Covid-19 Information
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Information on Catholic Schools Response to COVID - 19
Attorney General of Texas on School Re-Opening - Updated July 28th: Released by the Press Office of the Attorney General of Texas 7-28-2020
AG Paxton Issues Legal Guidance on School Reopening
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued guidance on the opening of local schools for the upcoming school year, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, responding to a request from Stephenville Mayor Doug Svien. While playing an important role in protecting the health of school children and employees, local health authorities may not issue sweeping orders closing schools for the sole purpose of preventing future COVID-19 infections. Rather, their role is limited by statute to addressing specific, actual outbreaks of disease. School officials, both public and private, are the appropriate ones to decide whether, when, and how to open school.
“Education of our children is an essential Texas value and there is no current statewide order prohibiting any school from opening,” said Attorney General Paxton. “While local health authorities may possess some authority to close schools in limited circumstances, they may not issue blanket orders closing all schools on a purely preventative basis. That decision rightfully remains with school system leaders.”
Read a copy of the letter here.
Read a copy of the Archdiocesan Press Release on Re-Opening of Catholic Schools
How Can We Help Our Communities During the Pandemic?
We all have a role to play in protecting our community from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The safety and wellness of our students is always our highest priority. We want to be vigilant in our efforts to follow the protocols that have been outlined by the CDC and local health officials in our management of the day to day operations of our schools. While we may be apart, let us remember that we are ONE in our faith and join us in modeling Christian behavior for our children so that they might recognize the inherent worth and dignity of all and understand the importance of caring for our brothers and sisters in our community, especially in times of great need.
Below are some resources that you might find of use during this time. We encourage you to stay in close contact with your school community and look for updates on our Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Facebook page and on this website.
Preventative measures to be aware of:As with many respiratory illnesses such as the cold and flu, healthcare professionals advise that you can take the following measures to minimize your risk.
o Stay home if you feel sick.
o Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
o Cover all coughs and sneezes
o Disinfect surfaces and objects frequently.
o Wash hands vigorously for 20 seconds.
o Use 60–90% alcohol hand sanitizer, until handwashing can be done.
Emotional & Mental Well-being Resources
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Spiritual Resources
- On-Line Masses & Archdiocesan Recommendations
- Eucharistic Adoration online across the globe
- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - Bible and Daily Readings
Free Counseling Support
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Trained counselors assist young people and adults with any emotional difficulty 24/7
PHONE 800-273-8255
TEXT 741741
WEBSITE https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine#crisis
Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress- Trained counselors assist young people and adults with any emotional difficulty 24/7HELPLINE 800-985-5990
TEXT 66746
TTY 800-846-8517
WEBSITE Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Girls and Boys Town National Support- Trained counselors assist young people and their parents with their problems 24/7HELPINE 800) 448-3000
WEBSITE https://www.boystown.org/hotline/Pages/default.aspx
School Lunch & School District Updates and Resources
Texas Dept of Agriculture
Meal Location Sites -download
http://squaremeals.org/Portals/8/files/H1N1/Coronavirus/Outreach/TDA-Meal_Site_Availability-Parent_Flyer-Final-English_Spanish.pdf
Texas Education Agency School Meal Finder: https://txschools.gov
Catholic Charities
https://catholiccharities.org/need-help/
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues to serve people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic through all of its programs. Food pantries are open for drive-through food distribution with hours each week at our three locations: Guadalupe Center in Houston; Mamie George Community Center in Richmond; Beacon of Hope Center in Galveston. For hours and other assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, call the COVID Assistance Line at 713-874-6521.
Kids Meals Inc.
To receive free meals for children under age 6, download the flyer and bring it to 330 Garden Oaks Blvd (located in The Heights off of Shepherd and 610 Loop). The application can also be filled out at the offices. Kids’ Meals delivers free, healthy meals, year-round, M-F to the homes of children under age 6 who live within 43 delivery zip codes. When school is out we include meals for older siblings. Receiving our meals will NOT impact any of your other benefits.
Temporary Meal Support Application
Flyer https://kidsmealsinc.org/wp-content/uploads/Client-Flyer-3-14-2020.pdfHarris County Dept of Education: www.hcde-texas.org
Common MarketA farm share program. They are helping to connect Texas farmers with families that need fresh produce.
This is a link to their program: https://www.thecommonmarket.org/locations/texas
Houston Parks and Recreation Curbside Meal Sites
For a list of sites sponsored by the Houston Parks and Recreation service, please click here.
Distance Learning Resources for Families:
SadlierBRAINPOP Coronavirus video for children
National Association of School Psychology
Scholastic K-12 grade level support
ISTE Technology- Education Coalition Resource
From our friends at Sadlier publishing:
For schools who use Sadlier texts... William H. Sadlier, Inc. is committed to ensuring that students always have the right educational materials and resources:
Remember to check our free academic resources and online learning support at www.SadlierSchool.com/OnlineLearning.
- Sophia Institute - Teaching the Liturgical Year https://sophiainstituteforteachers.org/elesson/teaching-the-liturgical-year
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SesameStreet.org/caring for resources designed to provide comfort, manage anxiety, and foster learning at home. You’ll find activities for daily routines, videos, printables, and interactive games.
NEWS links for local, state, nation and world:
Public Health Harris County- LOCAL: http://www.hcphtx.org/Resources/2019-Novel-Coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR1NjiX4cZlqveJ_ZvV9ZXRFrtL1sNjT8AniNAyzYQqmbD-QVXGUb5BLR3s
Texas Department of State Health Services- STATE- https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-NATION: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html
World Health Organization- WORLD: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/emergencies/covid-19
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