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District makes plans for school safety

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By Lynsi Musselman

School is starting in three weeks with extra first-day-of-school challenges and a focus on health.

Precautions are being implemented to protect students, teachers, and staff from illness.

Albany Independent School District nurse Lisa Russell said the school will continue their standard of care that has been given even before the recent pandemic.

“Illnesses and viruses are a part of life, and we have always strived to do our best,” Russell said. “We will continue to keep kids safe and healthy.” 

Russell added that educating students on diligent hand washing and better hand hygiene are some steps that can help prevent the spread of germs.

“I have also found a cute video on the flow of how germs spread that we might show students on the first day,” she said.

Both AISD campuses have general health and safety protocols in place that have been published in the 2020-2021 “Return to School Plan” that include steps such as deep cleaning of campuses with disinfectants and no outside visitors or parents allowed at school for lunch at least for the first semester.

Only essential volunteers scheduled for work on campus will be admitted on campus, and then only after a pre-screening for temperature and symptoms is administered.

Russell said that students and staff are required to take their own temperatures daily before arriving at school.

“Anyone with a fever of 100.4 or higher should not come to school,” Russell added.

AISD staff and students’ parents are required to self-screen for symptoms before coming to school, a requirement mandated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

Russell explained that the list of symptoms to look for are feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater or equal to 100 degrees, loss of taste or smell, cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, headache, chills, sore throat, shaking or exaggerated shivering, significant muscle pain or ache, and last but not least, diarrhea.

According to UIL exceptions and the Texas Governor Executive Order (GA-29), Albany residents are not required to wear face coverings because this county is exempt due to the 20 or fewer active cases of COVID-19.

Russell reported that the state has shipped AISD 50 gallons of hand sanitizer, along with gloves, masks, and touchless thermometers to help mitigate the cost and availability of these products in order to help keep the school safe and healthy.

AISD junior high and high school principal Glen Hill said for all aspects of the school year, guidance comes down from TEA.

“Every time we feel like we have a plan in place, something changes, so we have had to be quick on our feet because UIL, the CDC, and the government are changing plans too,” Hill said.

For questions regarding back to school health and safety protocols, call the district office at 325-762-2823.