The earliest the Kent School District expects to return to limited in-person learning is Monday, April 12.
Superintendent Calvin Watts released a statement March 11 to update district families and staff about the latest plan.
“Though we continue to bargain actively, we do not yet have a tentative agreement with any of our labor partners to return to in-person learning,” Watts said. “To ensure our staff receives all required health and safety training, has time to set up classrooms, and to be sure students and families receive enough notification and information before the first day, the soonest limited in-person learning for Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and grade 1 students can begin is Monday, April 12.”
Watts said the district is working towards some Adaptive Support Center (ASC) and Support Center (SC) programs to begin sooner and that families will be notified directly by each school when these programs open.
“If COVID-19 activity levels continue to remain at the moderate activity level as they are now, we plan to bring additional grades back every two weeks after that,” Watts said. “This means at least some students at all grade levels will be receiving limited in-person learning by mid-May if we begin limited in-person learning on April 12. We will share the return dates of grades 2-12 once we have a signed agreement with labor partners.”
Watts said these additional weeks of preparation before spring break, April 5-9, will help build confidence in the district’s approach to safely reopening schools and provide an opportunity for school staff to engage with families before the first day of in-person instruction after more than one year of remote learning.
“When a tentative agreement is reached, we will provide details about the hybrid model, including the new learning schedule, to all Kent School District families before families are asked to decide if remote learning or the limited in-person learning schedule work best for their family,” Watts said.
Additional information will be coming before spring break to ensure all Kent School District families in all grades are prepared for a safe return to in-person learning, according to the district.
The district will post updates on its Back to School website at kent.k12.wa.us/Page/12179.
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