Puyallup School District Announces Plans To Reopen Classrooms

PUYALLUP, WA — The Puyallup School District has announced new plans to begin reopening classrooms to students, and the first batch of kids could find themselves back in school as early as next week.

UPDATE: The district has canceled the below plans for in-person instruction. The latest update can be found here.

According to the district, the plan assumes that the county will continue to see low numbers of daily coronavirus cases— if case counts suddenly rise, plans may have to be scrapped or reworked. The county has seen a slight bump in daily cases recently, perhaps linked to the Labor Day holiday, but otherwise case counts have been on a downward trend in recent months.

According to the state's COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard Pierce County had an average of 59.5 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the two weeks leading up to September 17. That puts it in the 'moderate risk' category, allowing classrooms to consider reopening. If that rate rises above 75 cases per 100,000, Pierce County would move into the high risk category, which is likely when the district would need to reconsider.

But as the county remains at moderate risk, the district is moving ahead with a phased in hybrid approach to reopen classes. District officials say they've designed the program to help bring the most vulnerable students back to school first.

Here's a look at how it will work:

• Sept. 28: Small groups of students in special education will return to school, but on a reduced schedule. This includes developmental preschool and secondary McKinney Vento students. Parents of applicable students should hear from teachers about their new schedule soon.
• Oct. 6: Students in kindergarten and 1st grade would return to class four days a week, Tuesday-Friday. Monday would remain a day of remote learning. Before and after school programs would also resume for these students.
• Oct. 13: Students grades 2-6 would return on a hybrid schedule, alternating two days a week. That means a student would either come to class Tuesday and Thursday, or Wednesday and Friday. Again, before and after school programs will be available.
• Nov. 3 or later: The district says they will consider returning junior and high school students to class on Nov. 3 at the earliest. For example, students in grades 2 - 6, they would be on a hybrid in-person schedule, in class for two days a week.

The district says it believes this plan can help safely transition students back into the classroom, and helps support younger students who need the most help. The district says younger learners are not only at a more critical stage in their development, but they also struggle the most with distance learning, so their return to class has been prioritized.

Finally, parents who do not want their children to return to class have that right and can keep their child on a full-time remote learning model, if they so desire.

Parents can find more information in the Puyallup School District Return to School Playbook.