Seven Lakes HS Closes Temporarily Due to Campus COVID-19 Cases

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

October 29, 2020

Jennifer Miko

Katy ISD announced this afternoon that Seven Lakes High School will temporarily close as of Friday, October 30. Face-to-face students will be provided Intermittent School to Home virtual learning through Tuesday, November 3. The District says students and staff will report back to the campus for in-person learning on Wednesday, November 4. See the full email to SLHS families below.

SLHS, located at 9251 South Fry Road in Katy, has an enrollment of 3707. However, less than half of the students were enrolled in face-to-face instruction during this grading cycle.

Maria DiPetta, Manager, Media Relations and Multimedia with Katy ISD Communications, said the total number of students in face-to-face learning at SLHS is 1,846, with approximately 300 staff members. Currently, SLHS has 43 active student cases of COVID-19, two active staff cases, and two active auxiliary cases.

SLHS was at a COVID-19 Condition Stage 3, classified as modified operations where there were "confirmed COVID-19 cases in one specific area that could denote virus spreading." Stage 2 is defined as a facility closure due to "COVID-19 cases exceeding 10% of the current facility occupancy."

Email to SLHS Families

October 29, 2020

Dear Seven Lakes High School Parents/Guardians and Staff,

In accordance with a Corrective Action Advisement received today from the Fort Bend County Health and Human Services Department, the District will, effective immediately, temporarily close Seven Lakes High School beginning Friday, October 30 to ensure compliance with the recommended corrective actions. During the temporary campus closure, in-person students will be provided Intermittent School to Home virtual learning through Tuesday, November 3. Students and staff will report back for in-person learning on Wednesday, November 4.

As outlined in the Katy ISD COVID-19 Mitigation Plan, with the temporary closure of in-person instruction, all extracurricular and student programs will be temporarily suspended during a campus closure. Athletic coaches, CTE teachers and Fine Arts Directors will be in contact with their students regarding the dates and times to resume practices and competitions.

Any staff or students determined to have been directly exposed will receive a notification from the District. Anyone who believes that they may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 is advised to monitor their health, review Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) guidance, and contact their personal physician if any symptoms develop. 

The District is continuing to monitor this situation and will provide additional information as needed.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please review the guidance on the Smart Restart webpage, email COVID19Responses@katyisd.org or call 281-396-7499.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the challenges that may arise from circumstances concerning this public health crisis.

Katy ISD

On October 26, SLHS families were notified when active student cases reached 36. The cases were said to have been associated with close contact between students within the school's volleyball and cheerleading programs.

As of today, Paetow High School and Bethke Elementary are the only other schools in Katy ISD currently at stage 3.