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Posts Tagged ‘Island County Health Department’

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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NAS Whidbey: “Do your duty, or else”

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , on October 2, 2020| 2 Comments »

NAS Whidbey is laying down the law.

With COVID-19 infections having spiked in Island County the past two weeks, bigwigs at the Island’s largest employer are firmly reminding their subordinates to mask up, maintain social distancing, and wash your grubby lil’ fingers.

Earlier this week, the Island County Health Department released a statement which said:

“There have been 44 new cases of COVID-19 between Sept. 9 and Sept. 25, 2020.

This is a significant increase from case rates in late August and early September.”

Friday afternoon, CDR Tim “Oz” Oswalt, Executive Officer at NAS Whidbey, issued his own follow-up statement:

In the last two weeks, COVID-19 infections across Island County and on NAS Whidbey Island have increased at a greater rate than at any time during the summer.

It is absolutely imperative that everyone follow the proper hygiene protocols on and off base to curtail this spread.

If the trajectory of this spread continues the base will be forced to impose restrictions and close services.

Please help us avoid taking those actions!

Contact tracing has indicated that congregations of people are a major causal factor in the local spread of the coronavirus, especially those activities where people remove their masks, such as at restaurants and in smoke pits.

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CHS athletes return to (limited) action

Posted in coronavirus updates, Everything changes, tagged , , , , on June 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »

After extensive planning, CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith has set up a plan for Wolf athletes to conduct spring practices. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Practice?

We’re talking about practice.

With the stay at home order lifted and Island County in Phase Two of Washington state’s plan for reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, Coupeville High School athletes will return to action.

Just with a lot of restrictions and no games.

CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith has been a busy man of late, combing through the various guidelines set down by Governor Jay Inslee and his staff, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, and the National Federation of State High School Associations.

After taking everything into consideration, Smith has established a plan for spring practices, and cleared that plan with the Island County Health Department.

Now, CHS coaches will contact their athletes to set up practice times and sites, and the information will be posted on the school’s website.

What we know:

*No practices/workouts are allowed on Coupeville School District property through June 19, since all state schools remain closed through the end of the school year.

*Coaches are allowed to work with no more than five students per week, and it must be the same students the entire week, with no swapping of coaches or students.

Students/coaches can rotate once a new week starts, but that new group must remain consistent for the remainder of the new week.

*Students may only practice with one sport per week.

*Only five students are allowed on site at one time. Coaches can not have different groups of students gathered at the same facility at the same time.

*For sports such as basketball, each student will have their own ball to use, and there will be no sharing of balls.

*Students may not share water bottles, clothing, shoes, or similar items, and social distancing rules need to be followed.

*CHS will require a signed note from a parent/guardian each day a student is practicing, stating that their child’s temperature has been checked that morning and it is normal.

These notes have to be kept in a folder and with the coach at all times.

If a student does not have a signed note they may not participate that day.

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