After the increase of COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County, Conroe ISD will be closed until April 10 to ensure student health and safety. 

Conroe ISD superintendent Dr Curtis Null sent out an email Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m. to inform students and families about the decision. CISD is one of 30 schools listed that will be closed until April 10.

“We are not alone in this decision,” Null said in the email. “School districts across the greater Houston area are communicating this same message to their communities this evening. We believe this step is essential in preventing the wider spread of COVID-19.”

Null also said he has district and campus leaders working to see how they can use other ways to continue to allow students to learn.

“We are fortunate to have a variety of resources available to us, and we will be working through the plans on how best to implement them,” Null said. “As we do this over the next few days, we ask for your patience. We want to establish structures that are sustainable while considering the many variables such as home internet access, student devices, and online learning resources.”

But even across the state of Texas, COVID-19 has already impacted the education department. Governor Greg Abbott waived the STAAR testing requirements for the 2019-2020 school year Monday around 3 p.m., and is calling for the Department of Education to waive federal testing requirements as well. 

“Your health and safety are top priorities, and the state of Texas will give school districts flexibility to protect and ensure the health of students, faculty, and their families,” Abbott said in a press release. “We will empower schools to make the best decisions to protect their communities from COVID-19.”