Lincoln County first-graders are back in school, the first time they have been in class since March because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
Second- and third-graders are next.
On Monday, the Lincoln County School District added first-graders to its in-person, hybrid style instruction at six elementary schools.
The first-graders are joining kindergarten and career technical education students who had started some in-person instruction two weeks ago.
In two weeks — Monday, Nov. 9 — the district plans to have second- and third-graders return to classes under its “hybrid” model of two-day-a-week in-person and three day-a-week online instruction, Superintendent Karen Gray said in an announcement to parents.
The plan, Gray said, is to “slowly and safely bring students back to schools and in-person instruction.”
“There are various models,” Gray said in a district-wide email. “Sometimes the various educational models overlap and are more fluid than we would like but they are a product of the regulations we have to abide by as school districts by the state of Oregon.”
The district currently has four choices for instruction: the online Edmentum program for kindergarten through 12th grades; the online Comprehensive Distance Learning for first- through 12th grades; kindergarten for two full days in-person and three days online; and, two hours a day for high school students taking career technical education classes.
Student-athletes have been back for two weeks of strength and agility training in small groups, and playgrounds are open after school and on weekends. On Monday, students involved in athletics will be allowed to use gyms and weight rooms, Gray said.
Gray said that in order for all schools to open to all grades with the hybrid model (two days in class; three days online) of instruction, Lincoln County has to have five or less COVID-19 cases a week for three weeks in a row.
The positivity rate of COVID-19 tests also needs to be below 5 percent for Lincoln County and statewide, also for three weeks straight.
Gray said the county nearly reached that benchmark in September, but cases spiked for the week ending Oct. 4 “and we lost our chance” and remain above county and state benchmarks.
In Lincoln County, the benchmark for reopening for kindergarten through third grade is 15 cases per week, which the district meets.
Gray said that even when the county meets the benchmarks, the district still would not bring all grades back at the same time.
“We need time to sort this out carefully and safely, following all state guidelines and requirements,” Gray said in her email.
