Othello schools cope with quarantines

OTHELLO — During an Othello School District board meeting Nov. 23, it was reported that on Nov. 20, 30 teachers and 42 classified staffers were quarantined.

When asked how classrooms were staffed, Sandra Villarreal, executive director of human resources for the school district, said that schools were getting creative, including putting principals in classrooms.

“We have paras (paraprofessionals) that have emergency certifications,” Villarreal said. “You do what you can to make it through the day. By Friday, we were really hurting. We had front offices not staffed.”

Villarreal estimated that of those staff members on quarantine, 40 of them were physically unable to work.

This report came one day after the Othello School District was forced to return all classes to online learning by the standards set by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the CDC and local health district officials.

“Two of our elementary schools, Hiawatha and Scootney Springs, both had two cohort groups who were quarantined at the same time,” said Superintendent Chris Hurst in a press release. “According to guidance from state and local officials, this is a milestone that requires the district to transition all students back to distance learning for a period of time.”

In an emergency board meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, the board voted to keep kindergarteners, second-graders and third-grade students in in-person classes until shut down by health authorities. Now, all students will learn online through Dec. 4.

Meal pickups will be offered at Hiawatha Elementary, McFarland Middle School and Othello High School from 11 a.m. to noon on school days. Buses will deliver meals to select locations also.