Rising Pierce County COVID-19 cases cancel Puyallup schools’ plan to return in person
The Puyallup School District on Thursday canceled plans to return to in-person learning as Pierce County’s daily COVID-19 case counts rise.
The district was expected to bring back about 2,500 Kindergarten and first grade students for four-days-a-week classroom instruction beginning Oct. 6.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has advised the 30,000-student district to “pause” its reopening plans until there is a trending decline in case numbers, spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said in an email.
As of Oct. 1, Pierce County’s daily COVID-19 case counts have peaked above the state’s threshold for gradual returns to school.
The state recommends school districts wait until daily counts drop below 75 positive cases per 100,000 residents before starting a phased hybrid model. The model slowly brings students back, starting with the youngest first. Students alternate between in-person learning and remote learning throughout the week.
On Thursday, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported a 14-day rate per 100,000 of 76.4 positive cases of the coronavirus.
The district’s anticipated schedule to bring back students for in-person learning for second grade and above — Oct. 13 for second through sixth grade and November for older students — also has been placed on hold.
About 700 children in self-contained special education, developmental preschool and students experiencing homelessness began their return to school on Sept. 29. They will continue to attend in-person.
“The health department has confirmed that students designated as high-need individuals can continue to have in-person instruction in small groups,” Gillispie said.
All general education elementary students will continue with distanced learning. New teachers and class rosters will go into effect on Oct. 5, Gillispie said. Learning plans and schedules will be communicated to families in the coming days.
