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Archive for the ‘coronavirus updates’ Category

Coupeville Schools reopening plan stays on course

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King

The return to semi-normal continues.

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King announced Wednesday that the district will meet the next step in its COVID-19 reopening plan.

That means children in grades 3-5 will join hybrid in-person learning Monday, February 22.

Grades K-2 had earlier returned to Coupeville Elementary, while the town’s middle and high school students are next on the list.

Target dates for a return to in-person education at CMS (grades 6-8) and CHS (9-12) are currently Mar. 8 and 15, respectively.

When grades 3-5 return, the schedule which awaits is:

8:45 to 9:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
9:00 to 11:30 — In-Person classes for Group A
11:30 to 12:45 — Teacher lunch and planning; room sanitization
12:45 to 1:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
1:00 to 3:30 — In-Person classes for Group B

“While in-person school looks very different from how school operated prior to COVID, we are excited to share this good news for our students, staff, and families,” King said.

The reopening plan, which was created in conjunction with Island County Public Health, was approved Jan. 11 in a 4-1 vote by the Coupeville School Board.

A weekly data sheet created by ICPH places Coupeville currently at “moderate risk,” with all data either flat or decreasing.

“We have had a very positive and successful beginning for our K-2 students who have begun in our Elementary Hybrid model,” King said. “We have no evidence of transmission of COVID-19 occurring in our schools.

“Please know that we will continue cautiously phasing in our students to in-person learning.”

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Coupeville Schools continue with reopening plan

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , on January 21, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King

Despite recent increases in COVID-19 cases in Island County, the Coupeville School District plans to transition to the second part of its reopening plan.

Superintendent Steve King issued a letter Thursday alerting families and staff members that a K-2 hybrid plan will launch during the school week of February 1-5.

This follows on the heels of Coupeville schools bringing back some students Jan. 19 for a restart of in-person learning.

That first group included special services students, kindergarteners, and others identified as “furthest from educational justice.”

The decision to proceed to step two, and launch the K-2 hybrid, was made after careful consideration.

“While we have had some recent increases in COVID-19 rates in our county, the overall case counts are well within the moderate-risk range of the state reopening metrics found on page eight of the K-12 Metrics and Toolkit,” King said.

The district received a letter of support from the Island County Health Department, as well.

For families who choose to send their students to school, the K-2 plan runs four days a week, Monday through Thursday.

 

The schedule:

8:45 to 9:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
9:00 to 11:30 — In-Person classes for Group A
11:30 to 12:45 — Teacher lunch and planning; room sanitization
12:45 to 1:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
1:00 to 3:30 — In-Person classes for Group B

 

The first week back will see a bit of a difference however.

“While in-person school will look very different with all of the mitigation work and guidance we are following in our schools, this is good news for our students and families,” King said.

The first three days back, Feb. 1-3, will be “transition days.”

“These days will be devoted to teachers having meetings with students and families who are either leaving or joining their classrooms,” King said.

“We will also spend time working with our families to carefully go over daily expectations and routines, as they are very different from past years due to all of the safety guidelines we are following.”

The regular schedule kicks in Thursday, Feb. 4, with Fridays continuing to be a distance learning day.

At the end of the first week back, King plans to review with staff how things went, with an eye on making any necessary adjustments before students return to class Feb. 8.

If the plan holds, grades 3-5 are scheduled to start a similar AM/PM hybrid Feb. 22.

Target dates for a return to in-person education at Coupeville Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (9-12) are currently Mar. 8 and 15, respectively.

“There are many more details to come as we transition to in-person learning, so please watch for information coming from your schools and from the district,” King said.

“Please know that we will continue cautiously phasing in our students to in-person learning if we are able to continue to prove we can follow all safety guidelines and demonstrate ability to limit any transmission of COVID-19 in the school environment.”

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Mask up, or sit down

Posted in coronavirus updates, Everything changes, tagged , , , , on January 20, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Heidi Meyers sports a mask while working on her softball skills. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s mandatory.

The Washington State Department of Health currently plans to require prep athletes wear masks in both practices and competitions through the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.

The only sport that will be allowed to go mask-less is swimming.

There are ongoing discussions, however, concerning whether “low-risk” sports such as cross country and tennis might be freed from the mandate.

“We are continuing to share information on whether that (wearing masks) is appropriate in all venues,” said Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Executive Director Mick Hoffman.

“Right now we are being told we have to wear masks or we can’t do the activity,” he added. “That decision is made by the Department of Health, at the state level, and the Governor’s office.

“We (the WIAA) can not change that.”

Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin have required masks for some prep sports, with Michigan the only one to have a face-covering mandate for high school football.

That mandate was issued by Governor Gretchen Witmer in September, and Michigan was able to play a complete season, with state championships set for this coming weekend.

In Washington state, athletes in all sports other than swimming will be “required to wear a cloth mask over mouth and nose at all times.”

Gaiters are “allowed, but not preferred.”

The DOH recommends masks made from cotton, fleece or linen, with a fastening mechanism, preferably ties or an elastic strap which goes around an athlete’s head or behind their ears.

Along with solitary “low-risk” sports perhaps being exempted, there is also the question on how football players will wear both a mask and the still-required mouth guard, since most mouth guards are directly attached to the player’s helmet.

Like everything in the Age of Coronavirus, things can, and likely will, change from day to day as discussions between the WIAA and the DOH continue.

For now, the WIAA understands “there are conflicting medical reports out there,” Hoffman said.

But the athletic governing body can’t go counter to the mandates of state officials.

“For those that take the stance that this is a health concern for students doing it (wearing masks), and it can cause issues, all I can tell you, is if you feel that way, you can’t let the student participate,” Hoffman said.

“If it’s a bona fide health concern for that student, you shouldn’t put that student out there.

“No different from a head injury, or any cardiac issue; no different if they have serious asthma or smoke.

“Because, at this time, we can’t give you a waiver.”

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CHS, league set own sports path

Posted in coronavirus updates, Everything changes, tagged , , , , on January 15, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s Willie Smith and fellow Northwest League Athletic Directors have a plan to return their athletes to play. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is the way.

It’s not everyone’s way, but it will be our way.

Coupeville High School, and its rivals in the Northwest 2B/1B League are breaking free from Washington Interscholastic Activities Association guidelines, and have set their own path for returning to playing sports contests.

As everyone deals with the fallout of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the WIAA is allowing individual leagues far-greater flexibility to make their own schedules.

With that in mind, NWL Athletic Directors approved a plan in which their athletes will play traditional spring sports first, followed by fall sports, before closing the 2020-2021 school year with winter sports.

The plan has been submitted to the WIAA for approval.

Actually playing games will depend on whether counties reach new metrics set by Governor Jay Inslee and the state health department, however.

Their plan — Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery — divides the state into eight regions.

The North region includes Island, Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan Counties.

NWL mates Coupeville, La Conner, Concrete, Mount Vernon Christian, Orcas Island, and Friday Harbor sit in that region.

Chimacum (Jefferson County) and Darrington (Snohomish County) are in the Northwest and Puget Sound regions, respectively.

All regions started in Phase 1 of the plan this week. Once a region moves to Phase 2, schools can begin playing games.

To reach Phase 2, a region must meet four metrics:

**10-percent decline in COVID-19 case rates over the past two weeks.
**10-percent decrease in COVID-19 hospital admission over the past two weeks.
**ICU occupancy under 90 percent.
**Test positivity less than 10 percent.

The NWL return to play plan calls for three six-week seasons, with some overlap.

Athletes will begin practice for the next season during the last week of the prior season.

“Think of it as if all of our teams that are playing would be in a state tournament and the next sport is getting ready for their season,” said Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith. “That is the goal, isn’t it?

“So our coaches will be working together to formulate a practice plan/requirements for those student-athletes that are playing multiple sports.”

 

Spring sports:

Baseball, softball, girls tennis, and track and field, running from February 22 to April 3.

“This fits better in current phases of all counties/regions, and is only one week earlier than normal spring sports start dates,” Smith said.

Starting with spring sports has multiple benefits.

All sports are played outside, which lowers risk of transmission, and spring athletes would be rewarded, as they were the ones who lost an entire season when state schools were initially closed in March, 2020.

 

Fall sports:

Volleyball, football, cross country, boys tennis, and girls and boys soccer run from March 29 to May 8.

Previously, when Coupeville was in the 1A division, soccer was played in separate seasons, but that changes with the Wolves now in 2B.

Pushing fall sports into the middle allows for a greater chance schools will be eligible to play football (a “high-risk” sport) and volleyball (an indoor one).

 

Winter sports:

While most of the NWL schools wrestle, Coupeville does not, opting for girls and boys basketball.

Hoops, being played indoors, currently sits at the very top of the “high-risk” chart for prep athletics in Washington state.

Having extra time for case numbers to recede as flu season fades and vaccinations rise is highly-important.

“(The wait) will give us an actual opportunity to play,” Smith said.

 

No decisions have been made public on whether athletes will be required to wear masks while playing, or if fans will be allowed at games.

While no one knows anything for sure during the Age of Coronavirus, the NWL plan offers hope for coaches and athletes.

“It just makes more sense to me,” Smith said. “With the current conditions of each county and region (as we are now lumped into), that this would give us the best chance of getting all three seasons in.”

Going forward, NWL AD’s plan to meet two weeks prior to the Feb. 22 start date to review where league schools stand in relation to being eligible to play.

While the league could start play without all eight schools being eligible, if the AD’s decide they don’t have enough schools ready, it’s possible the start date could be bumped a week at a time.

There are also two back-up plans being worked on in case things get really dire.

In one, the league would use a two-season (spring and fall sports) calendar, while in the other, a one-season calendar dedicated to just spring sports could be employed.

While seasons will be shortened, the games should be as competitive as normal.

“League championships are still on the line this year, so we are playing for something and games are meaningful,” Smith said.

He added that All-League teams will also be voted on for each sport.

Schools plan to release info on fees, paperwork turn-in, and requirements for physicals in the next week.

They ask parents and students to NOT flood their schools with questions, as the plan is being worked on and will be sent to the public as soon as it is completed.

While the primary focus has been on high school sports, middle school athletics have not been forgotten.

“Middle school sports are still a work in progress,” Smith said. “Though I do have some alternate plans I’m working on should our middle school league not offer athletics for middle school this year.”

While things are still topsy-turvy, having a solid plan to aim at gives the AD’s hope.

“As with all things COVID, this plan is a living, breathing, ever-changing document, though it does give us a date and plan that is actually tangible,” Smith said.

“As I’ve told our coaches and administration, I am cautiously optimistic and excited about this plan and feel it gives our kids the best chance of playing this year.”

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Coupeville Schools plan return to classroom

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , on January 11, 2021| 1 Comment »

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King

They’re going back inside.

At least that’s the hope, as the Coupeville School Board approved a plan Monday for local students to return to in-person education.

The board voted 4-1 in favor of the plan presented by Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King.

Board members Kathleen Anderson, Christi Sears, Venessa Matros, and Glenda Merwine voted in favor, while Sherry Phay voted against the plan.

While the hope is to have all students back in classrooms by mid-March, much will be dictated by whether Coupeville and Island County can lower COVID-19 cases and hospitalization numbers.

Also huge is local schools being able to demonstrate an “ability to limit transmission in the school environment.”

Under the plan, in-person learning is targeted to start back up January 19 for students who were being served in-person before the last closure.

This includes special services students, kindergarteners, and others identified as “furthest from educational justice.”

The next level is targeted to begin Feb. 1, with a K-2 AM/PM hybrid being offered.

Families who choose to participate will send their students to school four days a week, Monday through Thursday.

 

The schedule:

8:45 to 9:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
9:00 to 11:30 — In-Person classes for Group A
11:30 to 12:45 — Teacher lunch and planning; room sanitization
12:45 to 1:00 — CES doors open to students for health screening and entry
1:00 to 3:30 — In-Person classes for Group B

 

If things are working as hoped, grades 3-5 would be added to the AM/PM hybrid Feb. 22.

Even if in-person education is restarted on those dates, elementary school students may choose to remain in remote learning.

At least one teacher at each grade level will be a remote learning teacher and will serve those students and families.

Targeted dates for a return to in-person learning at Coupeville Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (9-12) are currently Mar. 8 and 15, respectively.

Other details are still being worked out on the district’s plans for its secondary schools.

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