- Tornillo Independent School District
- Public Health Corner
Public Health Information/Resources
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El Paso Public Health
El Paso DPH staff provide guidance and support for local public health issues related to illness, injury, and disease. Tornillo ISD partners with DPH on health initiatives to provide education and awareness for prevailing health concerns in the community.
For more information about El Paso DPH Services and Programs, visit:
https://www.elpasotexas.gov/public-health/
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Mental Health
Tornillo ISD Mental Health Resources
Please contact your school's Counselor for assistance with mental health support and services. Your students’ mental and emotional health is often directly tied to their academic success. That’s why we want to help your student’s mental and emotional well-being.
School Counselors provide small group and short-term individual counseling. In addition, they conduct mental health screeners and help students with problems ranging from everyday stress to a mental health crisis. All Tornillo ISD campuses have at least one counselor position to help our students.
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COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols
School Year 2023-2024
Tornillo ISD COVID-19 Dashboard
What You Need to Know
- The Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency approval of the safe and effective Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for ages 6 months and older. Moderna is authorized for ages 6 months and older.
- COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for everyone 6 months and older.
- You may have side effects after a vaccination. These are normal and should go away in a few days.
- Bust myths and learn the facts about COVID-19 vaccines.
El Paso COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine helps to lower your chances of getting COVID-19, spreading it to others, and ending up in the hospital. Staying up-to-day with your COVID vaccines is strongly encouraged.
Masks are optional in Tornillo ISD. Masks continue to be an effective way of preventing the spread of COVID-19 for those who choose to wear them.
El Paso COVID-19 Testing Information
We strongly encourage all individuals to screen for symptoms per CDC guidelines before coming to campus. Anyone who is sick should stay home and contact their campus immediately.
COVID-19 tests are available to everyone in the U.S., including the uninsured. For the nearest COVID-19 testing facility, please visit: testing locations Free Covid-19 at home tests are available from the campus nurse or can be ordered here: https://www.covid.gov/tests
If you're feeling sick
If you or your child are feeling sick, regardless of whether you are vaccinated or not, please stay home and contact your medical provider and campus as soon as possible.
If you test positive
Those who test positive and are symptomatic will need to stay home and report their absence by calling the school’s front office.
Returning to school
Effective March 18, 2024:
Any student or staff who tests positive will need to have markedly improved symptoms and be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school. Wearing a mask upon return is optional but encouraged whenever possible.
Cleaning
We are cleaning and disinfecting our classrooms and buses daily. Hand sanitizer and handwashing stations are easily found in our hallways. Students are encouraged to wash their hands frequently. If you have any questions, please reach out to the campus nurse.
Please note that while we do not expect many or any changes to the above protocols, we will continue to adjust protocols and communicate any changes as new governmental mandates and health authority recommendations are given.
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Fentanyl Information and Resources
Tornillo ISD is committed to being part of the fight against the nationwide fentanyl crisis. Fentanyl overdoses in neighboring school districts have raised concern for our community. We want you to be informed and encourage you to partner with us to create awareness and keep our schools safe. We are partnering with state and local health authorities to promote an awareness campaign to inform and educate all students, staff and members of the Tornillo ISD community.
Tornillo ISD’s Prevention and Emergency Response Plan
- Provide information and education to staff, students and families about the prevention of Opioid overdoses including fentanyl related incidents.
- Every Tornillo ISD elementary, middle, and high school campus will be supplied with Narcan, a medical solution that can restore normal breathing if a person is experiencing a fentanyl related overdose.
- Every school campus will have designated staff who will receive training before being allowed to administer Narcan on their campus.
Find Resources: School | Family
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E-Cigarettes and Vaping
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Lice Guidelines and Procedures
Texas Department of Health and Human Services:
Head Lice (Pediculosis) Fact Sheets - English
- What Are Lice? # E05-12864 (color)
- How Do I Know if My Child Has Lice and How Did They Get It? # E05-12865 (color)
- What Should I Do If My Child Has Lice? # E05-12866 (color)
- How Do I Keep Lice From Coming Back? # E05-12867 (color)
- Misconceptions and Truths about Lice Treatment # E05-12868 (color)
- Lice Resources # E05-12869 (color)
Hojas Informativas Sobre los Piojos en la Cabeza - En Español
- ¿Qué son los piojos? # E05-12864 (color)
- ¿Cómo sé si mi hijo tiene piojos en la cabeza? Y, de ser así, ¿cómo se le pegaron?
# E05-12865 (color) - ¿Qué debo hacer si creo que mi hijo tiene piojos en la cabeza? # E05-12866 (color)
- ¿Cómo evito que vuelvan los piojos? # E05-12867 (color)
- Mitos, ideas erróneas y verdades sobre el tratamiento de los piojos de la cabeza
# E05-12868 (color) - Recursos sobre los piojos de la cabeza # E05-12869 (color)
What are lice?
Head lice, although not an illness or a disease, is very common among school-aged children and may be spread through head-to-head contact during play, sports, or nap time, and when children share things like brushes, combs, hats, and headphones.
Head lice do not jump or fly and are most commonly contracted by head-to-head contact. Head lice are commonly found in school-aged children, so parents/guardians should routinely monitor their students for live lice at home.
Head lice are not a sign of poor hygiene. Please take a few minutes to regularly check your child's head for lice and nit (eggs). Lice can be very hard to see because they are so small and often look like dandruff. The easiest way to differentiate nits from dandruff is the ease with which you can remove them from the hair shaft. Dandruff can be easily "picked" off while nits are stuck onto the hair shaft and require much more effort to remove. Lice can be hard to see as well because they are small, approximately the size of a sesame seed, and they will move quickly to avoid light.
School Policy
Tornillo ISD follows the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health for the treatment of lice and school attendance guidelines for students who are identified with head lice.
Students will not be excluded from school due to head lice as Tornillo ISD does not enforce a “No-nit” policy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) support that there is little evidence that exclusion from school reduces the transmission of head lice (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2007, 2014). For additional information, please review Tornillo ISD Lice Prevention, Control, and Treatment Policy.
Students identified with head lice may complete the school day and information addressing lice management and treatment is sent home for the student and parent or legal guardian. The state does urge school districts not to cause children to miss class unnecessarily or encourage the embarrassment and isolation of students who suffer from repeated head lice.
Mass screenings for head lice are not done in school. They impede the educational process and are not necessary. No disease is associated with head lice, and in-school transmission is considered to be low. When transmission occurs, it is generally found among young children with increased head-to-head contact. Head lice occur worldwide and among all socioeconomic groups.
School Guidelines
In accordance with TDHS, if live lice are found on a student’s head, the school nurse will contact the student’s parent to discuss a plan for treatment with an FDA-approved, over-the-counter treatment that may be purchased from any drug or grocery store. After the student has undergone treatment, the parent should check in with the school nurse to discuss the treatment used.
For Elementary school students, a school letter will be sent home to the student’s parent and to the entire classroom, alerting other parents to check their children for lice. If nits are found, a letter will go home only to the parent of the student. An anonymous letter will also be provided to parents of school students in the affected classroom. Upon return to school, the student will be reassessed. Parents/guardians will be notified as needed. Absences due to delayed treatment will not be excused.
Classroom or school-wide checks have not been found to be effective in lice management and the practice is not supported by the AAP or the CDC. Tornillo ISD policy supports this philosophy. At the Elementary school level, a classroom notification sent to parents within five days of a single incidence of lice in the class. Since many lice cases are discovered and treated at home, please let the school nurse know if you have discovered lice on your child. Your child's privacy will be maintained at all times.
The most important thing to remember is whatever treatment you use, follow the instructions EXACTLY as recommended for the treatment to reduce the risk of re-infestation. It's extremely important that you purchase and use a lice comb that has teeth that are very close together. This process is tedious (thus the term "nit-picking") but necessary to get all the nits out. Wash towels, bedding, jackets and any other items that are being used daily at home.
Keep checking your child's head every few days for the next 6-8 weeks. Only re-treat hair If live lice are still moving. Always check in with the school nurse or your child’s health professional if you are unsure of which treatment to use.
Treatment of head lice guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at: www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/treatment.html
Lice Prevention
The best treatment for lice is prevention. Throughout the school year, check your child's hair weekly and after overnight visits with other children. Educate your children to avoid sharing hats, combs, brushes, and other commonly shared items.
Nits not killed by treatments will continue to hatch within 7-10 days. All nits should be removed to prevent reinfestation and permit early recognition of any new infestation.
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Additional Health Information
Flu Resources
Get the shot, not the Flu! Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu.
- El Paso Public Health - Vaccines for uninsured or MediCaid recipients Call 915-212-6555 to schedule an appointment at one of the following clinics:
- Ysleta Community Clinic, 110 Candelaria Rd, 79907
- Henderson Community Clinic, 721 S. Mesa St, 79901
- Northeast Community Clinic, 9566 Railrod Dr. 79924
- Good Rx Flu Vaccine Program - click to text, print or email a reduced price coupon accepted by local pharmacies
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Walmart
- Flu Shot Vaccine Finder
- Call 2-1-1 or visit 211Texas.org
Flu Prevention
- The Flu: A Guide for Parents (CDC): English - Spanish
Pink Eye
- Help Protect Yourself from getting and spreading Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) - English
- Help Protect Yourself from getting and spreading Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) - Spanish
Bed Bugs
Tornillo ISD Wellness Policy
Athletics
- El Paso Public Health - Vaccines for uninsured or MediCaid recipients Call 915-212-6555 to schedule an appointment at one of the following clinics: