Salem-Keizer Public Schools has announced that they are extending online learning, also called Comprehensive Distance Learning, for students in grades 4-12 until the end of quarter two. This means that the earliest students will have in-person instruction is after February 1.
The district was originally targeting November for the start of blended learning, a mix of online and in-person instruction, for students 10th grade and below. However, the most recent COVID-19 data for Marion County shows that the county exceeds the maximum number of positive cases required for students to go back to school. These numbers are set by the Oregon Department of Education.
The district plans to transition students in those grades to a blended model starting in quarter three. A blended model will include cohorts and students will only attend school on certain days of the week.
“The health and safety of students and staff have to be our greatest concern, which is why we have chosen to extend comprehensive distance learning,” Superintendent Christy Perry said in a press release.
The district hopes to get students in grades Kindergarten through 3 back into classrooms sooner. Metrics for students this age are different and they remain the district’s priority for in-person instruction.
As school remains online the district says that they will continue to make sure that all students have a “quality online learning environment.”
Perry’s own priorities as superintendent remain making sure students graduate and “setting students up for what’s beyond graduation.” She wants the district to continue to look for disparities and close those gaps.
COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation in Marion and Polk Counties, Oregon, the U.S. and abroad. Today Oregon topped 600 deaths and the total number of cases nears 38,000. The school district says that they will continue to update the community and modify plans as the situation changes.
