By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka schools will open for the fall term next week with a myriad of mitigation measures in place to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.
Superintendent Frank Hauser outlined the school district’s COVID plan to the School Board at the board’s regular meeting Wednesday evening.
The board also approved a six-year capital improvement plan that includes funding for playgrounds, parking areas, and LED lighting.
In his report on the district’s mitigation measures, Hauser emphasized the need to have students in the classroom for full-time, in-person education.
“What’s best for students? We know that full-day, in-person education is best for most students, and that layered mitigation strategies will enable us to have a successful start to the school year,” Hauser told the board.
Fifth-grade teachers Roxann Gagner, left, and Jennifer Reid get small laptop computers ready for students this afternoon at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School. The first day of school in the Sitka School District is Monday. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
Classes this year will more closely resemble those of pre-pandemic years, Hauser said. Last year, many students attended school with in-person classroom instruction on some days, and online learning at home on others.
“With all that we’ve learned and all of the tools that we now have, we’re taking an important step forward this fall with the return to in-person learning,” the superintendent said. “We can look back at last fall and compare where we are now... We had a combination of some classes in some schools of remote and in-person instruction, some limited elective classes, and teachers moving around classroom to classroom in some schools. As we look at this fall, we’re looking at a full day’s schedule, in-person classes, full elective offerings, and daily in-person connection with staff and peers.”
In the district’s mitigation policy, all students and staff must wear masks when the risk level in the community is moderate or high. Masks become optional at lower risk levels. The full policy is available at sitkaschools.org.
The community risk level is “high,” defined by both the school district and the city government as an average of 15 or more cases over 14 days.
“Moderate” risk is a rolling average of 8 to 14 cases over two weeks, while “low” risk indicates an average of one to seven cases in the same time period. The lowest risk level, “minimal,” means no local COVID cases in a fortnight.
“Starting school, masks or face coverings are required for all students and staff regardless of vaccination status,” he said. “We will, however, have supervised and physically distanced mask breaks for students. We don’t have a district distinction for masking vaccinated and unvaccinated students at this time. Sixty-eight percent of our students aged 12 through 18 are vaccinated, but schools don’t have a way to monitor vaccine status for COVID-19. We cannot know at a glance who has been vaccinated and who hasn’t, so everyone will be wearing a mask.”
He continued:
“The Sitka School District mask policy is not only for today, when we are in our high alert level and masks are required, but also for that time down the road. And it will likely be a long time down the road when we are no longer in an area of substantial or high transmission,” Hauser told the board.
With the increased transmisibility of the Delta variant of the virus causing an increase in cases around the country, Hauser acknowledged it’s unlikely that risk levels will fall until the Delta variant is brought to heel.
“Here’s the bottom line: we will not reach the lower or minimal level with seven or fewer cases in 14 days until we have turned the corner with Delta,” Hauser said.
Through his presentation, Hauser noted that guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the American Association of Pediatrics informs the Sitka School District’s virus policies.
CDC stresses the need for students to attend school in person, wear masks, and be vaccinated when it’s age-appropriate.
“Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in the fall 2021 is a priority… Vaccination is the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting vaccinations can help schools safely return to in-person learning as well as extracurricular activities and sports... Due to the circulating and highly contagious Delta variant, CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status,” the CDC website reads.
The ongoing pandemic has disproportionately impacted a variety of disadvantaged students, CDC notes.
“People living in rural areas, people with disabilities, immigrants, and people who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native, Black or African American, and Hispanic or Latino have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19; these disparities have also emerged among children,” the site states.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Lakrisha Johnson, speaking for both herself and Sitka Tribe of Alaska, said she hoped the district would require masking at all risk levels.
“The district COVID potential mitigation plan does not align with the STA COVID mitigation plan. And STA has been pretty regularly following CDC and AAP guidelines, which do push for back to in-person full-time (learning) with a huge emphasis on mask use,” Johnson said during the part of the meeting dedicated to government-to-government communication with the tribe.
“One of the things we’re working on with various principals and other partners within the district is how do we get creative in making our lessons, our classes available to students without putting our staff and families at risk... and I would like to speak on behalf of myself and the Tribe in support of aligning those mitigation methods with CDC and AAP, which would require masks at all levels despite vaccination status.”
Commenting from the public, Brett Wilcox spoke in opposition to the school district mask policies.
“Masking children is child abuse,” Wilcox said.
Board president Amy Morrison said she’s happy for the community collaboration that led to the district mitigation plan.
“It’s a lot different than it was a year ago and I’m very thankful for that,” Morrison said. “We did get through last year so much better than, you know, the majority of districts in Alaska and the rest of the country. And we stayed open when most districts didn’t and I really think it’s because we worked together as a community,” Morrison said.
Also in support of the policy, board member Eric Van Cise praised the planning efforts conducted by district administration.
“I came into the meeting tonight to be advocating (for mask wearing) at all levels, until we figure out what the variants... and just see how things play out,” he said. “However, based on the reports, no surprise, from our principals, yourself, staff ... this document right here, this could be a national document for public schools... It’s not foolproof, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work 100 percent. But I can’t think of a place anywhere that has been this thorough.”
