Federal Way Public Schools rethinks approach of in-person learning for elementary students

Federal Way Public Schools is rethinking the approach to hybrid learning, which may have students back in classrooms by the end of February.

Previously, the district considered bringing back young learners, in grades preschool through first grade, for two full days a week. Now the district is considering having elementary students in school four days a week on half-day schedules for either morning or afternoon sessions.

“Our focus will continue to be on starting with our youngest learners as we transition back to in-person instruction as early as late February or the first week of March,” Superintendent Tammy Campbell wrote in a Jan. 8 newsletter.

The transition prioritizes face-to-face instruction with the youngest learners, students in special education programs in any grade level and small group instruction for students in need of additional support at the middle and high school grades.

As South King County COVID-19 numbers continue to climb and vaccinations are slowly rolling out to the general public, some families have expressed the desire to keep their children in fully remote learning.

Campbell said the district will continue to provide remote learning for those students. In addition, the district is conducting a survey to “gain a sense of their preference for a remote or hybrid option for their elementary student.”

Families of elementary aged students (preschool through fifth grade) are encouraged to respond with their preferred option of either 100% remote learning or hybrid learning for each of their children by Friday, Jan. 15.

The survey was sent directly to the email addresses of parents with elementary students in the FWPS district on Friday, Jan. 8. If you did not receive the survey, parents may contact comments@fwps.org.