Conroe ISD moves to “alert level 4” with hundreds of new COVID-19 cases a day

CONROE – With the distribution of COVID-19 across Conroe ISD so quickly, the district moved to alert level 4, which is the second highest level and at a level to consider closing campuses and even the district.

“The next few days are critical,” the district said in a note to staff Thursday night. “We appreciate everything you do, but we need to do more to protect this school year for our students and families.”

On Friday, at the end of school, 1,630 students and staff were isolated, testing positive for COVID-19 or showing symptoms. The district said 1,487 of the 1,630 isolated are students.

“If the cases continue to increase and things continue as they are, I’m not sure the current school model is sustainable,” said Christi Adamick, a parent at Oak Ridge High.

“I had a kid sitting next to my daughter with COVID-19,” said Deandra Gray, a high school mom. “Last year we had the school halfway through with masks, and then you give us back all the gas with optional masks.”

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TABLES: Track active COVID-19 cases in Houston area school districts

Alert level 4 in Conroe ISD means “significant cases in the building / community”. It also means that large meetings will be held, unnecessary travel and that external visitors and guests will be limited and non-essential school events will be canceled on a case-by-case basis.

In its note to staff, the district said the move to “level 4” was necessary, in part, because more staff members tested positive in the early days of the school year than all last year.

The note also mentioned that only about 50% of eligible Montgomery County residents are vaccinated and that hospitals recently outnumbered the high number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

The positivity rate in the county is 23%, it was also noted in the note.

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At “Level 5,” when there are “widespread cases in the building / community,” Conroe ISD “will consider closing campus” and even “the entire district in consultation with the Montgomery County Department of Health”.

The staff note noted that because ASD does not offer widespread support for e-learning, “any minutes missed due to a closure will have to be compensated for either by extending the school day or adding days to the calendar or a combination of both “.

RELATED: Houston Area Schools Report Thousands of Active COVID-19 Cases When School Year Begins

Many KPRC 2 students and parents spoke Friday outside Oak Ridge High School and lamented the lack of a mask warrant.

“I have immunocompromised family members and I worry,” said 11-year-old Emily Anthony. “I always make sure I wear the mask.”

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