Return to Campus Plan

Return to Campus Plan

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Last Updated: 1/04/21

RETURN TO CAMPUSES

The health and wellness of students and staff of Alamo Colleges District is our highest priority. Out of an abundance of caution, the Alamo Colleges District has made changes to the way we provide instruction and operate in light of the growing concerns related to the coronavirus.

Spring 2021 COVID Response
With safety as our top priority, we are implementing a slow and careful return to campuses for Spring 2021. There will be no on-site instruction in the vast majority of courses. Students in select programs may continue on-site. You will be notified if you will continue on-site classes.

Please see the Return to Campus Plan Highlights below for more information and monitor the college websites in the coming week for college-specific information.

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Spring 2021 Return to Campus Plan Highlights

  • We will remain at Level 5 from January 4, 2021 through February 14, 2021.

  • There will be no on-site instruction in the vast majority of courses. Students in select programs may continue on-site. You will be notified if you will continue on-site classes.

  • In-person, face-to-face contact between staff and students during this period is limited.

  • In accordance with existing Level 5 protocols, staff will provide students with drive-through, curbside, contactless essential services from January 7-February 14, 2021. This will include pickup of Wi-Fi hotspots, books and laptops and drop-off of documents, as well as any other essential services.
  • Only 1-5% of employees will work on-site, including essential DPS, IT and Facilities personnel and personnel to support drive-through or contactless services.

  • All other Level 5 protocols will continue as previously established.

  • Alamo Colleges will continue to monitor the community COVID risk levels and Incident Command will assess and make a determination on February 4 regarding transitioning to Level IV (10%) and Level III (25%) as the local environment allows us to do so safely.
View the Spring 2021 Return to Campus Plan View the Return to Campus Levels Chart
Return to Learning Documents:
View Spring 2021 Return to Learning Guide (PDF)

Students First Planning Process

Our Pledge

The Alamo Colleges District has developed this to guide a successful limited return from remote learning.

Our priority is to protect the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff, while also continuing to support student success, performance excellence and employee engagement. This guide reflects the policies, procedures, COVID-19 Recovery Task Force recommendations and ACD COVID-19 Incident Command decisions to support our successful return from remote learning.

We continue to align our plans with local and state declarations and follow the health and safety guidelines of the City of San Antonio’s Metro Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Shared Responsibility:

Stopping the spread of COVID-19 requires responsible action by every member of the ACD family to follow the protocols outlined in this guide. All students, employees and visitors are expected to promote and abide by current policies, such as C.2.1.9 “Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites”, as well as the protocols and guidelines outlined in this guide.

Student Pledge:

To support our value of “respect for all,” all Alamo Colleges students should make a pledge to each other to do their part to keep their fellow students, employees and community members safe.


As Alamo Colleges students, we pledge to:

Protect Ourselves
  • Stay safe
  • Monitor for the symptoms of COVID-19 and report to a health care professional if I experience fever, new shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, new chills or muscle aches, new cough, headache, sore throat or new loss of taste or smell
  • Wash my hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer
Protect Our Alamo Colleges Family
  • Wear a face covering on campus and around others
  • Maintain appropriate physical distancing
  • Read and follow on-campus instructional signs and directions
  • Stay home if I feel ill or after exposure to someone who is ill or has tested positive for COVID-19
  • Keep my belongings, personal spaces and shared common spaces clean
  • Follow all public health requests and guidance to preserve the wellness of the community

Academic Experience
Mask Procedure
Spring 2021 Semester Plan:

On January 19, the Alamo Colleges will remain at Level 5 through February 14, 2021.

  • Status of On-Site Instruction:

    There will be no on-site instruction in the vast majority of courses. Students in select programs may continue on-site. You will be notified if you will continue on-site classes.

    In-person, face-to-face contact between staff and students during this period is limited.

    Alamo Colleges will continue to monitor the community COVID risk levels and Incident Command will assess and make a determination on February 4 regarding transitioning to Level IV (10%) and Level III (25%) as the local environment allows us to do so safely.

View the Return to Campus Plan Levels Chart (PDF)

View Spring 2021 Return to Learning Guide (PDF)

Face Covering and Face Mask Procedure / Health Check Information

Health Check

The CDC recommends the use of cloth face coverings (“masks”) in public and at institutions of higher education, in particular, to slow the spread of the virus and help persons who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.

View the Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites Procedure

  • Everyone will be screened and have their temperature taken upon entry.

  • Everyone is asked to please perform a self-assessment before leaving to visit ACD facilities. 

    If you are have experienced any of the following symptoms or situations, please remain at home and contact your supervisor if you are expected on campus:

    • New or worsening cough       
    • New or worsening shortness of breath   
    • Chills  
    • Repeated shaking with chills 
    • Muscle pain        
    • Headache            
    • Sore throat         
    • Loss of taste or smell      
    • Diarrhea             
    • Known contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have had COVID-19 in the last 14 days
    • Traveled outside of the U.S. in the last 14 days

How to Apply and Remove Your Mask
HOW TO APPLY AND REMOVE YOUR MASK
Face coverings and masks are meant to help prevent harmful air particles from entering the mouth and nose. Incorrect use of face coverings increases the risk of community spread.  The Alamo Colleges District requires all students, staff and faculty to wear a face covering and mask while on campus to ensure the safest possible environment.

How to Apply Masks

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Wash your hands before wearing your mask.

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Secure the strings around your ears.

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Fix the mask to fit the shape of your nose.

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Stretch the mask over your chin.

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Do not touch the mask while using it.

How to Remove Masks

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Wash your hands before removing your mask.

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Do not touch the mask while using it.

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Remove the mask from behind by holding the strings with your hands.

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Put the mask in the trash without touching the front.

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Wash your hands after removing your mask.

 

Communication & Resources

Community Resources

The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District has opened a COVID-19 hotline for residents to ask questions about the virus. The hotline is available in English and Spanish.

City of San Antonio COVID-19 Fact Sheet
(English) (Spanish)

City of San Antonio Reduce Your Risk
(English) (Spanish)

City of San Antonio COVID-19 Poster
(English) (Spanish)

Texas Department of State Health Services information on COVID-19
(English) (Spanish)

CDC information on COVID-19 in the United States
(English) (Spanish) 

CDC information on COVID-19 in Children (English)
Communication to Alamo Colleges Family
September 2020
August 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020

Employee updates are located on the Employee Resources page.

General Information

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a newly identified coronavirus that is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Since then, cases have been identified in multiple other countries including the US.

COVID-19 causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are many viruses in the coronavirus family that can cause illness in both humans and animals. Many are among people all of the time and cause mild to moderate illnesses, such as the common cold.

The CDC considers this new virus a public health concern and the situation continues to evolve. The CDC is closely monitoring the situation and providing ongoing guidance.

What are the symptoms?
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Severe illness

Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear exactly how it is transmitted and how easily the virus spreads between people.

What can I do?

The best way to prevent infection is to take precautions to avoid exposure to this virus, which are similar to the precautions you take to avoid the flu. CDC always recommends these everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid shaking hands.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Stay home if you are caring for a family member with symptoms of flu or respiratory illness.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
What is the Alamo Colleges District doing about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus?

The Alamo Colleges District is continuously monitoring and following recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Metropolitan Health District and other official sources.

We are in regular communication with the city’s Metropolitan Health District who, in turn, receives regular updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Any local response to COVID-19 will be coordinated through Metro Health, the public health authority designated for our community.

  • Providing timely updates to campuses via email communication and the Alamo Colleges District website.
  • Continuously monitoring and following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Metropolitan Health District and other official sources.
  • Adapting emergency response plans in preparation.
  • Forming a cross-district taskforce of health professionals, communicators and other key stakeholders who are in regular communication as the situation evolves.
  • Moving meetings online, when possible.
  • Suspending large event gatherings until further notice.
  • Limiting business travel outside of San Antonio until further notice.
  • Limiting out-of-area visitors until further notice.

If someone self-reports an exposure to COVID-19, please advise them to remain at their current location and contact the Alamo Colleges Police Department at 210-485-0099 (non-emergency).

For questions, please contact the Alamo Colleges via email at coronavirus@alamo.edu. 

We will continue to monitor this situation closely and report any updates to the ACD community. 

Return to Campus Plan