Conroe ISD Superintendent Curtis Null announced Feb. 15 the district on Feb. 21 will move from COVID-19 safety alert Level 3 to Level 2.
The district moved from Level 4 to Level 3 on Feb. 7, and the district has not been in Level 2 since winter 2021. Safety alert Level 2 loosens restrictions on in-person gatherings and events.
“That is significant,” Null said during a live virtual update. “We all appreciate that we can get back to more normal, and hopefully we’ll have no more spikes throughout the remainder of the year and we can keep moving.”
According to the COVID-19 dashboard, student attendance reached a 2022 high Feb. 10 with 95% of students in attendance. The substitute fill rate reached a 2021-22 school year high on Feb. 16 with an 84% substitute fill rate. Both employee and student positive reports and isolations are on a downward trend since the mid-January peak, according to the dashboard.
In addition, Null announced the district's isolation period criteria has changed. Before Feb. 16, students were required to isolate for 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. According to Null, the district will move the required isolation period to five days followed by mask usage. Null said the decision was made using public health guidance provided by the state.
“We believe children should be in school,” Null said. “We do not like having children out of school longer than they need to be, so we are really excited about this opportunity to get kids back into school sooner.”
District guidance for COVID-19 protocols can be found at www.conroeisd.net/roadmap-to-reopening.
