09.03.2021 Revised 09-03-21 1 Welcome back to EPISD! First and foremost, thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through unprecedented and extraordinary times in our District and nation’s history! The Texas State Legislature ended its session without approval of House Bill 1468, which would have allowed school districts to offer virtual learning options to students this fall. EPISD was awarded authorization and planned to offer virtual instruction in the upcoming school year. However, our virtual learning was contingent upon the House Bill’s passage, which would have provided funding for the program. As a result, the District will return to 100 percent face-to-face instruction, and other activities, for the new school year, which begins Aug. 2. Although remote learning will not be an option, rest assured that we will continue to update our technology and infrastructure to ensure that all students are equipped with devices and proper connectivity. All students will need to report to their respective campuses in accordance with the District’s adopted instructional calendar and will be subject to regular attendance requirements. Safety will remain a top priority. Thank you for your support and commitment to ensuring that our students continue to learn and grow. We will continue to monitor state and local guidance as we prepare for the upcoming school year. We are looking forward to having all our students back with us this fall! Sincerely, Vince Sheffield Interim Superintendent 09.03.2021 3 House Bill 1468, which would have authorized local school districts the option to offer remote and hybrid learning programs for the 2021-2022 school year, did not pass at the end of the Texas legislative session. Without the passage of HB 1468, remote/hybrid learning is not authorized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for full funding within the existing legal framework for school year 2021-2022, with a few exceptions (for example, existing Texas Virtual School Network members). Since the governor ordered schools closed in March of 2020 and subsequently ordered TEA to issue operations guidance for the 2020-2021 school year, TEA was able to authorize remote learning through disaster-based waiver authority and conditions. However, that authority will no longer apply in the 2021-2022 school year. While it is possible that remote/hybrid learning may be authorized in the future, it is unclear when that authorization may happen. The Texas Education Agency has stated before that the Virtual & Hybrid School Accelerator’s launch is dependent on the passage of legislation, and given current status, are not launching or approving the Virtual & Hybrid School Accelerator as previously planned. 4 09.03.2021 Department of Public Health CITY OF EL PASO HEALTH AUTHORITY ORDER INDOOR MASK MANDATE August 17, 2021 In light of the presence of the Delta variant, considered the most contagious variant seen throughout the entire pandemic, and other strains of COVID-19 in our community; and with recent research findings indicating that patients infected with the Delta variant are twice as likely to be hospitalized, particularly those with co-morbidities, thus presenting a high possibility for exponential morbidities and mortality to our highly vulnerable population, and pursuant to the Texas Health & Safety Code Section 81.082 and Section 121.024, I hereby order an indoor face covering mandate in the City of El Paso, Texas and County of El Paso, Texas, to take effect at 12:01am on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, which shall be in effect until terminated or modified by a subsequent Local Health Authority Order or other superseding order. This Order is based on current medical evidence concerning COVID-19 and takes into consideration the fact that the County of El Paso tragically is among the leaders in the State of Texas in terms of COVID-19 deaths, as well as the high vulnerability of our population due to morbidities such as complicated and uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, low health insurance coverage, the fact that our community is considered to be a health professional shortage area and the fact that our community has been greatly affected by the devastating effects of the complications arising from COVID-19. Universal indoor face covering. This Order is issued, imposing a universal requirement for face coverings to be worn covering the nose and mouth in all indoor locations. Because an infected person can transmit the COVID-19 virus, in particular the Delta variant, to others before showing any symptoms, the covering of a person’s nose and mouth is necessary to help slow the spread of the virus. Therefore, it is imperative that every person in El Paso County shall wear some form of face covering over their nose and mouth, such as a homemade mask, Angela Mora – Health Director Department of Public Health | 5115 El Paso Drive | El Paso, TX 79905 O: (915) 212-6502 | https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health/ 20-1052-1069/PL#1106397/LHA - Indoor Mask Mandate Page 1 of 3 09.03.2021 5 Department of Public Health scarf, bandana, or handkerchief, preferably medical grade or higher, when inside an indoor location with the exception of private homes, and in shared ride scenarios; provided, however, that this face covering requirement does not apply to the following: 1. any person younger than 2 years of age; parents and guardians of children over the age of 2 and under the age of 10 are responsible for appropriately making their children wear a face covering as required herein; 2. any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering; 3. any person while the person is consuming food or drink, or is seated at a restaurant to eat or drink; 4. any person while the person is (a) exercising or engaging in physical activity indoors, in a gym or exercise facility, individually or in a group and (b) maintaining a safe distance from other people; 5. any person while the person is driving alone or with passengers who are part of the same household as the driver; 6. any person obtaining a service that requires temporary removal of the face covering for security surveillance, screening, or a need for specific access to the face, such as while visiting a bank or while obtaining a personal care service involving the face, but only to the extent necessary for the temporary removal; 7. any person while the person is in a swimming pool or similar body of water; 8. any person who is voting, assisting a voter, serving as a poll watcher, or actively administering an election, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged; 9. any person who is actively providing or obtaining access to religious worship, unless required by said religious worship entity, but wearing a face covering is strongly encouraged; 10. any person while the person is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience. Angela Mora – Health Director Department of Public Health | 5115 El Paso Drive | El Paso, TX 79905 O: (915) 212-6502 | https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health/ 20-1052-1069/PL#1106397/LHA - Indoor Mask Mandate Page 2 of 3 6 09.03.2021 Department of Public Health Wearing a face covering is not a substitute for the COVID-19 vaccination. Further, it is important to continue maintaining 6-feet social distancing and handwashing as critical steps to slowing the spread of the virus. FAILURE TO ABIDE BY THIS ORDER, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS, IS A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF UP TO $500.00. ________________________ Hector I. Ocaranza, M.D., MPH Local Health Authority City/County of El Paso, TX Angela Mora – Health Director Department of Public Health | 5115 El Paso Drive | El Paso, TX 79905 O: (915) 212-6502 | https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health/ 20-1052-1069/PL#1106397/LHA - Indoor Mask Mandate Page 3 of 3 09.03.2021 7 Administration Building 1014 N. Stanton St. El Paso, TX 79902 Phone (915) 230-0000 www.episd.org Dear EPISD Family, On Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, the El Paso ISD Board of Trustees issued a mask mandate in compliance with the local health authority order that went into effect on Aug. 19 (Order attached). On Aug. 19, 2021, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that all mask mandates could remain in effect until further notice. In response, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) also updated its guidance to reflect the ruling. As such, EPISD will continue to require that all students, staff, and visitors wear a face mask while indoors, on school buses, and other District vehicles. In accordance with the local health authority order, masks are not required in some circumstances, such as while performing physical activity (i.e. P.E. or other athletic activities). Any student or staff member not in compliance with this mask mandate, unless otherwise administratively exempted by the order, will be addressed in accordance with established disciplinary procedures aligned with the Student Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook or other district policies regarding student and employee conduct. The TEA also provided further guidance for quarantining students. We will continue to follow our updated protocols for close contact exposures made effective on Aug. 19. For clarification, students who are determined to be close contact exposures who are not vaccinated, may only continue attending school if: they are asymptomatic; are administered a COVID-19 test at the campus (or a facility of the parent’s choice) on the fifth day of exposure and receive a negative COVID-19 result on such test. Screening for asymptomatic students will be enhanced. If the student/parent does not agree to testing or providing a negative test result dated between the fifth and seventh day after exposure, the student will be treated in the same manner as a positive case for the purposes of quarantining.