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COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

About Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Early reports from China show some people are at a higher risk of getting very sick from the virus. This includes:

  • Older adults
  • People who have serious medical conditions like:
    • Heart disease
    • Diabetes
    • Lung disease

The CDC reports no evidence that children are more susceptible.

Symptoms can be mild to severe respiratory illness with:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
Staying Healthy
    • Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds or more, or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
    • Stay home when sick.
    • Be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications prior to returning to school
    • Cover your mouth or nose when coughing or sneezing.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. 
    • Practice other good health habits like drinking plenty of fluids, eating well and getting adequate sleep.
Travel Protocol

HPISD will follow the CDC’s criteria for locations with significant numbers of the virus. Currently, families and staff planning travel to any widespread affected area should report travel plans. These countries are updating at a quick pace. Use the CDCs website as a guide to determine the updates. If families or staff travel to a an affected country, individuals should self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to the U.S. as recommended by the CDC.


The CDC recommends travelers, particularly those with underlying health issues, postpone all cruise ship travel at this time. If you are traveling by cruise ship during the COVID-19, please review this webpage and let your school’s principal know. Staff should let their building supervisor know.
Families and staff should report travel to an affected country by using an electronic form. All responses are kept secure and confidential.

HPISD is following the CDC’s webpage to determine risk assessment levels for COVID-19. As this global outbreak is changing quickly, it is recommended you use the CDC’s webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding travel. 

Travel information is updating rapidly. It is recommended families and staff monitor the risk assessment level for COVID-19 on the CDC website. The same guidelines would apply to a newly-added affected area.
HPISD Operations
To prevent community spread of COVID-19, HPISD will close schools indefinitely beginning March 23. Gov. Abbott declared a statewide emergency closing schools through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. During that time, the district will monitor updates from the state and local health agencies to determine when campuses might reopen. These closures include cancellations of all athletic practices and competitions, district events and field trips.
To prevent the spread of disease, HPISD playground equipment, sport courts and tennis courts will not be available to the public until further notice.
The district has guidelines in place for a Coronavirus assessment in each school’s clinic. If exposure or close contact to COVID-19 and fever or respiratory illness are present, nurses will isolate the individual, contact the parent/guardian, inform administration and call the Dallas County Health Department. Close contact is defined as within six-feet of a person or within a room or care area for a prolonged period of time while not wearing a gown, gloves, mask or eye protection. Brief interactions, like walking by a person, is considered low risk and does not constitute close contact.
In the midst of flu season, custodial staff has already been performing extra deep-cleanings of the buildings. Maintenance employees will deep clean all campuses and buildings. This includes disinfecting classrooms and all surfaces. HPISD will close schools indefinitely beginning March 23. All athletic practices and competitions, field trips and district events are cancelled.
Expectations
Yes. Although HPISD is not an online school, the district has implemented instructional continuity during the time of closure. Please visit Connect HPISD at www.hpisd.org/connecthpisd/.
If you have returned from travel and are asked to self-quarantine, you should not come to school or work and remain home. The CDC recommends monitoring your health and practicing social distancing. The CDC has guidelines in place to monitor symptoms. Any symptom of COVID-19 should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider.
We realize this is an extremely sensitive situation for some people and has caused fear and questions in our community. It is important that you follow the reporting procedures if you have traveled to an affected area so we can best address attendance upon your return. The Texas Education Agency is working to determine procedures to address absences. HPISD will work with families and staff regarding absences on a case-by-case basis. Students who miss school because they have traveled to an affected area, determined by the CDC, will receive an excused absence.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced March 16 that he has waived the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) testing requirements for the 2019-20 school year. 
 
 
 
 
First, please check to make sure emails from HPISD are not in your spam or junk folders. If you still have not received the message, please email ConkliE@hpisd.org with your child's campus and grade level. If you accidentally unsubscribed from receiving emails sent from HPISD, click here to resubscribe. 
 
If you are not receiving emails from a teacher in a specific class, you will need to update or add your email address in Skyward. To access Skyward, click here. 
HPISD, along with school districts across the state, will wait for guidance from the Texas Education Agency. Gov. Abbott declared a state emergency forcing schools to remain closed at least through May 1. HPISD intends to apply for a waiver that would not extend school or require the days to be made up since instructional continuity will be provided during the time of closure.