Groesbeck ISD classes to go on, precautions and monitoring planned
Groesbeck ISD released the following statement Friday Evening:
"Groesbeck ISD takes the health and safety of our students and staff very seriously. We continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and are in communications with GISD Board of Trustees, local health care officials, Limestone Emergency Management, Limestone County Officials, and the Texas Education Agency. We will continue to follow official guidance as it is released. At this moment, Groesbeck ISD plans to have school on Monday, March 16, 2020 and will be following our regular school day. Continued communication with the Texas Education Agency will occur at 3:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. If this plan to open changes, information will be posted on the GISD website. If a school closure does occur, plans are being made to continue to provide instructional support. Plans are also being made to be able to continue to provide food services for GISD students.
This decision has been made in consultation with Limestone County Officials and following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) that states if we do not have a “community spread” case or a confirmed person with COVID-19 in a building it is safe to continue school. If our countywide situation changes before Monday, further decisions will be made.
On Monday, March 16, 2020 GISD will stop all UIL activities. The UIL issued a statement on March 13, 2020 that all academic and athletic UIL activities have been suspended from March 16-29, 2020.
During the school day all campuses will take precautions to limit student to student contact and will disinfect our buildings nightly. GISD will continue to use GermBlast as an outside contractor to mitigate the COVID-19 virus, if it becomes present on one of our campuses. If you are not comfortable sending your student to school, TEA has confirmed that there will be no penalty for absences due to COVID-19 concerns. Please let your child’s campus office know on Monday if that is why your student is not at school. Second, if you or your student feels sick or you think you may have been exposed – Please Stay at Home."
Please watch our website and social media pages for more information.
Heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer are conditions listed by the Centers for Disease Control that increase the risk of severe symptoms by the virus. Those that are high risk are encouraged to call a doctor if symptoms develop. For those that aren’t sick enough to be hospitalized, home recovery is possible. Follow doctors’ instructions and refer to CDC recommendations for treatment at cdc.gov. Symptoms of COVID‑19 may show up from two to 14 days after exposure. Steps following symptoms of the virus depend on the risk of the individual. High-risk individuals include those that are 65 years or older, with medical conditions and have weakened immune systems. DSHS also has recommendations, statewide updates, and news at www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/.