Dripping Springs ISD has not made official decisions about the in-person status of classes for summer school or the regular 2020-21 school year, but Dripping Springs High School nurse Vickie Metzgar said district health services are already preparing campuses for the possibility of students returning to campus as the coronavirus threat continues.
In a May 18 presentation to DSISD trustees, Metzgar listed precautions for students’ return this fall, including making sure that each school has a space to isolate individuals who may show symptoms until they can be picked up and treated off campus. For Dripping Springs Middle School and Dripping Springs Elementary School campuses, this means working to quickly erect new walls to cordon off such a space.
Additionally, Metzger said the district would need to reevaluate its current policy of encouraging students who have been sick to return to school after 24 hours without a fever. Instead, she recommended ramping up the requirement to 72 hours. She also said parents and staff would need to be vigilant of potential coronavirus symptoms, especially since younger children are slow to show major symptoms.
“Realistically, if someone has a cough and a fever, we have to assume that it’s COVID,” Metzger said.
