Due to the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in our area, Spring ISD has determined that the mask mandate for all students, staff and visitors inside our buildings will remain in place as students and staff return from Winter Break. 

According to the CDC, correct and consistent mask use is a critical step that people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. We also strongly encourage those who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine (ages 5 and older) or booster (ages 16 and older) to get one as soon as possible. 

For those who would like to receive free testing now, the district is partnering with Inspire Diagnostics to provide COVID-19 testing at Planet Ford Stadium (23802 Cypresswood Dr.) today and tomorrow (Dec. 31 and Jan. 1) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free vaccinations are also available today (Dec. 31) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Beginning on Monday, Jan. 3, Spring ISD will resume free testing and vaccination sites in partnership with Inspire Diagnostics. Locations include: Child Nutrition (15330 Kuykendahl Road), Family & Community Engagement Center (17125 Ella Blvd.), and Planet Ford Stadium (23802 Cypresswood Dr.). For the month of January, the schedule for services will be Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Please stay tuned to the district’s social media accounts for updates on times, dates, and locations. 

Here are the steps to follow if your student becomes ill, which have been updated to reflect new guidelines from the CDC:

1. Should your student show any symptoms of COVID-19, please consider getting them tested. Click here to register for a free test at a site near you, or refer to the list above for Spring ISD-specific sites. 
2. If your child tests negative, they can return to school as long as they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without any medication.
3. If your child tests positive, you need to contact your campus and report the case to the school nurse, who will alert the campus principal and our Emergency Management and School Safety team. 
4. We also recommend testing for the entire family of any student who tests positive. Unvaccinated siblings/parents/household members should quarantine at home for five days because they are considered close contacts per CDC guidelines. Vaccinated siblings/parents/household members do not need to quarantine, but should watch for symptoms and wear a mask. 
5. Vaccinated siblings may come to school, as long as they are fever free, have no symptoms and wear a mask.
6. Your COVID-19 positive student will not be able to return to school until at least 5 days have passed since the positive test was taken and the student is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications (fever is a temperature of 100° F or higher), and other symptoms have improved.
7. After 5 days from the date that the student took the COVID test that yielded a positive result, the student may return to campus on the 6th day, but should report first to the nurse for a temperature check or to present a doctor’s note/release.
8. If your COVID-19 positive student is well enough, they may do and submit make-up work assigned by their teachers. 
9. Close contact students quarantining at home also have the option of completing and submitting make-up work to keep up with school assignments. 

In addition, the district will continue to update its COVID-19 tracker to help keep everyone informed about conditions in our schools and district, along with our weekly email update on positive cases reported in Spring ISD. We will continue to monitor health trends across the area and adjust health and safety protocols as needed.