PUYALLUP, Wash. — Students in Puyallup return to in-person learning Thursday.
Officials say the process of getting ready wasn’t easy, but they feel confident they’re ready.
“Information changes quickly. If there’s one thing we learned last year, it’s that,” said Sarah Gillispie, director of communications for the Puyallup School District. “We’re excited about the school year, but we’re anxious about the rising cases. But what I can tell you that we’re prepared.”
Being prepared means mandatory masks and rapid testing for athletes.
But will that be enough?
Pierce County’s Health Department confirmed 265 COVID-19 cases and two new deaths Monday. It also reported a 14-day case rate of 612.2 and a hospitalization rate that’s currently 14.8 per 100,000 people.
In case some parents are still hesitant, school officials are also offering families an opportunity to stay home if they don’t feel safe.
“We offer a remote distance learning option for anyone that chooses to have their child learn from home,” Gillispie said.
Puyallup school officials are also assuring families that they have systems in place to adapt to any new challenges that might come up in the future.
“We have a COVID response team that meets weekly, assessing the transmissions in our schools and determine what programmatic changes need to be made to keep everyone safe,” Gillispie said.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story said the district will perform daily health screenings. Daily screenings are no longer required.