C.O. schools have plenty of homework to do to meet state’s COVID-19 guidelines
(Update: Adding video, comments from Bend- La Pine Schools)
To evolve through year; Gov. Brown creates Healthy Schools Reopening Council
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Education on Wednesday released Ready Schools, Safe Learners, the initial guidance for how public and private schools will develop an operational blueprint for the 2020-21 school year to help limit the spread of COVID 19.
Students will have to maintain a six-foot distance from each other, minimize time standing in line and frequently wash their hands. There will need to be 35 square feet per person when determining room capacity.
School schedules will be modified to limit students in the building and visitors will be limited. Teachers and staff will be required to wear face shields or masks when near students.
Assistant Superintendent Lora Nordquist of Bend- La Pine Schools told NewsChannel 21 the upcoming school year will affect teacher-to-student ratios, as well as budgets. She said they are considering alternative ways students can learn remotely, if they choose not to come into the building.
"We will, as they exist right now, be limited to fewer students in the classrooms," Nordquist said. "So the state talks about for some schools, students can be full time in schools, for some it might be a hybrid model, for some it might be a fully online model."
"We have teams of teachers and administrators digging into the guidance over the next couple of weeks., and we will be able to communicate what Bend- La Pine is going to be able to offer within the next two weeks."
Nordquist said she expects the district will have fewer resources now, with the increased demand for cleaning and sanitation, transportation and many other factors.
"I have great faith in the creativity and commitment and energy of our staff to do the best we can with the circumstances we have," Nordquist said. "Maybe even do things better, from what we've learned in this period of distanced learning."
Nordquist said decisions and plans are subject to continuous change as they examine the plan they'll put in place, but she assured there will be open communication between the school district and parents.
ODE said the blueprint will evolve throughout the year, based on school district, public health and community feedback, as well as incorporate new health and safety guidance to adapt to the COVID-19 situation as it changes.
The guidelines say schools must implement measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, from physical distancing and hand-washing to requiring 35 square feet per person when determining room capacity, striving to maintain six-foot physical distance.
Schools are directed to "minimize time standing in line" and take steps to ensure the six-foot distance is maintained. Schedules are to be modified to limit the number of students in the building, and in helping students meet those requirements, "provide instruction; don't employ punitive discipline."
"During the school day, volunteers or visitors should be limited, to the extent possible, to activities that cannot be done virtually."
Face coverings or shields are required for staff regularly within six feet of students and/or staff, bus drivers and staff preparing and/or serving meals. They are recommended for all staff and for students in sixth through 12th grade, "especially in circumstances when physical distancing cannot be maintained."
Student desks need to be six feet apart, the guidance says, and "avoid sharing of community supplies when possible," such as scissors and pencils, clean items frequently and provide hand sanitizer and tissues for students and staff.
Here's the rest of their announcement, in full:
Recognizing that COVID-19 will likely continue to pose a public health risk throughout the school year, and that the prevalence of COVID-19 varies community by community, the blueprint instructs districts to develop a back-to-school plan that utilizes a mix of on-site and distance learning options to protect the safety of students, staff, and families.
Districts are also to develop communicable disease management plans and contingency plans in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks –– including returns to fully distance learning and modified school year calendars as necessary.
Ready Schools, Safe Learners, developed under the direction of Governor Brown and in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority, provides a framework for schools for the 2020-21 school year that ensures the health and safety of all students and staff and the families they go home to each day.
“The unfortunate truth is that students from historically-underserved communities, particularly Oregon’s Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other students of color, have been disproportionately impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every student, regardless of the zip code they live in, deserves access to a high-quality education and the school-based services that will prepare them for lifelong success,” said Governor Kate Brown.
“At the same time, we must ensure that Oregon’s students, our educators and support professionals, and our parents and caregivers remain safe. Returning to school in the fall will not look the same as it did before COVID-19.
"What the Oregon Department of Education has established is a process for school districts to listen to the community and develop health and safety plans that make sense for each district, each school, and each student. Together, we will proceed cautiously, testing each step as we move forward, and taking a step back if necessary to protect the health and safety of our students, families, and education community.”
ODE Director Colt Gill said, “I’m thankful for the feedback from superintendents, teachers, families, community-based organizations, leaders from Oregon Health Authority and others who helped create this guidance and I’m excited to welcome kids back to their schools.”
“This model, developed under Governor Brown’s leadership, provides statewide guidance that each school district will use independently to plan for the education and safety of students during the 2020-21 school year. We understand and honor the importance of local voice, leadership and control. These individual plans will reflect the distinct strengths and needs of each district and community.”
What Schools Must Do
For the 2020-21 school year, each school will work under the direction of the district to develop an Operational Blueprint for Reentry that is tailored to the local context and informed by local needs.
Each Operational Blueprint for Reentry must address eight essential elements including Public Health Protocols, Equity, Instruction, and Family and Community Engagement.
Prior to the beginning of the school year, the Operational Blueprint for Reentry must be reviewed by the local school board and made available to the community on the district website. The blueprints will require that every school, under direction of the district, determine whether they teach all students on-site, teach all students through distance learning or utilize a hybrid model.
“We are pleased to receive reopening guidance from ODE and OHA, which allows us the flexibility to educate and care for the needs of our own unique students,” said Reynolds School District Superintendent Dr. Danna Diaz. “Developing our plan requires critical conversations centered on the best outcomes of health and safety for our students and staff. The Reynolds School District Operational Blueprint for Reentry will become our guiding principles and action steps to facilitate the reopening of our schools while communicating what our families can expect for their students in the coming year.”
“Our investments in teacher leadership in the Colton School District have been instrumental in our ability to effectively pivot as needed to this virus,” said Colton School District Superintendent Dr. Koreen N. Barreras-Brown. “Teacher leaders are at the forefront of our planning for a student-centered approach to the reopening of equitable in-person learning. Our number one priority is the health and safety of our students, staff and families. We lead from the heart as we collaborate with the Oregon Department of Education, the Oregon Health Authority, and Colton students and families on the plan for fall 2020. We are thankful for the ongoing support and guidance from ODE and OHA.”
“I appreciate the extensive planning given to the return to school for our children and school staff,” said Oregon Parent Teacher Association President Kristi Dille. “We know the new school year will look different but using the best information from educators, health care leaders and science brings hope for a safe and healthy return to school. The ODE/OHA guidance recognizes local health and education needs and guide a healthy and positive way for us to return to the classroom.”
This Moment In History
This guidance is being released during a somber moment in a history we can have difficulty reconciling, including healing from the ongoing suffering caused by white supremacy.
“There is no way to ignore the reality of what young people and families are experiencing across Oregon and the world. And while it might be seen as a technical or administrative task, the guidance we are releasing is fundamentally about how leaders and communities in Oregon will respond to create thriving conditions for each and every student amidst the challenges we face,” Gill said. “Young people are already guiding us into the future.”
The following statement comes from a 7th grade submission from Linus Pauling Middle School in Corvallis in response to ODE’s “Elevating Voices Project.” These words inspire the kind of leadership and decisions we need to make together at this time.
We must ask ourselves, what do we want to get out of this? We have the choice to choose whether to go through this uncertain time with an open heart, receiving others with compassion and grace, or we can isolate ourselves in fear. Our world can be changed for better or for worse because people are suffering. The economy is uncertain and appears shattered. People are losing loved ones to a virus that is affecting the entire world. This is hard for every single one of us. But this isn’t all bad. It’s an opportunity for change in our schools, our family lives, and our planet. We have a chance to try something different, and we should take advantage of that. We must remember that we are all in this together. Times are hard, but throughout history humans have powered through all kinds of challenges, all the while learning and discovering along the way. If we all play a part, and we all join hands, we can reach success. Because this coronavirus is pushing us to rely on the things that matter most; the things that a virus will never take away. We have to ask ourselves, if this experience will help us grow, or if the fear will suffocate our joy and take away the empathy we have for others. Yes this is painful, but we can come out of this fire stronger. It is the mindset we possess and the heart for those that are struggling that will carry us out of this.
Statement from state Rep. Cheri Helt, R-Bend:
“We need to ensure that excessive and unrealistic state rules and lack of insurance coverage don’t make it impossible for schools to safely reopen in a new way this fall. Failure to open is unacceptable and unfair to all our kids and families. We cannot sacrifice two years of learning to fear and a lack of creativity.
"Local districts should be allowed to design safe classroom learning experiences. Until a vaccine arrives, our schools must adapt so every kid can learn, grow and achieve. This virus is temporary, their education is not.”
News release from Gov. Kate Brown:
Governor Kate Brown Announces Healthy Schools Reopening Council
Council will advise equitable and safe return to school for Oregon students
(Portland, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced that she will be convening a Healthy Schools Reopening Council to advise her and the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) during the Ready Schools, Safe Learners K-12 schools reopening process. The council will ensure all community voices––especially those representing school employees and Oregon’s Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other communities of color––have a forum to give feedback as school districts develop their plans for a safe return to school for Oregon’s students.
“It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted students from Oregon’s historically-underserved communities,” said Governor Brown. “We must do better. Through the work of the Healthy Schools Reopening Council, we will ensure that Oregon’s students return to school safely, with equitable access to the tools they need to learn, grow, and achieve.”
"This disease impacts us all. With this council, we will gather input from teachers, educators, support staff, parents, caregivers, administrators, and health care experts, from urban and rural school districts, to ensure that the Ready Schools, Safe Learners process is equitable and inclusive of all community perspectives."
The council, which will meet over the next several months as districts develop their plans, and periodically during the school year, will be charged with:
- Giving feedback on equitable policies and practices for a safe return to school
- Informing additional guidance from ODE developed over the summer to help school districts implement their back-to-school plans
- Receiving updates on school district plans and implementation
- Reviewing COVID-19 status reports and evaluating outbreak management during the school year
The council will include elected officials, education community representatives, health representatives, and members of the public, with a focus on ensuring that a wide and diverse range of community voices are represented.
A full roster of council members will be available prior to the council’s first meeting in June.
