Dear SAISD Family Member,
As you are aware, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily stayed our employee vaccination mandate. The Supreme Court’s stay means that we must temporarily pause our efforts. Last evening at the Board meeting, we discussed this decision in detail and revisited the events that lead us to where we are today.
In August, when the rise of the Delta variant swept through our great city, we witnessed our community struggling with a surge in COVID-19 cases, at times with infection rates higher than 20%. As a school district and community, we were alarmed to learn African American and Hispanic populations were twice as vulnerable to loss of life, and ethically, we knew we had to take a stand to protect our SAISD family. Our care for all of you mobilized us to start conversations with local health authorities and community stakeholders. From these discussions and the undeniable data that demonstrated COVID at the time was growing even stronger, the decision was made to begin mask and employee vaccination protocols to lessen the distressing effects on our community.
Today, we believe the intent of our employee vaccination mandate has been met, and we are extremely grateful for this outcome. In the district, we are seeing positivity rates below 1% (currently 0.4%), and around us, we have seen our community’s infection rate steadily drop to 3%. The vast majority of our employees now have added protection against COVID, and their vaccination also protects children in our classrooms and family members at home. Overall, 83% of our employees report being vaccinated, and this rate increases to 86% when we look at staff members who directly teach and support our children.
In reviewing these numbers and seeing the results of our efforts, we are proud to have taken every precaution in our commitment to the safety and well-being of each of you, our children, your children, and all of our SAISD family members.
Although we no longer have the employee vaccine mandate in place, our protocols around mask requirements are in still in effect. We continue to diligently implement many safety procedures including masking, weekly testing, frequent vaccination clinics, and social distancing.
Because we believe wholeheartedly it is the right thing to do, we will continue to be a champion for COVID vaccinations, and we will continue to assist employees and families who aspire to follow the CDC-recommended protocols. Our commitment has only deepened to sustain this work. We hear from many of you requesting booster shots, and we know that very soon our youngest learners, those 5 years to 11 years old, will be eligible for this life-saving vaccine as well.
Voltaire once stated; “Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” On behalf of our Board of Trustees and the entire SAISD, thank you for your excellence and for all that you do to make our amazing school district such a special place to be.
Have a “Terrific Tuesday.”
"Dr. J"
Robert Jaklich, Ed. D.
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
~Mahatma Gandhi