Frisco ISD has dashboard of COVID-19 cases at each school as the district starts in-person learning Thursday
FRISCO, Texas - Frisco ISD is doing something that just a handful of other districts have done so far.
The night before students go back on campus Thursday, there are already 48 cases reported.
“I think the unknown is harder, right? Not knowing how it’s going to be,” said Sue Park, whose son, Stephen, is a sophomore at Frisco’s Memorial High School.
There are a lot of unknowns ahead of any first day of school, but those feelings are amplified for Sue and Stephen as he prepares to return to campus Thursday for the district’s first day of in-person learning.
“I think once things start and they get back and get into a routine, I think they’ll feel a lot more comfortable about it,” Sue said.
The school year kicked off online on August 13.
Starting September 3, parents were given the option to either continue virtually, or send their students back into the classroom.
The Parks chose in-person learning.
“It’s not anyone’s fault, but I hate it when Zoom all of the sudden freezes and it logs me out. I end up missing something the teacher says and it’s definitely frustrating,” Stephen said.
But even before students and staff step foot on campus, the district is reporting 48 cases.
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Most are connected to Wakeland and Liberty high schools.
Cases are updated every hour on an online dashboard, broken down to 28 students infected and 20 staff.
Students and staff with a confirmed case of COVID-19 are required to quarantine until at least 10 days have passed since their symptom onset AND their symptoms have improved, or since their positive test if they have no symptoms (letter of good health required).
Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be required to submit a letter of good health from a physician's office prior to returning to school.
“I’m just worried about everyone being too close together when we’re in a pandemic like this,” Stephen added.
Sue is trusting that the district is taking every precaution.
“They have spread out the desks, limited sharing of supplies,” she said. “I think they’ve taken as many steps as they can.”
Other districts with a COVID-19 dashboard are Carroll ISD in Southlake and McKinney ISD, which starts in-person instruction Thursday as well.
Allen ISD’s COVID-19 dashboard went online Wednesday.
Click here to view Frisco ISD's COVID-19 dashboard.