Message From the Superintendent, January 11, 2022

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Dear Aldine Community,

As we settle into the new year, I know that many of you, like me, may have written your new year’s resolution or you may have just committed to making a positive change in your life. Living through the past two years during a global pandemic has been more stressful than many of us could have ever imagined. While grateful that I have survived, I desperately want to thrive in 2022. Personally, I am focusing on my health and wellness. I think many of you can relate to reigniting our goals and reducing stress as the pandemic continues.

One thing I want to encourage all of you is to commit this year to wellness. We talk a lot about staying safe and healthy, particularly regarding COVID-19. However, I’d like for us all to work together on adopting habits that cultivate a feeling of sustainable wellness in our minds, bodies, and spirits. Below are a few tips that you can add to your daily routine:

• Get plenty of sleep. Getting the recommended amount of sleep (this varies by age) supports brain development, strengthens the immune system, and promotes productivity and focus.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day is a great way to support overall body development and keep energy levels up throughout the day. 
• Move around for at least 30 minutes per day. Staying active helps increase energy levels and supports heart and lung health. Working out together is also a great way to bond as a family!

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Tips
In Aldine ISD, emotional development is as important as academics. Social-emotional learning (SEL) is part of our strategic plan. SEL skills help students better manage life’s challenges and stresses as well as help them thrive in school, college, and work. SEL is not just for students but also adults. In a recent episode of All The Things: The Aldine ISD Podcast, we discuss how to use SEL in our everyday lives. A very effective way to ensure our emotional wellness is by practicing gratitude, which can energize and heal. Click here to access resources to help you on your gratitude journey.

I look forward to a year of health and wellness with all of you!

With Aldine Pride,

Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney
Superintendent

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Jan. 13: In-person ceremony for district winners of HLS&R School Art Contest starts at 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
• Jan. 13: Talk Saves Lives Community Webinar on Mental Health & Suicide Prevention, hosted by Teague Middle School Counselors, starts at 5:30 p.m.
• Jan. 24- Feb. 17: Black History Oratory Campus Competition 

OBSERVATIONS
January
School Board Recognition Month
Jan. 17: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
Jan. 24-28: Holocaust Remembrance Week

February
Black History Month
Feb. 7-11: National School Counseling Week
Feb. 18: Student Holiday
Feb. 21: Presidents Day (Student Holiday)
Feb. 22: School Bus Drivers Appreciation Day
Feb. 25: Wellness Day — Theme is Love Your Heart Month

Aldine ISD COVID-19 UPDATES
The district leadership team is committed to doing all we can to increase the safety and health of our students, staff, and families while implementing measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We want all our students healthy, learning, and thriving in our classrooms. I ask for your continued support as we tackle the Omicron variant.

• Face Masks: As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue implementing COVID mitigation protocols. While we had hoped to lift the mask mandate after the midwinter break, we decided to maintain the mask requirement until further notice with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the Houston area. The district will require students, staff, and visitors to wear face masks at all district facilities — schools, buildings, facilities, school buses — and events.
• Symptoms: We strongly encourage you to please keep your child home if they have COVID or any other communicable disease (.e.g. flu, whooping cough, measles, chickenpox) symptoms. Have your child tested if you suspect it is COVID-19. Here is a link to our Health Alerts web page regarding when to keep your student/child home.
• Reduce Spread of Any Communicable Disease: Please continue to protect yourself and others by taking precautionary measures to prevent infection of all viruses, including COVID-19: wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes and keep a safe distance from others.
• Protocols: Our district administrative leadership team has been, and is, in constant communication. Based on CDC recommendations, we updated our protocols and guidelines. Our COVID reporting procedures have not changed. We will continue to monitor local and school cases to further adjust health and safety protocols as appropriate.
• District Dashboard: Families can always check the COVID-19 dashboard for an overview of the active cases by school. 
• Testing Sites: Please get tested if you exhibit symptoms, have been exposed to someone with the virus, have been with groups of people, or travel. Click here for a list of testing sites and to register online. 
• Vaccinations: The district continues to work with local officials, including Harris County Public Health (HCPH), to communicate the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is available to individuals five and older. On January 3, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster vaccine in adolescents from 12 to 15 years. Booster doses are now available to everyone over the age of 12. The FDA also shortened the time to receive the booster after completing the two-dose schedule. It went from six months to five months. The FDA also authorized the third dose as part of the primary series for certain immunosuppressed children between 5 and 11. The CDC announced on January 10 that at-risk Americans are eligible for the fourth COVID dose.

REMINDERS

• Aldine’s Family and Community Engagement Department launched the Family and Community University. It aims to provide knowledge and resources to empower families to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. All programming is free and open to all Aldine families. Learn more and register today.
• The state requires high school seniors to apply for financial aid to graduate. The FAFSA application opened on October 1.
• Aldine ISD’s top priorities continue to be all students’ safety and academic success. The district will post all information related to operations along with any updates at www.aldineisd.org/healthalerts.
• Please stay connected by visiting the District News and District Podcast pages to stay up to date on all the great things happening in our district. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.