KCSD & Me: New COVID-19 metrics!

The Oregon Department of Education today (Oct. 30) announced new metrics that at this time could allow us to bring more students back for in-person instruction, including students in our larger and suburban schools.

We are reviewing the new guidance and will get back to our KCSD community early next week with more information. The district will be operating under current school models until we notify you of official changes. Changes will not affect KCSD Online students and our online programs will continue.

We appreciate the support we received from parents and public health officials in promoting schools reopening for in-person instruction. We will continue to be diligent with safety and health protocols in keeping schools safe for your students.

The new metrics are effective immediately, but Monday will be the first time districts will be able to do a required two-week review and determine next steps. Cases are counted through Sunday and reported on Mondays. Under the new guidelines, case rates will be evaluated over two weeks instead of week by week.

Under the new metrics

Klamath County could reopen schools to in-person instruction for all K-12 students if the:

• county case rate is less than 50/100,000 (34/68,000) over 14 days
• county test positivity rate is less than 5 percent

Klamath County could reopen schools to in-person instruction for all K-6 students if the:

• county case rate is less than 100/100,000 (68/68,000) over 14 days
• county test positivity rate less than 8 percent

The district still must follow all ODE Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidelines for face coverings, social and physical distancing, and cohort sizes. For more details, follow the link to read the latest version of Ready Schools, Safe Learners (new metrics start on page 12). Follow this link to see the county’s week-by-week COVID-19 case counts and metrics: Klamath_County_Covid-19_data

The district will continue to monitor health metrics and will notify families if any changes need to be made to our school models. It is vital that we all do our part to stay healthy and prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Thank you for your flexibility, and ongoing support of your students and teachers.

Sincerely,

Glen Szymoniak

Superintendent, Klamath County School District

• BONANZA JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL: Beginning Monday, Nov. 2, all Bonanza Junior/Senior High School students will return to in-person classes four days a week, Monday through Thursday. Friday will remain a day for credit recovery, intervention, and office hours. The school will provide students and families with specific details.​ In celebration of the full reopening, students on Monday will receive a free T-shirt (see photo) with the school's motto: "All In." NOTE: Bonanza Elementary School, due to staffing and space constraints, will remain in its current A/B cohort hybrid.

• CHILOQUIN SCHOOLS: Chiloquin Elementary and Chiloquin Junior/Senior High will be moving to the next phase of reopening beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3. Chiloquin Elementary will bring back K-2 students under a hybrid model -- doing in-person learning in the classroom two days a week (Monday-Tuesday or Wednesday-Thursday) and distance learning the remaining three days. Grades 3-6 will attend in-person classes one day a week. The remaining days will be distance learning. Chiloquin Junior/Senior High School will bring back students 7-12 under the A-B hybrid model, doing in-person learning in the classroom two days a week (Monday-Tuesday or Wednesday-Thursday) and distance learning the remaining three days. The schools will provide specific information regarding schedules and distance learning guidelines.

Bonanza Junior/Senior High is the fourth school in the district to return students four days a week. Students at Lost River Junior/Senior High, and Merrill and Malin elementaries returned four days a week in early October. At this time, K-3 students in the district are attending in-person instruction at their school either four days a week or under a hybrid model (two days in school, two days distance learning).