Kevin Bogatin

AUG 06, 2021

August 6, 2021

Dear Students & Families,

We are excited to welcome students and staff back to school this fall and want to share some updates about what to expect.

School Days & Instructional Time

The North Bend School District will operate 5 days each week, serving all students full-time, in-person this fall. If necessary, our district will make every effort to provide remote learning for students who may need to quarantine. We will have an early release on Wednesdays to enable staff to receive Professional Development and preparation time.

Health & Safety in Our Schools

As our schools plan for the fall 2021 in-person school year, it is important to remember our communities will be living with the virus until there is widespread immunity. COVID-19 continues to change with new variants, our knowledge of mitigation efforts grows over time.

Right now, the best tools to protect ourselves and one another are vaccination for those eligible, physical distancing, face coverings, ventilation and airflow, hand hygiene, and staying home if you feel sick or you know you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19. 

Most recently Governor Brown, Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Department of Education issues a requirement for face coverings indoors for K-12 public and private schools for all students, staff, volunteers, and visitors.

Other guidance and recommendations that were released this summer empowers school district leaders - in partnership with local public health - to make decisions about how to implement health and safety protocols, including physical distancing.

We want to share the health and safety protocols we are planning to have in place in our schools, along with steps we plan to take in response to COVID-19 cases and outbreaks, should they occur in our school(s) during the 2021-22 school year.

We encourage you to review the information below and talk with your student(s) about what to expect. The transition back to school may prompt a range of emotions for you and/or your child - from anxiety and uncertainty to excitement and opportunity. We want you to know it is a priority to create safe spaces where your child feels safe, cared for, and connected to the learning environment. Working together, we can harness this opportunity to rekindle joy and learning in the classrooms, auditoriums, and playgrounds.

• You can find more information on our webpage.

You can always call the schools directly if you have any questions.

Hillcrest Elementary:  541-756-8348

North Bay Elementary: 541-756-8351

North Bend Middle School: 541-756-8341

North Bend High School:  541-756-8328

What to Expect Fact Sheet

Health & Safety Protocols

The vast majority of health and safety protocols are advisory for the 2021-22 school year. The switch to advisory means school districts and public charter schools will have the option to implement. Key measures that remain required include: Face coverings indoors for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination; Maintaining a communicable disease plan; Maintaining an isolation space in schools and submitting a plan for operation.

Vaccination: Our schools bring together people who are fully vaccinated and people who are not fully vaccinated. Everyone age 12 and older is eligible for a vaccine. Vaccination of 12-14 year olds requires parental or guardian consent. Vaccination of students and staff is encouraged but optional and not required to come to school. Vaccination supports a student’s access to in-person learning, sports and extracurricular activities. Fully vaccinated individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine unless they develop symptoms which ensures continuity of in-person instruction. When as many eligible students and staff are vaccinated as possible, our school is better able to serve students and families without interruption. 

Face Coverings:  At this time, Face coverings are REQUIRED for students and staff indoors in all North Bend schools. Masks are optional when outdoors and when participating in afterschool activities. This could change if there were to be a local COVID outbreak or a COVID case in the schools.  In addition, Face coverings are REQUIRED on public transit, including school buses, for passengers and drivers until lifted by the federal government. The CDC order for mandatory use of face coverings on public transit cannot be waived by state or local authorities. The CDC guidance is available on the CDC website.

Physical Distancing: We will support physical distancing in all daily activities and instruction, maintaining at least 3 feet between students to the extent possible. Our schools will have signs and visuals to remind students, staff and visitors. Additional requirements may be implemented at each school regarding expectations in the following areas:

• Classrooms 
• Hallways
• Entrances
• Transitions
• Breakfast & Lunch

Ventilation and Airflow:  We have ordered portable air purifiers for every classroom in the district. We have also cleaned all school HVAC systems to ensure each unit is working as expected from the manufacturer. In addition, most classrooms have windows and doors that can be opened to allow for additional fresh air into classrooms.

Handwashing: Hand washing will be taught and encouraged. Students and staff will have access to soap and water and hand sanitizer.

Responding to COVID-19 Cases or Outbreaks

We want you to know it is a priority for our school district to create a learning environment where your child feels safe, cared for, and connected to peers and school staff.

When staff and students show symptoms of being ill: if the student or staff member feels ill prior to coming to school, they should stay home. If a student or staff member becomes ill at school, we will have a designated location to separate people who have symptoms of COVID-19 from people who are not sick. 

When a staff member or a student tests positive for COVID-19: our school district will work with our local public health authority to take next steps. This will include communicating to our school community and contacting those who may have been exposed. 

CDC guidance states that people who are fully vaccinated and do not have COVID-19 symptoms do not need to quarantine or get tested after an exposure to someone with COVID-19.

I know we were all hoping to be done with COVID-19, but COVID-19 isn’t done with us. We will work hard to minimize the impact of COVID and focus on providing high quality and engaging instruction in all classrooms.

Additional information will be shared as things change over the next few weeks. In addition, expect additional guidance and specific directions from your child’s school prior to the start of the year.

Thank you for all you do to support North Bend schools!

Sincerely,

Kevin

Kevin Bogatin, Superintendent