COVID-19 International Travel and Quarantine

Regarding International Travel and Quarantine Days for Staff and Students

As DeSoto ISD continues to navigate the COVID-19 global health pandemic, the emphasis now turns to holiday travel. While many families may have plans or an interest in traveling during the winter break, DeSoto ISD has developed a body of guidelines to support the safety and wellness of students, staff and their families. Whether traveling locally or internationally, DeSoto ISD has established the following guidelines based on the United States’ Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations.

If a member of our school community travels internationally, upon your return to the United States: 

  • Quarantine for 14 days 
  • Get a COVID-19 test on day 3, 4, or 5 of your quarantine.
  • Submit your COVID-19 results
    • Staff who travel must submit COVID-19 test results to HR (staff)
      Given a positive test result and the necessary quarantine period, staff are required to take medical leave.
    • The TEA has allotted ten additional state days for use in health events related to COVID-19.

    • Staff should direct an email to [email protected] for more information.

  • All students must submit their results to the campus school nurse (students)
  • Given a positive test result and the necessary quarantine period, students are expected to engage in virtual learning until a negative test result is obtained and they are permitted to return to campus-supervised learning.
  • In the event that a student does not report to virtual instruction, the absence policy as noted in the Student Code of Conduct will apply.
  • Parents are encouraged to communicate with the student’s teacher(s) and campus administrator(s) regarding changes to the student’s learning environment as a result of exposure to the diagnosis of COVID-19.

    

Upon submitting a negative result, the student or staff member will be allowed to return to his or her assigned campus or facility. In the event of a positive test result, please then follow the district guidelines for reporting confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Please note, the United States Centers for Disease Control recently allowed school districts the option to adjust quarantine or self-isolation periods based on close contact or positive COVID-19 cases. In light of the increasing case counts and hospitalization rates in conjunction with Dallas County’s elevated COVID monitoring status, DeSoto ISD will maintain the 14 day-quarantine period requirements for both close contact and positive cases.

Help protect the health and wellness of the school community this winter break, DeSoto ISD encourages students, staff, and families to stay home and do their part to reduce the community spread of COVID-19 and possibly save a life.

For more information or additional assistance, please contact DeSoto ISD Student Support Services.