Portland Public Announces the Return of Full-Time In-Person Learning with a Back-to-School Safety Plan

Oregon's largest school district plans to use the "Swiss Cheese Model" to re-open all schools this September.

Photo courtesy of Portland Public Schools

Portland Public Schools posted an ambitious "back to school" plan that will bring most kids back into the classroom. The state's largest school district is hoping to avoid repeating last year's plan of mostly online school, which was universally hated by kids, parents, and teachers.

The plan, which is posted as a presentation on the Portland Public Shools (PPS) website, prioritizes "healthy" in-person learning.

We are excited to welcome our students, families and school staff to a full, five-days a week in-person school year on September 1. As we approach the first day of school, we continue to monitor the local spreadof COVID-19, including the Delta variant, and will implement layers of health protections against COVID-19 across every school building.

Photo courtesy of Portland Public Schools

In response to increasing concerns about the so-called Delta variant of COVID-19, which is significantly more contagious than previous iterations of the virus, PPS worked with public health officials to develop a plan. The PPS plan proposes to utilize a "swiss cheese" model of infection prevention.

The "swiss cheese model" layers different levels of both personal and societal protective measures together to create a comprehensive defense against infection.

Image courtesy of Virologist Ian Mackay, PhD

In accordance with the model, PPS is implementing the following components as laid out in their Back-to-School plan:

• Vaccinations: PPS states that it will promote and create access to COVID-19 vaccinations for students, their families, PPS staff, and partners.
• Masks: All students and staff will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, when indoors, on school buses, or in close proximity to others.
• Physical distance: A minimum of three feet of physical distance will be maintained between students and staff at all times to the extent practical.
• Airflow and circulation: All classrooms and group spaces will vent air from indoors to outside and bring fresh air back into the building. HEPA filters and central air filters meeting MERV 13 standards have been introduced in school buildings and buses.
• Testing: Free COVID testing will be available to students and staff regardless of whether they are symptomatic.
• Isolation and quarantine: Kids who exhibit COVID symptoms or are exposed to COVID must stay home, even if they are not symptomatic.
• Cleaning and disinfection: PPS will use enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices in both buildings and school buses. High-touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.
• Hand washing: Schools will prioritize teaching and supporting good handwashing practices and provide ready access to soap, water, and alcohol-based hand sanitizer for students and staff.
• Training and education: Schools will partner with public health experts to train and educate students and staff about COVID-19 prevention, safe practices, vaccinations, and current updated information about the pandemic.

Photo courtesy of Portland Public Schools

In addition, the district has created a "Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services" plan, and an updated "Communicable Disease Management" plan. Contact tracing and strict tracking of attendance for staff, students, and volunteers will also be in place.

PPS also reported that elementary schools will continue to use a class "cohorting" system.

PPS also released separate documents outlining standard operating procedures for the following:

• Adherence to safety protocols
• Supplies
• School buses
• Cafeterias
• Athletics

Photo courtesy of Portland Public Schools

Although some parents are hesitant to send their kids back to in-person classes, many parents will likely be relieved by the plan. Employers around the county are asking workers to return to the office either full-time or as part of hybrid work models, leaving some parents scrambling to figure out what they would do if their kids were stuck at home doing teleschool.

There has also been increasing concern that many kids were falling behind over the last year. Issues like poor quality internet, lack of space for online learning, lack of access to nutritional food, and the inability to receive focused attention from teachers have caused many kids to struggle, especially those from low-income households, immigrant and refugee families, and special education students.

#portland #oregon #schools #covid #pandemic #education

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