AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Independent School District Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde said she’s “leaning” toward reopening Austin High School on Thursday after rising coronavirus cases led district leaders to close the school for rapid testing.
Out of 250 people tested for coronavirus at Austin High School on Monday, four tested positive. Eight people—four staff members and four students—tested positive across the district last week.
Elizalde said during a board meeting Monday night that the low number of new cases found during rapid testing was promising that the school could reopen on Thursday.
“Given what I know right now, I would not be leaning towards closing Thursday and Friday,” Elizalde said. “But we still have two more days, at least tomorrow, before I would want to reevaluate and make a final decision with regard to Austin High.”
In a letter sent Saturday to students and staff announcing the closure, district leaders noted a “gradual but steady rise of positive COVID-19 cases” and returned the campus to 100% virtual learning for Monday through Wednesday.
Amy Toulouse, who teaches French at Austin High School, was happy to see the district take the step to close the school and gather enough data to determine the virus’s impact on the campus.
She’s still dealing with lingering side effects from contracting coronavirus months ago herself.
“I’ve already had the virus, but I thought, ‘you know what, I’m going to go in anyway to see if I can contribute to the big picture of what’s actually happening at Austin High,’” Toulouse said.
Austin ISD is in its second week of the first round of rapid testing—tests are now being provided to those learning or working on-site who become symptomatic and for those who fail a health screening.
The second phase of the testing plan will include asymptomatic individuals who have had close contact with a confirmed positive case or recently traveled. The final phase will test asymptomatic staff members on a monthly, rotating basis.
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