Announcements/Updates
Dear East Valley School District Families and Staff Members,
Washington State’s COVID-19 state of emergency order ended on October 31, 2022. Although the state of emergency order has ended, schools in Washington State must still follow WA State Department of Health COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools and Labor and Industry requirements and guidance.
Our East Valley schools will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing for staff and students and will monitor positive COVID-19 cases. Positive cases will be added to our online dashboard, however weekly COVID-19 case reports will no longer be emailed home. EV staff and families are encouraged to refer to the dashboard to identify for possible COVID-19 exposure.
We do recommend staying home when feeling ill and taking a COVID-19 test if a staff member or student has symptoms of COVID-19 (see symptom list below). If the staff/student tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to stay home for (5) days and will be able to return back to school on day (6) if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications) and their symptoms have significantly improved. If still testing positive on day 6, a well-fitting mask must be worn through day 10 if returning to school.
Even though the emergency proclamations have ended, we are still experiencing COVID-19 cases in our schools. If COVID-19 case rates do increase, the DOH guidance is subject to change and additional COVID-19 protocols could be put back into place.
Possible symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Thank you for all of your support and patience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking forward to more “normal” times, while also striving to provide the safest learning environment possible for all of our students and staff members.
Additional Resources:
What to do if you test positive for COVID-19
EVSD Board Policy 3414 Infectious Disease
EVSD Board Policy 3414P Infectious Disease Procedure
Updated COVID-19 Guidance: August 5, 2022
Dear East Valley School District Families,
On Friday, March 11th at 11:59 pm, the mask mandate will end in Washington State. Beginning on Saturday, March 12th all students, staff, and visitors at our East Valley School District schools will have the choice to wear a mask at school and on school buses. It is important that each person or family’s individual choice about mask wearing is respected once this mandate is lifted. There will be no tolerance for harassment or bullying of others’ personal mask choice. Some may need to wear a mask because they or a member of their household is high risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
Updated DOH COVID-19 Requirements and Guidance for K-12 Schools (Effective 3/12/2022)
Masking:
Students, staff, and visitors will no longer be required to wear masks in school buildings or on school buses with a few exceptions (see picture at right):
EVSD COVID-19 Cases Notifications:
The East Valley School District will continue to send out the “EVSD COVID-19 Cases for the Week” email to staff and families each Friday. In addition, each of our schools will send out a notification to their staff and families if there is a COVID-19 case in their school. This notification will allow staff and parents to see if they or their student could be considered a “close contact” and should monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
At-Home Isolation Protocol and Returning to School:
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to isolate, regardless of vaccination status. The isolation period is 10 full days from the start of symptoms or the date of positive test.
The individual may return to school after 5 full days of isolation if:
- Their symptoms have improved or they are asymptomatic, AND
- They are without fever for the past 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications.
AND IF returning to school days 6-10, the individual is required to:
- Wear a well-fitted mask during days 6-10 of their isolation period, OR
- Test negative with a rapid antigen test (at-home test not accepted) any day after day 5. Rapid antigen tests are available via your school nurse.
If an individual is not able to wear a well-fitted mask or face shield with a drape, AND does not test negative, they are required to finish out their in-home isolation through day 10.
Remember, the best ways to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is to continue to wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect regularly, wear a mask when needed, monitor yourself for COVID-19 symptoms, get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19, keep updated on vaccinations, and stay home if you are sick.
Once again, we would like to thank all of our students, staff, and families for your continued flexibility, patience, and understanding throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to seeing many smiling faces on Monday, March 14th.
East Valley School District
Additional Resource:
Estimadas familias del distrito escolar de East Valley,
El viernes 11 de marzo a las 11:59 pm terminará el mandato de mascarilla en el estado de Washington. A partir del sábado 12 de marzo, todos los estudiantes, el personal y los visitantes de nuestras escuelas del Distrito Escolar de East Valley tendrán la opción de usar una máscara en la escuela y en los autobuses escolares. Es importante que se respete la elección individual de cada persona o familia sobre el uso de mascarillas una vez que se levante este mandato. No habrá tolerancia para el acoso o la intimidación de la elección de máscara personal de otros. Es posible que algunos necesiten usar una máscara porque ellos o un miembro de su hogar tienen un alto riesgo de contraer la enfermedad grave de COVID-19.
Enmascaramiento:
Ya no se requerirá que los estudiantes, el personal y los visitantes usen máscaras en los edificios escolares o en los autobuses escolares, con algunas excepciones (consulte la tabla a continuación):
Notificaciones de Casos de EVSD de COVID-19:
El Distrito Escolar de East Valley continuará enviando el correo electrónico "EVSD COVID-19 Cases for the Week" al personal y las familias todos los viernes. Además, cada una de nuestras escuelas enviará una notificación a su personal y familias si hay un caso de COVID-19 en su escuela. Esta notificación permitirá que el personal y los padres vean si ellos o sus estudiantes pueden ser considerados un "contacto cercano" y deben monitorear los síntomas de COVID-19.
Protocolo de Aislamiento en el Hogar y Regreso a la Escuela:
Si un estudiante o miembro del personal da positivo por COVID-19, se les requerirá que se aíslen, independientemente del estado de vacunación. El período de aislamiento es de 10 días completos desde el inicio de los síntomas o la fecha de la prueba positiva.
El individuo puede regresar a la escuela después de 5 días completos de aislamiento si:
- Sus síntomas han mejorado o son asintomáticos, Y
- No tienen fiebre durante las últimas 24 horas sin el uso de medicamentos antifebriles.
Y SI regresa a la escuela entre los días 6 y 10, la persona debe:
- Use una máscara bien ajustada durante los días 6 a 10 de su período de aislamiento, O
- Dé negativo con una prueba rápida de antígeno (no se acepta la prueba en el hogar) cualquier día después del día 5. Las pruebas rápidas de antígeno están disponibles a través de la enfermera de su escuela.
Si una persona no puede usar una máscara bien ajustada o un protector facial con una cortina, Y no da negativo, debe terminar su aislamiento en el hogar hasta el día 10.
Recuerde, las mejores maneras de mitigar la propagación de COVID-19 es continuar lavándose las manos con frecuencia, cubrirse la boca al toser y estornudar, limpiar y desinfectar regularmente, usar una máscara cuando sea necesario, monitorearse para detectar síntomas de COVID-19, hacerse la prueba si tiene tiene síntomas de COVID-19, manténgase actualizado sobre las vacunas y quédese en casa si está enfermo.
Una vez más, nos gustaría agradecer a todos nuestros estudiantes, personal y familias por su continua flexibilidad, paciencia y comprensión durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Esperamos ver muchas caras sonrientes el lunes 14 de marzo.
Distrito Escolar de East Valley
Recurso Adicional:
Mask Mandate Update February, 17, 2022
Dear East Valley School District Families
On Thursday, February 17th, Governor Inslee set a date to lift the mask mandate for indoor spaces effective Monday, March 21, 2022 in Washington State. Masks will still be required for use on buses per a federal mandate that requires masks be worn on all forms of public transportation. As we have since the beginning of the pandemic, the East Valley School District will continue to follow the COVID-19 requirements the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has set for K-12 schools. Until the mask mandate is lifted for K-12 schools, we ask for cooperation from students, staff, and families to follow all health and safety protocols (including mask wearing) while at school and attending school related events.
Once the mask mandate is lifted for K-12 schools, wearing a mask at school will become a choice. Some of our EV families will welcome the ability to go mask-free, while others may choose to wear one until they feel more comfortable. It is very important that we respect the decisions others make in regards to mask wearing. One should not make assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs or health status, nor should they comment on them. Our students, staff, and families have been through a lot over the last two years, and one of the most important lessons learned, is that we are stronger when we work together and support one another.
We expect additional information and guidance for K-12 schools to be released by the DOH in the upcoming days. Once that information is available, we will update our families.
We also ask that our families and staff continue to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19. If a student or staff member is exhibiting symptoms, please stay home, get tested for COVID-19, and notify your student’s school nurse.
Thank you once again for your support.
Governor, Jay Inslee Press Conference, February 17th, 2022 - You may watch the press conference on TVW
January 13, 2022
Dear East Valley Families,
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) updated their COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools on Friday, January 7th. Over the last several days, local school administrators and nurses have been meeting with the Yakima Health District to review and understand the updates. Due to nursing staff shortages, we ask for your patience as we work through our current caseload of staff and students out on COVID-19 isolation/quarantine protocol and review their cases and get them back into school. Full implementation of the new guidelines will begin on January 18, 2022.
UPDATE SUMMARY
DOH Comparison of Changes Chart (click for link)
Test to Stay
EVSD currently participates in the DOH Test to Stay program. The Test to Stay Program provides school districts an opportunity for a modified quarantine for unvaccinated students and staff identified as K-12 close contacts of COVID-19 cases. This program is designed to help reduce exclusion from in-person instruction and work if all required mitigation measures have been followed and testing is used as a method of screening. Click here for further information about the Test to Stay Program: Test to Stay Program Requirements and Agreement Form (Spanish)
- Test to Stay is now inclusive of all staff and students, regardless of where exposure occurred. It was previously limited to students whose exposure occurred at school.
- Test to Stay students may now participate in extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and can attend childcare or youth development programs provided before and after school. Well-fitting masks must be worn during practices and contests for the 10-day period of modified quarantine.
- Test to Stay may not be available in some situations where close contact exposure occurs continuously within a household.
Quarantine Requirements: Close Contact Exposure
No quarantine needed if an individual is asymptomatic; AND
- Ages 18+ up-to-date with vaccinations (primary series and boosters-if eligible); OR
- Ages 5-17 completed primary series of vaccines; OR
- Had confirmed COVID-19 in the last 90 days and recovered.
- If a student or staff member has been exposed to an individual who is COVID-19 positive and student/staff is considered a close contact, do not come to school until you contact your school nurse for further directions and instruction.
Quarantine requirements for unvaccinated students and staff:
- Optional: Participate in Test to Stay Program (described above). Allows students and staff to attend school during the modified quarantine period.
- If not participating in Test to Stay Program, quarantine ends 5 full days after the last close contact if no symptoms have developed and after receiving a negative test result from a test taken no sooner than day 5 (at-home tests will not be accepted). If the individual does not wish to take a COVID-19 test, the quarantine period is 10 days.
Return to School After Positive COVID-19 Test
Students and staff may leave isolation and return to school on the 6th day if all the following criteria have been met:
- Negative rapid test (at-home tests will not be accepted) on day 5 of isolation period; AND
- Symptoms must be absent or resolving, with no fever in the past 24 hours (no medication to reduce fever); AND
- Individual must monitor symptoms and wear a well-fitting mask for the next 5 days (days 6-10), both inside and outside of school. For students participating in extracurricular activities or sports, masks MUST be worn at all times, even during play.
*Note: If antigen test is positive on day 5 of isolation period, individual must remain at home and isolate for the full 10 days. Also, people who are severely ill or severely immunocompromised may need to isolate for up to 20 days.
Symptomatic Student or Staff
- Student or staff member will be sent home under isolation protocol.
- Student or staff will be provided the opportunity to take the rapid and/or PCR test.
- The rapid test will be used to guide discussion and isolation protocol until the PCR test results are returned to verify the rapid antigen results.
- If the PCR test results come back negative, then the student/staff member may return when symptoms are improving (without the use of medication).
- If a student or staff member is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, do not come to school. Please contact your school nurse for further direction and instructions.
Current Information for Contact Tracing, In-School Testing, and Test to Stay Program (12-8-21)
Contact Tracing and Close Contacts
September 2021
Dear East Valley School District Families,
With the school year just beginning and COVID-19 cases on the rise in the Yakima Valley, we would like to share with our families the procedures for identifying COVID-19 positive cases (students or staff) in our schools, quarantine requirements for close contacts, and our notification processes.
East Valley School District believes it is critical to communicate accurate and timely information to our families. Our District nurses and administrators work closely with the Yakima Health District to make sure our schools are operating as safely as possible, adhering to the health and safety protocols required by the Department of Health (DOH), while providing all day, in-person classes for our students.
Our District has a policy of notifying our families, via email, all positive COVID-19 cases reported to our schools within 24 hours of receiving the information. If you are not receiving these District emails, please notify your student’s school and make sure they have your current email address on file. In addition to the District communication, if your student is determined to be a close contact to a COVID-19 positive student or staff member, you will be notified by your student’s school of the exposure. We encourage you to reach out to your student’s Principal or our District Office if you have any questions regarding COVID-19 cases in the East Valley School District or the processes we use to identify, quarantine, or notify our families of possible exposure.
We would like to thank all of our families, students, and EV staff members for their continued diligence in helping to create the safest learning environment possible to keep our students and staff in our buildings and classrooms.
Russ Hill
Superintendent, East Valley School District
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A STUDENT TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19?
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please contact the school immediately and do NOT send them to school. If your child is at school and exhibiting symptoms, you will be asked to come to the school to pick them up.
Contact Tracing: Once a student has received a positive COVID-19 test result and the school has been notified, the school will begin contact tracing. Staff will review seating charts for their classroom(s), cafeteria, and bus. If a staff member or student is determined to be a close contact (see definition below), a parent/guardian will be notified via phone or email (if can’t be reached by phone) and the student will be sent home to quarantine.
Elementary Schools: If your student attends one of our elementary schools and a student or staff member in their class tests positive for COVID-19, but your student is determined to NOT be a close contact, a letter will be sent home to families notifying them of the positive case. The letter will not reveal personal information/name of the positive case. Your child will not be required to quarantine.
Middle/High Schools: If you were not notified via a phone call (or email if not reachable by phone), your student was not considered a close contact of the individual and they will not be required to quarantine. We encourage you to closely monitor any symptoms and continue to follow the health and safety practices described in the COVID-19 Symptom Flow Chart below.
WHAT IS A “CLOSE CONTACT?”
Department of Health (DOH) “close contact” definition for K-12 Schools: In a K-12 indoor classroom, the close contact definition excludes students who were at least three feet away from an infected student when (a) both students were wearing a face covering/mask and (b) other prevention strategies were in place. This exception does not apply to teachers, staff or other adults in the indoor classroom setting (distance is 6’).
If your student is determined to be a close contact, they will need to quarantine (see exemptions below) according to the Yakima Health District guidelines for 10 days, unless:
- Student is PCR tested for COVID-19 (5) days after COVID-19 exposure AND
- Exhibit no COVID-19 symptoms.
If “close contact” student receives a negative COVID-19 test and are exhibiting NO symptoms, they may return to school on the 8th day after exposure.
Example:
Day 0: Exposed to COVID-19 person - September 13, 2021
Day 5: Earliest date to PCR COVID-19 test - September 18, 2021
Day 8: Return to School (w/ negative test and 0 symptoms) - September 21, 2021
If a “close contact” chooses not to be tested for COVID-19 and are exhibiting no symptoms, they can return to school on day 11 after exposure.
Department of Health “close contact” definition outside of K-12 schools: Generally, a close contact is someone who was within six feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes cumulative over a 24-hour period during the period of time when the person with COVID-19 was infectious. This definition applies regardless of whether the case or contact was wearing a mask.
If your student is exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and is considered a close contact, please do not send them to school.
WHO IS EXEMPT FROM QUARANTINE?
- Close contacts who are fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms do not need to quarantine, but should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Close contact who had confirmed COVID-19 in the past three months, have recovered and do not have symptoms, do not need to quarantine but should watch for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.
*If your student has been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and is considered a “close contact” at school, and they are not exhibiting any symptoms, they will not be required to quarantine and miss school. It is recommended they test within 3-5 days of suspected exposure.
RETURNING TO SCHOOL
EVSD recently updated our guidance based on updated recommendations that only PCR negative test results will be accepted for a return to school. Rapid antigen or at home test results will not be accepted.
If a person tests positive for COVID-19 by a molecular/PCR test, they can return to school when the following criteria are met:
- 10 days since symptom onset, or since positive test result if NO symptoms are present, AND
- 24 hours after fever resolves without use of fever-reducing medications, AND
- Symptoms have improved.
If a person with COVID-19 symptoms does not get tested or see a healthcare provider and given an alternative diagnosis, they should follow the same isolation guidance as persons who test positive for COVID-19.
HOW OUR STAFF, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS CAN HELP KEEP OUR DAILY COVID-19 CASES LOWER AND KEEP OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL:
- Do NOT send your student to school if they are exhibiting any of the COVID-19 symptoms (see chart below). Sending your child to school with symptoms could needlessly expose others to COVID-19 and require them to quarantine and miss school too.
- Wear your mask (and wear it properly) when indoors or on EV buses.
- Maintain social distance as much as possible.
- Avoid large gatherings where unmasked people will attend.
- Stay home when sick or when you have a known exposure.
- Get the COVID-19 Vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination is currently available for those ages 12 and over.
- Take a COVID-19 test if you have been recently exposed or are exhibiting symptoms.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
RESOURCES:
Department of Health K-12 Requirements for Summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 School Year
COVID-19 Student Symptom Flow Chart
COVID-19 Student Symptom Flow Chart (Spanish)
Dear EVSD Families,
On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee, announced a new legal requirement for all school employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption by mid-October. In addition to the vaccination directive, Governor Inslee also announced a statewide indoor mask requirement, regardless of vaccination status. The mask requirement will apply to all staff, students, and visitors while in school buildings and on buses. The indoor mask mandate is effective Monday, August 23, 2021.
We believe it is important to communicate that the COVID-19 vaccination directive does NOT apply to students. The COVID-19 vaccine is not required for students. This directive will not delay the start of school. Our first day of school will be Monday, August 30th.
Some of the key elements of the proclamation are outlined below:
- The East Valley School District and our Board of Directors do not have local control over this matter. We are legally required to follow the Governor’s directive. Employees may obtain a medical or religious exemption.
- There is not an option for employees to undergo regular testing for COVID-19 instead of receiving a vaccination or exemption.
- Employees will need to provide proof of vaccination. Attestation is not an allowable substitute for vaccination.
- Vaccination is a condition of employment in the proclamation. Only a medical or religious exemption will substitute for the vaccine requirement.
Mask requirements:
- All staff, students, and visitors will be required to wear a mask when in school buildings and buses, regardless of vaccination status.
- Additional mask guidance from DOH is anticipated and will be shared with our families as soon as it becomes available.
Creating the safest learning environment possible for staff and students to ensure we can remain in a face-to-face learning environment and minimizing time staff and students are out of the classroom is our highest priority. The last 18 months have been full of ever-changing requirements; however, our students, staff and community has proven that we can get through this together. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Russ Hill
Superintendent
East Valley School District #90
Additional Resources:
COVID-19 Vaccination Location Information (Yakima):
https://www.yakimacounty.us/2472/COVID-19-Vaccine
DOH Frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 Vaccination: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/VaccineInformation/FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Governor, Jay Inslee, Vaccination Requirement and Statewide Indoor Mask Mandate: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-announces-educator-vaccination-requirement-and-statewide-indoor-mask-mandate
Contacts:
Washington State Governor’s Office
Jay Inslee, Governor
Contact Information: https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/contactinggovernors-office
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance & Resources | OSPI www.k12.wa.us
Contact Information: Chris Reykdal, Superintendent [email protected]
Yakima Health District
https://www.yakimacounty.us/2323/COVID-19
Contact Information: Rudy Silva [email protected]
Dear East Valley School District Families and Staff Members,
We hope you are all enjoying your well-deserved summer break. With the start of school just one month away, we wanted to update you on the most current information regarding school start dates and how school will look for our students and staff at the beginning of the new year.
East Valley School District students will be returning to school on Monday, August 30th. Students will be attending classes all day and in person. All EVSD schools will be returning to normal school hours (see below) with “late start” on Mondays. District administrators will continue to monitor and follow the requirements set by the Yakima Health District (YHD), Washington State Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
On July 28, 2021 the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released new requirements for Summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 School Year. This guidance was updated again on August 10th to include additional details and guidelines for sports and performing arts: K-12 schools requirements 2021-2022 (wa.gov) . Their updates reflect recently released CDC recommendations. Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools | CDC.
Note: The East Valley School District does not have the authority to opt out of the requirements set by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). Per OSPI’s Superintendent, Chris Reykdal, “Boards or districts that intentionally disobey, dismiss, or shun an explicit law, including a Governor’s executive order, which has the power of law, will see an immediate halt to their basic education apportionment, and their federal funds that come through OSPI.”
Mask Requirements
Indoors: All EVSD school personnel, volunteers, visitors, and students must wear cloth face coverings, or an acceptable alternative (e.g., surgical mask or clear face shield with drape), at school when indoors. Staff who are verified to be fully vaccinated may be indoors without masks when students are NOT present or expected to be present.
Outdoors: Per the Secretary of Health’s Mask Order, face coverings are not required outdoors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are strongly recommended for unvaccinated individuals when outdoors in crowded spaces or when in close contact with people from outside their household for a sustained period of time, as the risk of COVID-19 infection increases with the duration and closeness of contact between individuals.
Physical Distancing for Schools: Maintain physical distance of three feet or more between students in classroom settings to the degree possible and reasonable, that allows for full-time, in-person learning for all students.
When it is not possible to maintain at least three feet of physical distance in classrooms, schools will be required to provide additional prevention strategies to reduce the risk of disease transmission. This could include requiring improved ventilation, conducting screening testing of students and staff, etc.
Sports, Extracurricular, and Co-Curricular Activities: Requirements will be published in early August by the DOH.
COVID-19 Prevention Strategies:
- Wearing a mask
- Physical Distancing
- Frequent handwashing and good respiratory etiquette
- Staying home when sick
- Cleaning and disinfecting
- COVID-19 Testing
- COVID-19 Vaccination Information
We would like to thank our students, staff, parents and community for your support, patience and grace as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and requirements for K-12 schools. We have learned a lot over the past 18 months about the resiliency of our students and want to assure our families that the EVSD will continue to work with the YHD to advocate for a more ‘normal’ setting for our staff and students. We will communicate updates as they become available.
Thank you,
East Valley School District 90
Resources and Contacts (to address questions/concerns regarding K-12 school COVID-19 requirements):
Washington State Governor’s Office
Jay Inslee, Governor
Contact Information: https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/contactinggovernors-office
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance & Resources | OSPI www.k12.wa.us
Contact Information: Chris Reykdal, Superintendent [email protected]
Yakima Health District
https://www.yakimacounty.us/2323/COVID-19
Contact Information: Rudy Silva [email protected]
We ask our families to please notify their school by APRIL 21, 2021 if you wish to change from your current instructional format. There will be opportunities to make further changes on an individual basis at a later time. Note: Elementary students who are “remote only” will begin with their “new” teachers in our revised “remote only” instructional model. This will not be their current teacher. EVC and EVHS students who are “remote only” will continue in the same format as they are now.
Hybrid Learning Safe Return Plan (Spanish) Includes:
- Schedule (days/times) for each school
- Social Distancing Requirements
- Health Screening
- Child Nutrition
In the next few days, each of our East Valley School District schools will be sending out additional information to their families that will address more specific details.
K-12 Schools Guidance 2020-2021 (wa.gov)
Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention | CDC
Update: EVHS Reopening Details (Wednesday, January 27, 2021)
As was previously communicated, we have been meeting with other local superintendents and the Yakima Health District weekly, strongly advocating for the reopening of East Valley High School.
In a board meeting today, the Yakima Health District Board gave their approval to YHD health officials to work directly with schools to resume reopening of high schools as soon as possible. At this point, we don’t have the details of what this will look like. We will be meeting with health officials over the next few days to gain more insight about the proposed timeline and guidelines that we will have to work within to reopen EVHS.
We are ready to reopen when this guidance is announced. In preparation, we encourage families to familiarize themselves with our high school’s hybrid learning plans. Click here for these plans.
Update: Athletics Resuming February 1, 2021 (Friday, January 15, 2021)
With the newest guidelines from the governor and the WIAA, East Valley athletics are now in the “South Central Region” along with Ellensburg, Selah, Prosser, and Grandview. The South Central Region is currently in phase one.
As a group, CWAC schools have agreed to align with the WIAA schedule for Season 1 sports, starting Feb 1st. Season one sports are traditionally fall sports and include Volleyball, Girls Soccer, Football, Cross-Country, Girls Swim, and Cheer. The season will be seven weeks long and conclude March 20th. Each sport is designated as low/moderate/high risk and can resume participation according to their classification. Click here to review WIAA risk classifications and requirements of participation.
With this updated guidance, we are excited to share that East Valley season 1 sports will resume practicing on Feb 1st. More information in regards to competitions and schedules and the remaining Season 2 and 3 calendars will be coming soon.
We appreciation your continued support of our students and schools.
Update: EVHS Reopening Postponement Continued (Thursday, January 7, 2021)
We had hoped that early on in this new year, we would receive updated guidance from the Governor and the Yakima Health District that allowed us to proceed with the reopening of East Valley High School. Unfortunately, recent recommendations have indicated the opposite and, much to our disappointment, our plans to reopen East Valley High School continue to be postponed at this time.
We know that this is frustrating to many of our students, families and staff members. We want you to know that we share in your frustrations. We continue to strongly advocate for the reopening of East Valley High School in our weekly meetings with the Yakima Health District. We feel strongly that we can reopen East Valley High School safely, as we have demonstrated at our middle school and all three elementary schools. However, they feel strongly that local school districts should halt any further reopening due to the high COVID-19 case rates at this time.
Official statement from the Yakima Health District:
"At this time, COVID-19 positive case counts in Yakima County are at 1,062 cases per 100,000 residents over the past 14 days. Current Washington State Department of Health guidance for safe in-person education (DOH) recommends adding high school students to in-person learning when case rates are below 200/100K/14 days if the schools can demonstrate the ability to limit transmission in the school environment. I want to assure you that we have heard your concerns and are taking them very seriously. It is important to continue with our current recommendations for in-person learning until we get through this current surge. In the meantime, we will be working to create an even more comprehensive safety plan to bring all students back to in-person learning."
As we look toward the future, we are hopeful that we will receive updated guidance that allows us to proceed with bringing back EVHS students for hybrid learning in the second semester. Until these recommendations are changed by our local health district officials, we continue to be committed to bringing in as many high school students as we can for additional support in small group settings. If you feel like your high school student is not receiving the level of support that they need to be successful, we encourage you to reach out to their teachers.
In preparation for the reopening of our high school, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our high school’s hybrid learning plans. Click here to review the hybrid learning presentation.
Update: Schedule Changes: Week of December 14-18, 2020 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)
As we approach winter break, we’d like to make our families aware of a couple of changes during the week of December 14-18th. To maximize the amount of face-to-face instructional time we have with our hybrid students, we will modify our schedule so that our current ‘Wednesday Schedule’ will take place on Friday, as follows:
- Monday (December 14th) through Thursday (December 17th) elementary and middle school students will follow their AM/PM hybrid learning schedule, reporting to their school building each of these four days. EVHS students will follow their M, T, TH, F remote schedule.
- Friday (December 18th) All K-12 students will check-in online in the morning to start the day. After this morning check-in, they will have a half-day early release, as originally scheduled on our academic calendar.
More specifics on these schedule changes will be coming from your child’s school.
To accommodate these schedule changes, we will offer our Bulk Meal Service Pickup on Wednesday, December 16th, from 1-2:30 p.m. Meals can be picked up at all three of our regular sites: Terrace Heights Elementary, Moxee Elementary and East Valley Central Middle School. Students do not need to be present with families for pick-up; parents/guardians can sign for their children.
In Yakima County more than 90% of our confirmed COVID-19 cases are coming from community-based spread. We’re all in this together and we need your help to keep our students in school. As we approach winter break, the holidays and all of the festivities that come with this season, we want to remind our families to help us keep our schools open by following the Yakima Health District’s guidelines.
- Stay home when you’re sick
- Limit social gatherings
- Wear masks and practice social distancing when you have to go out in public, and
- Practice healthy habits like regular hand washing and sanitation of high touch surfaces.
Update: EVHS Reopening Postponed (Monday, November 23, 2020)
Following Governor Inslee’s press conference last week, we sent a communication to all families indicating that the Yakima Health District had issued new guidance for in-person instruction. Click here to review this updated guidance.
At the time we sent this initial communication, we knew that this new guidance would not impact our ability to serve our students in grades preK-8, but did not know how it would affect the planned return of our high school students. Although we advocated on behalf of our students returning as scheduled, the YHD and our insurance provider cited several reasons why they could not recommend the return of our students in grades 9-12 at this time. We understand the need for this new guidance and have decided to postpone the reopening of East Valley High School until the YHD advises it is safe to do so.
We know that this postponement will be disappointing to many of our students, staff members and families. We want to assure you that we remain committed to your student’s safety and education during these unprecedented times. In light of these changes, we plan to shift our focus to providing in-person support for as many struggling students as we are permitted to, in small group settings, until we are allowed to bring all of our East Valley High Schools students back for hybrid learning. Further communications regarding this will be coming out later this week.
We appreciate your continued support and understanding as we navigate the challenges presented by this COVID-19 pandemic. We are in this, and will get through this, together. To help us keep our community healthy and keep our schools open, we need your help. As we approach the holiday season, we ask that you stay home when you’re sick, limit large social gatherings, wear masks when you’re in public, and practice healthy habits as outlined by the Yakima Health District.
Update: Hybrid Safe Return Plan Approved (Tuesday, October 13, 2020)
Last March we were directed to close our schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day since, we have missed seeing our students’ smiles and hearing their laughter in our halls. We are pleased to share that at last night’s school board meeting, our East Valley Board of Directors approved our finalized Hybrid Safe Return Plan. We are excited for the opportunity to welcome our students back to our buildings for this long-awaited return.
As a district, we are appreciative of the level of engagement we have experienced from both our staff and community members and greatly value all of the input that we received during our virtual forums last week. (Click here to access a recording of these community forums.) Based on the feedback we gained during these events, we believe the Hybrid Safe Return Plan that was presented will allow our schools and teachers the best opportunity to provide consistency in instruction and rigorous instructional activities for all students. As such, no major changes were made in finalizing this draft plan. Click here to review our final Hybrid Safe Return Plan.
Students who elect to return for in-person instruction will be divided by last name into two cohorts of students that attend classes in an AM/PM schedule. Schools will be communicating with families to finalize these assignments. Students that elect to participate in our hybrid safe return model, will be introduced in a staggered approach, as recommended by the Yakima Health District. These return dates are outlined below:
October 26th – All 3 Elementary Schools
November 16th – Middle School
December 7th – High School
Students who elect to continue to receive instruction in a 100% remote model, will attend their class(es) virtually during the time allotted for their cohort. More information will be provided as we approach our Hybrid Safe Return start dates.
In lieu of additional virtual forums, we are working on creating an online webpage dedicated to addressing the most commonly asked questions during last week’s forums. This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page will be posted later this week. Once this page is live, we will send a follow-up communication with a direct link for your convenience.
As our schools approach their hybrid start date, families will be invited to attend hybrid learning conferences. During these conferences families will have an opportunity to walk through the specifics of the hybrid plan, as it relates to their child’s classroom and school. Teachers will be contacting families to schedule these meetings during the following dates:
October 20th-23rd – All 3 Elementary Schools
November 9-13th – Middle School
November 30th – December 4th – High School
We look forward to continuing to partner with our families as we navigate these unprecedented times. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or building principal.
Update: Update Following Governor Inslee's Press Release (Monday, November 16, 2020)
In light of Governor Inslee’s latest press conference, we would like to remind you that we remain committed to providing the best learning opportunities we can, while also placing the health and safety of our students, staff, and community as our highest priority.
The Yakima Health District has issued new guidance for in-person instruction in local schools. Click here to review that guidance. Haga clic aquí para revisar la guía en español. This new guidance will not impact our ability to serve students in grades preK-8; we will continue to offer hybrid, in-person instruction, at all 3 elementary schools and East Valley Central Middle School. We are currently working with the YHD to determine how this new guidance will affect the reopening of East Valley High School. More information will be forthcoming soon.
We appreciate your continued support and understanding as we navigate the challenges presented by this COVID-19 pandemic. We are in this, and will get through this, together. To help us keep our community healthy and keep our schools open, we need your help. As we approach the holiday season, we ask that you stay home when you’re sick, limit large social gatherings, wear masks when you’re in public, and practice healthy habits as outlined by the Yakima Health District.
I want to ensure you that we will remain committed to your student’s safety and education during these unprecedented times.
Stay healthy and safe,
John Schieche
Update: Hybrid Safe Return Plan Draft Released (Monday, October 5, 2020)
East Valley Families & Community Members
Last week the Yakima County Health District issued revised guidance that allows us to bring students back to a hybrid learning environment through a ‘phase-in’ model organized by grade bands. Based on the continued decline of COVID-19 cases in Yakima County, the low number of positive cases of school aged children, as well as various other data points, the Yakima Health District has issued this new recommendation. It has been recommended that local schools reintroduce students to some level of face to face instruction beginning in the next couple of weeks. Requirements of this return include the ability of school districts to ensure a low risk, safe learning environment, with the system wide implementation of specific safety measures approved by the Yakima Health District.
Based on these recommendations, we are planning to open East Valley Schools in a hybrid model with the following phase in plan:
October 26th All Three Elementary Schools
November 16th Middle School
December 7th High School
Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6th, we will conduct two community forums to provide an overview of the hybrid reopening plan, answer questions our parents and community members may have and to obtain input related to this plan. Based on the input from our staff and community, the hybrid plan will be finalized and presented to the East Valley School District Board of Directors for approval on October 12th.
We appreciate the continued support of our families as we have navigated through the evolving dynamics this COVID-19 pandemic has presented.
Sincerely,
John Schieche
Update: Hybrid Safe Return Coming Soon (Monday, September 28, 2020)
Dear East Valley Families & Staff,
I want to start by thanking you for helping get the 2020-2021 school year off to a smooth start despite our continued challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic. Your efforts to engage with your students’ teachers during conferences the first week of school allowed for some critical conversations about expectations and engagement during this time of distance learning.
That being said, I am very excited to share that school districts in Yakima County received some exciting and long awaited news from the Yakima Health District. As you may have heard, earlier today the Yakima Health District released guidance indicating that schools could start bringing students back for in-person instruction as early as October 12th. This guidance calls for a staggered start and requires that we demonstrate the ability to maintain social distancing in our schools upon reopening. Based on this guidance, we have been drafting a plan for the reopening of our East Valley Schools. While the logistics of this plan are still being finalized, we can share some of the foundations that this plan is being drafted upon.
- We will begin reopening our schools with a staggered approach where elementary students are the first to return, with middle school and high school students being brought back gradually over time. We are currently working on developing a tentative reopening timeline that aligns with guidance from the Yakima Health District. We plan to release a draft of this plan and tentative schedule early next week.
- We will need to demonstrate the ability to maintain social distancing in our classrooms. Since we do not have enough physical classroom space to accommodate all students at the same time and comply with the requirements, we will need to implement a hybrid model of instruction. We will develop two groups of students, or cohorts, who will alternate reporting for in-person instruction. We are currently working with our distance learning team to design a weekly schedule that allows us to comply with these strict social distancing requirements in the classroom.
- Families will have a choice. We also understand that some families will not be comfortable sending their students back into the classroom at all. We will be finalizing plans to offer 100% distance learning for those students.
- Face Coverings will be required to be worn by staff and students at all times when in the building or on the bus. We have purchased two cloth masks for each staff member and student (one to wear and one to wash). If your children are not yet in the habit of wearing a face covering for a long period of time, it is advisable to start practicing at home. It is also advisable to purchase more masks for your students.
- We will all need to do our part to keep each other healthy. While the number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 has dropped in recent weeks, COVID-19 is still affecting individuals in our community. We will all need to do our part to keep each other healthy once we reopen our schools. Families will be expected to attest to the health of their students at the start of each day. It is important for families to keep students home that are demonstrating any symptoms that could be attributed to COVID-19 or if they have been in close contact with someone with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19. For more information on this attestation, click here.
More communication about our Safe Return Hybrid Plan will be coming in the next 7-10 days. In the meantime we will continue to do our best using the distance learning model. Should the COVID-19 transmission rates increase over the next two weeks, we will reevaluate the situation.
Stay safe. Wear your mask, practice social distancing whenever possible and wash your hands frequently.
John Schieche, Superintendent
Update: Safe Start (Tuesday, September 22, 2020)
Attention East Valley Staff & Families,
We continue to monitor our situation and are basing our return to hybrid or in-person instruction on the guidance we receive from the Yakima Health District. Based on preliminary discussions about the improvements that we’re seeing in the number of positive COVID cases in our county, we are hopeful that updated guidance will be issued from our local health authorities that allows us to start bringing more students back into our classrooms sooner than originally expected. We are currently working on a revised education plan with the Yakima Health District and plan to release our hybrid implementation model for our staff, parents and families in the next 10-14 days. This plan will outline the logistics of bringing students back safely so that we are prepared to make a safe and smooth transition for our students, staff and families. We appreciate the patience and understanding that you have continued to show as we navigate this evolving situation.
Update: Reopening Plan Approved by the East Valley Board of Directors (Tuesday, August 18, 2020)
Update: What is enhanced remote learning? (Thursday, August 13, 2020)
The start of the 2020-21 school year is just a few weeks away! East Valley staff has been preparing to offer a significantly enhanced remote learning experience for your student(s) and your family. This enhanced remote learning experience will be focused on increased accountability for student engagement, while providing additional supports for students and families.
- Opportunity for a digital device for every student,
- 3 hours of synchronous (live) virtual learning opportunities using Google Meet/Zoom & 3 hours of teacher assigned learning activities, which will include opportunities for daily interactive teacher support,
- Expansion of small group support,
- Continued district wide implementation of Google Classroom as single learning platform,
- Streamlined and consistent student learning schedules,
- Opportunities for families to engage in interactive Virtual Learning Parent PD sessions,
- Emphasis on social emotional learning and support services for students and families, and
- More effective, efficient and timely communication between educators and families.
Update: Confirmed Virtual Start for Fall 2020 (Thursday, August 6, 2020)
Following Governor Inslee’s press conference yesterday, the Yakima County Health District made their official recommendations for a virtual start for schools in Yakima County. Given the guidelines outlined in the WA State Department of Health’s Decision Tree for Provision of In Person Learning Among K-12 Students at Public and Private Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic document and this strong recommendation from our local health authorities, we would like to confirm that our East Valley Schools will begin 100% virtual with an enhanced distance learning model on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, as indicated in our released communication earlier this week. Read the full communication below.
More details on this virtual start to our 2020-2021 school year will be coming within the next couple of weeks. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we embark on this unique start to the new school year,
John Schieche
Superintendent of East Valley Schools