Inslee extends schools closure through June

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that he is ordering schools — public, private and charter — closed for the rest of the academic year.

“We cannot take the chance of reopening on-site instruction this school year,” Inslee said during a press conference with Superintendent Chris Reykdal.

The governor initially closed schools statewide on March 17 until April 24 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, nearly two months after the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the Puget Sound region.

However, on Thursday, April 2, Inslee extended his original statewide “stay-at-home” order for all non-essential workers and businesses — originally slated to end on Monday, April 6 — until Monday, May 4. The last day of school in the Moses Lake School District was originally set for Friday, June 5.

Inslee said that current high school seniors will graduate in June, but that he wants school districts to focus on “distance learning” and asked the state’s 1.2 million school students — 1.1 million in the public schools and another 100,000 in private schools — to continue studying and do their best.

“If you are a senior in good standing, I expect you will receive your diploma,” the governor said. “Educators will continue teaching, so embrace learning, I think you’ll be glad you did.”

The governor said the state is also looking at the possibility of end-of-school-year gatherings and even possibly graduation ceremonies.

“We are going to get through this,” Inslee said. “We look forward to your bright futures, and we’re looking at ways of bringing people together for graduation ceremonies.”

Inslee also said the state is looking at a limited opening of school facilities for students learning English, “the profoundly disabled and other vulnerable students” that allow for “limited school activities that follow social distancing guidelines.”

Reykdal said the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is also looking at what returning to school in the fall might look like as well as assuring internet access in the state’s rural counties.

“We have to get connectivity to all of our students,” Reykdal said. “The state ought to lead the nation in connectivity. It will never replace face-to-face teaching, but it’s as much a right as clean water.”

Editor’s note: The story on Quincy High School today on the Lifestyle front page was produced before the announcement Monday by Gov. Inslee to keep schools closed.