REOPENING: Seattle Public Schools changing schedules for elementary, K-8 to lessen bus crunch

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Thanks for the tip. With email to families and an update on the district website, Seattle Public Schools announced tonight that it’s trying to deal with a bus-driver shortage by changing schedules for elementary and K-8 schools as they reopen for some in-person learning:

Providing SPS student transportation became significantly more challenging to plan and staff as a result of the governor’s order to return all K-5 students by April 5.

The transportation department had been thoughtfully building full-time routes for a phased increase of students beginning with preschool and K-12 students enrolled in Special Education Intensive Pathways.

The governor’s March 15 order to immediately increase K-5 students in addition to the 1/2 day in-person instructional model agreed to with Seattle Education Association didn’t leave the transportation team enough time to rebuild routes, and our bus contractor to hire and train drivers. To serve students per the district’s pre-pandemic transportation service standards and follow additional bargained agreements, approximately 400 buses would have been required. As of March 18, about half the number of required bus drivers were available.

The district recognizes and is deeply concerned about the inequities created for our students and families during our pandemic response – especially those furthest from educational justice.

To address this and keep school start and end times consistent, the district determined yellow buses would be prioritized for students that we are legally obligated to provide transportation and those most vulnerable. These students include students receiving special education services whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) requires transportation, Head Start participants, McKinney-Vento (a program that serves students experiencing homelessness), students receiving foster care services, and students with a 504 accommodation for transportation.

We know these efforts didn’t go far enough to provide access to in-person learning for students who need it most.

To support students’ equitable access to in-person learning, we are taking the immediate step to increase yellow bus transportation and accommodate as many students as possible.

This requires a change to elementary and K-8 bell schedules, school start and end times. We are asking everyone to adjust a little so that we can serve more students that need and want in-person learning.

Elementary and K-8 schools will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. for students in both the remote and hybrid, in-person model (part-time in person and part-time remote).

This change is subject to Board approval. This change does not include 6th-8th grade comprehensive middle schools. Comprehensive middle schools will continue to begin at 9 a.m.

Bell Schedule

8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Morning Block: 8 – 10:45 a.m.
Afternoon Block: 11:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

8 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Wednesday
All students will be remote
This 30-minute adjustment to bell schedules will allow more students the opportunity to participate in the 1/2 day, in-person hybrid learning model. With an hour between elementary and secondary start times, we can use the same drivers and buses to transport students, increasing access to yellow bus transportation. This approach is a return to our normal transportation model and operations for in-person learning.

The change will take place on March 29 for all elementary and K-8 students and continue through the end of this school year.

While the district can’t guarantee transportation to students beyond those that we are legally obligated to support, we will continue to work to increase transportation access in the most equitable way possible. The district will use our school equity tiering system as we develop routes and expand opportunities for general education students to return in person with transportation.

Once 6-12th grade students return to school buildings, Orca Cards will be provided. We are working with King County Metro to coordinate additional safety and timing for routes.

One other big announcement as SPS moves toward reopening schools – Superintendent Denise Juneau is leaving at the start of May instead of the end of June, making way for Dr. Brent Jones to take over sooner as interim superintendent.

Will S. March 20, 2021 (9:33 pm)

To recap, the Governor issued a statewide order because Seattle Public Schools wasn’t moving fast enough. And now Seattle Public Schools feels officially blindsided that someone would make them operate schools, rather than freefall all the way to next year.

BoulderBlue March 20, 2021 (11:04 pm)

At the time of the Governor’s order only 40% of Washington state students were getting in-person schooling at least one day each week. Source: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/gov-inslee-order-will-require-washingtons-k-12-schools-to-offer-some-in-person-learning-as-part-of-covid-19-recovery/
- Will S. March 21, 2021 (10:53 am)
  
  That’s right, because other districts were actually making progress on their phased re-opening plans. There’s roughly 1,050,000 students in this state, so over 400,000 were getting some in-person instruction–but out of that lucky 400,000, only 150 were getting in-person instruction at SPS, which is the state’s largest district. https://www.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/press-releases/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-resources/school-reopening-data
  - High Point March 21, 2021 (6:36 pm)
    
    I’m a parent of a young elementary student in the SPS. If what is happening right now with re-opening were happening near the beginning of a school year, I’d have zero issues with the idea of reopening. But why disrupt the last two months of school? There’s absolutely no reason to do so. NONE. If you can think of an actual measureable positive outcome that a student couldn’t get, perhaps, from a community center program or a YMCA, please let us know. Students ARE currently learning and teachers ARE currently teaching. Reopening the schools at this point in the school year will only disrupt that. Reopening schools is a political issue, full stop. We must stop weaponizing our children for the sake of political wins.
    - Ashley March 21, 2021 (7:50 pm)
      
      100% agree with you. You are spot on
    - Kim March 21, 2021 (9:05 pm)
      
      As a teacher whose classes are working and working well, changing to hybrid/part-time/whatever will be a major disruption. There are students for whom online learning is preferable as well as parents unwilling to send their students back into a classroom. I can just see myself trying to track them all down. We will lose the precious (and truncated) time we have.
    - Krs March 21, 2021 (9:58 pm)
      
      I absolutely welcome the opportunity for my child to go back to school these last two months. He hasn’t had a social interaction with another child in over a year. He is sad and frustrated. When I told him he would be going back to school he could not contain his excitement. If you don’t want to disrupt your kid’s learning, then choose the remote option and let your kid finish out the school year that way. However, I am thrilled to take my son back and have him be happy again.
    - Stephanie March 21, 2021 (10:13 pm)
      
      Totally agree. I would much prefer outdoor events to get the kids together. This is so disruptive, and I cannot wait until it is safe to go back to school, but We Are Not There Yet.
    - Will S. March 21, 2021 (11:01 pm)
      
      High Point, I am sincerely glad that your young SPS elementary student is doing well educationally. Mine is not, and I know that many others also are struggling without in-person school. In my experience, you are one of the only people to suggest that remote instruction is on a par with in-person instruction for young students (or, for that matter, children of any age). That view runs contrary to positions formally adopted by the leading professional organizations for teachers, pediatricians, and school administrators. Likewise, when you suggest that the public school system should be filling the gaps in the Y’s programs, I think you have it exactly backwards. Moreover, if the Y has been for months safely and responsibly operating in-person programs for children in Seattle and across the country, why shouldn’t SPS try to do the same? Next, this concern about ‘disruption’ strikes me as a red herring, given that legitimate safety concerns were the only reason to suspend in-person learning in the first place. Finally, of course this debate is political–we are here as citizens judging the actions or inactions of various elected officials. I don’t see anyone treating children as literal or figurative weapons, so that kind of hyperbole discredits only the speaker.
Frog March 20, 2021 (11:13 pm)

In fairness to the district, the half-day model requires a lot more transport than in normal times and wasn’t originally expected or part of their plan. One of the big fights between the union and district involved schedule: the union insisted on the four-day, half-day model so students don’t eat lunch at school. The district was pushing for an A-B two-day full-day schedule, like Highline. The union got their wish, but the result is needing two runs in and out of each elementary school each day.
- Anne March 21, 2021 (9:05 am)
  
  I’m a little confused- it looks like hours are 4 days a week 8-2:30. There must be a lunch break between 10:45( end of morning block) & 11:45( start of afternoon block) or are some just going only to morning block & some just only to afternoon block?? That can’t be right
  - MercyMoi March 21, 2021 (11:11 am)
    
    Anne, students will only be attending a Morning Block or an Afternoon Block.
    - Anne March 21, 2021 (11:37 am)
      
      So kids will only be going back for about 2:45 a day- 4 days a week. Wow.
    - AMC March 21, 2021 (7:04 pm)
      
      The reason for half-days is to allow as many children as possible to return in-person while still adhering to social distancing and other requirements. You can’t have 25 kids/per class back all at once.
  - High Point March 21, 2021 (11:21 am)
    
    Anne, to answer your question… Students will be in either an AM or a PM cohort. Not both unless they fall into a specific learning plan. A home room teacher will only teach one of these cohort sessions. In other words, almost every in person student will only be on campus for 2 hours and 45 minutes for 4 days a week.
    - Not all unicorns and rainbows March 21, 2021 (12:48 pm)
      
      That’s not quite correct. If there are enough students to necessitate an am and pm cohort the teacher will teach both groups. If there are not enough students for two groups the teacher will teach in-person to the AM cohort and will teach remotely for students in the afternoon. For students who are 100% remote learning and the homeroom teacher is not teaching remotely, all efforts will be made to have a teacher from that building to teach those students. If there aren’t any available, I guess those kids will be assigned to another teacher somewhere in the district.? Breakfasts and lunches will be provided for students to take home. Parents should absolutely know that in-person learning is not going to look anything like school did in the past. No shared supplies, no small groups, no playing with legos (unless each kid gets a baggie of them or the teacher cleans them), the cohort will be at their own recess, lots of hand washing, etc.
- ACG March 21, 2021 (9:20 am)
  
  Thank you, Frog, for the clarification.
- highline March 21, 2021 (10:05 am)
  
  Highline also pulled back from their A/B full day model in early January. It was replaced with only half day options for the exact same reason: eating lunch in classrooms without masks dramatically increased the risk levels for everyone (students, their families, and all school staff).
- Nitro March 21, 2021 (9:42 pm)
  
  FWIW- My son has been going to school 5 days a week, in person since the start of the school year, and my daughter hybrid (2 full days a week). They both eat lunch at school and there has been no in-person transmission of the virus at the school at all. They do not get to eat in the cafeteria. They must eat in their individual classrooms, and the teachers are pretty strict about them staying separated in their desks, cleaning hands and desk surfaces well before and after eating, and then of course prescreening everyone before they even enter the building every morning. Masks are only removed for the bare minimum time while eating and then immediately worn again. Lunchtime (and the entire school day) is VERY different than “normal” times. But I think everyone (parents/students/families) is so thankful to be in school that everyone is willing to sacrifice. The kids aren’t complaining about the strict safety policies at school and families are not doing riskier behaviors outside of school that might expose themselves and the school community. It is hard work to stay dedicated and not get burned out by the safety rules, but so very worth it .
  - High Point March 21, 2021 (10:03 pm)
    
    Thank you for sharing your story. It’s important to hear this perspective. Your experience makes it clear that starting this process at the beginning of the year would benefit students. I don’t see how forced re-entry at this point in the year would compare, but it’s factual that data shows schools can be safe(ish).
    - SHSC March 23, 2021 (9:47 am)
      
      It is not forced. There will still be a 100% online option through the end of the school year. Every child and family is different and what might not work in your experience may be just what another family needs.
    - High Point March 23, 2021 (8:28 pm)
      
      Not true. The students that are learning online will be taught by teachers who are being forced to be on campus. While you might have children in mind I also care about our hardworking teachers as well as children. No one should be forced to be on a school campus right now, but teachers ARE being forced to be there.
Verna Flahive March 22, 2021 (10:56 am)

Washington state is behind the power curve of reopening schools compare to the rest o the United States. Even my grandchildren living at Avian AB Italy where COVID is still active have been doing in-person 5 days per week normal hours for last four months. This State’s constant delays seem to be working in favor of the unions, not the children. If they keep delaying, school will be over. The idea that some of the schools need more time to get organized is a total farce – it’s been a year for goodness sake. My sister has been teaching in person, wearing a mask, in Illinois since beginning of school year – they care about their children.

Kim March 21, 2021 (11:24 am)

Maybe best to send kids home with a cold sack lunch and put it in their backpack. My child also took metro bus to his school for many years and district provided no yellow school bus. I was not happy with this, since he was going to a school extremely far from our house.I really doubt that many parents will send children to school half day in the fall if transportation not provided. Traffic in Seattle in awful and by the time you drop your children off to school in a few hours you would need to pick them up if you live a long way from school. Or child can walk to school, it would not do them any harm in walking a few miles to school on a sidewalk. I just don’t see having children go to school half time working out for a long time at all.

MercyMoi March 21, 2021 (1:04 pm)

Kim, this is just the plan for the rest of the school year. There will be a new agreement in place for the Fall.
flimflam March 21, 2021 (3:05 pm)

why can’t kids eat at school? it must be safe or the state wouldn’t have indoor dining reopened, right?
- High Point March 21, 2021 (4:05 pm)
  
  Restaurants are not reopening because it’s safe to, they are reopening because of economics. Schools are not reopening because it’s safe to do so, they are reopening because the federal government is forcing them to.

SJ March 21, 2021 (7:02 pm)

SPS is not the only district in the area that is doing half days to avoid lunch at school. This leads to bussing shortages everywhere. Snoqualmie is asking parents who are able to drive their kids to school so that any extra bus space can be used for kids whose parents really can’t drive them. It’s inconvenient, but most people go to their neighborhood school and live close by. This isn’t easy and it’s far from perfect, but I am so glad that kids are getting back to the classroom. I hope everyone gives the schools and teachers a bit of grace for the first week while they figure it out. And please, let the middle and high school kids go back part time too!

High Point March 21, 2021 (10:04 pm)

Has anyone heard what admin will do with students who don’t complete their health screening by 7am?

Observer March 22, 2021 (1:37 pm)

Other school districts have managed to re-open with bus service. Seattle Public Schools is an outlier.The district’s re-opening plans were deemed insufficient by OSPI. They are holding back $37M dollars to make sure Seattle Public Schools gets it right. It would be wasteful for OSPI to give SPS $37M dollars to waste.

Ugh March 22, 2021 (2:18 pm)

I’m happy others children are doing fine at home. Mine are not. Not to mention a ton of other kids I know. I’ll take two months of in person learning over zero. Mine have been wanting to go back since the beginning of the school year.

k April 6, 2021 (10:41 am)

I’m a single parent working from home. My kindergartener was doing 5.5 hours of online instruction with breaks included. Now he is only getting 2.75 hours of online instruction with breaks included. Things have gone from bad to worse for me. I can’t work those 5.5 hours now because he constantly needs help with something. Why can’t he continue to get 5.5 hours online instruction? Is this because of busing the in person kids?

Sorry, comment time is over.