Students or staff who test positive for COVID-19 will be sent home to recover. When notification of a possible exposure occurs, in coordination with local health authorities, the campus/district will conduct contact tracing. Based on the results, a determination will be made as to whether an entire classroom or multiple classrooms are required to quarantine. In the event students are required to temporarily quarantine, the education of these students will continue through Remote Learning for the duration of the quarantine period.

Based on current CDC, Texas Education Agency (TEA), and Collin County Health Services guidance, the stay-at-home period can end for individuals experiencing no symptoms:

• On Day 10 after close contact exposure without testing,
• On Day 7 after close contact exposure and after receiving a negative test result. The test must be administered at least 5 days after the last close contact.

If individuals return to school from these shorter stay-at-home windows, they should regularly monitor themselves for symptoms to ensure they remain symptom-free and take appropriate precautions for the duration of the 14-day incubation period.  For elementary students, masks must be worn until the end of the 14 days.

These changes went into effect on December 4, 2020.

Step 1: Notification

• District administration will send notification to all campus participants if a positive COVID-19 case is identified among participants (employees or students). For students, such written notification is to be provided to the parents or guardians of the students.
• District administration will notify the local health department.

Step 2: Contact Trace

• Wylie ISD will identify any individuals who had regular or close contact with the affected participant at school. The student’s and/or the employee’s confidentiality will be maintained whenever possible and all involved will remind others of the need to keep personal and medical information confidential.
• Wylie ISD Student Health Services and Risk Management will work with the employee and/or student to determine the last date the employee and/or student was physically present in any district facility. This investigation will include core and extended groups. Core and Extended groups are identified as follows:
• Core group:
• The entire class (students, teachers and staff)
• May include other teachers and staff (if multiple teachers work regularly with the student or staff member)
• Extended group is anyone who interacted with individuals in core group on a regular basis or came in close contact with core individuals
• Extended group should be considered potentially exposed as well and should be screened for symptoms before returning to school.

Step 3: Isolation Protocols

Protocols for the Isolation of a student or teacher testing positive for COVID-19 will vary based on circumstance. Each circumstance will be treated individually, the following are examples of different circumstances and how they will be addressed.

• If a student shows COVID-19 symptoms at school, the student will be immediately separated until picked up by parent/guardian.
• If a student or employee experiences any COVID-19 symptom he/she should self-isolate until the required criteria has been met.
• If an employee or student lives with someone who is exposed to a lab-confirmed positive case (symptomatic/asymptomatic), that employee/student should self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms.

Step 4: Area Sanitation

Wylie ISD will contact the facilities staff to sanitize all areas the student/employee was in.

Return to Work

A Wylie ISD employee or student may return to work based on individual circumstance described below:

If the individual was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to campus when all three of the following criteria are met:

• A minimum of 1 day (24 hours) have passed since recovery, resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• The infected individual has significant improvement in symptoms, a cough, shortness of breath, for example.
• A minimum of 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

If a student or employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, but does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to campus until all three criteria are met:

• A minimum of 1 day (24 hours) have passed since recovery, resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• The infected individual has significant improvement in symptoms, a cough, shortness of breath, for example.
• A minimum of 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

If a student or employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and wants to return to campus before completing the above self-isolation period, they must obtain a medical certification clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.

Due to the scheduling complexities inherent in these two options, parents will be asked to make a commitment for at least one full nine-week grading period. Special circumstances that affect a family will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the campus principal. Please note that if a student switches between On Campus Learning and Remote Learning, then that student may not have the same teacher(s) or course schedule, as teachers may or may not be teaching both On Campus and Remote Learning classes.

Students will be allowed to change their instructional setting at the end of every grading term.

For current students, parents will complete the commitment form no later than August 6 at 8:00 a.m. Upon enrollment, new students will be provided the opportunity to select their instructional model.

We will implement increased signage around campuses promoting disease mitigation strategies, increased cleaning and sanitation practices, as well as frequent reminders of hand hygiene and social distancing. We will follow the recommendation of TEA, CDC, the local health authority and the Governor’s office regarding face coverings. Wylie ISD will comply with all required health and safety recommendations established by the Governor, the health department, and the Texas Education Agency. Safety and health measures may be adjusted based on current guidelines and conditions.

Yes. All staff members will receive COVID-19 prevention training prior to the opening of school.  All students will receive instruction on health protocols related to minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

Wylie ISD will follow TEA guidelines for class size.  At this time, the class size requirements are the same as a regular school year. The maximum number of students per class varies by grade level and also varies by class at the secondary level.

Signage reminding students and staff about social distancing, handwashing, and infection prevention will be posted throughout the school.

Elementary classrooms will be assigned specific bathrooms, breakfast, lunch, and gym access times to reduce the number of students in any given area as much as possible.

Campus administrators will work with their leadership teams to determine practices specific to their campus to further promote social distancing. These will be communicated at the beginning of the school year.

Safety guidelines have been developed for conducting all on campus workouts, rehearsals, and practices. The district will continue to follow all guidelines provided by UIL, TEA, and the state. We will share any changes with parents.

Elementary campuses will limit the number of students at recess at one time and create different play areas for activities to further reduce student interactions. Students and staff will be required to use hand sanitizer and wash their hands before and after recess.

During the period of the school closure, students will remain at home and will engage in learning activities that are primarily delivered through Google Classroom. Live, teacher-led instruction and peer collaboration will be scheduled throughout the day to expand students’ opportunities to engage with content and interact with teachers and classmates. Daily student participation in the learning activities will be required. Instructional time will also be dedicated for independent learning activities. A structured schedule will be provided to students indicating required times for participation in live instruction.

More information can be found on our Pivot Plan pages.

Cafeterias will be open to serve breakfast and lunch daily. The physical setup for the cafeteria and the schedule will be adjusted to reduce the number of students in the cafeteria at one time. Each campus cafeteria space will be evaluated to ensure social distancing. Some students will be eating in the cafeteria, spaced according to the recommended guidelines, and other students may eat in the classroom if necessary. All school meals will be served by employees, meaning student self-serve tables will not be used.  Safety and health measures will be adjusted based on current guidelines and conditions.

Juniors and Seniors at WHS & WEHS will be allowed off-campus lunch.

Yes, transportation will continue to be provided for all who qualify. Bus transportation is provided for students in special education (as determined by the ARD committee) and eligible general education students who live two or more miles from their school or in areas specially designated by the Transportation Department.

Ridership will remain at typical district capacity. To support contact tracing, students will be assigned seats, and a seating chart will be maintained by the bus driver. Students will be highly encouraged to wear face coverings and use hand sanitizer provided when boarding and exiting the bus. Wylie ISD will comply with all health and safety recommendations established by the Governor, the health department, and the Texas Education Agency. Students are required to remain seated at all times and keep their hands and arms to themselves. Students should not touch each other or share any items. School buses will be cleaned and disinfected daily. Safety and health measures may be adjusted based on current guidelines and conditions.

Additionally, drivers will wear a mask or a face shield while students load and unload the bus and all bus aides will wear a mask or face shield at all times while students are present on the bus.

Collin College will provide guidelines for Wylie ISD students who are enrolled in dual credit courses for Fall 2020. For any questions about dual credit, contact dualcredit@collin.edu.

Yes, students who select Remote Learning or On Campus Learning may participate in clubs and/or organizations. Meetings may be held virtually, as applicable. Students must have their own transportation to and from campus. Additional screening protocols may be required for these students.

Overall progress on learning outcomes will be communicated in a traditional format using numeric grades. Assignments and grades will be entered into Skyward. The expectations for coursework and guidelines for grading for On Campus Learning and Remote Learning will be the same.

Students enrolled in Dual Credit coursework will follow Collin College grading procedures.

Yes. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has indicated that STAAR testing will still occur during the 2020-2021 school year, in compliance with state and federal legislation.

We will be converting our water fountains to water bottle filler stations to promote disease mitigation. Please send your child with a refillable water bottle each day. Should they forget, we will have disposable cups for student use.