Connally Independent School District

Dear Connally ISD Parents and Staff, As you know the Center for Disease Control has recently shared information about the concerns for public health within the United States due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider this new Coronavirus to be a serious public health threat, it considers the immediate risk to the American public to be low. To be clear, there have been no reported cases in the Waco area but I think it is important for us to share with you what Connally ISD is currently doing. Understandably, viral illnesses are issues for which we are all concerned and are following closely. Health experts continue to study the virus to understand the full nature of its transmission and best practices for prevention. We are in contact with our local health department to ensure we are learning as much as possible, as information becomes available on how we can continue keep our students and our staff safe. Here are some of the preemptive measures we are currently taking to help control the spread of flu and other potential viruses: Our school nurses and clinic staff follow guidelines set by the Texas Department of State Health Services to protect our children from communicable illnesses. Additionally, our head nurse and emergency operation team are closely monitoring updates by the CDC regarding viruses such as the flu and the novel coronavirus. Our custodial supervisor ensures all classroom and facility surfaces are disinfected daily, and checks with school nurses to get up-to-date information about numbers of current illness cases such as flu or strep, students affected, and areas of potential concentration, so we can better direct targeted cleaning efforts. Along with our custodial staff, our transportation department also takes preventative measures and will be disinfecting buses over Spring Break. We will continue monitoring recommendations by the CDC and local health departments and implement additional measures as we learn more. In the meantime, you can learn more about the novel coronavirus at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019ncov-factsheet.pdf. The measures that prevent the spread of the flu virus will also prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As we currently are in the midst of the traditional flu season, many campus practices to safeguard the health of students, faculty, and staff are already in place. Connally ISD encourages all members of our community to take standard precautions to prevent the spread of viruses. This is a list of preventative measures. • Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds • Cough and sneeze in your sleeve or tissue. dispose of used tissues properly. • Avoid touching your face, mouth, nose and eyes • Frequently cleaning touch surfaces, including cell phones, laptops, and keyboards; • Avoiding sharing food utensils, containers, and other personal items; • Staying home when ill • Keep your child home when ill with a fever, vomiting or diarrhea Get the flu vaccine (it is not too late) We do have emergency operations plans in place should there ever be a local outbreak of any viral illness. With guidance from health officials and the Center for Disease Control, the head nurse will have the most up to date information as it becomes available. For the latest updates on the Coronavirus or Influenza, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website. For questions regarding the Coronavirus (COVID19) – Call the McLennan County Public Health District 254-750-1890 Pam White District RN

about 5 years ago, Connally ISD

Connally Elementary School has received the state accountability rating of F for the past two consecutive school years. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has prescribed a process for schools carrying the performance label to undergo in order to develop a turnaround plan. One required step was to engage in a diagnostic known as the Effective Schools Framework conducted by a trained partner at the Education Service Center. The results from the diagnostic were evaluated by a team of Connally stakeholders to develop a "full implementation vision" for each lever identified in the Effective Schools Framework. The vision was then broken down to describe the system and capacity building required, in addition to developing key milestones for implementation. Connally Elementary is collecting feedback from our parents, teachers, students, staff, and community members regarding the proposed plan. Feedback may be emailed to turnaroundplan@connally.org or mailed to Turnaround Plan c/o Connally ISD, 200 Cadet Way, Waco, TX 76705, no later than February 16, 2020. Thank you!