2021-2022 COVID Protocols

HEALTH/SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR

MASKS & HYGIENE PRACTICES (Updated 8.25.21)

Masks and face coverings are recommended for all students and staff inside campuses, especially for those who have not been vaccinated. Staff is encouraged to support and make students feel comfortable when they choose to wear a mask.

DESK SHIELDS (Updated 8.11.21)                                         

During the COVID Pandemic, Little Elm ISD will provide a desk shield for each student who requests one, or whose parent requests one, in order to provide an extra layer of protection for students.  

Guidance

• Teachers/Staff will allow students to utilize the District-provided desk shield at all times on student work areas.  
  

VISITORS ON CAMPUS (Updated 10.26.21)

The District has lifted restrictions on visitor limitations during breakfast and lunch. Please contact your campus principal for further information.

Visitors are still welcomed on campus for scheduled meetings.

HEALTH & SAFETY BEST PRACTICES

Parents and staff are expected to continue to screen themselves and their children for COVID symptoms prior to coming to work/school each day.  In addition, please follow these healthy practices:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
• Cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze.
• Stay home if sick, especially if there is a fever.
• We encourage maintaining distance from others when possible.
• If you or your child are unvaccinated please consider wearing a mask for your own protection and for the protection of others.
• As always, please remember students must be fever free, without medicine, for 24 hours before returning to school to prevent the spread of illnesses.

COVID-19 REPORTING

• Parents must report lab-confirmed COVID positive cases of their child to campus administration and campus nurse.
• Employees must report lab-confirmed COVID positive cases to their supervisor and Asheley Brown, Executive Director for Human Resources

COVID NOTIFICATION

Parents will receive a notification at 4:00 p.m. on the day the District is notified of a lab-confirmed COVID positive case in the student’s classroom(s) or bus. The notification will be automated and sent through Blackboard.

QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS (Updated 2.8.22)

If a staff/student has a lab-confirmed COVID positive test result, it is required to quarantine at home. The readmission criteria for COVID is as follows:

• If symptomatic, quarantine for at least 5 days from the start of the symptoms, and fever free, and other symptoms have improved.
• Children who test positive for COVID but do not have any symptoms (asymptomatic) must stay home until at least 5 days after the day they were tested.

CLOSE CONTACT TRACING (Updated 2.8.22)

(Updated) Effective February 8, 2022, Little Elm ISD will no longer conduct contact tracing for students who are in close contact with a lab-confirmed COVID positive individual.

Once we are aware of a lab-confirmed COVID positive case, parents and staff will receive notification from the District at the end of the day to make them aware of any cases in a class.

COVID CASE DASHBOARD (Updated 8.13.21)

Little Elm ISD will maintain a dashboard of active COVID cases. The dashboard will be updated daily on calendared student school days. The dashboard will not be updated on non-school days.

CLEANING/AIR PURIFICATION (Updated 8.25.21)

E-misting: (Updated) Staff will treat classrooms and buses on a regular basis. Additionally, when the District is notified of a COVID positive case in a single classroom or multiple classrooms, staff will concentrate in those hot spot areas.

Personal Sanitizing: Hand sanitizer stations will continue to be available.

Air Purification: In addition, the District’s new HVAC units include plasma air needlepoint bipolar ionization capabilities for improved air quality.

District leadership is constantly monitoring the information coming from health officials and public health experts. All decisions are made with the interest of our families in mind and in consultation with health authorities. District leadership will monitor overall school health and safety and adjust plans as needed. Please refer to the Denton County Public Health School Decision Tree.