FAIRVIEW, Ore — All students attending Reynolds Middle School in Fairview will return to in-person classes by Dec. 10.
The school sent kids home for virtual learning on Nov. 22 after multiple fights, outbursts and disruptions. Staff said some students struggled to adjust to COVID-19 protocols and socializations skills needed for in-person learning. The district said they needed time to address the disruptions.
Teachers will return to the classroom to prepare for students on Dec. 6, then students will return on a staggered scheduled:
- 6th graders on Dec. 7
- 7th graders on Dec. 8
- 8th graders on Dec. 9
All students will be back in the classroom by Dec. 10.
The pause for in-person education allowed for school officials to conduct a full-review of campus safety. Officials said some of the improvements that will be implemented will be providing adult supervision in more challenging areas of campus and adding two additional campus monitors to support safety.
Reynolds Middle School also announced a peer mediator program is under development. The goal is to allow students to participate in helping others resolve conflicts peacefully with longer lasting results. The school has also reached out to people specializing in mental health services to support student wellbeing.
“During this short-term distance learning time, we worked diligently to ensure teachers, staff and administration at RMS acquired the social-emotional support and academic tools to provide every student with a safe learning environment,” said Reynolds School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Danna Diaz. “We would like to thank parents, students, teachers and staff for their patience and understanding during our short-term distance learning time to help ensure we return to a safe, productive learning environment.”
The school also changed recess activities to include high-interest games, competitions, and celebrations for student to ensure engagement, reorganized lunch periods to provide more efficient traffic flow, implemented monthly social skills campaigns and students and staff will participate in Challenge Day in January 2022. The program helps youth and adults unlearn harmful habits, experience vulnerability as a pillar to restore strength, and enable the experience of freedom of full expression through compassion, connection, and diversity.
RELATED: Reynolds Middle School pausing in-person learning for two weeks after student outbursts, fights
The work to solve issues at the school will not strictly fall in the hands of students. Teachers learned de-escalation training to understand the escalation cycle and appropriate methods of prevention. The school also asked parents and guardians to participate in the work. They want families to have conversations to discuss students' social and emotional health, constructive ways to de-escalate feelings of frustration and anger, the importance of physical boundaries and the impact of bullying in-person or online.
The school said more measure are to come, but it believes the current steps taken will work to build a save learning environment for all.
