Puyallup School District announces reopening plans, younger students first to return
The Puyallup School District will begin its phased return to in-person learning next week.
Staff presented its plan to the school board Monday evening, basing projections on Pierce County continuing to see lower COVID-19 case counts. Superintendent John Polm said he understands the challenges families are facing.
“We understand that some feel uncomfortable and others think we should have returned at the beginning of the school year,” Polm said Monday night. “We are asking people to practice adversity tolerance.”
In an effort to curb transmission of the coronavirus, students have not been in the classroom since mid-March.
The state recommends that counties with case counts between 25 to 75 per 100,000 over 14 days begin incorporating hybrid models of in-person learning and online school while monitoring COVID-19 case counts.
As of Monday’s count, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reports the 14-day rate per 100,000 is 54.7.
Smaller classes like kindergarten and first grade will see in-person learning four days a week, while second grade through 12th grade classes will alternate between online and in-person learning throughout the week. This “A/B hybrid model” divides the higher grades into two groups, splitting class sizes in half.
The local health department has advised school districts that phased approaches should start with its youngest students. Younger children struggle most with distance learning, are at a critical stage in their development, and appear to have milder disease and transmit COVID-19 less, according to Director of Health Dr. Anthony Chen.
Most Puyallup parents supported a gradual return to classroom instruction in a survey. An estimated 74 percent of elementary parents who responded were supportive of the hybrid A/B model. For secondary school, 70 percent of the respondents liked the hybrid A/B model over continued learning online.
The schedule:
Sept. 29: Special education preschool and self-contained special education is starting four days a week, Tuesday to Friday, with online Mondays. Secondary McKinney-Vento students will also return on a reduced schedule, spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said.
Oct. 6: Kindergarten and first grade will return four days a week, Tuesday to Friday, with online Mondays.
Oct. 13: Second grade through sixth grade will return two days a week. Students will be divided into Group A or B and attend either Tuesday and Thursday, or Wednesday and Friday. All students will have online Mondays.
No sooner than Nov. 3: Seventh grade through 12th grade and Edgemont’s sixth grade will return two days a week. Students will be divided into Group A or B and attend either Tuesday and Thursday, or Wednesday and Friday. All students will have online Mondays.
Parents who are not comfortable with students returning to the classroom can discuss continuing online learning with the district.
Staff spent Monday night walking through the safety measures students, teachers and parents can expect.
Board President Kathy Yang said she understands the fear and stress families have right now.
“We go with what our health officials tell us. When they say it’s safe to bring elementary students back, we do everything we can to follow those guidelines,” Yang said. “We are doing all we can to keep our heads above water.”
