School Reopening Plans
The Skamania School Board reviewed and approved plans for back to school in the fall. Taking into account high COVID-19 infection rates in Skamania county and using newly released state Department of Health (DOH) metrics to guide their decision, the board approved a plan to begin the school year under a robust remote learning model.
- School will start on September 2nd.
- 180 days and 1,000 hours of instruction for the year (K-8).
- 5 days per week of online instruction.
- First month: Instruction, along with placement assessments, development of personalized plans, and parent conferences.
- All students will have a district-provided Chromebook for checkout to use at home, if needed.
- 5 additional days are included in the calendar at the end for make up days, if needed.
- A robust online instructional model will be followed.
- Learning standards by grade level will be aligned and an overview of the learning standards will be provided.
- Each student will have a personalized learning plan to accommodate for a variety of abilities. This will include a choice of assignment options and ways to demonstrate their learning.
- Social and emotional support to promote student, staff and family wellness will be provided by our new counselor.
The board re-evaluated the plan in late September and approved a new plan. The Student Return Plan is a phased in hybrid model, starting with our youngest students.
Student Return Plan
New board approved plan 02/22/2021, if Skamania County remains in the moderate or low COVID-19 category of the updated metrics (less than 350 cases per 100,000 over 14 days)| Group | Start date | Numbers | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| TK/K | March 17 | TK - 4 K - 5 Total 9 | 5 days in-person learning - (8-2:30) Wednesdays - early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. (deep school cleaning) |
| 1/2nd | March 17 | 1 - 6 2 - 4 Total 10 | 5 days in-person learning - (8-2:30) Wednesdays - early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. (deep school cleaning) |
| 3rd - 5th | March 17 | Total= 23 Multipurpose Room | 5 days in-person learning - (8-2:30) Wednesdays - early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. (deep school cleaning) |
| 6th - 8th | March 17 | Total = 16 | 5 days in-person learning - (8-2:30) Wednesdays - early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. (deep school cleaning) |
We will continue to have students and staff complete a health screening prior to arrival at the school, wear masks, maintain social distance and wash hands frequently at school. Each classroom gets a deep clean twice a week as well as a daily cleaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a fully online model is preferred regardless of the health trends in our county?
If your preference is a fully online model for your student, we have developed the Skamania Virtual Academy. This program will not shift through the stages listed above. It will stay online throughout the year. The Skamania Virtual Academy will join an online community staffed by Skamania School District teachers and support staff. It will be similar to going to school in person with comprehensive graded lessons and support, direct instruction, and required attendance.
The learning standards and learning goals will be the same as for students in a physical classroom.
What if I need childcare during learning delivery models 1 through 3?
We recognize that each family is in a unique situation and may need child care support. We are working to develop options for families in these situations. Please take this survey to indicate your interest and need.
What if my family relies on school breakfast and/or lunch services?
We will develop a modified meal distribution process, similar to the one utilized in the spring, to provide meals to students during remote learning. Additional information on this process will be forthcoming.
If school is starting remotely for fall, why are we considering offering child care?
The science around children and COVID indicate that very young children, those typically in child care, are less likely to become infected.
Child care facilities provide an essential service for parents who must work. If centers are closed, there’s concern children may be left with grandparents or other individuals who are at higher risk for serious illness.
Washington State Department of Health has established guidance that child care facilities must follow. The guidance is aimed at reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission at child center facilities and includes:
- small groups that do not interact and staff that do not move between groups (maximum of 22 individuals). Many child care providers choose to have smaller group sizes, which allows for more physical distancing.
- daily health screenings
- physical distancing as much as possible
- increased hygiene practices
- modified pickup/drop off, including keeping parents out of the program space
- staggering outside play schedules
- increased cleaning
Child care settings are in a position to implement additional precautionary practices which would be difficult to implement more broadly in a school setting such as daily individual health screenings, staggered drop off and pick up schedules, staggered outdoor play schedules and increased cleaning protocols.
The reduced risk of infection, small group sizes and increased preventative measures makes disease transmission in child care settings less likely than in less flexible settings such as schools.
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