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22-23 COVID Response

Dumas ISD is excited to welcome everyone back to school in August. As we plan for returning to school, we recognize that this will be an unusual school year, but we remain committed to supporting your student’s learning, as well as his or her safety. This page will provide information on the current situation at DISD, and updates of our procedures we will have in place to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to respond if a positive case is identified. Guidance from TEA will be followed by Dumas ISD as we plan for and implement the reopening of school for the 2020-2021 school year.

The virus that causes COVID-19 can infect people of all ages. That said, research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), among others, has found that while children do get infected by COVID-19 and some severe outcomes have been reported in children, relatively few children with COVID-19 are hospitalized or have severe symptoms. For many children, there are distinct benefits to attending school in person, including instructional, social, and safety benefits. For these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics has made a statement supporting on-campus instruction for students in the coming year. While it is not possible to eliminate all risk of furthering the spread of COVID-19, the current science suggests there are many steps schools can take to reduce the risks to students, teachers, staff, and their families significantly. Listed below are links to our resources.

Today TEA posted the Education Rights and Responsibilities During COVID documents. The two-page documents are required to be shared with parents. They are available in English and in Spanish. Locate the documents here:

 

English: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/education_rights_responsibilities_covid.pdf

 

Spanish: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/education-rights-responsibilities-during-covid-spanish.pdf

Return to School Plan 2022-2023 

Plan de regreso a la escuela 2022-2023

 

COVID-19 Prevention, Mitigation, and Response Procedures

UIL COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Guidelines

 

Use of Funds Summary / Utilización de los fondos Resumen

 

 

 

Dumas ISD to Offer COVID-19 Rapid Testing to Staff and Students

Dumas ISD will be adding an extra level of protection from COVID-19 for students and staff.
Starting Wednesday, September 1 st rapid testing will be available to all on-campus students and staff that meet the categorical requirement as laid out in the Dumas ISD Covid Testing Guidelines (link to document, Revised 9/17/21). The fast-acting test kits, created by BinaxNOW, allow individuals to take a nasal sample by simply swabbing the inside of the nostril and providing results in just 15 minutes.

Dumas has joined the state rapid testing program offered to districts by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The TEA has provided the district with testing equipment, PPE, training, and additional notification procedures to ensure each test is conducted safely and results are shared quickly. Targeted testing will be offered Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm on each campus. Individuals who meet the categorical requirements found in the Dumas ISD Covid Testing Guidelines (link to document, Revised 9/17/21) must contact the campus school nurse to schedule an appointment.

Next Steps for Parents and Guardians

Parents and guardians who do not want their students tested for COVID-19, in the event that they become symptomatic at school, do not need to take any action.

Parents and guardians who do want their student tested for COVID-19, in the event that they become symptomatic at school, must provide formal consent to the school by completing the consent form.


Consent Form
To provide formal consent for your student to be tested for COVID-19 please download the consent form below and email the completed form directly to the school nurse. You may also obtain a hard copy from your child’s campus office to complete and return.

• Dumas ISD Student Consent Form for Optional COVID-19 Testing (link to document)
• Formulario de Consentimiento de Dumas ISD para la Prueba de detección de COVID-19 en estudiantes (link to document)

  • This program uses BinaxNOW tests, which provide results in 15 minutes and are administered using a nasal swab in the front area of the nostril. These tests have been shown to be highly accurate, with accuracy rates of 97-98% for symptomatic individuals.

  • Beginning Wednesday, September 1st rapid testing will be available to all students and employees of the district.

  • Yes, for students and employees of the district. These tests are being provided free of charge from the federal government, and school systems cannot charge for administering the tests.

  • Those tested will receive test results via text within 15 minutes and will also receive a confirmation text or email within 24 hours. The results will also be shared with the local health department to allow for public health reporting and contact tracing and to determine the stay-at-home period for anyone who tests positive.

  • Testing will be offered by appointments only Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm on each campus. Students and employees of the district who meet the categorical requirements noted above must contact the campus school nurse to schedule an appointment.

  • Currently, the test is only available to Dumas ISD students learning on campus and employees of the district.

  • No. All personal information is kept confidential. Dumas ISD will follow district protocols and contact the local health authorities for any lab-confirmed cases. Anyone who has been in immediate contact with the student or employee will be notified by the local health authority. Our protocols follow the Texas Education Agency’s reporting structure, which communicates cases Monday through Saturday and considers a case active for 10 days.

  • In the event of a positive COVID-19 case, each campus/department will:
    • Contain (student/staff will wait for departure in the isolation room on each campus)
    • Communicate (share information about confirmed cases with applicable students, staff and parents)

    As we learn of new COVID-19 cases, we will follow all of our cleaning and safety protocols and review each case to determine what steps need to be taken to ensure the safety of students and staff.

  • Dumas ISD is using the free testing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

  • Medical Consent Forms are not required for individuals over 18 years old. Permission slips for students under 18 years old are required.