Moses Lake elementary, middle schools to reopen for in-person learning Thursday

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District will welcome elementary and middle school students inside classrooms for the first time this school year, as air quality has improved from a hazardous rating to unhealthy.

“Based on the forecast, expectations from the Washington State Department of Health indicate that we should be in the orange category of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups for tomorrow,” the school district wrote in a statement.

Smoke from California and Oregon wildfires has blanketed Washington state since Friday, bringing the air quality index (AQI) to over 300, entering the “hazardous” category, according to state officials. By Wednesday evening, the AQI had dropped to 217, considered “very unhealthy.” To be considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups” by Thursday, AQI would need to drop under 150.

During recess and physical education, students with asthma, respiratory infection, and lung or heart disease should remain indoors, according to a statement. Any students that don’t want to go outside will be allowed to remain indoors.

High school students will continue to take classes online, after an August vote by the Moses Lake School Board to cancel all in-person classes for the high school for the beginning of the school year.