Tri-Cities schools wrestle with keeping teachers safe and kids learning at a distance

Hundreds of Tri-Cities’ school employees will get paid after a government-ordered shutdown closed schools across the region for at least six weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

But what teachers, paraeducators and other employees will be doing during that time looks different depending on the district and the position.

Full-time employees will get paid no matter how long the shutdown lasts.

Initially Gov. Jay Inslee said teachers would be working even though their students were ordered to stay home.

However, it’s not clear whether the districts can require them to return to closed schools. Many employees have posted on social media their safety concerns about returning to work.

Tri-Cities school leaders met last week with union representatives.

Only the Richland School District had teachers in their buildings after Monday’s closure to prepare packets of school work for students.

Pasco treated the week like a snow week while top leaders met to decide what will happen next.

And Kennewick school officials said they should have more details this week on what employees can expect during the extended break.

All three districts have public school board meetings this week, with coronavirus topics on the agendas.

Richland schools

While Richland schools were shut down on Monday, teachers and students across the district returned to classrooms to pick up items.

While the long-range plan is still being developed, all of the elementary school teachers reported to work Tuesday to compile packets, worksheets and other materials for students.

“The bulk of our teachers have been working to keep our students learning,” said Ty Beaver, the district’s communications director.

They’ve put together packets or worksheets, books or other activities. They’ve also engaged people online through email or video-conferencing.

“We’re looking for a way we can help teachers regularly engage with their students,” Beaver said.

The district has already sent out a list of activities they recommend for students.

Reading books, math-related board games and arts and crafts projects can be done without using a computer.

Others like The CK-12 Foundation offer a series of online classes for all grade levels.

District administrators are continuing to work to answer questions around college-credit programs, including Advanced Placement and College in the High School programs.

Richland paraeducators helped deliver sack lunches and breakfasts to students at various sites around the district and helped as crossing guards.

The district had meals available at 15 schools and used school buses to deliver food to kids at 16 other locations.

Kennewick schools

Kennewick school officials are working with the various employee groups to determine what the schedules and duties will look like during the break.

Doug Christensen, the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources said the district is working closely with all of their employees to make sure they and their families are safe.

“With schools being closed, the nature of the work of each employee group has been affected and will look different during the closure,” he said.

Their priorities are to get meals to students who need them, and make sure they get learning resources to students and families.

The Kennewick Education Association’s President Rob Woodford also said they are working with district leaders to make sure that kids are supported during the closure.

“This is tough, unprecedented time; it’s important for members of the Kennewick Education Association to step up and do what we can to make things run as smoothly as possible, so we’re doing that. We’re all in this together.”

The district plans providing a weekly family learning resources guide by email and posted on the district’s website, ksd.org. The information will guide parents on how to work with their children to keep their skills from slipping.

Pasco schools

Pasco school officials not involved in delivering meals or school security had the week off.

“Employees who would not normally report to work during a snow day are staying at home this week,” said Shane Edinger, the director of public affairs.

District leaders met and talked with union officials to decide what their next steps should be.

The district provided a list of resources that students and parents can use to keep learning during the break and were compiling weekly activity packets for students to pick up with their sack meals or online.

They include hand-on science activities, English language arts assignments and math puzzles.

Pasco also created a webpage with a variety of learning resources for families, including “suggested learning opportunities” that parents can use to engage their kids.

The district was also making laptop computers available to be checked out one per family starting Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Edgar Brown Stadium.

Statewide

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction asked school districts to treat this first week as an early spring break, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal said during a meeting with the League of Education Voters last week.

“Learning is happening in a lot of parts of our state,” he said, but there is no way to take all of the teaching and learning that happens in schools and move it online.

The office explained they are asking school districts to encourage most of their employees to work from home. The employees who need to come in should practice social distancing.

The state has promised money will keep coming to the schools during the shutdown which lets them keep paying their teachers.

The Washington Education Association and the Public School Employees of Washington, the unions representing teachers and paraeducators across the state, are both looking for their members to remain safe.