Return to Campus Plan
Return to Campus Plan
Last Updated: 9/24/21
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.
Posted Health and Safety Requirements
The Alamo Colleges District requires employees, students and visitors to comply with the following measures to protect public health and safety, in accordance with our public health and safety procedure. View procedure C.2.19 »
Weekly COVID-19 Screening (PCR Testing) – Locations, Hours & Info
Effective Sept. 1, 2021, all employees, students and vendor personnel who are scheduled to regularly work or attend classes at an Alamo Colleges District site that provides onsite COVID-19 screening are required to complete a COVID-19 Screening (PCR test) each week. This screening effort provides early identification and quarantine of infections.
- In order to avoid false positives, individuals who have had COVID-19 within the past 90 days should not test. These individuals should report the reason for not completing a COVID-19 Screening Test to their campus Risk Coordinator.
- All weekly COVID-19 screening (PCR testing) will be conducted onsite by Community Labs at each of the colleges, DSO and St. Philip's College - Southwest Campus. Screening (PCR testing) takes place during scheduled hours, or as arranged by campus administration for High School Programs students.
Information and Instructions
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Pre-Registration Instructions
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| View Video about the Process | Pre-register for COVID-19 Screening (PCR Test) |
COVID-19 Screening Hours of Operation & Locations
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District Support Office |
Northeast Lakeview College
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Northwest Vista College |
| Palo Alto College Student Center - Room 130 Monday: 8 a.m.-noon Tuesday: 3-7 p.m. Thursday: 8 a.m.-noon Friday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. |
St. Philip's College Southwest Campus - Building 1 |
San Antonio College |
On-site health screening and temperature check
- Health screenings, including temperature checks, are required upon arrival to any Alamo Colleges District location.
- Once passing the screening, you will be supplied a wristband to wear and indicate you are approved to be on-site.
Self-Assessment
Everyone is asked to perform a self-assessment before visiting ACD facilities.
If you are have experienced any of the following symptoms or situations, please remain at home and contact your instructor or supervisor if you are expected on campus:
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COVID-19 Reporting Process
- Upon notification of exposure to COVID-19 or a positive COVID-19 test result, complete the COVID-19 Incident Reporting Form immediately and do not access campus.
- We will work with you to complete the incident report process, including the identification of close contacts and a disinfecting plan.
Fall 2021 Return to Campus Plan Highlights
For the Fall 2021 semester, our colleges and offices will continue to be open and the fall semester will begin on Monday, Aug. 23, as planned. However, there will be some changes in effect for the first two weeks of the semester while we continue to monitor the status of the COVID-19 Delta variant surge, along with city, county, state, and CDC recommendations.
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Fall 2021 Plan and Guide |
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Fall 2021 Return to Campus Plan |
Fall 2021 Return to Learning Student Guide |
The #AlamoTogether Pledge
Protect Ourselves and Our Alamo Colleges Family
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Vaccine Information |
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At the Alamo Colleges District, all students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. Get dates, times, locations, and information about the Student COVID-19 Vaccine Recognition Program.
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On-site and Remote Student Support
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In order to provide greater access to support services and resources, the Alamo Colleges will offer both on-site and remote support through Fall 2021. For hours of operation, visit your college's webpage by clicking the link below. |
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| Northeast Lakeview CollegeNorthwest Vista College Palo Alto College | San Antonio CollegeSt. Philip's College |
Students First Planning Process
Our Commitment
The Alamo Colleges District has developed this to guide a successful 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 (Procedure) Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites, as well as the protocols and guidelines outlined in this guide. |
Academic Experience |
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Fall 2021 Semester Plan:We will phase up to Level 1 at the start of the Fall semester.
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Face Covering and Face Mask Procedure |
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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), masks are an additional step to help prevent people from getting and spreading COVID-19. Students, employees and visitors at all Alamo Colleges District locations are strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks on campus and upon entry to any campus building and as recommended in public settings. View the Use of Face Coverings/Social Distancing at College District Sites Procedure How to Apply and Remove Your Mask
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Resources
Community ResourcesThe 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 |
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).
We will continue to monitor this situation closely and report any updates to the ACD community.