August 10, 2021
Dear KIPP Texas Families,
As I shared in my email yesterday, like you, we are very concerned about the rising Covid and variant cases across our four regions. Because the health and safety of Little and Big KIPPsters remains of utmost importance, KIPP Texas will take the following actions:
#MaskUpForKIPPsters | Mask Opt-In
We firmly believe that a safe, masked, in-person learning environment is what’s best for our KIPPsters. And, we know the number of students in our classrooms will increase significantly compared to last year. KIPP Texas strongly recommends the use of a face mask on our campuses and facilities while around other KIPPsters so much that we’re asking our families, students, and staff to actively stamp their commitment by opting in to wear a mask.
Please join me in a commitment to wear a mask by submitting a Mask Opt-In form. Securing opt-ins will allow our teachers and leaders to remind our staff and students about proper mask wearing to keep our classrooms safer. Our goal is to get 100% of our Team & Family commit to keep ourselves and each other safe by wearing masks while inside our buildings.
Please consider getting the word out about our #MaskUpForKIPPsters campaign and having Little KIPPsters commit to wearing a mask in KIPP buildings by sharing a picture of your student wearing a mask that covers your face and mouth on social media, using #MaskUpForKIPPsters or the graphic below.
We are hopeful that as we #MaskUpForKIPPsters and continue our Health and Safety protocols, we will maintain safe and healthy schools.
KIPP Texas San Antonio Team and Family: This evening (August 10), a temporary restraining order was granted in Bexar County Court against Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order banning mask mandates in Texas schools. As a result, the Bexar County Health Authority has issued a health directive requiring universal indoor masking for all students, staff, teachers, and visitors on public school campuses, per CDC recommendations. Starting tomorrow (August 11), all individuals on any of our San Antonio campuses, regardless of vaccine status, will be required to wear a mask at all times indoors in any KIPP Texas San Antonio school building or office through the duration of this temporary restraining order. As we learn more over the next few days, we will keep all of you informed and updated.
Limited Virtual Learning Option
Pending approval from our Board of Directors, KIPP Texas will offer a limited virtual learning option for medically fragile students in grades K-6 and students who are quarantined across Pre-K through 12, after the start of school. KIPP Texas is forming a task force who will craft the program, create an application for families, and share details in the coming weeks. While we do not have additional details at this time, we do know that teachers who are teaching in-person will not be also teaching virtual learning students.
Covid Health & Safety Q&A Town Hall
You are invited this Wednesday and Friday to a virtual town hall with T2 and our guest speaker and medical expert, Dr. Carlos Jaén, M.D., Ph. D., F.A.A.F.P, Professor and Chair of Family and Community Medicine in the School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. We will discuss protections and practices we can use to stay safe while Covid cases are on the rise. Dr. Jaen will answer questions you might have. You can use this form to submit your questions here.
(click this link or on the image to download the flyer)
We trust that with Little and Big KIPPsters committing to wear a mask, those who are eligible getting the Covid vaccine, and consistently practicing our health and with our safety protocols—frequent cleaning and disinfecting, upgraded air filters, contact tracing protocols— we are putting ourselves in the best position to keep the KIPP Texas community safe.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the health and safety of our Team & Family. #MaskUpForKIPPsters
With gratitude,
sehba
Important Links:
KTX SY22 – Health & Safety Protocols
Follow KIPP Texas on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
