Dear El Paso ISD Community,

I am happy to report that the health conditions in the El Paso region in relation to the Covid Pandemic continue to improve. As we head into the much-deserved spring break, the number of active cases reported to the District has gone from more than 2,000 in late January to fewer than 30 just this week. I want to thank our community for heeding the advice of medical experts and doing their part to hopefully get this pandemic under control.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control issued new recommendations that remove the need for face mask wearing for most Americans. The mask guidelines the CDC issued are for communities that have an infection level of yellow, or medium, based on different factors like positivity rates, hospitalizations and ICU-bed availability. While most of the country has shifted to this level, the El Paso region remains on orange, or high, level, and therefore the CDC continues to recommend the use of face masks and other stricter preventive behaviors.

The District continues to work with the local health authority in developing and updating its Covid-related guidelines for students and employees. Health authority officials, too, are encouraged with the trends in El Paso and project the region will soon shift into the yellow zone. Until then, they continue to recommend the use of face masks. 

As you know, the El Paso ISD Board of Trustees in January approved Covid-related provisions that included the expectation for students and staff to wear a face mask, the creation of an opt-out survey for those who can’t or won’t wear one, the shortening of our quarantine period for positive-but-asymptomatic patients to five days and the requirement that anyone who opts to return to school or work after five days wear a face mask. This provision has proven successful in helping us curb the spread of the virus in our facilities and we expect to continue to follow it until our region upgrades its Covid community level to yellow. I have been reassured by health officials that this could happen very soon. 

Trustees last month — in an effort to streamline decision making — also shifted the authority to change Covid provisions to me in my role as superintendent. This means I will be able to lift the face-mask provision quickly when our community reaches this milestone.

In the meantime, I continue to urge our students and staff to wear a face mask while on our facilities and to monitor their health for potential symptoms that could put our schools and kids in danger. If you wish to learn more about our covid provisions and read our reopening of schools plan, I invite you visit our Safe Return to School webpage at www.episd.org/covid19. 

We are working diligently to update the plan so that it better reflects the current health conditions in our community. Thank you for your continued support in this effort. Stay healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

Diana Sayavedra
Superintendent of Schools

Dear EPISD Parent, 

The Board of Trustees on Jan. 18, 2022, approved new COVID provisions that go into effect on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. These provisions reflect best practices based on advice from local health experts and help us manage the recent surge in infections in the region.  

Starting on Tuesday and through Feb. 15, the provisions set the expectation that all persons on district property wear a face mask. The provision exempts students participating in athletics and fine arts from wearing a face mask during games, events, practices and performances, unless they have tested positive for COVID within the last 10 days.  

Those who cannot wear a mask or are unwilling to wear one may opt out by filling out a one-question survey. A link to the survey was emailed to every parent in the District, and can also be found here. (Please note that only parents who wish to use the opt out need to submit the survey.)