3 Days Into School, Entire Keller ISD 5th-Grade Class Sent Home To Quarantine
KELLER, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Three employees at a Keller ISD school have turned up positive for COVID-19, just days into the new school year. And that meant a shift in learning for an entire grade.
After months of waiting, 5th graders at Indian Springs Middle School had three days in person before they were once again sent home. Keller ISD confirmed there are three employee cases in the 5th grade at the school.
"Due to the volume of close contacts, and out of an abundance of caution, all 145 in-person fifth-grade students and the fifth-grade staff are in quarantine and have transitioned to remote learning for 14 days."
Keller ISD parents CBS 11 News spoke to said it's not surprising.
"I think that's something to expect, because the pandemic's not going to cure up anytime soon," said parent Aaron Torres. "To send your child to school and not expect that, you're being unrealistic."
But, they said, it is disappointing for the families, teachers and especially the students.
"It breaks my heart for them, too, to be so isolated from the world like that with what's going on with this time and age," said parent Ryan Moye. "Other than that, it's more of taking the proper precautions, proper steps to do what we need to do to get there."
Keller ISD reports 11 active positive cases in the district - seven students and four employees. According the the district's COVID-19 Process Map, any employee who tests positive must self-isolate for 10 calendar days. If that employee displays symptoms, he or she must be fever-free for at least 48 hours before returning to school. Parents said they support the district taking any steps that are necessary for health and well-being.
"I think it's good that they're taking the proper precautions to do what they need to do for the kids, whatever's safest and best for the community," said Moye.
Keller ISD also said that the entire campus was thoroughly sanitized and disinfected over the weekend. In addition to the 11 active positive cases in the district, it also reports 44 inactive positive cases.