Whitefish schools poised to extend hybrid learning

At a school board meeting on Thursday, the Whitefish School District will recommend continuing with a hybrid model of remote and on-site learning through Oct. 9 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases and the resulting required 14-day quarantines.

“Over the weekend we had four new cases in our schools and significant increases in quarantines,” Whitefish Interim Superintendent Dave Means stated in an email sent to families and staff Monday night.

Three of those cases were at Muldown Elementary, which resulted in a grade level going to fully remote learning.

“We currently have one grade level teaching and learning remotely due to staffing challenges and quarantine protocols. As we monitor absences and critical staffing levels, the potential for an entire school being required to move to remote learning is high. With a hybrid model, we can reduce the number of close contacts due to distancing and possibly decrease the potential of moving to 100% remote learning,” Means stated.

On Monday the district reported the “total average student/staff quarantines at 61 as part of its “district indicator tracking” data.

Means said the decision to continue with the hybrid model was based on recommendations from Flathead City-Council Health Department (FCCHD), local medical professionals and the district’s COVID Task Force Committee.

“The FCCHD has recommended that we stay in the hybrid model until cases decline. The FCCHD health officer stated, ‘Because you are in the hybrid model, I would recommend you not go back to full-time until cases decline. At this time it will give you more flexibility for social distancing.’ We have also been advised by local medical professionals to stay in the current model based on the recent increase in the number of active cases occurring,” Means stated in the email.

Since the start of school, students have been alternating days they attend class on-site to reduce the number of people in schools at one time. Groups of students are scheduled to attend school on campus twice a week and off campus three days a week. On the days students were scheduled to learn remotely, they joined their classes in real-time, which is referred to as “synchronous learning.” Wednesdays have been slated for all students to work independently off campus and for teachers to hold regular office hours to provide individual support or intervention.

The hybrid model was to be a transition into returning to on-site learning for all students. Originally, the transition was slated to last two weeks. On Aug. 18 it was extended to five weeks with the intent to fully reopen on Sept. 28, with the understanding that returning completely to on-site instruction was dependent on the health of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools around the valley have emphasized that plans are subject to change as new information is received and as schools can continue operating as long as they have enough staff.

“This is a difficult recommendation for us to make, as we know the impact this has on our Whitefish families. It is our hope that we can return to 100% on-site learning as soon as possible and hope with this model we can reduce close contacts and therefore keep students on site,” Means said.

The board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday. People may participate remotely by visiting https://wsd44.org/ and clicking on the link provided in the calendar.

If you have questions regarding COVID-19 call Kalispell Regional Medical Center at 406-890-7272, for adult-specific specialists, or 406-890-7273 for pediatric specialists.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.