All Mansfield ISD schools closed until Jan. 19

All Mansfield ISD campuses and buildings will be closed Jan. 14-18 due to confirmed COVID-19 cases. The district had planned to be closed Monday, Jan. 17, for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Six elementary schools in the district were closed Thursday due to a lack of substitutes and staff and student illnesses.

The school district sent out the following announcement Thursday afternoon:

Despite ongoing MISD health and safety protocols, the Mansfield ISD has seen a significant number of students and staff test positive for COVID-19 since the return from winter break. This increase mirrors increases throughout DFW and across the state.

As of Jan. 12, MISD had 750 students and 195 staff confirmed active COVID 19 cases reported. Confirmed positive cases are continuing to increase rapidly. In addition to those who have tested positive for COVID-19, we continue to have a large number of students and staff absent due to other illnesses or quarantining pending COVID-19 test results.

The high number of staff who are out, combined with a shortage of substitute teachers, is putting such a high strain on our day-to-day operations that it is currently not possible to provide a safe, productive learning environment for our students and staff.

The district has made the difficult decision to close all Mansfield ISD schools and buildings from Friday, January 14 through Tuesday, January 18.

MISD intentionally chose a five-day break to allow staff who are currently out sick to recover and to minimize the possibility of more community spread of the virus. MISD’s custodial staff will use this time to implement COVID-19 deep cleaning protocol at all facilities.

Students WILL NOT be required to log on for virtual instruction. The Mansfield ISD district calendar has additional instructional minutes built in so students will not be required to make up these instructional days and will not be held responsible for missed instruction. However, if future closure days are needed, students may have to make up missed instructional minutes.

All high school UIL activities will continue as scheduled throughout this temporary closure.

MISD asks students, staff and parents to be cautious with activities during this time away from school. COVID-19 cases are increasing not just in the community but in neighboring areas as well.

MISD Student Nutrition Department will be providing curbside meal pickup on Tuesday, January 18 only from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Mary Jo Sheppard Elementary School, 1701 FM 1187, Della Icenhower Intermediate School, 8100 Webb Ferrell Road in Arlington, and Danny Jones Middle School, 4500 E. Broad St. Students are not required to be present, but those picking up meals will be asked to show a Mansfield ISD student ID or provide a student’s Skyward information. Meals will not be provided Friday through Monday.

The district asks any students or staff who have a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 to contact their school, supervisor or MISD’s Health Services Department at 817-299-6375.

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