Oregon City Schools announce back-to-school plan

OREGON, Ohio (WTVG) - Oregon City Schools have announced a return-to-school plan, beginning with students in grade kindergarten through sixth on October 5, and following with grade 7-12 on Oct. 19.

Students in the younger grades going back earlier will enter on a hybrid schedule, attending in-person classes two days and remote learning for three per week.

On October 19, the K-6 group will return to full-time service in the classroom. The rest of the district, grades 7-12, will hold hybrid schedules for two weeks, until Nov. 2, when they will also return to full-time in-person classes.

While on hybrid schedules, students are following the predetermined Green (A-K) and Gold (L-Z) schedule, with Green attending in-person Mondays and Thursdays, and Gold on Tuesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will be a remote learning day for the entire district.

In a press release, OCS Superintendent Hal Gregory said, “As a school leader, I have the opportunity to listen and participate in weekly calls with our local health department. I receive information on a daily basis outlining the most recent national, state and local recommendations related to COVID-19. I have the opportunity to talk with our educational staff, school administrators, and other area school leaders. I hear from members of the community sharing detailed information about their experiences at home, good and bad. I say all this to share with you, even with all this information I have access too, there continues to be significant uncertainty as to what will happen when we implement this plan and the spread of the virus within OCS.”

All students and staff will be required to wear a mask at all times, unless their is documented medical reasons otherwise. Everyone will have their temperature taken upon arrival to school, and students and staff will be expected to use the 24-hour hand sanitizer upon arrival.

Students riding to school on the bus will be two per seat while wearing masks and using hand sanitizer.

While the social distancing goal for OCS is six feet, and Gregory said in the press release students will be spaced out at least three feet from each other in the classrooms.

OCS will also implement structured traffic patterns, defined seating, and multiple lunch locations to minimize exposure during lunchtime and in the hallways.

Students are eligible to remain in the OCS Digital Academy. The school district said it plans on addiing more support to the Digital Academy than it had originally planned.

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