Battle Ground Public Schools

New metrics for in-person learning

Dec. 18, 2020

Dear families of Battle Ground Public Schools,

As you may have heard, Governor Jay Inslee announced new metrics for schools to follow to return to in-person learning. Battle Ground Public Schools is excited about the prospect of implementing the phased approach to bring students into classrooms.

As we work through the new recommendations and plan for their implementation, we ask for your patience. We are all eager to get students in our classrooms, but must ensure that we have staff in place and are prepared to implement the mandated health and safety protocols, including physical distancing, mask wearing and increased cleaning; and that we have the staff, supplies and systems in place to implement contact tracing and measures to help limit transmission of the coronavirus in our schools.

What has changed?
The governor pointed to recent scientific evidence demonstrating that when schools return students to in-person learning using a cautious and phased approach and with sound health and safety protocols in place, there is little risk of the spread of the coronavirus. Inslee said that not only do we have robust data and research from the University of Washington, Brown and Harvard universities and MIT that we did not have six months ago, but we also have the experience of those schools that have brought students in for in-person learning.

In Battle Ground, the district has been providing in-person learning to cohorts of kindergartners since Nov. 2. While a few positive COVID-19 cases have forced a couple of classes to temporarily revert back to remote learning, the cases have been due to exposures occurring outside of schools.

What can parents do?
We need both classified and certificated substitutes. If you or someone you know is interested in being a substitute, please contact our Human Resources Department about the process of becoming a substitute. COVID-19 impacts our ability to provide adequate staffing in schools. As people get sick or are exposed to the Coronavirus in the community, they must stay home for an extended period of time until they are symptom-free or have quarantined long enough to be clear of COVID-19. We could use your help recruiting substitutes. Qualifications for substitutes include:

Classified substitutes: Must have a high school diploma. People in these positions could work in classrooms, during recess and in the cafeteria to support student supervision and safety.

Certificated emergency substitutes: Must have a bachelor’s degree. People in these positions provide course content and supervise students in the teacher’s absence.

What are the metrics?
You can see the updated metrics for phasing in in-person learning on the Department of Health Website in the K-12 In-Person Learning Provisions Toolkit.

Thank you for your patience as we sort through the metrics and prepare to phase in in-person learning in our schools. Please watch for us to send more information after winter break.

From all of us at Battle Ground Public Schools, we wish you a safe and relaxing winter break and Happy Holidays!

Mark Ross, Superintendent
Battle Ground Public Schools