San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Michael Cardona suspended normal school operations March 16, effective March 23- April 5.
Hays county reported its sixth case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a Kyle resident, at approximately 9 a.m., March 20.
This brings the total cases in Hays County to six. Health authorities in the county are still unclear on how the Kyle resident contracted the disease.
Cardona stated in an email that his team and himself are in constant contact with local, county and state officials regarding COVID-19 and has created and partially implemented a four stage plan of response:

• Stage 1: Daily operational procedures with intensified sanitizing protocols; all students and staff report to school. (Prior to spring break, SMCISD was in Stage 1. March 16-March20) 
• Stage 2: All staff report to work. Parents have the choice to send children to school or keep them at home without penalty.
• Stage 3: All teachers and all students stay at home and SMCISD moves to at-home learning. Essential staff reports to work. The Superintendent’s Cabinet will determine essential staff and will contact the employees.
• Stage 4: All students and all staff stay home, and SMCISD would not be in operation. There would be no instruction during this time.

On March 15, Hays County and the City of San Marcos declared a state of disaster. Cardona stated in an email that after that County had reported its first presumptive case of COVID-19 he would be moving SMCISD to Stage 3 on March 23 and will be suspending normal school operations through April 5 to help prevent exposure to students, staff, and the community.
According to the email, the district is finalizing logistics on distance learning options for students. More information and guidance will be made available on our website this week and will be messaged to SMCISD families. Beginning Monday, March 23 meals will be provided at the following times and locations:
Breakfast: 8- 9:30 a.m. (Travis Elementary and San Marcos HS)
Lunch: 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. (Travis Elementary, San Marcos HS, and Redwood Baptist Church)
Anyone 18 years old and under are free. Adult meals will be $3.50. 
“This is a rapidly-developing issue and continues to change daily. We remain in close communication with health authorities and we will communicate an update with our community as quickly as possible,” Cardona said.