Q. When is the first day of school?

A. August 25th

Q. Are we returning in person?

A. Yes, as announced by Superintendent Dr. Greene in June, the Yakima School District will be returning in person.

Q. Will facial coverings be required for vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students?

A. Yes. This is a legal requirement from the state that schools must follow. Local school districts do not have the ability to implement less restrictive requirements. More info.

Q. When do the school offices open for questions/paperwork?

A. August 11th

Q. What if I need to enroll a student before August 11th?

A. Please visit our Student and Family Center at 105 N 4th Ave, call 573-7000, and/or visit our website for more info. After August 11, please go to the school directly.

Q. Where are the school supply lists?

A. There are no school supply lists and thus no cost to parents/guardians this year as all supplies will be provided for all students by our schools and community partners when the student comes to school.

Q. When will bus routes for the 2021-22 school year be updated.

A. By August 16, 2021. Check this web page for updates.

Q. Will parent/guardian communications be improved this year?

A. Yes! The Yakima School District is working to launch Parent Square. It is an all-in-one communications platform designed by parents for parents. We are working on the data synchronization now, then will train our staff, then will launch (with many training opportunities) to parents/guardians. There is also Student Square. More info to come but you are welcome to read about it here.

For additional back-to-school questions, please use our Let's Talk platform at https://www.ysd7.org/contactus

The Yakima School District offers free meals for children in the community (1-18 years of age), including non-district children, during the summer.

Sponsored by the USDA and provided by the Yakima School District. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

For more information, please contact the following.

• Food Services at 509-573-7053
• Yakima School District at 509-573-7000
• USDA at 1-800-348-6479

All sites, times, and dates are subject to change.

For the school year 2021-22 and the foreseeable future, parents will not be asked to provide/pay for school supplies. The Yakima School District strives for equity and inclusion by removing all opportunity gaps and inequitable practices for our students.

Everyone age 12 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. We want to be sure you have information on how to sign up for a free vaccine appointment, should you choose to have your student vaccinated. As a reminder, vaccination is not currently mandatory.

Local health officials have indicated that parental consent is required for youth (under 18) to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are free. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information. But if you do not have insurance, you will not be charged.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit your county’s Public Health website.

https://www.yakimacounty.us/2323/COVID-19

Kindergarten enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is now open! To enroll your child, contact your neighborhood boundary school. You can learn more about your boundary school at https://bit.ly/30iVthz.

To enroll your child, you must complete the following.

1. Enrollment Packet

2. Proof of Address

3. Student Age Documentation

4. Immunization Records

For more information, contact your boundary school or visit https://bit.ly/3qgUppc.

If your Preschooler or Kindergartener speaks Spanish and will attend MLK Jr, Garfield, Barge-Lincoln, or Adams, consider the dual language program.

The health and safety of our staff and students is our number one priority. All of our decisions and protocols are fact-based and grounded in the latest data and science. No solution will be perfect, and modifications will likely be needed as we learn more and as guidance changes. With that said, by putting a number of different precautions in place, we can minimize risk and return to in-person learning gradually and safely over time. We'd like to share the numerous safety and risk mitigation measures that the Yakima School District has taken - going above and beyond what is required - to create an environment where our students and staff feel protected as they resume hybrid instruction.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The Yakima School District has extensive PPE for distribution across the district. PPE supplies have been acquired to support the specialized needs of classrooms, departments, and all staff/students.

• Physical Distancing: When possible, physical distancing is in place at YSD schools.

• Health Attestation: If attestations are necessary, information regarding health and/or vaccination attestations will be forthcoming.

• Hand Sanitation: Additional hand sanitation stations have been set up around the district.

• Enhanced Cleaning: We have hired additional custodial support and acquired new equipment and technologies to enhance our cleaning efforts throughout the district.

The Yakima School District has implemented protocols to reduce and eliminate the spread of COVID-19 at school - but we also need help from you. We are asking staff, parents, and students to participate in routine COVID-19 testing to help contain the virus, protect our communities, open up opportunities for in-person learning, and keep students and teachers healthy and safe.

We are still asking everybody in our community to mask up, wash their hands, avoid crowds, and watch out for symptoms. Each precaution we take is like an added layer of protection, and vaccination adds another protective layer. We will need to continue to use all of these layers together to dramatically decrease the risks.