Kent School District pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students will return to in-person learning on April 12 while seventh through 12th grade will return April 19.

District officials released a statement Tuesday, March 16 with the latest plan. Parents still have the option to keep students in remote learning.

“The health and safety of our students, staff, and families are of utmost importance,” according to the district statement. “To welcome all students physically in schools, we need to meet all new health and safety measures; this means our in-person learning will look much different from previous years, if you choose to return to in-person learning in our buildings in April.”

As of March 16, schedules are still being negotiated between district leaders and labor partners. The district said it will notify all Kent School District families and staff as soon as a schedule is finalized.

The state Department of Health, the Governor’s Office and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction have provided rules and guidance for student and staff health and safety. Guidelines may change as the school year progresses.

“We are providing this information to ensure KSD families and staff know what to expect if they choose in-person learning,” according to the district. “Soon we will be sending a survey for families to choose for each student, PreK-12, the learning model for their students for the remainder of this school year. We want to be sure all families understand the expectations of students while in the building before you make your choice. The survey will include details about the schedule; this informs you of the safety measures for in-person learning.”

The district reminds all community members to be mindful of key preventive measures, including wearing masks, physical distancing, washing their hands thoroughly, and staying home when they are sick.

Health screenings

• Student and staff temperatures are required daily before going to school. Anyone with a 100.4 degrees or higher fever should not go to or stay at a school site.

• Health screenings will be in place daily for students and staff. Daily screening questions will include do you have any of the following: symptoms within the last day that are not caused by another condition?

Fever (100.4 degrees) or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, recent loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea.

• Does anyone in your household have any of the above symptoms that are not attributable to another condition?

• Has your student been in close contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19?

• Have you had a positive COVID-19 test for active virus in the past 10 days, or are you awaiting results of a COVID-19 test?

• Within the past 14 days, has a public health or medical professional told you to self-monitor, self-isolate, or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID19 infection?

The student or staff member must be excluded from school if the answer to any of the above questions is “yes.”

Per state Department of Health guidelines, students, staff, vendors, parents, guardians, or guests will not be allowed in school if they show symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has confirmed or suspected COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

Staff and students with any illness must stay home.

Arriving, leaving school

• Staff will be wearing face coverings unless they have a medical reason not to wear one.

• Students will be wearing face coverings unless they have a medical reason not to wear one.

• Parents and visitors will have limited access to the school campus and must wear face coverings while on school grounds unless they have a medical reason not to wear one.

• Parents and visitors entering the school for longer than 15 minutes must complete a health screening, including a temperature check.

• Arrival and dismissal times may vary depending on grade level to support physical distancing.

• Drop off and pick locations may be different to support physical distancing, and families should anticipate the process will take longer to accommodate health and safety requirements, especially as everyone adjusts to the new routine.

General safety precautions

• Schools will follow disinfection guidelines developed by Seattle King County Public Health and state Department of Health for school campuses, including classrooms, work spaces, outdoor spaces and playgrounds.

• Physical barriers may be installed or other areas used, where physical distancing is not possible in a school building.

• All students and staff will be encouraged and provided time to wash/clean their hands regularly.

• Hand washing stations with soap and/or hand sanitizer will be made available in classrooms.

• Schools will limit the sharing of supplies between students and disinfect between uses if sharing is unavoidable.

• Desks will be facing forward and spaced further apart to ensure a minimum of 6 feet distance between students.

• There will be no large gatherings such as assemblies and dances.

• Schools are working with daily schedules to stagger lunches, recesses, and other transition times to minimize student group interaction.