As the first day of school approaches, the Snoqualmie Valley School District has released more details on students’ return to class, if not the classroom.

An updated school plan was approved by the district’s School Board on Aug. 13. It outlines the district’s vision for classes when they resume, entirely online, on Aug. 31. Also included are guidance for resuming partial in-class instruction.

With classes starting entirely online this fall, meals will be provided for students to pick up. Meals will be available to be picked up from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily. Evening meals would be available for pick up at schools between 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The district is discussing bus delivery options.

Schools which will provide pick-up food include Opstad Elementary, North Bend Elementary School, Snoqualmie Elementary, Cascade View Elementary, Fall City Elementary and Mt. Si High.

When in-class or hybrid instruction resumes, there will be physical distancing requirements, pre-packaged meals, staggering of lunch times and no sharing of food, utensils or drinks. And for students not on free or reduced lunches, parents will need to pay for meals in advance.

Congress has not renewed a waiver, which allowed the district to serve meals to every person in the district under the age of 18 last spring, and the three-tiered model of free, reduced price and paid meals will return this fall.

Cleaning and hygiene guidelines are laid out too. When in-person classes resume, students, staff and visitors will be required to wash their hands frequently Face coverings will be required for everyone in a school building, on school grounds, or on buses, with specific exemptions.

The district will have a supply of face coverings at schools for people who arrive without one. Face coverings and other personal protective equipment will also be available for staff.

Elementary School

All elementary school students will begin this school year with entirely online learning. Students will be required to engage with teachers daily, and attendance will be taken.

Two grade levels will be blended, and follow the same schedule to maximize resources and instructional time. Students in each class will then be divided into groups for work and projects. Student groups will alternate between classes with live instruction through Zoom or other services, watching pre-recorded class material and completing classwork.

Middle School

All middle school students will similarly begin the first quarter year entirely remote. Students may choose to stick with entirely online classes for the first semester of the school year, or participate in hybrid learning once students can physically return to school.

Periods one through three will be held on Mondays and Thursday, and periods four through six will be held Tuesday and Friday.

“The intention of limiting participation to three periods per day is to allow middle school students to focus on a few classes at one time rather than several classes simultaneously, which is more developmentally appropriate for young adolescents,” a district document outlining the plan states.

Class participation will include 60 minute live class meetings with teachers in the morning, followed by 35 minute live class meetings in the afternoon as an extension of the morning sessions. Attendance is required for all morning classes.

High School

While under online learning, highs school students will be required to attend all seven classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Classes will be 50 minute live meetings in the mornings, followed by 30 minute class meetings in the afternoons, similar to the middle school model.

On Wednesdays, students will be required to attend an advisory period. Students will also need to do homework and learning tasks assigned by teachers.

Grades

Elementary students will be graded by academic descriptors. This means students will receive ratings of “on track,” “progressing towards,” or “academic risk” instead of traditional grades.

Grades 6 through 12 will resume normal grading on the A through F and fail or incomplete policy. Two Rivers High School will follow their competency based program that was implemented in 2019.

Technology

Snoqualmie Valley School District has ordered 350 iPads for kindergarten and 1st Grade students. Three hundred additional devices will be bought for 6th Graders. Some 500 additional laptops will be available for teachers, and an additional 100 will be supplied to para-educators. Six hundred webcams have been ordered.

Electronic devices like computers will be supplied to any enrolled student who needs one. Families will need to check them out before the school year starts.

For students with intensive special education needs, the district is working on a plan for some students to receive in-person services by special educators and therapists. Services will be phased in during the fall.