OREGON, Ohio — After two weeks on a hybrid learning model, it's back to in-person learning full time for kindergarten through 6th grade students in the Oregon City Schools district.
Students in grades 7 through 12 began to return on a hybrid learning model today as well.
OCS announced yesterday in an email to families that the district has partnered with Mercy Health to utilize a "Mobile COVID Testing Team", which will handle any needed COVID-19 testing of students or staff.
Anyone who exhibits symptoms will be referred to Mercy Health, who will send someone from the Mobile COVID Testing Team to the individual's house and administer a COVID-19 test, with results as soon as within 24 hours.
"The goal is to respond quickly to each situation to limit the amount of time students and staff are quarantined," superintendent Hal Gregory writes, in the email to families. "Keeping students coming to school, staff engaged with their students, and safety continue to be our priorities."
Near the end of September, school officials announced plans for students to head back to full in-person learning, with the goal of having all students back in buildings by Nov. 2.
In an email on Oct. 15, superintendent Hal Gregory confirmed that despite Lucas county returning to "red level" on the state of Ohio's COVID-19 dashboard, OCS would continue moving forward as planned with getting students back to in-person learning.
In the email, Gregory detailed conditions that would change instructional plans going forward:
1. Staffing levels - If OCS cannot maintain appropriate staffing levels due to COVID, instructional plans may need to be adjusted.
2. COVID outbreaks - If a school or the district is experiencing a COVID outbreak, OCS may need to adjust the instructional plan by going back to remote learning either as a school or as an entire district for two or so weeks, working with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department for guidance.
3. Lucas County goes purple - If Lucas County were to reach "purple level" on the state COVID-19 dashboard, OCS would "most likely" be moving to remote learning, to be decided if or when that occurs.
4. Governor's order - If the Ohio Governor mandates a school closure, OCS will follow the order.
