Wenatchee School District Feeling Positive on Hybrid

The Wenatchee School Board took at look at its hybrid instruction rollout last week while also examining their path moving forward.

Superintendent Dr. Paul Gordon says the district's slow and methodical phased return of students has been effective.

"Your safety and staff safety is No. 1 and I'm proud of where we're at. Proud that we don't have a lot of positives [tests] and exposures and I'm proud that, from what I've heard, [we] don't have staff members who have been significantly impacted like we've heard in other districts. I think that is a real celebration."

The remaining students, all high schoolers, just finished their first week of hybrid instruction.

Board Member Julie Norton says she'd like to see more student involvement during 'down time' in order to simulate a full day's learning.

"As optimistic as I try to be, I struggle to see that we're going to get back [for full-time] before the end of the school year. Can we bridge that learning gap by making it a little bit more rigorous in those down times."

The district says the six foot social distancing requirement inside schools is its greatest limiting factor to reopening for full days outside of the availability of vaccinations for all school employees.