TIGARD, OR. – Superintendent Dr. Sue Rieke-Smith announced today that the Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) will start the 2020-2021 school year online in comprehensive distance learning (CDL). This announcement follows Governor Kate Brown’s guidance released today in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority.  Rieke-Smith identified the guiding factors leading to this decision to include the continued spread of COVID-19 specifically in the metropolitan area; the mandated health and safety measures that must be in place to open buildings and serve all students; and the disruption to learning that will be caused by mandatory 14-day quarantining of students and staff and the shutting down of classrooms and buildings when positive cases are reported. 

“As educators, we are painfully aware of the importance of in-person instruction and relationship building, and all of us cannot wait for the day when we can welcome our students back into our buildings,” said Superintendent Rieke-Smith. “This decision was made by weighing evidence-based data from our county and state health officials alongside my obligation to protect the safety and well-being of each of all of our students, teachers, and staff. Making this decision now allows our staff time to focus on creating a robust online learning experience that will thoughtfully meet the needs of every TTSD student.” 

Per the district’s newly amended school year calendar, TTSD’s first day for students will be Monday, September 14, 2020. Online instruction will continue for the first nine weeks of the school year.  Planning will continue to ready the district to safely transition back into buildings and for hybrid in-person instruction. That timeline will be informed by local and state public health conditions as reported in the Governor’s health metrics and the phased recovery of Washington County. 

TTSD is currently hosting community presentations to engage students and families in the planning to-date for the “Operational Blueprint to Reentry” plan as directed by “Ready Schools Safe Learners” (RSSL) guidance from the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority. Parents, guardians, and students are highly encouraged to participate in this process as their feedback is helping inform this planning. Presentations specific to grades, schools, languages, and special needs will be hosted over the next several weeks. A calendar of upcoming virtual community and family meetings, along with presentations and important return-to-school resources are available on the district’s website. 

TTSD will finalize planning over the next two weeks and present the completed Blueprint to the School Board on August 10th. The full plan and details specific to elementary, middle, and high school will be sent to district families the week of August 10. All Oregon districts must file their Health and Safety plans with their county health departments and the “Blueprint to Reentry” with ODE by August 15, 2020. The district’s finalized plan will be posted and available to the public on the district website.