Happy New Year! Humble ISD looks forward to welcoming you back to school. Monday, January 3, is a staff workday. Classes begin for all students on Tuesday, January 4.  

PLANS IN PLACE

Over the Winter Break, we have been working in partnership with health and government leaders to monitor the impact of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Omicron is prevalent throughout the Houston area. While many more cases are anticipated, health leaders have told us that people seem to be less likely to require hospitalization than during previous surges. The surge is expected to continue for several weeks in January before subsiding.

Humble ISD is committed to keeping campuses open for our students. This is the third school year we have managed COVID-19 challenges. We know that school and school activities are essential for the well-being of families and children.

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

• Humble ISD plans to offer students a great spring semester.
  Just like the fall semester, great experiences for students are planned for the spring semester. 
• Humble ISD teachers will be flexible and supportive of students who must be absent.
  If a student is absent from class, assignments can be completed later or online when possible.
• Humble ISD works individually with families with extenuating medical circumstances.
  Please contact your child’s principal if needed. 
• Humble ISD will continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students.
  Students will continue to receive breakfast and lunch at no charge. Students can purchase seconds and a la carte snacks for an additional fee at the register. While no application or eligibility determination is required for your student to receive free meals this school year, it is still critical for families to apply for free and reduced meals to receive potential other benefits. Applications are provided online at www.schoolcafe.com. 

PREVENTION

• Humble ISD will require that all students or staff with COVID-19 remain away from school until re-entry criteria has been met.
  Under current TEA public health guidance, students or staff who test positive will need to stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication, symptoms have significantly improved, and at least 10 calendar days have passed. If the individual is symptomatic, the days count from the date symptoms started.  If the individual is asymptomatic, the days count from the date the individual was tested.
  
  In December, the CDC shortened the quarantine period to five days at home followed by five days of mask wearing. Humble ISD follows TEA public health guidance, which currently has not changed. TEA is considering shortening the quarantine period. Humble ISD may make adjustments in accordance with any changes that TEA makes to its public health guidance. 
  
  
• Humble ISD will ask people who are sick, for any reason, to remain home. Parents should send a note or notify the campus in order to excuse the absences.
  Anyone with cold-like symptoms needs to stay home to help keep our Humble ISD Family safe and healthy. 
  
  Parental consent for a student absence makes the absence excused. Parents must notify the campus within 48 hours of the student’s return to school under TEA requirements. If your child is absent, please:
  
  
  • Go to humbleisd.net/attendancecontacts and submit the form online; or
  • email the campus attendance office about the absence; or
  • send a parent note with the student about the absence; or
  • call or fax in a message to the campus. 
    
    
• Humble ISD permits individuals who have had close contact and remain symptom-free to be at school.
  Families determine what they believe is best for their specific situation. Required exclusion does not apply to symptom-free contacts. 
• Humble ISD will require clearance from a physician before students who test positive for COVID-19 resume participation in UIL athletics or marching band.
  This is a UIL requirement.
• Humble ISD will share information on resources for COVID-19 testing and vaccination. 
  Harris County will continue to offer Free COVID-19 testing for all children and adults each Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Testing takes place in the Humble Civic Center Rodeo Arena Parking Lot, located at 8233 Will Clayton Parkway in Humble. The link to register becomes active on Tuesday, when there is testing. Please register online for an appointment at covcheck.hctx.net.
  
  COVID-19 testing for students and families is also available through other community resources. In November, the CDC expanded vaccine eligibility to children age 5 and older. Testing and vaccination is voluntary and requires parent consent.
    
• Humble ISD provides limited paid leave to all regularly employed staff missing work due to testing positive for COVID-19.
  Please note, to be eligible for paid COVID-19 leave, the employee must submit proof of his or her positive PCR test to his or her assigned campus principal or non-campus department head. There is a limit on the number of district paid days provided to the employee. The District offers free PCR testing for employees who either test positive with a rapid test or are experiencing COVID symptoms. 
• Humble ISD will maximize exposure to fresh air and sunlight through additional outdoor eating, learning, and play areas.
  Social distancing is possible at lunch by utilizing spaces beyond the cafeteria.
• Humble ISD keeps air fresh and clean. 
  Schools have high-quality air filters, lower set points, bipolar ionization and air scrubbers. Some schools have UV lights, and the district continues to add UV lights, especially to large group areas including cafeterias, libraries, band halls and choir rooms.  
• Humble ISD continues with enhanced cleaning protocols.
  Misting continues twice a week, and more often where there are cases.
• Humble ISD provides water bottle fillers on campuses.
  Students are encouraged to bring their own bottled water or a bottle to refill.  
• Masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) are available on campuses and are optional. 
• Humble ISD teachers emphasize frequent hand washing and hygiene.  

REPORTING

• Humble ISD asks all positive tests to be reported to the district.
  • Staff Self-Report Form
  • Student Self-Report Form
    
    
• Humble ISD will email a summary of Winter Break cases reported from their school’s students and staff.
  A summary of cases that were reported over Winter Break will be emailed to each school’s parents and staff on Monday, January 3.  
• Humble ISD will inform parents of all positive cases by posting cases by campus to the COVID-19 dashboard.
  The district will continue publishing a Dashboard that will be updated in the evening on Monday, January 3, and continue to be updated each school day.
• Humble ISD emails parents and staff when there is a positive individual in the classroom.
• Humble ISD reports cases on each campus to the local health department and the Department of State Health Services for their follow-up.

Together, we will get through this latest challenge.

Memorial Hermann is proud to partner with Humble ISD to host a free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic open to the public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25, at Ross Sterling Middle School, 1131 Wilson Rd, Humble, TX 77338. We are offering the Pfizer vaccine at this event, as well as a Memorial Hermann Shot of Hope T-shirt for everyone who gets vaccinated. Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive free vaccinations. Please note that minors (individuals 12 through 17 years of age) will be required to have an adult accompany them to their vaccination appointment. Minors do not have to show ID to receive the vaccine, but their parents/legal representatives do. This is a walk-in event and no registration is required. 

A follow-up clinic offering second doses of the Pfizer vaccine is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ross Sterling Middle School.

Today, Harris County issued an order related to masks and other COVID-19 related directives.  

The Harris County Order conflicts with the Governor’s order, which states that no person may be required by any jurisdiction to wear, or to mandate the wearing, of a face covering, and that public schools may operate under guidance issued by the Texas Education Agency.

Because the orders conflict, Humble ISD will continue with its current COVID protocols. Face masks remain optional in Humble ISD. 

Humble ISD has ensured we are in compliance with TEA and Governor’s guidance. COVID protocols in the district include: providing a virtual learning option even though the state is not funding Average Daily Attendance; keeping COVID-positive individuals and anyone with symptoms off campuses until re-entry criteria has been met; clean air technology; enhanced cleaning including fogging; outdoor eat, play and learn spaces; publishing a COVID-19 Dashboard, elementary class notifications; and sharing testing and vaccination opportunities. 

Humble ISD hopes to offer students a great school year that includes in person classes, extracurricular activities, and parents welcome back on campuses to volunteer and attend events.  

Humble ISD teachers look forward to welcoming students back-to-school for the first day of classes on Tuesday, August 10! Once again, we will focus on personalizing education to each student's dreams and goals. TEA announced its requirements for the 2021-2022 school year on Thursday, August 5, and Humble ISD has ensured we are in compliance with TEA and Governor’s guidance.
Read about our current COVID protocols.

All testing is completely optional. Testing options are available through local pharmacies as well as several public health agencies, including:

• https://houstonemergency.org/covid-19-testing  (City of Houston)
• https://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/ (Harris County Public Health)
• www.txcovidtest.org  (Texas Division of Emergency Management)
• https://www.readyharris.org/  (Harris County)

Face Coverings and masks become optional inside Humble ISD facilities and at school sponsored events beginning Saturday, May 29, 2021. The Staff Self-Reporting Form and the Student Self-Reporting Form links will continue to be posted on the district website. The district will continue publishing a COVID Dashboard that shows by building any cases reported through the links. Case information is shared with city and county public health departments and TEA.