On Monday, even with COVID cases at the county’s so-called critical level, elementary schools in the Blaine County School District opened their doors to all students, each day of the week. It marks the first time district schools have been in full operation in-person since the lockdown in late March 2020. Prior to Monday, students had been doing hybrid learning, wherein only half of the student population was at school on any given day while the other half did distance learning.
“We recognize that our decision will disappoint many people from both ends of the opinion spectrum, but we also know that no decision we could have made or might make in the future will receive the approval of everyone concerned,” board president Keith Roark said.
Middle schools and high schools—which have been less successful in preventing the spread of the virus—will remain on the hybrid schedule. All students K-12 will learn from home on Fridays.
School board trustees voted 4–1 on Jan. 27 to return elementary students to the in-person schedule. Trustee Amber Larna, who has been the most COVID-restriction-leary member of the board, dissented.
“Our kids need to be in school, all of them, not just the elementary students. I feel we are depriving our students of their right to a quality education and punishing them for living in a resort community. We have delayed a return to full-time classwork too long already and it’s time to move forward,” Larna said.