WISD Information Related to COVID-19

Dear Kangaroo Families:

I hope you had a safe and restful winter break! 

I am writing to provide an update to our plans to welcome students and staff as Winter Break comes to an end. After monitoring COVID-19 data, and with guidance from local health experts, Weatherford ISD will welcome students and staff back to school as scheduled on Monday, January 10, 2022. 

We understand the pandemic is not over and that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to keep our schools healthy and safe. 

In addition to our cleaning processes, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases, notify parents of exposures, and provide data on the WISD COVID-19 dashboard. We encourage students and staff to wear a mask when inside our buildings and also encourage staff and eligible students to take the COVID-19 vaccine/booster.

As winter illnesses such as colds, flu, and COVID-19 spread, we are asking for your assistance. Please remind your child to practice the following habits:

• Cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
• Keep hands away from their eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water or use hand sanitizer.
• Don’t share cups, water bottles, food, or eating utensils.
• Get plenty of rest. Most elementary children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night.

Please keep your child home if they are sick for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever, or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

• If your child tested positive for COVID-19 over the winter break and will be absent on January 10, 2022, please email your child’s school homeroom teacher, nurse, or administrator as soon as possible.

During the winter break, the CDC updated quarantine guidelines for individuals who contract COVID-19. Based upon the latest CDC guidance, individuals who are COVID positive may return to school/work after 5 days if:

• They are asymptomatic for COVID-19 or if symptoms are improving.
• They are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

The Weatherford ISD community is stronger when we work together. Your continued partnership and cooperation are critically important to keep our school community healthy, safe, and open for in-person learning. We look forward to welcoming Kangaroo Nation back to school on Monday, January 10, 2022. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Beau Rees
Superintendent of Schools
Weatherford ISD

Kangaroo Nation,

Thank you for a great first six weeks of school!  We are grateful to have all students back in our classrooms and participating in extracurricular activities.

I am happy to report that over the past three weeks we have experienced a steady decline in the number of test-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. We are encouraged by this decline and by a flattening of cases in Parker County. As a result, beginning on Monday, October 4, 2021, Weatherford ISD schools will allow:

• Assemblies, pep rallies, fine arts performances, and other events/meetings.
• Academic field trips.
• In-person Parent/Teacher Conferences as scheduled for Friday, October 8, 2021.
• Visitors to campuses.

We have also made the decision to continue offering in-person learning for all students. Although we surveyed parents about a virtual learning option, there was minimal interest expressed in this learning pathway.

Please continue to help us control the spread of COVID-19 by keeping your child home if they are ill or have COVID symptoms. We encourage you to take advantage of the Kanga Care Clinic offered at each school by enrolling in this program. Free COVID-19 rapid testing is available for students and staff at each Kanga Care Clinic.

Our custodial staff will continue COVID-19 cleaning protocols and we will closely monitor the health and well-being of our students and staff by monitoring test-confirmed positive cases on a daily basis. We encourage students and staff to wear a mask when inside our buildings and also encourage staff and eligible students to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we work to keep a safe and healthy environment for our students and staff.

All the best,

Dr. Beau Rees
Superintendent of Schools