La Center School District

Parents and Guardians,

I appreciate all the input and feedback over the year as we have worked diligently to return students to full-time school.  By this time, I hope all of you received an email from your building principal letting you know that we are planning the return of all students full-time for in-person learning on April 26^th.  The district and school board have worked all year to return students to their classrooms and their teachers.  We have routinely been asked “why” are we pushing for students to be in-person and it comes from the firm belief that the optimal place for both academic and emotional success is in the classroom.  Our district has worked all year under the restrictions and recommendations placed on us by the Governor’s mandates and the Washington State Department of Health restrictions.  Every time the state updated their guidelines and the county COVID data allowed us to bring back students under those guidelines, we did so.  Unfortunately, it has taken this much of the school year to have the state guidelines and the county data to allow for their return full-time.  

Even though there is only a quarter of the school year left, the district believes that every one of those days is valuable to our student’s short and long-term success.  This decision was made by the board in part by the overwhelming responses they’ve received over the year and more recently by parents and guardians wanting their students back in school.  This was in addition to their belief concerning the best place for our students is in school.

We have heard concerns by some parents that bringing back students now is yet another change and this is hard on some students.  Nothing about this year has been easy for our students, their parents, or our staff.  We believe that all change is hard and that in this case, the benefits of bringing back students outweigh the challenges associated with change.

The district and our staff have worked tirelessly to implement safety protocols throughout the school year and this will continue as all students return.  The state guidelines and the resulting safety protocols will require everyone to be diligent in their behaviors to continue the safe track record that we’ve established throughout this year.

Lastly, I want everyone to know that the return of the 6^th through 12^th grade on April 26^th is contingent on the county COVID numbers remaining below 200 cases per 14 day period.  Should the numbers rise above 200 we will be required to remain in a hybrid model for those grade levels.  2^nd through 5^th grade will not be affected as we can keep those grade levels together all day with the same group of students.  This is called cohorting.  If we can’t cohort students and the number rises above 200 we must go back to 6 foot distancing specifically in grades 6-12.  This is one example of the complexity of the state rules.  We will be monitoring the daily and weekly numbers through next week to ensure we comply.

I want to thank everyone, students, parents, and staff for their dedication to our student’s success and the grace everyone has been afforded during this very challenging time.

Dave Holmes,

Superintendent, La Center School District

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Starting on April 15, young people age 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. We want to be sure you have information on how to sign up for a free vaccine appointment, should you choose to have your student vaccinated. As a reminder, vaccination is not currently mandatory.

Local health officials have indicated that parental consent is required for youth (under 18) to get vaccinated.

Local Vaccine Appointment Options Include:

• Tower Mall vaccination site. Visit the Safeway/Albertsons website to schedule an appointment.

(https://mhealthcheckin.com/covidvaccine?clientId=1615856606581&region=Portland – l&urlId=%2Fvcl%2FVncvrTwrMIIWeek3)

• Clark County Fairgrounds. Appointments to the vaccination site at the fairgrounds are typically added at noon on Sundays. Visit the state Department of Health website:

(https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/Vaccinelnformation/MassVaccinationSites) for

information on how schedule appointments

• Local pharmacies. Visit www.VaccineFinder.org to search by zip code for pharmacies with

vaccine.

• Washington Department of Health’s Vaccine Locations website. Visit the website

(https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/Immunization/Vaccinelocations) for county Iistings of pharmacies and facilities with COVID-19 vaccine.

• Sea Mar Community Health Centers (Clark County). Clark County Sea Mar locations are offering COVID-19 vaccine during walk-in clinics 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Visit the Sea Mar website to find clinics with available vaccine: https://www.seamar.org/covid-vaccine.html

COVID-19 vaccines are free. If you have health insurance, you may be asked to provide that information, but if you do not have insurance, you will not be charged.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit your county’s Public Health website.

Dave Holmes, Superintendent