October 30, 2020 3:00 p.m.
In response to revised COVID-19 metrics from the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon Health Authority, Roseburg Public Schools are making adjustments.
A release from Superintendent Jared Cordon said the new metrics mean K-3 students will be able to remain in classrooms full time and will not have to transition back to remote learning as long as local case rates do not rise significantly. Cordon said the changes also mean that the district will most likely be able to return fourth and fifth graders to full time in-person learning.
Cordon said he is eagerly anticipating the latest Douglas County COVID-19 case rate numbers that will be released on Monday. He said as long as those numbers remain within the update metric requirements, the district will have 14 days to open to fourth and fifth graders. Cordon said the goal is to bring those students back to classrooms on November 16th.
An update to staff and families confirming the plan will be sent once the Monday case numbers are released.
Cordon said schools can offer in-person or hybrid instruction for grades K-12 if their county has fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people and a test positivity rate below 5 percent. Cases will be measured over the previous two weeks. Douglas County rates are currently higher than this threshold so RPS students in grades 6-12 will remain in remote learning for now.
While the district is not eligible to re-open to grades 6-12 right now, once elementary students return and the district shows that community spread is not occurring in schools, the district will be able to begin transitioning those grades to a hybrid learning model.
Surveys for fourth and fifth grade families have been distributed to gauge interest in returning students to school versus continuing with remote learning. The district will also be reaching out to families of students in grades 6-12 to determine how many students may choose to remain with remote leaning, in the event the district is able to transition to hybrid learning.
Go to www.roseburg.k12.or.us for the latest information.