NAVASOTA, Texas — Navasota ISD is working remotely until Dec. 18 because of increased cases of COVID-19 among students and staff.
"We don't have enough substitutes to fill the spots," said Dr. Stu Musick, the superintendent of Navasota ISD.
Students will not attend school in person this week but instead will connect with teachers and staff through Google Classrooms. All attendance checks and assignment due dates are still required.
Parents and families with any questions about remote learning are asked to contact their student's school or teacher.
High school students will be exempt from semester exams. Semester exam reviews will continue as scheduled and will be taken for a grade. Students may choose to take their semester exam in January if the exam grade is necessary for the student to receive credit for the course.
The school district saw an increase in reports of COVID-19 symptoms, positive tests and those who had been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Navasota ISD has been tracking lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in schools all year. For the majority of the year, staff and students have been about half of one percent of confirmed cases. The school district said the threshold to shutdown schools is when total COVID-19 cases among staff and students reach two percent.
Navasota ISD is reporting three schools exceeding the threshold. Navasota High School, Navasota Junior High and Brule Elementary have all been closed. Navasota Education Learning Center hasn't had a positive case yet. You can take a look at the numbers from all the schools and their percentages below:
Students and staff with a positive test, have symptoms or are awaiting results*:
- Navasota High School - 28/898 (3.12 percent)
- Navasota Junior High - 24/775 (3.09 percent)
- Webb Elementary - 7/711 (0.98 percent)
- Brule Elementary - 7/346 (2.02 percent)
- High Point Elementary - 5/469 (1.07 percent)
- Navasota Education Learning Center - 0/48 (0 percent)
- Total - 71/3247 (2.19 percent)
*Numbers as of Dec. 14.
"With our staff numbers, there was just no way we were going to be able to cover our classes," Musick said.
The number of campus staff and teachers that have called out with positive tests or close contact isolation has also played a factor in going remote for the week, according to Navasota ISD.
"We appreciate everyone understanding and cooperating," Musick said. "They understand that sometimes this has to be done. When we can't cover classes and our teachers can't cover for enough folks that are out, [that is when] we just had to make that change."
There will be free Grab and Go meals available at Highpoint Elementary School and John C. Webb Elementary Dec. 14-18. The free meals are available for all Navasota ISD from 10 am - 12 pm. Students and parents must have their student ID or ID number.
Navasota ISD is on winter break from Dec. 21- Jan. 1. Students will return to learning on Jan. 4.