School Board Updates Mask & Quarantine
policies
T
he Argyle ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to update the district’s mask and quarantine policies during the Monday, April 19 Regular Board Meeting. Trustees voted to amend the district’s COVID-19 protocols making masks optional for all students and employees effective Monday, May 10. Masks will be optional inside all facilities and while riding in school buses for the remainder of the school year. Trustees also approved making quarantines the responsibility of parents beginning May 10. The current protocols and guidelines for “close contacts” and quarantines will remain in place until this date. The May 10 date is when all employees who had the two doses at the Argyle ISD COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be fully vaccinated. For the remainder of the year, all additional COVID-19 protocols will remain in place, including social distancing inside facilities and the encouraged use of hand sanitizer and hand-washing. A parent’s decision to quarantine would pertain to well children who have come into close contact with a positive case. Lab-confirmed positive cases reported to the campus will continue to quarantine. Nurses will continue to evaluate staff/ students that have COVID-19-type symptoms and will follow COVID-19 protocols in these cases. Campuses will remain closed to visitors for the remainder
of the school year, but parents will be allowed to attend all outdoor end-of-year celebrations for students. Students participating in UIL extracurricular activities will continue to follow the UIL’s COVID-19 safety guidelines and procedures and must also follow the requirements while competing at an opponent’s venue. These two approvals to update the policy were made with the district’s goal of beginning the 2021-2022 school year without masks. “As we have done throughout this entire pandemic, this board believes that there is a strategic process and balance that upholds our mission to provide the best educational experience for our students as well as stay aligned with the partnership we have with our district employees to have in-person learning,” Board President Sam Slaton said. “The opportunity for all district employees to have access to receive the COVID-19 vaccination allows
this board to continue to move forward in the strategic process. Mask choice and parental responsibility for quarantine, as of May 10, is a huge step that helps get our district closer to the goal of beginning the 2021-2022 school year mask-free and in-person.” The district has also seen a decline in the number of active COVID-19 cases on the five campuses. Argyle ISD currently has two active student cases and no employee cases. Since the beginning of March, the district has had a total of five students and three employees test positive. Last month, Trustees made the first adjustments to the mask protocols as they approved making face coverings optional for students actively participating in PE (PreK-8th grade) and recess (PreK5th grade). They also approved making masks optional at all home UIL events for spectators and graduation on May 18 (for seniors and all guests) at Eagle Stadium. “I believe the time frame from May 10 to May 21 will provide a valuable transition time for students and staff,” Argyle ISD Superintendent Dr. Telena Wright said. “We hope to begin the 2021-2022 school year without masks.” Summer 2021 • Argyle Insights •
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