately notify District Nursing who will report the confirmed case to the appropriate county health department.
The CCRT will determine the date of symptom onset or the positive test, if no symptoms, and the school nurse will inform the individual of the appropriate quarantine period.
The CCRT will immediately conduct a Close Contact Review which should be completed within 48 hours of initial notification if possible.

Symptoms of COVID-19 With No Test

Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, will be directed to the campus nurse for a clinical assessment.
If the campus nurse determines the individual meets the criteria for symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the campus nurse will immediately notify the CCRT which will work with District Nursing to complete these protocols. If the individual does not meet the criteria for symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the individual may be sent home at the discretion of the nurse, in accordance with school attendance guidelines, until symptoms have improved.
If the individual is displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 as determined by the campus nurse, the individual must leave the campus or be picked up by a parent or guardian within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time they are notified by the campus. The individual will be referred to their physician for further evaluation and the campus nurse will request that the individual report any COVID-19 testing to the school.
The CCRT will determine the date of symptom onset and inform the individual, in writing, of the appropriate quarantine period.
The CCRT will immediately conduct a Close Contact Review which should be completed within 48 hours of initial notification if possible.

Close Contact Review

When conducting a Close Contact Review, the CCRT will take the following actions:

Interview the individual to determine if the individual was present at school or a school activity during the infectious period and if so, who the individual may have come into close contact with. If not, no further action of the CCRT is required.
Review the schedule of the individual to determine which students or staff members may have knowledge of the individual’s movements while at school during the infectious period.
Review any other documents or information that may help to identify the individual’s movements while at school during the infectious period.
Interview students and staff who have knowledge of the movements of the individual to determine if the student has come into close contact with any other students or staff.
Identify any student or staff member who came into close contact with the individual while the individual was at school during the infectious period based on the information gathered during the Close Contact Review.

Upon completion of the Close Contact Review, the campus will notify each staff member and the families of each student who came into close contact with an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 directing them to quarantine.

At the end of each week, and after notifying all close contacts, the campus will notify the staff and families of all students at the campus that one or more individuals in the campus community tested positive for COVID-19.

Follow-Up

If the individual has a confirmed case and is involved with UIL activities, the relevant campus personnel will work with the appropriate central department (e.g. Athletics, Fine Arts, etc.) to notify the opposing school and sports/contest officials for any game or contest the individual participated in during the infectious period.
Campuses will track the quarantine period for the individual to ensure the individual does not return to school prior to the end of the quarantine period.
Individuals with a confirmed case must be screened by the campus nurse upon returning to school. Individuals who were displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and did not receive a negative test or an alternative diagnosis from a physician must be screened by the campus nurse upon returning to school. Individuals returning from quarantine as a result of a close contact are not required to undergo additional screening.
If the campus is notified that an individual who previously reported symptoms, but no positive test, has received a positive test result, the campus will notify District Nursing who will report the confirmed case to the appropriate county health department. The campus will also notify all close contacts of the individual and the staff and families of all students at the campus.

Additional Considerations

Individuals Who Have Been Vaccinated or Have Previously Had COVID-19

While the research shows that vaccines are highly effective at preventing individuals from becoming sick with COVID-19, it is unclear how effective they are at preventing individuals from becoming infected with and spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Additionally, while the data shows that reinfection is rare, it is still possible that those who have previously had COVID-19 may still become infected again and begin spreading the virus to others. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 may also be resistant to any immunity from prior infection. As a result, individuals who have been vaccinated or who have previously had COVID-19 are still required to follow all disease mitigation protocols, including required quarantine periods, physical distancing requirements, and face covering requirements. The only exception to this rule is related to quarantine periods. Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine as the result of close contact with a confirmed positive case if the close contact occurs within the first 90 days after the individual recovered from COVID-19. Individuals who have received all recommended doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine will not be required to quarantine as the result of close contact with a confirmed positive case if the close contact occurs more than 14 days after the last dose was administered and less than 90 days after the last dose was administered. Proof of vaccination will be required to avoid the quarantine requirement.

Individuals Identified as Close Contacts

Because of the incubation period of COVID-19, it is highly unlikely that a student or staff member who came into close contact with an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 while at school would become infectious within two school days of initial notification of the confirmed case. As a result, close contacts may be sent home at the end of the school day they are identified, rather than in the middle of the school day.

Capacity for Completing Close Contact Reviews

Upon receiving notification of a confirmed case, the CCRT will determine an estimated time for completion of each Close Contact Review. This estimate will consider the following factors:

How many Close Contact Reviews are currently being conducted by the CCRT
How widespread or isolated the reported cases are
How complex the individual’s movements are likely to be based on his or her schedule and activities
How many students or staff members may need to be interviewed
Whether students or staff members who need to be interviewed are absent

Additionally, priority will be given to Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases.

Based on the factors above, if it is determined that one or more Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases cannot be completed within 2 school days of initial notification, the CCRT will initiate the Campus Closure Protocols.

Campus Closure Protocols

Immediate closure and subsequent reopening of Frisco ISD campuses during periods of peak COVID-19 activity will be necessary throughout the 2020-21 school year in order to maintain healthy school environments for Frisco ISD students and staff. School closures lasting up to five days, in accordance with Texas Education Agency (“TEA”) guidance, will allow for the completion of necessary Close Contact Reviews and implementation of mandatory quarantine procedures.

Campus closure protocols will be initiated whenever Campus Crisis Response Teams (“CRTs”) determine that one or more Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases cannot be completed within 2 school days of initial notification. This determination is based on factors and circumstances that will vary widely from campus to campus and even from situation to situation.

Campus closure protocols may also be initiated by a Principal if student or staff absenteeism reaches levels such that the Campus Closure Team determines the campus should be closed. If a campus is closed for absenteeism that results in attendance that is less than 10% of the prior year’s overall Average Daily Attendance, Frisco ISD will submit a waiver application to excuse missed instructional days from ADA and Foundation School Program funding calculations.

Campus Closure Team

The Campus Closure Team (“CCT”) will be made up of the following individuals

The Principal of the Campus
The Managing Director of Schools assigned to the campus
The Managing Director of Human Resources assigned to the campus
A member of the Frisco ISD Nursing Department
A Managing Director from the Special Education Department
A member of the Student Services Department
The Chief Leadership Officer

When Campus Closure Protocols are initiated, the Principal will notify the District Emergency Operations Team (“EOT”). The EOT will assist the CCT in determining whether a campus closure is necessary.

Factors for Campus Closure

The CCT will determine whether a campus closure is necessary. The CCT will consider the following factors when determining whether a campus closure is necessary:

Whether, with additional support, the CCRT can complete all Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases of COVID-19 within 2 school days of initial notification
Whether the cases are concentrated to a particular group of students (e.g. grade level, sports team, etc.) and the temporary quarantine of the group of students would provide sufficient risk mitigation
The current level of student and staff absenteeism on campus
The needs of students receiving Special Education services

If, after reviewing all these factors, the CCT determines a campus closure is necessary, the campus will be closed. Each campus closure will be for one day with re-evaluation occurring each day to determine if the closure should be extended, up to a maximum of five days.

Protocols for Ending a Campus Closure

A campus that has been closed will be evaluated for reopening each day and a decision whether to reopen the campus or extend the closure will be made each evening. Prior to reopening a campus, all Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases must be completed and all contacts notified. When evaluating a campus for reopening, the CCT will consider the following factors:

Whether all Close Contact Reviews for confirmed cases will be complete and contacts notified prior to students and staff arriving on campus
Whether the campus has been fogged by the custodial team
Whether the student or staff absentee rate remains above acceptable levels as determined by the CCT
Whether the campus has sufficient supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) and other materials necessary to comply with the District’s Disease Mitigation Guidelines (e.g. cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, etc.