COVID-19 Causing School Closures … Again
Over 20 Area Districts Affected
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – The 2021-2022 school year has barely gotten underway and already the specter of COVID-19 looms large. Over 20 school districts in the East Texas area have closed their doors for a brief period of time to help combat the spread of the virus.
The school districts who are closed – or have closed – in the East Texas area since the start of the school year
include: Trinity ISD; Alto ISD; Burkeville ISD; Cushing ISD; Diboll ISD; Frankston ISD; Fruitvale ISD; Garrison ISD; Gladewater ISD; Groveton ISD; Hemphill ISD; Hughes Springs ISD; Kennard ISD; Latexo ISD; Leverett’s Chapel ISD; Livingston ISD; Martinsville ISD; Newton ISD; Wells ISD; West Sabine ISD; and Zavalla ISD.
With Friday night football, along with the Labor Day weekend, don’t be surprised if more districts are added to the list next week.
According to the TEA website, on Aug. 29, there were 27,353 positive cases of COVID-19 in students reported on school campuses out of an estimated 5,340,108 students. There were also 4,447 faculty and staff members who had tested positive out of an estimated 800,078.
Public schools are required to report positive COVID-19 cases on school campuses. The numbers are updated on Fridays with data for the previous Monday through Sunday.
What follows is a look at the number of cases currently reported to the TEA by the area districts in Houston and Anderson Counties, as of Aug. 29.
In Houston County:
• Crockett ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 1,137; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 0 students, 0 staff members.
• Grapeland ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 609; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 5 students; 2 staff members.
• Kennard ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 231; School was closed during the reporting period so the data is incomplete.
• Latexo ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 452; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 36 students; 9 staff members.
• Lovelady ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 513; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 0 students; 0 staff members.
In Anderson County:
• Cayuga ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 541; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 9 students; 3 staff members.
• Elkhart ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 1,167; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 7 students; 2 staff members.
• Frankston ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 756; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 17 students; 21 staff members
• Neches ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 338; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 10 students; 2 staff members.
• Palestine ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 3,347; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 73 students; 14 staff members.
• Slocum ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 360; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 0 students; 0 staff members.
• Westwood ISD – Total District enrollment as of Jan. 29, 2021: 1,333; Cumulative cases as of Aug. 29: 0 students; 0 staff members.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
