A plan for a return to school in the fall received unanimous approval in a Portland school board vote Tuesday night.
The plan calls for five days a week of in-person learning, universal indoor masking for students and staff, physical distancing during eating and instruction to the extent possible, and pooled coronavirus testing for K-6 classrooms.
Parents in the community have expressed concern over the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, adding new urgency to develop safety measures for students and staff when they return to classrooms.
According to the Portland Press Herald, Superintendent Xavier Botana says the district has been getting feedback from the community on a potential vaccine requirement for staff as well. He says they’re still gathering data to determine how many staff members are vaccinated. A voluntary survey in the spring found 95% of respondents were vaccinated or planning to get their shots, but only about 47% of employees responded to the survey.
