East Texas schools close due to COVID-19 through after Labor Day

Published 3:07 pm Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Three East Texas schools are closing until after Labor Day due to the number of COVID-19 cases.

Wells ISD, Frankston ISD and Gladewater ISD will be closed this week and students will return the Tuesday after Labor Day.

Wells ISD was originally going to reopen on Monday, but on Sunday, Superintendent Jill Gaston announced students and staff wouldn’t return until Sept. 7.

Due to data showing numerous students diagnosed with COVID-19, Wells ISD closed early on Aug. 24 for deep cleaning of the school and buses, Gaston said.

Gaston said Sunday district officials met as a COVID-19 response team and communicated with the Cherokee County Health Department to make this “tough decision.”

Administrators will be available remotely to hold meetings that were already scheduled this week, Gaston said.

Frankston ISD said on Facebook Monday that because of recent attendance data and the number of staff members out for illness, campuses will be closed this week.

“We feel this is the best decision for the safety and health of our students and staff,” FISD said. “The FISD calendar has additional instructional minutes built-in so students will not be required to make up these four instructional days.”

The district said facilities, including transportation, will be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly. Extracurricular activities and practices for middle and high school will continue at Frankston.

Gladewater ISD Superintendent Sedric Clark on Monday afternoon said in a statement that the district’s closure would begin on Tuesday and last through the week. The district’s campuses are set to reopen the day after Labor Day.

The closure also means all of the district’s planned extracurricular and athletic activities are canceled through Saturday. Athletic and extracurricular activities will resume on Labor Day, Clark said in the statement.

Students will not need to make up the days, which were built into the calendar for the school year.

“While we had hoped to avoid any school closures, Gladewater ISD is committed to the health and safety of our Bear family,” Clark said.