Second school input meeting held

WAITSBURG—Waitsburg School District Superintendent Mark Pickel held a second public input meeting on July 8 regarding the reopening of schools this fall. The virtual meeting was attended by 16 parents, guardians, and district staff members who had concerns and questions about the upcoming school year.

The first public meeting held on June 30, was attended by four parents and caregivers.

Superintendent Pickel started the second meeting by stating that all of the recommendations and guidelines that he would be referring to were current but likely to change before September. All of the guidelines came from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Health (DoH).

The intent of both meetings was to hear concerns from students and parents about how the school will look with the coronavirus pandemic still affecting the globe. Superintendent Pickel and the staff at Waitsburg Schools are working to find a safe, happy medium for students and parents while following safety guidelines set by the OSPI and the DoH. Many of the questions were unable to be answered in full as the district has not received final guidelines and are anticipating many of the current guidelines to change before school resumes in the fall.

One parent asked for clarification on the entry protocol. Superintendent Pickel said the district is currently working out logistics for pre-entry screening, whether it be an at-home style screener or a screening area at the school. They are also working out how to handle elevated fevers or other symptoms should a student present with them.

Like the previous meeting, one of the main topics was the mask requirement. If schools should reopen in September, all students attending in-person instruction will be required to wear a face covering, whether it be a mask or a face shield.

Superintendent Pickel mentioned that the district was looking into ‘bee-keeper’ style hats with an attached face shield to help lessen the distraction for the younger students. He anticipated face shields being used for students in second grade and below. A couple of parents voiced concerns about headlice, should the bee-keeper shields be shared.

“What is it going to look like putting a facemask on a kindergartener? You can’t see their face, you don’t know what is going on under there,” Pickel said. “These are all questions we have pushed back to OSPI and the Department of Health. They are trying to follow science and give the best recommendation, but once we get our heads wrapped around one thing, something else pops up. It is kind of like a game of whack-a-mole.”

The district is exploring scheduling options for in-person instruction. Classrooms must keep students at least six feet away from each other, which cuts most Waitsburg classroom capacities down by roughly 50 percent.

“We are working on a plan A, B, and C, in addition to the online options,” Pickel said. “This is a challenge right now.”

Superintendent Pickel reiterated that secondary students (grades six and up) were set to receive Google Chromebook laptops to use for distance learning and that the district will be offering distance learning for families that have concerns about being in a conventional classroom.

Some parents had concerns about students not receiving a full education through distance learning, and Superintendent Pickel said they are working on ways to provide the best education they can from home. Google Classrooms was used after the initial school closure, and he said that the teachers have had an opportunity to get to use and understand the program better.

Waitsburg School District will receive some funding to help purchase the beekeeper-style face shields and other facial coverings from the CARES Act passed earlier this year. Superintendent Pickel did not disclose how much the school will receive at the meeting. A budget workshop is scheduled later in July to further discuss funding.

Since the June 30 meeting, a few guidelines have been updated. Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) has moved the fall sports start date by roughly one month. Football will begin September 5 and other fall sports will begin September 7. Parents and community members voiced concerns about the viability of sports with the virus.

One parent suggested that more meetings be held throughout the summer. Many parents either did not know about the previous meeting until it was too late, or they were unable to attend for various reasons.