COVID-19 Activity

The COVID-19 Pandemic required the district to develop a reopening plan that can flexibly meet the health needs of our community. Recently, Governor Inslee and the Department of Health released updated guidelines for school reopening.  These guidelines link our return to school to the number of new positive COVID cases per 100,000 people living in Cowlitz County, over a 14 day period. These guidelines, consultation with health officials, and other community health considerations will drive the staged reopening plan that Longview Public Schools will implement which is outlined in the diagram below.

The plan allows for a staged approach that transitions from remote learning in Stage 1, to full in-person instruction in Stage 7. All of the stages incorporate the health and safety guidelines issued by the CDC and DOH.  The stages prioritize providing in-person instruction to our youngest and most at-risk students because they are most likely to receive the least benefit from remote learning.  These groups are also the easiest to keep in consistent cohorts (groups of students who remain together throughout the day).

The diagram identifies how instruction would be provided in each of the stages. It is further broken down by age group and at-risk populations. There are three models of instructional delivery included in the stages: 1) remote learning, 2) a hybrid of remote learning and in-person learning, and 3) in-person learning.  The proposed reopening stages are detailed below.

• At risk = students in need of intensive academic intervention, intensive supports to achieve on-time graduation, extensive social/emotional supports, Special Education programs.
• Safety precautions, as recommended by federal, state and local health officials will be in place throughout all school reopening stages. Precautions include mandatory face cloth coverings, social distancing, health screenings, regular cleaning and disinfecting, regular hand washing, appropriate clean air movement and filtration and cohorting (keeping groups of students together).
• Remote learning = students learning remotely through live video instruction, recorded video instruction, regular grading practices and a regular school schedule.
• Hybrid = students attend school in-person 2 days a week*, and 3 days a week remote learning. Schedules for at-risk student services will be determined individually.
• In person = all students attend school in-person, 5 days per week.*

*Students who prefer to receive remote learning instead of any form of in-person learning outlined in this plan may continue with the fully remote learning option provided by the district.

Movement from stage to stage is based on the number of positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in Cowlitz County, consultation with health officials, and other community health considerations. The Washington State Department of Health School Reopening Decision Tree explains how the district will consider this data when determining the stages of fully reopening our schools.