To date, about two-thirds of Canutillo ISD employees have had the opportunity to receive their COVID-19 vaccination and the District anticipates that by the end of March, every employee who wishes to receive the vaccination will have been vaccinated.
“I am very happy to see the progress of increased vaccination rates in our community, especially of our teachers and staff,” Canutillo ISD Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz said. “Now that we are very close, I am thrilled to see the day that most of our students can come back to where they need to be – in school.”
Galaviz said that the District has recently seen a tremendous response from local partners who have been instrumental in making sure that Canutillo ISD teachers and staff have access to the COVID-19 vaccination. With the help of The University of Texas at El Paso, The Hospitals of Providence, University Medical Center, and other area school districts, reaching full vaccination is around the corner.
Last month, UTEP helped vaccinate about 210 CISD employees. 75 appointments are being allocated for teachers and staff by the Hospitals of Providence this week and more appointments are also scheduled for UMC next week. Ysleta ISD and Socorro ISD health clinics have offered an additional 400 appointments for Canutillo ISD after spring break.
CISD employees aren’t the only ones that the District has assisted with COVID-19 vaccination.
CISD Executive Director of Student Support Services Dr. Monica Reyes says that the District’s parent liaisons have been hitting the ground in the Canutillo, Vinton, and Westway communities the last several weeks. CISD parent liaisons registered about 97 super seniors, people ages 75 and older, for a vaccination event at the Hospitals of Providence in February. The CISD Transportation Department even assisted with rides for those who needed them. At this time, they are reaching out to community members who are 65 and older for a UMC mobile vaccination clinic.
“Our District has worked relentlessly to make sure that not only our staff but everyone in the community has access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” Reyes said. “When we help families, we are effectively helping our students.”