July 24 COVID-19 Update: 1 New Case, 64 Active Cases In Hopkins County
July 24 marks the 5th straight day this week and 18th day this month that new positive COVID-19 cases have been reported for Hopkins County. At 4:45 p.m. July 24, Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported they had received notification of 1 new COVID-19 case for Hopkins County. There have been no new recoveries since July 20.
There continued to be two patients in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs on July 24. No additional information about those cases was available, emergency management officials reported.
That brings the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County since March to 136, with more than half of those cases reported this month.
During the first week of July, 10 new cases had been announced. New cases were reported every day from July 9-18, for a total of 45 additional residents testing positive for COVID-19 in Hopkins County, with 16 total recoveries. So far this week (July 20-24), there have been 18 new cases and 6 recoveries. That’s 73 new positive COVID-19 cases reported in July in Hopkins County, but reports of only 22 recoveries this month.
Of the 136 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, 72 have recovered, leaving 64 active cases of COVID-19 in Hopkins County on July 24, according to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom.
Hopkins County Hospital District COO/EMS Director Brent Smith at 3 p.m. July 24 reported a total of 1,602 tests conducted for Hopkins County residents since March, including 1,394 negative results and 73 pending results. That’s 29 additional tests conducted, 32 negative results received and 28 positive results received from July 17 to July 24, according to the information provided by Smith.
Updates For Several SSHS Sports
Thursday (July 23) KSST reported that The Edge conditioning program came to an end two days early Thursday for football. They will be off until they resume strength, conditioning and skill work in the late afternoon and evening on Monday, August 10. The first day for practice is Monday, September 7. Several other coaches have shared with KSST their plans. Lady Cats Volleyball Coach Bailey Dorner says The Edge is over for her players. She too will resume strength, conditioning and skill work on August 10 with the first day for volleyball practice on September 7. First volleyball matches can be played as of September 14. They can’t play tournaments this year. Lady Cats Basketball Coach Brittany Tisdell says The Edge has also ended for Lady Cats basketball players. They will resume on the first day of official practice on Wednesday, October 21. Basketball will not be able to participate in showcases or tournaments this season. Wildcats Team Tennis Coach Tony Martinez says he concluded The Edge Thursday evening at the Wildcat Tennis Center. He too will resume strength, conditioning and skill work on August 10. Coach Martinez says his team’s first match will be on Tuesday, September 8. Wildcats Soccer Coach Alexi Upton had The Edge on Friday (July 24) and it will continue all next week. He will be able to meet with his team during the athletic period once school starts in Sulphur Springs on Tuesday, September 1. Practice can begin for soccer on Monday, November 30. Scrimmages can start on Thursday, December 10 with the first real soccer games can be played beginning January 2.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
TWC: State Unemployment Benefits To Continue But $600 Federal Payment Ends July 25
Other CARES Act Benefits Continue Through December
AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission reminds claimants that the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) ends the week of July 25, 2020.
FPUC provided an additional $600 per week to claimants who lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Texans will continue to receive state unemployment benefits for the remainder of their claim.
For those on regular unemployment that is currently up to a potential 59 weeks and 46 weeks for those on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). The length of time benefits are available is subject to an individual’s eligibility as well as state economic indicators.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation was passed as part of the CARES Act. The program provides federal reimbursement to states for an additional $600 per week. A full benefit week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. The Act states that the program ends July 31, but benefits must be discontinued before the end of the month because by law TWC cannot pay partial-week benefits. The last full benefit week for the extra $600 is the week ending July 25. As a result, only payment requests for weeks ending on or before July 25 can include the additional $600. State unemployment benefits will continue to be paid after this date, they simply will not include the additional $600 anymore.
Other provisions of the federal act do not expire until Dec. 26, 2020. This includes Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provides an extra 13 weeks of benefits to persons who exhaust traditional benefits, and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides up to 46 weeks of benefits to persons who are self-employed or who would not otherwise qualify for state benefits.
For more information on eligibility requirements, available benefits and questions about the unemployment process, visit TWC’s COVID-19 FAQ page.
Trustees Approve Nine Personnel Changes For SSISD
Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees approved nine personnel changes for SSISD during the July 24 board meeting.
Overall, two resignations were accepted, and requests for three inter-district job changes and recommendations for four new hires were approved. The personnel items will impact 6 campuses and the administration building.
Brynn Smith resigned as health science technology education teacher at Sulphur Springs High School.
Tammy Gamblin resigned as fifth grade English language arts and reading/ social studies teacher at Sulphur Springs Elementary School. Lauren O’Bryant was approved to teach fifth grade ELAR/social studies at SSES. Also approved to join the staff at SSES as a special education aide was Steve Johnson.
Sonia Cordova Yanez will be changing jobs and locations, moving from Travis Primary, where she was the campus secretary, to the Administration building, where she will be an English as a second language, Language Proficiency Assessment Committee and migrant facilitator. Alma Ramirez, Travis library aide, will become the new campus secretary.
Karen Phillips also will be joining the staff at the Administration Building as a half-time science coordinator
Mystie Wilson, a Title I aide, will remain on the Lamar Primary campus, but will be teacing kindergarten teacher.
Mario Arellano will be joining middle school as campus police officer.
SSISD Pushes Start Of Classes Back To Sept. 1
SSISD trustees Thursday evening approved an amended 2020-21 school calendar that pushes the start of classes back from Aug. 18 to Sept. 1, and extends school hours on all campuses and all grades.
Reasons for Calendar Changes
This year will be different just as the spring semester was unique due to COVID-19. New guidelines released by Texas Education Agency and UIL since the July 13 meeting factored into the new calendar as did the need for additional training and planning time for teachers and the need to make the most of the days students are in school, as the COVID-19 situation could mean fewer days for the district, campus or individual students.
“This year, we’re uncertain of the days we’ll get students so we added time so the time we do get them is more valuable,” Superintendent Michael Lambsaid of adding 15 minutes to elementary students’ days.
Lamb, at the July 13 school board meeting, outlined the plans for the 2020-21 school year and reported that the requested calendar amendments would likely designate staff development and work days on the calendar approved in the spring as well as June as makeup days. This would meet the requirement to include about a month of days in case school has to close down for an extended period of time due to illness. Administrators on July 13 also anticipated sending out commitment letters to parents by July 23, asking them to select either an in-person learning option or a Virtual Academy learning option for their students by Aug. 4. However, administrators held off sending those letters until July 24, after the amended calendar was approved so that all information would be as current as possible. Parents can log into their Skyward Family Access account (or click here) to select their preference for their child as well as information about each option
Parents are asked to select a learning option by Aug. 4, but per state rules, will be allowed to change their mind through Aug. 18 – 2 weeks for school starts. Additional communication will be posted to the district website, including activities students and families can engage in to get their students mentally ready to return to class on Sept. 1. Those who can are asked to please make their decisions by Aug. 4. Those numbers will be used to determine the number teachers and staff needed for different classes and programs, and allow for space and adequate planning/training.
After preparing for the upcoming teacher work days, including shaping a schedule for the various required and needed curriculum and planning meetings, administrators saw a need to add in additional time for teachers to attend mandatory district wide training as well as curriculum and assignment planning to be ready for all of the known and potential changes the 2020-21 school year could present due to COVID-19 or other illnesses.
With the state allowing schools to start as late as a full week into September, the district opted to add 10 staff work days before school starts so that all teachers and staff are prepared as best as possible for any changes due to illness or other. That means providing about a week for campus and team planning, as well as classroom preparation and to allow teachers to begin contacting parents to make the start as easy a transition as possible. This should prepare Virtual Academy teachers so they can hand out devices on Aug. 28-29. This will also allow teachers to be involved in decisions for procedures and safety planning for their campus.
While not all teachers will be involved in the Virtual Academy, there is every likelihood that all teachers will have to be involved in some online teaching. For instance, if a regular school student tests positive or is exposed to someone who has COVID-19 which would require the student to be off campus for more than a couple of days, the student would need to do online learning. Because of the way the Virtual Academy is structured, the student would still be a regular in-person learner who receives instruction online. The student’s teacher would be in contact with the child and the student’s family through digital instruction so the student can complete class assignments from home and not fall behind the other students in their class or in their work assignments.
All teachers will receive training on strategies to better plan to do in-class lesson digitally, including specials teachers such as physical education, art and music, while engaging students should the school have to shut down for a few days or weeks due to COVID-19 or high numbers of illness such as the flu in students and staff. Teachers also have to be ready to help students, should their parents decide to switch learning styles after the first 9 weeks, transition into the other learning option.
Adding 10 staff days also changes grading periods, and work time planned during each, requiring some adjustments to the calendar as well. The STAAR testing schedule is unchanged, however. Districts are being strongly encouraged to move to strictly online STAAR testing. The district will be adjusting class pacing to better meet students’ academic needs, including administering an online review assessment at the beginning of the year for some grade levels to get those students ready for online testing.
Due to recently released UIL guidelines, SSISD had to revise sports schedules, particularly those for football and volleball for practices, scrimmages and games. The district opted to put 2 of the staff development days planned during the fall on days that the football team has long trips, adjusting for changes in games versus Frisco and Crandall in September and October. Officials are still awaiting additional guidance from UIL regarding band activities.
Calendar Changes
The current plan, which could change pending changing requirements from the state level and changes in the COVID-19 situation, is for teachers and staff will have 10 extra days added, Aug. 18-21, Aug. 24-28 and Aug. 31. That will push the start of classes for students back from Aug. 18 to Sept. 1.
To make up the difference in lost student days at the beginning of the school year without extending the school year, Lamb proposed that the school day be extended. The school day will be held from 7:50 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. Monday-Friday, from all students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, with an 8 a.m. tardy bell.
The late start also changes the grading periods, which means the first semester won’t end until Jan. 14. The 9-week grading periods will now be Sept. 1-Oct. 29, Nov. 2-Jan. 14, Jan. 19-March 26 and March 29-May 26, provided schools do not have to make up days in June.
However, in the event makeup days become necessary, the following would be designated as potential makeup days: Jan. 15, Feb. 15, Feb. 26, April 2, April 12, May 17, May 27-28, and all weekdays in June.
Staff work day are currently planned to be held Sept. 25 and Oct. 16, instead of Sept. 18 and Oct. 12. This would allow staff to participate in training and preparation activities, scheduled on long football trip days so fewer students and staff will have to leave classes early to make the road trips for football games. Oct. 29 and Jan. 14-15 will also be staff days, adjusted to allow for training between grading periods.
July 23 COVID-19 Update: 2 New Cases, 63 Active Cases In Hopkins County
The number of COVID-19 cases in Hopkins County continues to grow daily. July 23, 2020 marks the fourth straight day this week and 17th day this month that new cases have been reported. At 5 p.m. July 23, Hopkins County Emergency Management officials reported they had received notification of 2 new COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County. There were no new recoveries on July 23.
Two patients were in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs on July 23. One person had been released from the COVID-19 unit on July 23, according to Hopkins County Fire Chief/Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Endsley.
That brings the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases for Hopkins County since March to 135, with more than half of those cases reported this month.
At the end of the first week of July, 10 new cases had been announced. New cases were reported every day from July 9-18, for a total of 45 additional residents testing positive for COVID-19 in Hopkins County, with 16 total recoveries. So far this week, there have been 17 new cases and 6 recoveries. That’s 72 new positive COVID-19 cases reported in July in Hopkins County, but reports of only 22 recoveries this month.
Of the 135 Hopkins County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, 72 have recovered from COVID-19, leaving 63 active cases of COVID-19 in Hopkins County on July 23, according to Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom.
Wood County Sheriff’s Report – July 15-21, 2020
Wood County Sheriff’s Office provided the following activity report for July 15-21, 2020:
- Suspicious Activity: 25
- Alarm: 13
- Burglary: 6
- Theft: 9
- Criminal Trespass: 7
- Assault: 4
- Disturbances/Disputes: 9
- Shots Fired: 3
- Criminal Mischief: 2
- Reckless Driver: 10
- Terroristic Threat: 2
- Welfare Check: 8
- Arrest/Warrant Services: 3
- Livestock at Large: 7
- Harassment: 3
- Damaged Property: 2
- Fraud/Scam: 3
- Motorist Assist: 3
- Animal Complaint: 13
- Traffic Stop with Arrests: 1
- Structural Fire: 1
- Abandoned Vehicle: 3
- Identity Theft: 1
- Inquest: 1
- Shots Fired: 3
- Found Property: 3
- Noise Complaint: 4
Sulphur Springs Announces 2020 Football Schedule
SSISD Athletic Director and Varsity Head Coach, Greg Owens, announced the schedule for the 2020-2021 season for what will be a delayed football season. With the UIL’s latest adjustements due to the Covid-19 pandemic of delaying fall sports for 5A & 6A schools, Sulphur Springs had to scramble to find new opponents for some of the pre-district games since 4A schools will not be delayed and those opponent’s schedules would no longer match up with SSISD. The UIL is allowing all 1A through 4A schools to have their practices and start their games at the normal times.
The following is the Sulphur Springs Varsity Football Schedule for 2020, pending any changes from the UIL.
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | Location | ||
| Sept 18 | Mt. Pleasant (scrm) | 7:00 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium | ||
| Sept 25 | Frisco Wakeland | 7:30 | Frisco – Toyota Stadium | ||
| Oct 2 | Lovejoy | 7:30 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium | ||
| Oct 9 | Hallsville (Homecoming) | 7:30 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium | ||
| Oct 16 | *Crandall | 7:30 | Crandall – Pirate | ||
| Oct 23 | *Ennis | 7:30 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium | ||
| Oct 30 | OPEN | ||||
| Nov 6 | *Royse City | 7:30 | Royse City Stadium | ||
| Nov 13 | *Corsicana | 7:30 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium | ||
| Nov 20 | *Greenville | 7:30 | Greenville | ||
| Nov 27 | *Forney | 7:30 | Forney – City Bank Stadium | ||
| Dec 4 | *North Forney (Sr Night) | 7:30 | SS – Gerald Prim Stadium |
SSISD athletic staff is still working on sub-varsity schedules and match-ups. Those schedules will be posted here when confirmed.
Tips For Making Your Home A Mosquito-Free Zone
If you haven’t been outdoors much lately, you may not have notices that it’s nigh on mosquito season in Texas (although some would argue based on the number of flies buzzing about of late that it’s fly season).
As more people are out and about, Texas Department of State Health Services reminds people to take precautions to avoid not only the discomfort of mosquito bites but also the potential of contracting illness from them.
DSHS July 23 reported that the first case of West Nile virus disease reported this year was in an adult resident of Tarrant County who later died.
While only about 20 percent of people exposed to the West Nile virus develop symptoms like headache, fever, muscle and joint aches, nausea and fatigue. In a very small proportion, less than one percent, the virus affects the nervous system, leading to a more serious illness that can cause neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and even death, according to DSHS.
In the last 10 years, Texas has reported more than 3,300 cases of West Nile disease, including 172 deaths, the state agency reports.
DSHS urges people to guard against West Nile virus by going to WAR with mosquitos by employing the following precautions:
- WEAR long sleeves and pants. Create a barrier to mosquito bites by covering up.
- APPLY insect repellent. Use EPA-registered repellent such as those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus/p-menthane-diol.
- REMOVE standing water. Emptying out water that accumulates in toys, tires, trash cans, buckets, clogged rain gutters and plant pots will deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs and reproduce.
