PORTLAND, Ore. — On Thursday many of the youngest Portland Public Schools students headed back to the classroom for their first day of hybrid, in-person learning.
“This is kindergarten. This is the first year so we don’t have anything to compare it to; so it’s interesting and exciting for him,” said a mom named Christy who was dropping her son Vaughn off at Scott Elementary.
“They need to get out and get back in the swing of things and, you know, hang out with friends because they’re getting antisocial,” said another mom, Jena, who was also dropping off a child.
Students in pre-K through first grade who started hybrid learning stayed in class for a little over two hours. After that, they went right back home.
Alissa McMaken Roberts’ son, Kai, was one of the many children who attended school in-person.
“Today Kai went back for his first in-person day of kindergarten learning, and it was great," said McMaken Roberts. "He said he had a great time and he spontaneously told me that his favorite part of his day was meeting his teacher in person."
Her other son Nico, who is in second grade, will start hybrid learning on Monday.
“My older son misses school a lot. It’s actually more challenging for him than it is for Kai,” McMaken Roberts said.
She said she believes hybrid learning will be beneficial for both of her kids and give them more structure.
“I think it’ll enhance their love of learning, I hope,” she said.
But while there are many families who have jumped at the opportunity for some in-person instruction, others have chosen to stick with online learning.
Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said the district is honoring each family’s choice about staying online or going to hybrid.
“At [the] elementary level on average, we have two-thirds of our families who have indicated they want to come back for hybrid, in-person learning,” said Guerrero.
Parents who have decided to keep their child learning from home have varying reasons for their decision. For some, the hybrid schedule is a big disruption to family schedules. Some parents have said it’s not worth it to have to drop off and pick up their children for two hours of in-person instruction.
Rashelle Chase’s family chose to keep her second-grade son Leo learning online.
“There was a lot of soul searching about it,” said Chase.
“He has cerebral palsy and asthma, and both those conditions put him at higher risk of getting sick or getting more sick.”
Chase said because of the cerebral palsy, her son needs more physical help from his teachers that may require much less than six or even three feet of distance.
Additionally, Chase said they’re a family of color and her husband works outside the home. Studies have shown people of color to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
“We do already have greater risk factors,” Chase said.
She said another thing she kept in mind is that while teachers may be vaccinated, students’ families may not be.
Other parents who’ve made the same decision to stay online learning have mentioned being worried about equity, that kids in-person may get a better education than those online.
“That continues to be our priority. How do we maintain a high degree of continuity of learning and a quality and a rigor in the teaching and learning experience, whether you’re in-person on campus or you’re at home,” Guerrero said.
Initially Chase had equity concerns as well.
“Because he’s a child of color and because he has a disability, he’s already at higher risk for experiencing the opportunity gap and disparities in his education,” said Chase.
But after speaking to Leo’s teacher about specific ways the teacher plans to connect with students, she said she feels much more at ease.
Looking ahead, students in second through fifth grades who signed up for hybrid learning will start on Monday, April 5. Then middle and high school students are expected to start the week of April 19.
Guerrero said preparing for hybrid learning has been an all-hands-on-deck situation. He said while the district has spent the last year planning a return to some semblance of in-person school, there are still adjustments and fine tuning happening.
Right now, middle and high school principals are working at their individual schools to get things ready for hybrid learning to start later this month.
“I think we’re gonna be ready for our students,” said Guerrero.