Frisco Independent School District (FISD) has officially opened a COVID-19 testing location, strictly for district employees and students. This additional site offers easy access to testing and has opened up opportunities for students and staff members to monitor their health and ensure that they are not infecting anyone after being exposed to the virus.

Previously, FISD opened a testing site located at Kuykendall Stadium. With the increasing number of students and teachers needing to be tested, the location moved to Bacchus Park, 13995 Main Street, in order to accommodate large crowds and fewer issues regarding traffic. 

Testing is available Monday through Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m, or until the site reaches its daily capacity. To avoid traffic complications with religious services on Sundays, the site is open to students and staff from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or until capacity is reached. All testing is free regardless of a student or staff member’s insurance status. This location is operated by Nomi Health, and staff and students in the Frisco school district will be notified when site availability is full for the day as the capacity limit is reached quickly. 

In order to receive a test, parents need to pre-register their students, and FISD staff are required to bring a staff ID. Children not enrolled in an FISD school or family members of an FISD staff member will not receive a test, as the site is strictly for district members only.

FISD Assistant Director Meghan Cone gives insight on why this testing site was needed, and how it benefits the district. 

“FISD saw a need for increased access to COVID-19 testing due to long lines in our community, and worked with testing partner Nomi Health to make an exclusive site for students and staff a reality,” she said. “While COVID-19 testing is voluntary, it is a safe, effective way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our schools open for in-person learning. District employees need consistent and reliable access to testing to make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their students.”

Cone details the importance of following the FISD COVID-19 protocols, and how students can effectively return to school without the risk of infection.

“Our COVID-19 protocols require anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 to either stay home from school, show proof of a negative test, or have a note from a doctor identifying their symptoms as something other than COVID-19.”

Thanvi Gudur, a sophomore at Independence High School, details how she views the testing site as a beneficial addition to FISD overall.

“I think that FISD implementing these new testing sites was a good idea on their behalf,” Gudur said. “I think that more testing should be available for students and teachers to ensure public safety for all.”

Gudur shares how she tries to protect herself from the virus, and her experience with the pandemic overall.

“I have been staying especially safe in times like these, and I have been masking and double masking when necessary. I have also respected social distancing and have avoided physical contact with other people,” she said. “I think the schools should definitely take many more precautions to ensure the safety of the students. Some include mandatory masking while in school and daily testing for students, which would be extremely beneficial to the staff and students.”

To stay updated on the current testing site, students and parents can visit the FISD website, and also look out for emails sent out by the district which include daily updates pertaining to capacity limitations and testing location information.