Austin ISD starts new school year with masks, other COVID protocols

Austin ISD starts new school year with COVID protocols

It's another highly unusual school year for Austin ISD students and staff as they head back to the classroom. FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak has details.

AUSTIN, Texas - Tuesday is the first day of school at Austin ISD, with most students returning to class in person amid ongoing concerns over COVID-19 and a district-wide mask mandate.

Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde stopped by Sanchez Elementary School in East Austin Tuesday morning to welcome back students, teachers, and families. Elizalde toured the campus, visited classrooms, and met with school staff.

It was one week ago that Dr. Elizalde announced AISD’s mask mandate—applying to all schools and district facilities. The district has not backed down from the mandate, after the Texas Supreme Court sided with Gov. Greg Abbott and his executive order banning mask mandates, in a case involving Dallas and Bexar Counties. Abbott has threatened to take other districts like Austin to court.

However, among many Austin parents, the mandate is popular. After it was announced last week, hundreds of Austin parents decided to pull their children out of virtual learning and send them in person because they claim they felt more comfortable.

"One of our main things is masks will be required for all students staff and visitors when they are on AISD grounds. We are also strongly recommending that all individuals screen and do temperature checks before people come onto AISD grounds. What we want people to do is if they feel ill that they stay home and not come to campus," said Alexandra Copeland, Director of Health Services with Austin ISD.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown talks about schools and COVID protocols

School is back in session and for many districts in Travis County. FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak talks to Judge Brown on the first day of school for Austin ISD about COVID protocols including the mask mandate.

District officials say there will be plenty of masks on hand to pass out of students who may need one. For families unwilling to send children to school with masks, Copeland tells FOX 7 they will deal with those situations on a case-by-case basis.

"We are going to have regular cleanings at all our campuses on different schedules depending on how areas are visited. We will have seating charts in classrooms and cafeterias as well as other areas. That will help with contact tracing and limit exposure to multiple people. Our public health team will still be on standby, so whenever we have a positive it will go to our public health team and we will process those, and so we will still be doing quarantines and we will be sending out positive case notification letters," said Copeland.

Transportation officials say strict protocols will also be in place on school buses.

"We will go back to operating at full capacity on our buses. Students from the same household can sit together. We will have seating charts like they do at the schools for each trip and also all the staff and students will be required to wear a face mask," said Kris Hafezizadeh, Executive Director of Transportation for Austin ISD.

First day of school for Austin Independent School District

It's back to school for Austin ISD as students and teachers head back to the classroom today mostly in person. This despite the ongoing legal battle over masks. FOX 7 Austin's John Krinjak has more.

As for meals, students will have the option to eat in the cafeteria, the classroom, outdoors, or in other locations to keep them spread out. Many Austin schools will also be staggering meal times to cut down on the number of children sitting together at once. Parents are being told to check with individual school principals for more details on lunchtime policies.

In addition, all Austin students will receive free breakfast and lunch this school year, regardless of household income.

There is still a virtual option that some students will be taking part in. That starts Tuesday, August 24th. It’s available until the holidays for students in kindergarten through sixth grade—who are not eligible for the COVID vaccine. Sign-up has closed for that virtual option, according to district officials.

On Monday, ahead of the start of classes, Austin ISD held pop-up COVID testing at four elementary schools across the city in areas designated as COVID hotspots. Families and staff who live in those areas could get a drive-through rapid test.

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