• Hybrid Instruction Begins Next Week! Important Information and Updates for Grades 6-8

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    Dear PPS Families,

    We have been working hard to put the finishing touches on the safe return of students to our schools for hybrid learning, and are excited to see students in grades 6-8 starting next week! For families whose students will participate in hybrid instruction, we have included information and reminders to help you prepare for the first days of in-person learning this school year. 


    Reopen Guide

    You can find a COVID-19 risk factor guide by clicking here. The guide allows you to track COVID-19 rates in our community and includes a CDC tool to help you weigh risks and benefits of the learning options available to you. 

    Reopen Visual Packet for Students and Families

    We put together a series of instructional posters for students and families to review. These posters are light on text and focus heavily on images from actual PPS schools to help familiarize you before the first day of hybrid. Subjects include:

    • Riding the Bus
    • Arriving at School
    • What Your Classroom Will Look Like
    • Walking Through Hallways
    • Wearing a Mask at School
    • Washing Your Hands
    • Breakfast and Lunch
    • I’m Not Feeling Well: What Should I Do?
    • Leaving School

    The last poster is a Daily Illness Self-Screening Checklist. Please note that all staff and parents/guardians of students are required to self-screen daily for symptoms of illness before entering school or getting on a PPS bus. The checklist breaks down exactly what to look for. 

    COVID-19 Case Protocol and Testing Consent Form

    In the instance of a confirmed or presumptive COVID-19 case, PPS will follow our Case Protocol, which you can find by clicking here

    Additionally, PPS is requesting consent from families to test students for COVID-19 before the first hybrid instructional day. You can access a copy of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) consent form by clicking here.

    Once you complete and sign the form, please email it to your student’s school secretary. You can find that information on your school’s website. If you are unable to submit electronically, you can also print a copy, fill it out and submit it to your student’s school secretary or send it with your child on the first day of hybrid instruction.  

    This is only needed for students who are coming into school for hybrid instruction. 

    Meals and Transportation

    We recently shared with you important details on how students in both hybrid and distance learning will access meals this spring. We have served millions of meals since the pandemic began and look forward to continuing to provide this essential service in the months ahead. Our Nutrition Services teams are ready!

    You should have also received an email yesterday from Transportation Services with instructions on how to find your student’s bus route and pickup times, how to ride the bus, and more. You can find that message in your inbox or by clicking here

    School Schedules & Cohorting

    You can find your school’s daily hybrid schedule on its website. We are also communicating with families through other methods, such as email, videos, and parent nights. Schools have sent out cohort information directly to families; families can also view cohort information in ParentVUE in Synergy.

    Videos

    We hope that you take a moment to watch the reopen videos available to you. The videos show a typical hybrid setup at PPS schools, how to safely ride the bus, and more. You can find the videos and other information at pps.net/reopen2021.

    Switching from Distance Learning to Hybrid In-Person Learning or Vice Versa

    If you have chosen for your student to remain in distance learning but have changed your mind, please  contact your school to see if a place can be found in an existing cohort. Please know that due to safety-based space constraints, cohorts are capped, and spaces will only be available if possible within our guidelines. If a space is available, transportation takes seven to 10 days to become available after a student is added to the existing cohort.

    If you decide to move your student back to distance learning after they have begun hybrid learning, this change can be made. However, your student will need to remain in distance learning for the remainder of the school year.


    Finally, please remember that the health of our schools depends on every family. So let’s work together to keep our schools and community safe. If a child isn’t feeling well, they should stay home. And when we are in our buildings, everyone has to wear a mask -- even if you’ve been vaccinated. We hope you can join us in being flexible, focusing on health and safety, and appreciating the excitement of the start of school. 

    Thank you.