Clear Creek ISD strongly recommending face coverings indoors to begin 2021-22 school year

Approximately a week later, Harris County Public Health issued a mask mandate for public schools located within Harris County. Within CCISD, there are district campuses in both Harris and Galveston counties. Per the Aug. 13 statement, CCISD will not impose a districtwide mandate.

Since CCISD is governed by an independent school board, and required to follow the laws of the State of Texas and rules of the Texas Education Agency, the district will continue to comply with Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting a school district from mandating the indoor use of face coverings, per the Aug. 13 statement.

In addition, more employees are missing work the week of Aug. 9 following positive COVID-19 tests than were missing work in January during the last COVID-19 case surge, the district’s Chief Communications Officer Elaina Polsen said in an Aug. 12 email. There were 54 employees out with COVID-19 the week of January 10 and 59 employees out the week of Aug. 9, she said.

“We must reduce the risk of spreading the virus to keep staff at work and students in class,” she wrote. “We are also having some difficulty securing substitutes, especially at the elementary level without a mask requirement.”

Since Aug. 4, adjustments have been made to the back-to-school plan to incorporate community feedback that were shared with parents via email. Another email update indicated CCISD is planning a “temporary and limited online learning option for elementary students.”

Williams and Cunningham advocated in their Aug. 13 statement for face coverings, frequent hand washing, keeping distance from others and staying home when sick as ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. They plan to release a back-to-school video message later Aug. 13, referencing these and other health and safety protocols as well as welcoming the community back for the 2021-22 school year, per the statement.