PI-ISD extends winter break

By Gaige Davila
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com

In an unanimous vote, the Point Isabel ISD (PI-ISD) school board voted to extend winter break across campuses, as district employees and students test positive for, or were exposed to, COVID-19. 

During an emergency school board meeting on Jan. 4, PI-ISD Superintendent Theresa Capistran says district employees have tested positive or have been in contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the district’s winter break started on Dec. 18, 2020. 

“These past couple weeks we have seen an increase in COVID-19 for our district area,” Capistran said during the meeting, explaining the reasoning for PI-ISD’s requesting to extend the winter break. 

Capistran said that the extension would give more time for district employees to quarantine before the start of the spring semester, now moved to Monday, Jan. 11, and would not take away instructional minutes required by the Texas Education Agency. Some members of PI-ISD’s Teacher Advisory Committee supported extending the break by another week, until Jan. 18, Capistran said, which would require PI-ISD to add more days to the academic calendar. 

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