Are masks and/or facial coverings required during the 2021-22 school year?
Masks and/or facial coverings will be optional in all Montgomery ISD facilities during the 2021-22 school year. We ask that all students and staff members respect every individual’s right to choose whether they will wear a mask while in a school or district facility.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends unvaccinated individuals wear a mask in public settings, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people.
Is the district offering remote instruction during the 2021-22 school year?
No. Remote instruction will not be offered to students during the 2021-22 school year. During the 2020-21 school year, the Texas Education Agency used disaster authority to grant school funding options that provided schools the opportunity to provide remote learning options.
No new statutory framework allowing districts to receive funding for this option was signed into law during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session. Therefore, offering remote instruction is not a possibility for Montgomery ISD. We look forward to welcoming all students back for in-person instruction during the 2021-22 school year.
What should a student do if he or she tests positive and is showing symptoms of COVID-19?
Any student who has tested positive and showing symptoms of COVID-19 must notify their school nurse and will be required quarantine for 10 days or until he or she is fever free with improved symptoms.
Montgomery ISD is required to report positive COVID-19 cases to the state and county health departments
What if I test positive for COVID-19 but am not showing any symptoms?
Even if not showing symptoms, students and staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 must notify their school nurse or supervisor and are required to self-isolate for 10 days or may return after two negative tests, 24 hours apart
What should an individual who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 do?
As is the case with any illness, if you are sick, please do not attend school or report to work. We ask that any individuals exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 exercise personal responsibility and consider testing and self-isolating until they no longer have symptoms. Individuals who are sick should stay home in order to protect the health and well-being of others.
What happens if a student misses school because he or she has tested positive for COVID-19?
Self-isolating due to a positive COVID-19 test will not negatively affect a student’s attendance. Student’s must report a positive COVID-19 test to their school nurse and self-isolate for 10 days or until he or she is fever free with improved symptoms.
What health protocols or safety precautions are in place on campuses?
All students and staff should continue to perform a daily self-health evaluation prior to going to school, work or boarding school transportation. Symptoms to screen for include: fever equal or over 100.0 degrees, loss of taste or smell, cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, chills, sore throat, shaking or exaggerated shivering, significant muscle pain or ache, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.
All students will be instructed on methods to protect themselves and others from infectious diseases while at school. All students should practice appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. All students should regularly wash their hands when reporting to school and after using the restroom. All students will be trained on proper handwashing techniques. Masks will be optional for all staff and students.
Water fountains will remain shut off, hand sanitizing stations will be available and enhanced cleaning procedures will remain in place.
Are visitors allowed on campus?
Yes. However, visitors should conduct a self-health evaluation prior to entering a school or district building. Visitors will be required to answer the health screener questions when arriving to a school or district building in order to prevent all infectious disease.
Symptoms to self-evaluate for include: fever equal or over 100.0 degrees, loss of taste or smell, cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, chills, sore throat, shaking or exaggerated shivering, significant muscle pain or ache, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Masks are optional for all visitors.
Is the district conducting contact tracing and notifying individuals if they were potentially exposed to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19?
Contact tracing and close contact quarantine protocols are no longer required by the Texas Education Agency. The district will provide employees, students, and parents with notification of positive cases via the redesigned MISD COVID-19 tracker, which will be updated daily. The tracker will now include the number of positive cases by day, campus and grade level.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine required for students or employees?
COVID-19 vaccines are not required for students or employees. Individuals interested in learning more about the vaccine and where it is offered should consult with their primary care doctor or the Montgomery County Health District.
Is the district offering COVID-19 rapid testing?
The district will continue to offer COVID-19 rapid testing at no charge for students who have tested positive and are asymptomatic. A staff member should consult with their school nurse to determine individual testing needs.
What if I have been exposed to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19?
Contact tracing and required quarantine protocols are no longer required and will not be conducted during the 2021-22 school year. We are stressing all to exercise personal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of our students, families and staff members.
If you have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19, consider quarantining for 10 days after the date of last contact (or 7 days with a negative COVID test after day 5), unless you are fully vaccinated.
You should also consider wearing a mask if you are not quarantining and monitor your condition carefully for any symptoms. If symptoms develop, please do not return to school or work and consider seeing your health care provider or taking obtaining a COVID test.
Will I be notified if my child’s teacher has tested positive for COVID-19?
The district takes privacy laws very seriously. As such, the district may not reveal the identity of any individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. The district will provide employees, students, and parents with notification of positive cases via the MISD COVID-19 tracker, which will be updated on a daily basis.
You can access the redesigned MISD COVID-19 tracker at www.misd.org.
