Medical Lake School District unveils updated re-opening plan

MEDICAL LAKE--The district released a new plan for phasing students back to in-person learning today, Dec. 1. The new plan detailed when all grade levels would return; currently, only preschoolers through second graders have any form of in-person learning, aside from special populations such as special-needs children or those without reliable Internet access.

Third graders will return Dec. 7 to Hallett and Michael Anderson Elementary schools. After winter break, fourth and fifth graders will return in-person Jan. 11. These grades will be full-time in-person at Michael Anderson and in a hybrid model at Hallett, due to more space available for physical distancing protocols at the former.

Superintendent Tim Ames said Michael Anderson was designed to house 600 students and currently only has 330 enrolled, while Hallett was designed to house 500 students and has an enrollment of 460, hence the difference in return models.

Middle schoolers and high schoolers will return to in-person learning in a hybrid model Feb. 1. Endeavors currently has students attending in-person either in the morning or afternoon.

“We currently have students and staff in our schools and have conducted multiple contact tracings,” Ames said. “I am pleased to announce we are doing extremely well in mitigating the spread of COVID in our schools.”

Drew Lawson can be reached at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.