Pasco students could return to classes in 2 weeks. But it will look different
Pasco students may be starting classes in two weeks.
School officials have laid out an initial plan to start hybrid learning in the schools beginning with kindergartners through second-graders on Nov. 9.
The remaining elementary students will return on Nov. 16.
Middle and high school students could return after the end of the first trimester on Dec. 3, under the tentative schedule.
Initially, elementary students will attend classes for just half a day, two days a week, with the rest of their learning online.
The plans are being presented Tuesday night to the Pasco School Board.
The school district is the last in the Tri-Cities to set a date for when elementary students would return. Dr. Amy Person, health officer for the Benton Franklin Health District, previously recommended that students in Pasco could return as early as Oct. 15.
At the time, the number of new cases in Franklin County was dropping, but it has since reversed course. For the period between Sept. 29 and Oct. 12, the county has had 251 new cases per 100,000 people.
The state’s guidance has been to not return to hybrid learning until new infections drop to 75 new cases per 100,000 over a two-week period.
The state sets that guideline, but it’s up to local school districts to decide reopening dates.
Dr. Person says she is comfortable with opening schools even if the rate reaches 200 cases per 100,000, but she has stressed that schools need to follow strict safety precautions, including mandatory masks, hand-washing and keeping students separated by 6 feet.
Pasco also plans to put in some additional measures because of the current higher case count. That includes having the elementary students only come in for half of the day so they don’t eat their meals at school.
Music, art, physical education and library classes will continue to be held virtually.
Pasco also will have daily health screenings for staff and students and on-site temperature checks.
Richland and other districts
Richland students start returning to classes beginning on Wednesday. The initial start was pushed back by two days to give the district extra time to plan.
Preschool students and kindergartners come back first, followed by first and second-graders the following week on Nov. 4, and the remaining elementary students would begin classes on Nov. 12.
Richland elementary students will go to school in person for half a day, five days a week, with the rest of their learning online.
The district used the extra time to have their health and safety consultant walk through the elementary schools. They wanted to make sure there was time to fix any potential issues.
The added days also gave them more chances for teacher training.
There are no plans for when middle and high school students would start.
Burbank and Finley schools continue to move forward with plans to return more students to in-person learning. The remaining Finley elementary school students started last week, and middle school students are expected to begin next week.
Burbank brought back all of the remaining students last week.
Kennewick elementary students are attending in person some days a week. But the school board voted last week to delay opening middle and high schools until February.
This story was originally published October 25, 2020 at 2:39 PM.