Prosser holds 1st day of school after 2 delays

Prosser public school students finally started their school year, at least virtually, on Wednesday after the first day of school was twice canceled.

Students logged on after the district spent some additional time preparing for online learning, said Superintendent Matt Ellis. The new model has pushed teachers and administrators to find new ways to teach students and identify the problems families might face.

The first day was met with one complaint by a parent on Facebook, who said a teacher didn’t show for a team meeting.

“We are working hard to proactively identify the barriers involved with this learning model and troubleshoot them before they reach our teachers and students,” Ellis told the Herald.

Students got a day’s reprieve on Tuesday after what would have been the first day of school was postponed by the school district as residents recovered from Labor Day’s fires and wind damage.

Some homes in the district were evacuated Monday because of one of several wildfires burning in the Mid-Columbia. At least one home was destroyed and others were damaged.

Prosser Mayor Randy Taylor issued a local emergency proclamation on Tuesday saying the wind had left downed trees blocking access to some property in the city.

City employees worked through the night Monday and on Tuesday to clear fallen trees from streets and parks and were continuing cleanup on Wednesday, said public works director Marty Groom.

The city is working with Basin Disposal to provide dumpsters starting Wednesday afternoon at the Bennett Avenue and Eighth Street parking lot for residents to dispose of yard waste from the storm at no cost.

Public school in Prosser originally was scheduled to start Sept. 1.

The day before the start of the new school year, Prosser School District officials notified parents that they were postponing the first day of school by a week.

“Because of some of the logistical realities in offering instruction in an online format, we are encountering barriers which are prohibiting us from creating a positive experience for your child,” said a statement posted online on Aug. 31.

Delaying the start of school will allow the district to best serve local families and to allow students more time to become familiar with the electronic devices and online platforms they will use for school, said the statement.

This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 7:21 PM.