Superintendent’s Update – December 10

December 10, 2020

Click here to watch the December 10 Superintendent’s Update.

Through the quarantine period ending Nov. 27, RISD has directed 2,909 students to quarantine due to exposure to a positive case associated with school.
Of those students, 212 (7.3%) subsequently tested positive for COVID or experienced COVID-19 symptoms.
The CDC published updated quarantine options last week for people who have been exposed to a positive case but are otherwise not symptomatic, and RISD is evaluating how district protocols will change as a result. Part of this evaluation includes consultation with our local health authority in Dallas County, which is currently ongoing.
RISD is beginning the process of implementing the new guidelines for essential employees, and anticipates an announcement about updated quarantine protocols next week. Planning is underway for the new quarantine protocols to become fully implemented for students and staff at the beginning of the second semester in January.
RISD’s in-school rapid antigen screening program is up and running. It is available to students or employee who become symptomatic during the school day. Parent consent is required and more information about the program is available on the RISD website.
RISD’s virtual Parent University sessions have been well attended are offer content beneficial to many parents. Previous sessions are archived in the Parent University video library.
Diversity continues to be one of RISD’s strengths, and offers opportunities for students from different backgrounds to learn from each other and collaborate together. RISD’s most prevalent home languages spoken beyond English are (in order): Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Vietnamese, Pashto, and Urdu.
In this challenging and unique year for student athletics, congratulations to the Lake Highlands and Pearce volleyball teams, each going two rounds into the playoffs, and congratulations to the Lake Highlands, Pearce, and Richardson football teams for making the playoffs.