The two largest school districts in Bexar County allow more students in classrooms

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) -The Northside and Northeast Independent School Districts  are welcoming back more students to classrooms.

NEISD has more than 67,000 students and about 24,000 of them have been on campus since August first.  Superintendent Dr. Sean Maika says only .14 percent have tested positive for COVID-19.

“Through contact tracing, we determined that the students were exposed to COVID-19 outside of the school environment and there was no community transmission at the school,” Maika said in a videotaped message to parents. “Since launching our health protocols and contact tracing, we have been able to identify sick children early, isolate them, sanitize classrooms and notify the appropriate parents and staff.”

Dr. Maika says many of their students are eager to return to school and meet with their online classmates and teachers in person.

“Among the lessons that we have learned during the pandemic is that many of our children must have the energy and resources of a classroom with their teachers providing personal guidance and instruction,” said Maika.

Parents can opt to keep their children at home in virtual learning programs.

Northside ISD, the largest school district in Bexar County with more than 105,000 students, also is welcoming back more youngsters to classrooms starting Monday.

The San Antonio Independent School District, the third largest, remains at 25 percent capacity.

“The local COVID-19 positivity rate increased to above 5 percent, which is not the direction for which we had hoped,” SAISD said in a statement. “We will only allow the phasing in of additional students in cases where we can ensure social distancing measures and stay within 25 percent capacity.”

 

More about: