October 30, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are happy to state that beginning this coming Monday, November 2nd, we will welcome about 165 secondary students to in-person instruction on a hybrid schedule. See this link for additional information. These students will join our 260 elementary students receiving face-to-face instruction on a similar schedule. Approximately 200 of our K-12 students are continuing to opt for 100% remote instruction via our Virtual Academy. Our Reopening Plan has been revised to account for these changes.
After eight weeks of school, we continue to be free of any cases of COVID-19 at school. We have had at least six staff members obtain a COVID-19 test from a medical provider, and all have tested negative. We have had one student test positive, a few students test negative and a few other students who have been exposed or potentially exposed. Fortunately, none of the exposed students had been on campus since his/her exposure.
While we are hearing of a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country and state, we here in Cowlitz County are in our third consecutive week of registering within the moderate at-risk category. Our numbers have been 44, 54 and 64; and we have received the “green light” from our health department to welcome our secondary students back to school after a hiatus of almost eight months.
Once we get Grades 7-12 students back on campus for instruction, we will begin planning for extracurricular activities, as well. Recent revisions to the Return-to-Play guidelines have loosened some of the restrictions and consequently we may see some Fighting Ducks in athletic competitions later this school year!
Being able to have so many students return to in-person instruction, does not mean that all of our concerns are behind us. We will need to continue being vigilant in practicing safe and healthy habits (wearing of masks, frequent hand washing, maintaining physical distancing, sanitizing of facilities and equipment, etc.). Our health department has cautioned school districts that if our County metric of new cases of COVID-19 within the last 14 days enters into the high at-risk category (over 75) for three consecutive weeks, it very likely would be recommending that schools return to remote learning.
With our reopening of schools almost complete, the work of our Reopening of School Committee is winding down. The Committee will meet via zoom at 4pm on Monday November 9; in what may be its final meeting. A huge “thank you” goes out to each of the members (see reopening plan for a list of committee members) for their willingness to serve during these trying times!
Sincerely,
Bob Garrett
Superintendent
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October 16, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Our staff continues to perform admirably in its attempt to meet the needs of all of our students. We now have around 260 elementary students receiving face-to-face instruction on a hybrid schedule, and another 90 receiving 100% virtual instruction. The vast majority of our secondary students continue to receive Continuous Learning 2.0, although a few are coming on campus on an individualized basis.
After six weeks of school, we continue to be free of any cases of COVID-19 at school. We have had at least five staff members obtain a COVID-19 test from a medical provider, and all have tested negative. We have had one student test positive, a few students test negative and a few other students who have been exposed or potentially exposed. Fortunately, none of the exposed students had been on campus since his/her exposure.
While COVID-19 cases did spike in Cowlitz County over the last two weeks, our current number is at 44 per 100K; which has us back in the moderate at-risk category. If we can obtain two more weeks of at least moderate risk, we plan to bring back our Grades 7-12 students who desire face-to-face instruction. They will be on a hybrid schedule, and the district will attempt to place all K-12 children from the same family on the same instruction schedule.
Once we get Grades 7-12 students back on campus, we will begin planning for extracurricular activities. The Governor, the State Department of Health and the WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) recently released revised Return-to-Play Guidelines. These revisions result in the loosening of some of the previously imposed restrictions, and consequently there is renewed hope that our student athletes may actually be given the opportunity to play this year.
Our Reopening of School Committee continues to meet, albeit on a little less robust schedule than it was originally. It continues to generate collaborative discussions and most recently created a document that we hope parents find helpful, as we all attempt to maneuver through the maze of COVID-19 related issues. Wanting to give credit where credit is due, this document is primarily the work of Heather Schoonover, one of our Reopening of School Committee members. Heather, I “tip my appreciative hat to you!”
Lastly, our next school board meeting will be via zoom at 7pm on Tuesday, October 27th. We hope you will consider attending. The Zoom link is below. Until later, stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Bob Garrett
Superintendent