All Angleton ISD schools closed through end of the week due to COVID
One Angleton ISD elementary school reported eight COVID cases among staff and 24 among students.
ANGLETON, Texas (KTRK) -- A day after Angleton ISD announced the closure of two elementary schools due to rising COVID-19 cases, the district on Tuesday expanded closures to all of its campuses through the end of the week.
In a statement, the district said it made that decision "after close review" of COVID data on a school-by-school basis.
Schools will resume classes on Tuesday, Sept. 7, after the Labor Day weekend.
The district's COVID dashboard shows there are 160 cases of the virus among the student body. While that is only about 2.4%, Superintendent Phil Edwards told ABC13 the decision was based on other numbers.
"Typically, our attendance rate this time of the year is going to run at 98%. We are at 88%," Edwards explained. "The dashboard only shows kids who are positive. We have kids who are quarantining and symptomatic at home. Those large numbers of exposure and symptoms drive the numbers much higher than what you see in the dashboard."
While students are being kept away from in-person classes, they will not be required to work remotely. Angleton ISD added the days will not be made up later in the school year.
However, district staff will report as normal to work unless they have tested positive for COVID, been exposed to the virus, or have virus symptoms.
Edwards hopes parents will use the off-time to have COVID-exposed or symptomatic students tested. Every campus clinic will be open for free testing.
Extracurricular activities at the high school and junior high campuses will continue as planned, the district added.
On Monday, parents of students at Northside and Westside elementary schools were told of their campus's closure. Westside, in particular, had eight staff members and 24 students test positive for COVID.
Angleton ISD began the school year on Aug. 18.
For more updates, visit Angleton ISD's website.
Angleton isn't the only district to close all of its schools for the week. Onalaska ISD announced all campuses would be closed until Sept. 7 as well.
Get the latest developments on the closure by following Jessica Willey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
