Friday, October 16, 2020

Weekly Briefing 10.16.20


Lewis County Metrics



Reopening Schools

The Board of Directors approved a return to school buildings plan at their meeting on Oct. 15. Lewis County Public Health and Social Services recommended returning elementary students to the buildings no earlier than October 19, middle school no earlier than November 16 and high school no earlier than December 14. 

Toledo Elementary will return 2nd and 3rd grade students to the building on October 26. Grades 1, 4 and 5 will return on November 2. All grades will operate on a half-day/ half-class schedule in order to be able to maintain physical distancing between students. Food service will be grab and go to be eaten at home. We're not able to maintain social distance for all in the cafeteria and we want the classrooms to be mask on at all times. For detailed information regarding return to TES, watch for communications from the school. 

Some have asked why we aren't returning all to TES on October 19. We are still working out how to maintain cohorts of students when we have so many programs that mix students (Special Education, interventions, and specialists). We also want to be sure that our screening protocols are routine as we increase the number of students in the building. Finally, we want to be prepared to return to remote instruction quickly if we're required to do that.

Toledo Middle School has been working with students with disabilities on campus since the beginning of the school year. This is because many of those students do not benefit from remote instruction and their specific disabilities can't be addressed remotely. We have identified an additional group of students who need special supports and will be bringing them to the building in cohorts of 5 beginning on Oct. 26. On December 1, the new trimester will begin and we'll transition to our full hybrid model at TMS. For specifics on that plan, watch for communications from the school that will detail days and times as well as food service and other details.

We've become concerned that members of the Class of 2021 (Seniors) are disengaging from their studies. This places their diploma at risk. Beginning December 1, we'll begin bringing seniors back to the building for instruction and supervision. 

Ventilation at THS has never been good and is one of the reasons we needed to build the new school. Construction has added dust to the mix of air quality issues and, in spite of air purifiers, bringing all students to the building right now would not be safe or healthy. For this reason, we plan to bring grades 9-11 to THS in mid-January when the new classrooms, gym and locker rooms are completed. In February, all of the new addition should be complete and students will benefit from the improved ventilation.

As we bring students back to our buildings for in-person instruction, I'm asking everyone in our community to support our efforts. With 140 cases per 100,000 population, Lewis County is the most active county in Western Washington right now. Schools that have brought students back to the buildings have had to return to remote learning. Thurston County with 61 cases per 100,000 has chosen to pause their return to school plans for two weeks to be sure that their case rates stay below 75. We haven't been below 75 cases since July. Toledo is remote enough that, if we are diligent, we can pull this off. If we are not, we will experience significant difficulties. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Stay 6' distant from others. 

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