KCSD & Me: State updates guidance!
March 22, 2021
Dear KCSD community,
The Oregon Department of Education on Monday shifted its physical distancing requirements in classrooms from 6 feet to 3 feet under certain conditions, aligning the state’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With this new guidance, Klamath County School District is planning to bring all students back full-time, five days a week on April 5. The district will receive its most accurate information on March 29, and at that time, we will verify we can meet all the requirements. We will update our families by March 30.
The new rules tie the change in physical distancing for 7-12 students to county case metrics. Guidance also indicates schools must maintain 6 feet of distance between students in specific circumstances, such as when students are eating. The district will continue to work closely with Klamath County Public Health as we move into full-time, in-person learning.
Key updates to Ready Schools, Safe Learners include:
- Elementary schools must maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible. (Previous requirement was 6 feet)
- Middle and high schools must maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible, when the county case rate is less than 200 cases per 100,000 population. (Previous requirement was 6 feet)
- Middle and high schools must maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance between students to the maximum extent possible, when the county case rate is equal to or greater than 200/100,000.
- All schools must maintain 6 feet between staff at all times and 6 feet between staff and students to the maximum extent possible.
The district will continue to follow all health and safety protocols – the wearing of masks, hand washing, sanitizing, and contact tracing and quarantining. Our online and homeschool options remain available for families who do not want their students to return to classrooms.
We will continue to bring you any updates. Enjoy your spring break!