August 28, 2020
Attention Mavericks:
Yesterday Eastland ISD published two public notices making our educational community aware of two positive cases of COVID 19 in our district. One of the many mitigation steps we perform when a positive case is identified is to determine which students are identified as having had close contact with the infected student. Students identified as having had “close contact” to an individual who has tested positive are transitioned to online learning for 14 days. As we experienced yesterday, when a positive case surfaces in an educational facility that is not requiring students to wear masks, the number of people asked to stay home escalates dramatically.
We know the importance of students having face to face instruction. On the fourth full day of instruction, we sent 32 students home for 14 days. This will not be the last time we experience a positive case. In an effort to maximize our educational experience and minimize the number of students displaced by a positive COVID test result, EISD is requiring that all staff and students 4th grade and up wear face coverings when they are not able to social distance.
If your child has a medical restriction that prohibits him or her from wearing any form of a face covering, please contact his or her administrators to make arrangements.
Below is the definition of close contact:
- being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on); or
- being within 6 feet for a largely uninterrupted or sustained extended contact period throughout the course of a day of approximately 15 minutes; 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.
Summary:
Beginning Monday, August 31, 2020 Employees and Students, grades 4th-12th, will be required to wear face coverings when they are unable to social distance. Face masks and/or face shields will be provided if needed. Following TEA guidance, face coverings for students in Pre-k through 3rd grade are recommended but not required.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Please contact your child’s campus for individual questions.
Dr. Jason Cochran
Superintendent, Eastland ISD
"If it's good for kids, it's our duty to make it happen."