- Forney ISD
- 2021 -2022 Forney ISD Health Protocols FAQs
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Last Updated September 3, 2021
This webpage should be used as a guide to help answer questions related to health and safety protocols for the upcoming year. We will add to this document as further information is available. As always, FISD is committed to the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this ever-changing situation.
Click here for the 2021-2022 Health Protocols. Frequently Asked Questions are listed below.
Health Protocols
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What is the district or campus doing to protect our kids?
Forney ISD encourages all eligible persons to receive COVID vaccines, maintain social distance when feasible and stay home when you are feeling ill or have fever. We continue to follow CDC recommendations and TEA requirements for communicable illnesses. We are encouraging all students, staff, and visitors to wear masks while indoors when social distancing is not feasible. Frequent hand washing throughout the school day is expected of all students, staff, and visitors. Hand sanitizer and hand washing areas are available throughout all district facilities. Social distancing is encouraged when possible. As always, the district will continue to follow best practices for cleaning and sanitizing district facilities and buses.
We will continue to monitor district as well as community spread that may alter our mitigation strategies. The district is prepared to make any changes in current practices when necessary for the health & safety of our staff, students and Forney family.
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What other COVID-19 prevention measures are in-place?
Frequent hand washing throughout the school day is expected of all students, staff, and visitors. Hand sanitizer and hand washing areas are available throughout all district facilities. Social distancing is encouraged when possible. As always, the district will continue to follow best practices for cleaning and sanitizing district facilities and buses.
Face Coverings
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Is the district requiring masks?
Per the Governor’s Order (GA-38), school systems cannot require students or staff to wear a mask. However, we are encouraging all students, staff, and visitors to wear masks while indoors when social distancing is not feasible.
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Can I ask my child’s teacher if they plan to wear a mask or if they have been vaccinated?
The school district encourages all eligible staff and students to obtain their vaccine and wear a mask when they are unable to maintain social distance. Forney ISD cannot mandate that staff wear masks and it is the individual choice of the teacher whether they choose to wear a mask. The vaccination status of a teacher or staff member is confidential information and will not be provided to parents.
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Why are some district’s requiring a mask and some are not?
We are continuing to encourage masking indoors on all Forney ISD property. While some school districts have implemented mask mandates, the Governor’s order prohibiting mask mandates (GA-38) is still in place. There is no longer a temporary restraining order preventing the enforcement of the mask provisions in GA-38. We are committed to student health and safety and want to provide a consistent message to our parents and staff. If you have feedback on this issue, we suggest you reach out to the Governor's office and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Our district will continue to take all reasonable steps to keep our students and staff safe and ensure an effective learning environment.
COVID-19 Notifications
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Will the campus let us know when there is a positive COVID case(s)?
FISD will continue our notification practices by providing daily emails to all parents/guardians with the number of reported cases on each campus. We will also continue to monitor each lab confirmed positive case and make additional notifications when necessary. If you have received a lab-confirmed positive COVID test, please report it immediately. FISD has a self-reporting form available on both the website and mobile app, or you may call your campus nurse.
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Will I get a notification of a positive COVID case(s) in my child’s classroom?
Parents/guardians will continue to receive a daily notification from their child’s campus with lab-confirmed case(s). Based on updated guidance from the Texas Education Agency, the district has expanded our notification process.You will receive an additional notification if an individual with a lab-confirmed case was in your child’s Pre-K through 4th grade homeroom. For 5th - 12th grade students, daily notifications will now include lab-confirmed cases by grade level. Our health services staff will continue to monitor each individual case and make additional notifications as necessary.
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What happens if a student or staff member is positive?
If you have tested positive, please stay home and report your results using the self-reporting form available on both the website and mobile app. We will continue our reporting practices from last year by providing daily email notifications of positive cases on each campus. We will also continue to monitor each lab confirmed positive case and make additional notifications when necessary. Please see the 2021-2022 Forney ISD COVID Illness Exclusion Chart for guidance.
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Who will need to quarantine and for how long?
If a student/employee has been fully vaccinated or has tested positive for COVID within the last three months, the student/employee is not considered to be a “close contact” and does not need to quarantine, but continue to self monitor for symptoms. Please see the 2021-2022 Forney ISD COVID Illness Exclusion Chart for guidance.
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Will I be notified if my student is exposed at school?
We will continue to monitor each lab confirmed positive case reported and make additional notifications when necessary. Our 2021-2022 Forney ISD COVID Illness Exclusion Chart has more information for direct exposure quarantine options.
Vaccinations
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Are vaccines required?
FISD will provide COVID vaccines for anyone who is eligible including students, staff, and community members ages 12 and up. We are currently in the process of re-opening our vaccine hub. Per the Governor’s Order (GA-38), the district cannot require COVID vaccines.
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Will COVID vaccines be offered at campuses for those who are eligible?
We will continue to provide vaccinations for all those that are eligible on a scheduled basis at a location to be determined.
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Will COVID testing be offered at campuses?
FISD Health Services is currently looking into providing rapid COVID testing on a voluntary basis only with parent/guardian permission.
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Why can’t the district gather staff/student vaccination info or mandate staff/students get the vaccine?
The Governor’s order GA-35, reinforced by GA-38, indicates that no governmental agency (school districts included) can compel an individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and we cannot require documentation regarding the vaccination status for COVID-19.
Campus Visitors
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Are parents allowed to walk students to classrooms on the first day?
Pre-K through 4th grade parents will be allowed to walk students to their classroom. 5th-12th grade students may be dropped at the campus in designated areas, and the campus will have extra staff on hand to help direct students to their classrooms.
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Can I eat lunch with my student?
As in the past, the district has limited lunch visitors the first few weeks of school to allow students to settle into their daily routine. Per the student handbook on page 98, “Lunch visits will not be allowed for the first 4 weeks of school to permit the campuses to develop consistency in establishing routines and structure for lunch periods.” We’ll re-evaluate hosting lunch visitors at that time.
Virtual Learning
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Will online learning be offered?
As of today, the state has not approved virtual learning. We will update should any guidance from the state or TEA change.
Reminder: The State of Texas requires students to be in attendance for each class at least 90% of the time or they may lose credit and/or be retained in the grade level.
Transportation
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Will students be socially distanced and/or wear masks on the bus?
Per the Governor’s Order (GA-38), school systems cannot require students or staff to wear a mask, which includes the bus. We are encouraging everyone to wear a mask on the bus, as we are unable to socially distance.