Return to In-Person Learning
Preschool students and students enrolled in Special Education Intensive Services Pathways are able to return to school buildings TODAY, March 29! All other elementary students will be able to return on Monday, April 5.
Principal Alex Benfield gave an overview of what families can expect and answered parent questions on Monday, March 22. If you were unable to attend, you can find a recording of that presentation here.
On Wednesday, 3/31, Principal Benfield will host another session with the most up to date information from 6:30-8:00 pm.
Schedule
Starting today, the school day runs from 8 am until 2:30 pm. All students, whether returning to school buildings or staying remote, will have a mixture of live instruction and asynchronous learning. Children who are returning to the school building will do so for four half-days per week (M, T, Th, F), either for the morning (8:00 am - 10:45 am) or for the afternoon (11:45 am - 2:30 pm). All students will have remote instruction on Wednesdays. In-person learning will include 20 minutes of outdoor time each day.
School staff is determining these cohorts currently, prioritizing keeping siblings in same time blocks and maintaining as many students with their current teachers as possible. Assignments to morning or afternoon blocks will be communicated to families no later than Friday, April 2.
Transportation, drop-off and pick-up
Bus service will be available for students who are legally entitled to receive transportation. Seattle Public Schools is working to offer transportation more widely but to whom and on what timeline is not yet known. Families will be contacted by their Special Education case manager if their IEP states they need transportation services, with the route and time of pick up.
Drop-off:
- PreK and Kindergarten students will enter the school grounds through the side gate near Decatur on NE 77th St., where a Thornton Creek staff member will greet children and welcome them. Parents will not be allowed past the gate.
- Students enrolled in Special Education Distinct Pathways will enter through the library doors, also on NE 77th St..
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade students will enter from 40th Ave NE.
- 4th and 5th Grade students will enter through the gate with the big dragonfly, near the playground, on NE 80th St..
- There will be staff at each entrance to meet students as they enter, and again, caregivers will need to remain outside the gate. It’s recommended that children learn to get out of the car and enter the school on their own, to keep traffic from backing up.
- There will be no before-school recess.
- These locations are tentative.
Pick-up: The pick-up process will depend largely on bus service details yet to be decided, so families can expect to know more about this shortly.
Safety reminders
Parents will need to file a daily attestation regarding your student’s health, which will be sent by text/email from SPS daily. This attestation will need to be submitted by 7 a.m.; if it hasn’t been, you may do it on site during drop-off, though this will be a longer process. Find out more info here.
It’s a good time for kids who will return to the school building to practice properly wearing masks at home. Remind kids that masks need to fit above your nose, below the chin and snugly against the face. How to Wear a Mask
With Spring Break approaching, we want to remind everyone of current travel and quarantine guidance. Travel increases your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. Delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, even if you are vaccinated.
If you must travel, take steps to protect yourself and others. As we come back to school in person, we are all responsible for maintaining a safe environment for our students and staff.
- If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
- Before travel, get tested 1-3 days before your trip. (Ensure that anyone traveling to visit you does the same.)
- On your trip, wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public
- Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet from anyone who did not travel with you
If you travel out of state, all members of your household should get tested 3-5 days after your trip and stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if your test is negative. If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
Find more information about Health and Safety Protocols, remote and in-person schedules, cohort models, and more at the SPS In-Person Learning Plan page.
