MONDAY: Part-time in-person learning starts for middle-, high-school students

Even if you don’t have a student in the house, we want to remind you that Seattle Public Schools‘ middle- and high-school campuses reopen for part-time in-person learning starting tomorrow. Here on the peninsula, that means increased activity at Chief Sealth International High School, Denny International Middle School, Madison Middle School, and West Seattle High School, as well as Louisa Boren STEM K-8 and Pathfinder K-8. For students and their families the district has these reminders:

Daily Health Screening
If the student will be attending in-person school, they will need to complete the daily health screening prior to 7 a.m. for the morning session or 10 a.m. for the afternoon session. (More information about schedules can be found here.) The health screening will be delivered by email (also can be received by text). The daily health screening will be sent by 5 a.m. every school day. 6-12 grade students can fill out the health screening themselves once a parent or guardian gives permission. Learn more about the daily health screening. If the daily health screening isn’t complete before the student arrives at school, it can be done on site.

Keeping School Communities Healthy
To keep SPS school communities healthy and safe, students and families are reminded:
• If the student is experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea – they should not come to school.

• If a student has traveled during spring break, we recommend families follow public health guidance and quarantine. Contact the school’s attendance office to communicate the student’s absence.

Masks
Students are encouraged to bring their own mask to school. The mask should fit above the nose, chin, and snugly against the face. Students can watch a short video about how to wear a mask.

Student Devices
6-12 grade students returning to buildings should bring their SPS-issued laptops, or a personal device, for their in-person learning session. Instructions for helping students connect with their personal devices in the classroom have been provided to educators. Elementary students may be asked to bring their devices into their classrooms to support learning. Students should bring devices fully charged and in a backpack or other protected cover or case.

Meals
District meal distribution site hours have changed to support in-person learning. The 40 meal sites will now be open from 10:45 a.m. -1:15 p.m. Bus routes will deliver meals on Wednesdays only. All students can access hot, prepared meals at meal sites. Grab and go breakfast and lunch will also be available for students learning in-person at each school site.

Public Transportation: 6th-12th grade students
If a student plans to use public transportation, they are urged to have their Orca card. If a student doesn’t have an Orca card, it can be requested at school when the student arrives to school. Students can use the Metro Trip Planner or contact Metro customer service for help at 206-553-3000. All students should allow extra time to reach school and when leaving school. More tips and links for students and families are on the Metro Matters Blog.

As announced when a tentative agreement was reached April 1st, middle- and high-school students who chose to return to in-person learning will attend their schools two afternoons a week, with remote learning continuing the rest of the week. For middle-schoolers at K-8s, it’s up to the school whether their in-person classes are in the mornings or afternoons.

9:55 PM: Hybrid learning may not have had an overwhelming reception, at least at CSIHS, whose principal told families in email tonight that they have until Friday to change their choice, and “if the in-person numbers do not increase, we will collapse the two in-person cohorts into one cohort.”

14 Replies to "MONDAY: Part-time in-person learning starts for middle-, high-school students"

  • north April 18, 2021 (11:00 pm)

    SPS has no air exchange rate numbers for any of its classes. New Covid variants are more contagious and more damaging to young people. Asymptomatic carriers are widespread. SPS is not ready for safe in-person indoor learning. Many more people, unvaccinated young people, will catch Covid and possibly die or have life-long health struggles because of Seattle Public School’s inadequate focus on air exchange. We’re told “85% – 100% of the air comes from outside.” But without knowing how often the air in a room is exchanged for fresh air, this number is meaningless. I’ve seen video of ribbons tied to classroom air vents and some of them are barely moving. All this risk for what, a few weeks of socializing?

    • Kram April 19, 2021 (7:31 am)

      You must not have kids.

      • R2 April 19, 2021 (9:53 am)

        “You must not have kids.” I do have a middle school student who will be returning this week, and  I share the same concerns as North. However, my son was excited by the prospect of in-person classes and my partner and I have had our first vaccination, so we agreed to send him in. This was before we had any idea what the school day/week was going to look like. Now that we know, I also agree with Jess, who has commented below. 

    • Jess April 19, 2021 (8:48 am)

      I couldn’t agree more. Not only that, but what can they possibly learn in a few hours, twice a week? The school year is almost over. They just got the online routine down. Why change it at the very end and needlessly put them at risk? Why not wait just a little longer for vaccines? It’s politically motivated so they can pat themselves on the back and say they got the kids back in school. 

      • wsperson April 19, 2021 (10:47 am)

        I have kids and I agree 100%. No way I would send mine back now. 

      • Frog April 19, 2021 (12:26 pm)

        Wait just a little longer for vaccines … except oops new virus variants emerge for which the vaccines are less effective, so wait just a few more months for updated vaccines … except doh, more variants, etc.  News flash:  COVID is never going away.  The danger is never going away.  No one will ever be totally safe from it ever again, including you.  You might die from COVID 20 years from now.  At some point, everyone needs to weigh the consequences of each path and make a choice — to live in permanent fear and lockdown, or to live.

    • sensible April 19, 2021 (9:57 am)

      My kids are so happy to be back.  I was fine having them at home but school is where they should be.   It doesn’t bother them that it’s just for a few weeks, I don’t understand the big deal about that.   They didn’t just get this remote routine down, they’ve been doing it for a year now.   I really think kids are more flexible and resilient than some people think.  

      • What? April 19, 2021 (12:58 pm)

        ‘I was fine having them at home but school is where they should be.’

        Everyone, please read, and then re-read this sentence a few times, let it sink in, think about it.

        That is all, thanks.

        • WW Resident April 19, 2021 (2:14 pm)

          How about this? There are many parents that can’t afford or are able to take time off work to take their kids for a couple of hours a day. We can do this, but are looking past ourselves to the bigger pictureWith all the lip service about equity in Seattle, it sure just seems to be a bunch of BS

          • What? April 19, 2021 (5:27 pm)

            Thanks for adding your perspective. I definitely agree there could have been better support for parents and families through this. We can all do better.

            That sentence just stood out to me as something concerning I’ve heard a lot this year, this idea that during a pandemic and crazy time kids should be in school rather than home. Is that the society we want? One where kids are better away from their families, in a school all day? 

            Something about this just concerns me, and it’s not about this particular commenter, but about this attitude out there, I don’t know that I agree with.

          • OutAHere April 20, 2021 (1:12 pm)

  • JJ April 19, 2021 (10:24 am)

    My kid can’t wait to get vaccinated and get back to seeing friends. There is no reason to believe gathering masses of unvaccinated people close together indoors is suddenly safe. The virus is still airborne. The magical thinking seems to be contagious also.

    • wsperson April 19, 2021 (2:05 pm)

      Cases are higher right now than they were at the peaks of the first two waves and rising, plus the variants are more contagious and may cause more severe illness, so open up the schools for indoor learning, strange times…

  • Patience April 20, 2021 (8:08 am)

    First day back in-person at a middle school yesterday.It was amazing (but doesn’t surprise me) how many students shared what they did for spring break . . . . Mexico, Palm Springs, Florida, Cabo, Arizona, Idaho, big family gatherings, etc.   — and are obviously not quarantining as advised by our public health guidelines (many of these in-person kids just arrived home Saturday and Sunday).

Sorry, comment time is over.