Here’s what Thurston school leaders report about the first week of school from home

When North Thurston High School student Cody Delacruz began his senior year Wednesday, he had mixed feelings. He missed his friends, but now he’s much more comfortable with remote learning.

“Last year you could tell teachers weren’t happy, students weren’t happy,” Delacruz said. “I think this year, it’s a whole new year and people are prepared and ready for it. Teachers are excited to start something new. I think that’s really cool.”

Public schools in Thurston County began the year fully remote, after Thurston County Public Health and Social Services recommended districts delay in-person general instruction. PHSS told districts that small groups of students may still meet in person for specialized instruction, as long as districts followed safety requirements.

North Thurston Public Schools, Olympia and Tumwater school districts all plan to implement in-person specialized instruction for small groups of students by the end of the month. For now, though, students are learning from home.

“The reports were that it went pretty smoothly,” said North Thurston Public Schools spokesperson Courtney Schrieve of the first day. “There certainly were a few hiccups where people didn’t have their login or a child didn’t know how to unmute themselves, but overall the consensus around the district is that it was a pretty smooth start to remote learning.”

Delacruz said he is able to take more breaks throughout the day and finishes his homework faster. Last year he woke up at 5:45 a.m. to catch the bus, but without a commute this fall, he can sleep in a bit longer. Delacruz’s younger brother, who is a 5th grade student in the same district, also likes being able to get up from his desk throughout the day, Delacruz said.

Some families, however, have delayed enrolling their children. Initial estimates from the districts indicate that enrollment is down, but it isn’t clear yet by how much. The Olympia School District’s enrollment is currently down four percent from last year, but spokesperson Susan Gifford said the first day of school is always lower than the district’s ultimate enrollment number. Gifford said it is too early to tell if staffing will be affected by changes in enrollment.

North Thurston Public Schools’ enrollment is still lower than what the district expected, but the number of Kindergarten students continues to climb. The district hired eight teachers over the weekend, after a few left to become instructional coaches, Schrieve said.

Schrieve also noted some parents are choosing to homeschool their kids. She believes those families will enroll their children in the district when schools are allowed to resume in-person learning.

“My prediction is once we are up and running we will get those families back,” Schrieve said.

In the Tumwater School District, Superintendent Sean Dotson said the district avoided filling positions after staff resigned or retired in the spring.

“We did some hiring in August in positions we knew we would need,” Dotson said. “... We have held some positions and shifted people around. We have helped adjust our staff down really through attrition and that’s been effective.”

Within the next month, the North Thurston Public Schools, Olympia and Tumwater school districts all plan to implement in-person instruction for small groups of five students or less. The districts are prioritizing students who cannot receive resources or services remotely.

For the Tumwater School District, that includes a lot of students without access to the internet. Dotson is currently aware of at least 90 students who live in areas that don’t have cellphone service, let alone reliable internet access. If students at least have cellphone service, the district can provide them with a hotspot for accessing the internet at home.

Earlier in the year, the district surveyed students about their access to the internet and got responses from about half of the people surveyed. As teachers begin connecting with students, though, Dotson said he believes the district will learn of many more students without access to the internet.

“We continue to hear that it is very hard for some of our families,” Dotson said. “We are certainly aware of that and trying to figure out whatever ways we can to help people who are in a variety of circumstances right now.”

In the North Thurston Public Schools district, Schrieve said the district is still working out how it will determine which students will be in the small groups that learn in-person.

“Basically if they can’t get their services that they need delivered online, they would come in,” Schrieve said. “... If they (students) can’t be served through remote learning right now — which is our main focus due to public health concerns — then we will work to safely deliver those education models to small groups.”

In the Olympia School District, the small groups will consist of students with special needs who are able to come to the schools.

“As far as having additional students come in, we are waiting on guidance from Thurston County Public Health and Social Services,” Gifford said. “... We are watching that guidance really closely.”