It’s a great day to be a Dillo! Dang the torpedoes, and full steam ahead. School has started, and we are moving forward. The kids and teachers all seemed relieved to be back in a routine that is as normal as we can make it. All the worry over face coverings turns out to be no big deal for the kids.
Our county cases of COVID have been increasing, and here is a rundown of how the procedure works for the school district. We have strict guidelines and confidentially requirements by law. We follow a flow chart prescribed by the TEA. We follow the guidelines of close contact and reporting.
If you are a parent of a student and have not received a notice involving a student, that means that no students were involved requiring no panic. If a staff member tests positive, we notify any staff that may have been involved. The contact tracing that we do helps us to identify any close contacts to encourage isolation or quarantine.
Isolation is where someone who is sick stays away from other people, so they do not get others sick. Quarantine is when healthy people stay away from others to see if they get sick. Quarantine is what most of the world did while we tried to get a handle on this virus.
A friendly reminder is that COVID 19 is a virus and not leprosy. The recovery time is quick for most, and people who test positive should not have to feel like they must shout “unclean” as they walk through the streets. It could be any of us that might get that positive test. Good news is that there may be a vaccine as early as October according to state health and governmental agencies I spoke with last week.
More good news: football is still a go, and our first home game is against Eldorado. There will be some new things to remember for this year’s games. Bring your face covering and your ticket if you want to get in. Varsity games will start at 7:00 p.m. (not 7:30 p.m. as in years past). Please do not sit in a row marked with an X.
The menu will be different at the concession stand, and hopefully that will expedite quicker service and shorter lines. There will also be a concession stand for the visitor side, but we ask that all Dillo fans stay on the home side. You will also not be allowed onto the field after the game. We all stay on our own sides.
I know that it seems like a lot of rules and a lot of no’s, but there are a lot of things to be thankful for. Many, many schools across the nation are not experiencing near the opportunities that we are. All SSISD Students are getting a high-quality education, and most are attending face-to-face instruction. Extracurricular activities are still happening. Horns are blowing, drums are drumming, flags are waving, cheerleaders are cheering, the drill team is drilling, runners are running and helmets are getting scuffed up. We are blessed to be in San Saba, Texas, and doing as well as we are. Go Dillos!