TO: Northwest ISD Parents, Caregivers, and Staff
FROM: Ryder Warren, Superintendent of Schools
SUBJECT: Superintendent’s Update
I hope everyone is having a really positive and productive week. You need to know that I am still being impressed by the efforts of our kids and our staff members every day as they are working through a very busy spring semester.
I touched on this subject during my last
Facebook Live
presentation a couple of weeks ago, but we are receiving more and more questions from our families and our staff members about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We have also seen an increase in media coverage in the last 24 hours with the
Center for Disease Control’s
release this week. As we always say, the health and safety of our students, families, and staff members are a top priority in Northwest ISD, so we will continue to monitor and be as proactive as we can. According to Tarrant County Health Services, there are no cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tarrant County, nor any of the other two counties (Denton and Wise) in which NISD serves. Also know that we are seeing no unusual number of absences on any of our 31 campuses above and beyond what we normally see during flu season.
Though we have not seen any positive cases of COVID-19, NISD has been and will be operating at a heightened awareness. In our continued efforts to assess risks and keep you informed, Northwest ISD wants you to know that we are in daily contact with Tarrant County Health Services and follow the advice and recommendations from local, state, and federal health authorities regarding necessary precautions and protocols. Many of the steps we are already taking during flu season are applicable precautions for coronavirus, including encouraging proper handwashing techniques and deep-cleaning schools and facilities in high touch areas as needed. We have already verified that the current disinfectant our janitorial staff uses meets the CDC’s guidelines for preventing viral pathogens.
Northwest ISD encourages parents and students to remain informed by following our official Northwest ISD communications posted on the district website and by visiting the Centers for Disease Control website at
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
.
Tarrant County Health Services provided an update this week explaining the following travel guidelines:
- Travelers entering the U.S. from Hubei Province:
- Travelers who are symptomatic will be subject to immediate quarantine and testing.
- Travelers who are not symptomatic will be quarantined and monitored.
- None of these travelers will be sent home before the end of the quarantine period.
- Travelers entering the U.S. from elsewhere in mainland China:
- Travelers who are symptomatic will observe immediate isolation and testing.
- Travelers who are not symptomatic will be sent home with instructions to monitor symptoms and self-quarantine for 14 days.
- The self-quarantine protocol is recommended for travelers only, as their family members are not considered at risk.
I hope you can see that we are approaching this situation with an abundance of care and caution, and we will inform our communities as we receive updates, information, and resources. We will continue to deep clean our buildings with the appropriate disinfectants, and always remember that children with symptoms of the flu or a flu-like illness should not be sent to school. If you have further questions regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) or other communicable illnesses, please contact your school nurse. If we do receive news of any positive cases within the school district, we will take immediate actions that are advised by our local, state, and federal authorities above and beyond what we are doing now.
Thank you for supporting our children and our schools.
Ryder Warren, Superintendent of Schools
Northwest Independent School District
