Dear SAISD Family Member, 
 
We hope you are enjoying a “Terrific Tuesday.”
 
To continue our commitment to the safety and well-being of all of our SAISD family members, and in order to ensure maximum protection for our students and staff, we have reinstituted our district’s mask mandate, effective Wednesday, Dec. 8. 
 
Prior to our communications last week, we made the decision to temporarily suspend the mask mandate until we had the opportunity to fully examine the December 1, 2021, Stay Order issued by the Fifth Circuit. Upon full review, we have concluded that the December 1, 2021, Stay Order from the Fifth Circuit case is limited to the parties in the lawsuit. SAISD is not a party to that suit.
 
As we are experiencing an uptick in COVID-19 cases and an anticipated rise after the holiday season, our Board of Trustees, Interim Superintendent, and legal counsel have determined that it is in the best interest of the district to continue to require students, parents, employees, and visitors to wear masks at all times while in district facilities. 
 
This new information and interpretation of the court’s decision was discussed with our Board of Trustees at last evening’s regularly scheduled board meeting. 
 
The challenges that schools and children face at this moment in history are unlike any other that we, as a nation, have ever experienced. Our goal, from the very beginning of this pandemic, has been simple. The safety of everyone in our care has always been and will always remain, our number one priority. 
 
We are proud to have taken every precaution, from masking and social distancing to weekly testing and frequent vaccination clinics. These admirable actions have resulted in extremely low COVID-19 rates and we are incredibly and forever grateful for your commitment to doing what is right and for doing the right thing.
 
Please note, that in the latter part of January, following our winter break and after we have had a chance to evaluate local health metrics, we will revisit this decision once again. 
 
Robert Townsend said it best when he stated, “True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers and not for the enrichment of the leaders.” In SAISD, we realize that we are not in the education business serving people, we are in the people business serving education.
 
On behalf of our Board of Trustees and the entire SAISD, thank you for believing every day is a gift and that everyone is important. We truly appreciate you!
 
Happy Holidays.
 
"Dr. J"
 
Robert Jaklich, Ed. D.
 
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
~Mahatma Gandhi