A number of public school districts in North Texas are announcing closures through March 20 to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19.) After collaborating with state and county health officials and other education leaders this morning, CISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt has announced that Coppell ISD will be closed for students March 16-20, along with the cancellation of all extracurricular activities and school events during the same period. We will reevaluate the situation at the end of this extended break before making any other long-term announcements.

The health and safety of our students and staff is a top priority.  The goals of this announced closure are to help prevent the spread of disease and to give our staff additional time to plan for continuity of services, should it become necessary for public schools to close for longer. We ask each of you to do your part to help prevent the spread of disease by limiting your attendance at social gatherings and large public events. Wash your hands regularly and isolate yourself if you begin experiencing symptoms like fever, coughing or shortness of breath. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Dallas County Health and Human Services is available on our website at www.coppellisd.com/coronavirus. The cancellation of mass gathering events can dramatically help flatten the curve for the spread of the coronavirus disease.  

We acknowledge that an unexpected school closure creates a hardship on our parents and staff because of work, childcare and other considerations. However, we hope you know our efforts coming to this decision have been done with the best interests of everyone involved. We also know and understand that for many students, school is the one place that they can count on for meals and support. To that end, we are all committed to taking care of our most vulnerable populations. Our staff will be planning and preparing to assist students who might need support during an extended closure.

Coppell ISD employees need to be available to work when requested during this closure. We will communicate directly with staff members regarding their specific roles and responsibilities in our prevention planning.

Information still to come from the Texas Education Agency includes guidance for course credit, compulsory attendance, accountability standards and school funding. The Superintendents and district leaders in North Texas eagerly await guidance on the waiver process and other steps to support the continued education of our students for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.