VANCOUVER, Wash. — Kindergartners will soon begin in-person learning in Clark County, Washington.
Education officials on Monday announced that superintendents of nine Clark County school districts have agreed to bring small groups of 10 or fewer kindergartners to classrooms in the coming weeks.
The decision was made in collaboration with Clark County Public Health and it aligns with Washington’s state guidance for opening schools, according to Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and public health director. The guidance allows for in-person education for small groups of the highest-need students, including younger learners.
The following school districts will bring in small groups of kindergarten students:
- Battle Ground
- Camas
- Evergreen
- Green Mountain
- Hockinson
- La Center
- Ridgefield
- Vancouver
- Washougal
“With small group sizes and continued preventive measures, such as mask-wearing and physical distancing, we believe in-person education is safe for both students and staff because children this young are less likely to transmit the virus to others,” Melnick said.
Each school district will make its own plan for how and when kindergarten classes will begin. Districts will provide detailed information about their plans to employees and families “in the coming weeks”, officials said.
“Kindergarten students have no classroom experience and remote learning presents significant challenges for our youngest learners,” said Vancouver Public Schools Superintendent Steve Webb. “This is a cautious, thoughtful and safe approach to support effective student learning for very young students.”
Clark County school districts have been providing in-person learning to small groups of special education students, some pre-K students and kindergarten students since the summer.
Schools will continue to provide health screenings for COVID-19 symptoms, apply physical distancing to the classroom and use other preventative measures such as face masks.