February 5, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians,
This update includes information on staff vaccinations, where we are with required updates to safety protocols, and planning for in-person instruction.
Thanks to the local health department our school district staff have been able to schedule, and many have received, their first dose of the COVID vaccine. There is a four week wait before getting the second dose and many educators have already scheduled their appointment. We continue planning with staff on other safety concerns regarding in- person learning in our schools.
Required updates to the blueprint plans are being made as well as updates to our communicable disease management plan. The drafts are scheduled to be sent to the local health department next week for review and then posted on the district website in Spanish and English.
Thank you to those that responded to the parent survey sent out from your student’s school regarding on-site, hybrid learning. We had a good response at all levels, but especially at the elementary level. The feedback for each level is below.
Parents responding wanting hybrid, in-person Parents responding wanting on-line virtual academy
Elementary 80% 18%
Middle School 71% 28%
High School 75% 24%
Given this information, part of the planning process ahead involves staffing adjustments to accommodate students moving to the Virtual Academy as we transition to in-person learning.
As mentioned in the last update, in-person learning will begin for elementary, starting with kindergarten. One week later, first and second grade will be added, with additional grades to follow. Hybrid learning students will receive instruction in-person in small cohorts in either the morning (group A-8:00-10:30) or afternoon (group B-12:30-3:00). On Wednesdays (same as CDL now) all students will participate in CDL in the morning from home. The enclosed elementary hybrid learning in-person overview gives additional details.
The middle school hybrid schedule will be the same as the elementary with small cohorts in the morning and the afternoons. The high school schedule will be a 5-period schedule from 8:00-12:30. More details will be shared in following updates.
The health metrics are currently trending down with our 14-day positive COVID-19 case count for Wasco County being 88. Given this trend in our metrics, where we are with updating safety protocols and addressing staff concerns, we will tentatively plan for beginning in-person learning in early March, beginning with kindergarten, as mentioned above.
We continue to provide limited-in-person assessments for individual students and are moving forward with limited in-person instruction at the middle school beginning February 16th. We also have started strength and conditioning activities at the middle school as of February 1st. We are moving forward with high school sports competition for soccer, cross country and skiing following OSAA guidance.
Expect another update the week of February 15th. Please continue to do your part to lower our county COVID-19 case rate and limit the spread of COVID-19 within our community.
Sincerely,
Theresa Peters
Interim Superintendent
