Schools: Big changes won’t end at graduation

It’s terribly sad that this year’s graduating class will not be able to celebrate a traditional ceremony. Tacoma Public Schools serves over 30,000 students and employs over 5,000 staff affected by the coronavirus crisis.

It’s great to see Stadium High School and other Pierce County schools turn on the lights to honor graduating seniors. Let’s hope this time in 2020 does not become a consistent pattern.

Obviously, our children’s education will face new challenges in the 2020-21 school year. How will they be met?

Will all educational staff be tested for COVID-19 before returning to school? What about personal protective equipment for all staff?

How will students and staff be monitored for symptoms of the virus?

Can schools function with a complete student body or, as some suggest, will we see a split in the school day and offer students an alternating schedule?

Will schools statewide face a budget crisis, and how can it be resolved? Will unavoidable cuts affect teaching staff? Will the number of building administrators need to be decreased?

Many questions will need to be answered.

This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 8:43 AM with the headline "Schools: Big changes won’t end at graduation."