Students and staff should isolate at home if they test positive for COVID-19. Individuals can return to school if it's been 24 hours without fever and if symptoms are improving. 

How often will school spaces be cleaned?

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces will follow the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC advises that when no people with positive or presumptive COVID-19 cases are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove any virus that may be on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility. District custodians will clean and disinfect a space when a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 has been in that space within the last 24 hours. School custodians will also maintain their regular routine cleaning protocols at all school buildings.

What products are used for cleaning?

As needed, the District uses three different models of Protexus Electrostatic Sprayers. The District uses Evaclean PURTABS Disinfection Tablets as its primary disinfectant solution, which is hospital grade. For high-touch surfaces, the District also uses the Solsta 764 Quaternary disinfectant from WAXIE.

What rooms will get additional cleaning?

Locker rooms, health rooms, and bathrooms will be cleaned nightly using Protexus Electrostatic Sprayers. These school areas are more prone to germs given the nature of the spaces. 

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District will not conduct contact tracing during the 2022-23 school year. The District will notify families in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak and will consult with Clackamas County Public Health.

What do I do if my student tests positive for COVID-19?

If your student tests positive for COVID-19, please contact your school office immediately. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should not come to school and should instead isolate at home for five days.

Will I be alerted about a positive case of COVID-19 at my student's school?

The entire school community will be alerted in the event of a significant outbreak at the school. Schools will not send school-wide notifications for every individual case of COVID-19, however. 

Is testing available if my student develops COVID-19 symptoms during the school day?

The school may send a student home with an at-home test in certain situations, but onsite testing is not available.

Will students be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine to attend in-person learning?

West Linn-Wilsonville students are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Students' enrollment will not be impacted by whether or not they receive the vaccine. 

WLWV follows guidance from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) in regards to which vaccinations are required for students to attend our schools and what exemptions are acceptable. At this time, ODE and OHA have not required the COVID-19 vaccine for students. 

Where can my student get a COVID-19 vaccine?

Students ages 12 and up are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you would like information about where to find a vaccine, visit the state's Find a COVID Vaccine in Oregon website. 

Will West Linn-Wilsonville staff be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

All West Linn-Wilsonville staff are required to provide proof of vaccination per the State of Oregon; exemptions may be made for eligible medical or religious reasons. 

For information about how to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, please check the state’s Get Vaccinated Oregon website or call 211 for the nearest vaccination location. 

Will volunteers be required to show proof of vaccination?

Community members do not need to be vaccinated to volunteer in WLWV schools. Unvaccinated volunteers will be required to submit a medical or religious exception when registering in HelpCounter per the State of Oregon's mandate, however. Volunteers are required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before volunteering in WLWV schools.

Staff, students, volunteers, and visitors are strongly encouraged but not required to wear face coverings while on school campuses.

Due to COVID-19 state and federal funding for free meals ending, students will need to pay for meals starting in 2022-23.

Eligible families are encouraged to apply for the free and reduced meal program starting in July. After applying, families will receive a letter notifying them if they’ve been approved. Families need to apply for the free and reduced meal program every year, even if they’ve applied and been approved previously. Applications can be printed or submitted electronically by visiting the district website. Applications are also available at your child’s school.

Schools will also return to our pre-pandemic meal service protocols starting in 2022-23. This requires students to enter their student ID number prior to receiving lunch. Schools will re-teach students meal protocols at the beginning of next school year, and we encourage families to start working with their students now to memorize student ID numbers.

When is the first day of school?

The first day of school for all West Linn-Wilsonville schools and students, including the WLWV K12 Online Academy, is Tuesday, Aug. 30. 

What time does school start and end?

Primary Schools: 7:50 a.m. - 2:10 p.m.

Middle Schools: 9:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

High Schools: 8:30 a.m. - 3:05 p.m.

Preschool: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

In accordance with the recommendations from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), students and staff will maintain physical distancing to the extent possible. 

Students and families are expected to self-screen for any symptoms of COVID-19 before coming to school every day. 

If a student exhibits or complains of any COVID-like symptoms, an adult will accompany the student to the health room. If the student presents with COVID-like symptoms or symptoms warranting exclusion, the student will be instructed to wait until a parent/guardian can pick up the student. The student will be encouraged to see a health care provider for evaluation.

IN THE EVENT that we reach a point where we’re unable to safely operate a school with adequate staffing, we would transition the school to temporary remote learning (TRL) as a last resort.  This is what the process for TRL would look like:

• Families will be notified that their school will be moving to temporary remote learning, and the dates it would take effect. The school will communicate with their families about the logistics for distributing Chromebooks, picking up meals, and other information. 
• Per our agreement with our teacher and staff associations (WWEA, OSEA), the district will provide two days for teachers, staff and the school office to transition to remote learning. For example, if the District made an announcement Monday late afternoon about transitioning to temporary remote learning, teachers and staff would have Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare.  Online learning would begin on Thursday.  The two preparation days would allow for technology distribution, online teaching systems set-up, as well as communication with families and students regarding the daily schedule.  Families would have the two days to work with their teachers and school staff on any questions or challenges with access or accommodations before instruction begins.
• Online instruction would be both synchronous (live, with teacher) and asynchronous (independently).  
• For primary schools, synchronous time would be in the mornings, daily, with some short breaks planned in between.  After lunch, primary students would engage in asynchronous learning (e.g. independent reading, writing, math practice) and optional PE/Music activities.  
• For secondary schools, teachers would determine how much of each class period is for synchronous time (attendance, check-in, direct instruction) and how much is asynchronous (independent work, practice, research).
• Meal service will continue. Families will be able to pick up a breakfast-lunch bag from school daily at a designated time. Schools will communicate details about meal pick-ups. 

Our sincere hope is that we will not need to transition any school(s) to temporary remote learning during this COVID surge. But if we do, our commitment is to provide a meaningful and high-quality online learning experience.  

What is the district’s plan for ventilation in schools? 

According to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers), proper ventilation for prevention of COVID-19 particles requires filters with a rating of MERV 13 or higher. All classrooms in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District have ventilation filters that exceed the MERV 13 rating, with the exception of some select classrooms in the district’s oldest schools. Those classrooms have been equipped with HEPA Filters, which are more efficient than MERV 16 filters. 

To ensure adequate air flow and ventilation in classrooms, outside air intake has been adjusted to maximize the amount of outside air. Currently, systems are set at 50% outside air, which is adequate to achieve four air changes per hour, more than recommended by ASHRAE. 

Ventilation is more difficult in large, open spaces such as gymnasiums. In those areas, the district has increased outside air intake as much as outside temperatures will allow. This is in alignment with ASHRAE and Ready Schools, Safe Learners recommendations.

Temporary ventilation systems are currently in place at certain school sites while capital bond construction projects wrap up this summer and early fall. Ventilation systems were upgraded at multiple school sites this summer through capital bond prjoects. Ventilation meets all ASHRAE, OHA, and CDC standards at all schools. 

Visitors are community members who are on school campuses or in school buildings for a specific one-time event or activity. Visitors are not approved to work directly with students, in classrooms, or in school settings.

Visitors are not required to provide proof of vaccination to visit school campuses.

We are excited to welcome all prospective volunteers into our schools this school year. ORS 333-019-1030 remains in effect this school year, requiring all staff and volunteers who interact with students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide a medical or religious exception. All new volunteers will be required to register through the HelpCounter system and must provide proof of vaccination or submit a medical or religious exception to be approved to volunteer. 

Volunteer Process for Vaccinated Individuals

During the HelpCounter registration process, individuals will be prompted to upload their proof of vaccination through a Google Form just like last year. That information will continue to be maintained by the Human Resources Department. Once the HelpCounter background check has been completed, and proof of vaccination has been approved, individuals may begin volunteering in schools. Individuals who were approved to volunteer last year do not need to register again this year. Approved volunteers need to re-register every three years. 

Volunteer Process for Unvaccinated Individuals

During the HelpCounter registration process, unvaccinated individuals will be prompted to download either a medical or religious exception form. Individuals must submit the appropriate form to their school office either in-person or by email. Once the HelpCounter background check has been completed, and the medical or religious exception form has been approved, individuals may begin volunteering in schools. Individuals who volunteer at multiple schools will be able to do so once approved, regardless of which school they submitted their exception form to.  

WLWV K12 Online Academy Based Within Each School

Unlike some online charter programs or schools that are separated from their school district, our model is uniquely integrated within each of our neighborhood schools. This advantage allows our students to still stay involved with their neighborhood friends, school activities, field trips, principal and office staff, school counselor, library, theatre program, athletic program, district art shows and a variety of events and resources while learning from home. Your child remains a student of their local school in the WLWV school district and we remain committed to their success.

Students in the Academy Assigned to Teacher-Librarians
We have increased our part-time teacher-librarians to full-time at each school next year in order to work directly with our Academy students. They will assist families with creating a learning plan (schedule), maintaining connection to school and activities, assigning final grades, administering state assessments, and assisting with any academic or technical concerns. Our Teacher-Librarians are all certified teachers, and have taught for years in the classroom alongside this role. They are adept with grade level curriculum, technology and digital learning platforms. Most importantly, they are excited and eager to strengthen and grow this new program into the future. The parent-guardian will still serve as their student’s main learning coach during the school day.

Daily and Weekly Contact with Academy Students

At the K-8 level, students will have the option of participating in a daily Zoom check-in with their Teacher-Librarian and other Academy students from their school. This meeting will help center the day on the learning ahead and provide an opportunity for a social check-in and personalized attention. Additional weekly connections will be scheduled based on the students’ needs and preferences. At the High School level, community Zoom meetings will occur 2-3 times a week, with check-ins between the students and Teacher-Librarian based on the students’ needs and preferences.

WKOA Office Hours and Learning Hub Support

Each school’s Teacher-Librarian will be each family’s key contact person for any academic or program support needed. Regular office hours will be set up in addition to access by email and phone. Each school’s library will serve as a Learning Hub for Academy students to arrange times to drop in for possible academic or technical support, for family conferences or meetings with the Teacher-Librarian, or a place for a small group of Academy students to connect for part of the day, like a project or tutorial.  We want our Academy students to feel welcomed, at home and comfortable at their neighborhood school even while learning at home.

WKOA Curriculum Model

As students will be learning independently at home but still enrolled as a WLWV student, it is important that they have access to grade-level, Oregon state standards with built-in assessment systems to monitor progress and assign completion of courses and credits. The District will continue using the Stride (formerly FuelEd) digital curriculum resource. While it provides the standards and curriculum structure, it does allow students and parents to be more selective about content and text choices.  

With our uniquely integrated district model, Academy students can enhance their home learning by participating in school field trips, assemblies, guest lectures, ISEF science fairs, Field Day, clubs and competitions, and other on-campus events, as interested.  

Access to Important and Expert Support Systems

Academy students will continue to receive support from our Special Education and English Language Development teachers for any specialized instruction needs.  Academy students and parents can access their school counselor or district social worker for any social-emotional or family support needed.  High school counselors will continue to work with Academy students on college and career preparations.  

WKOA families will continue to use their neighborhood school’s ListServ to receive school and district news and updates, helping them stay connected to activities and events throughout the year. 

WKOA Enrollment Remains Open

While there is no deadline to enroll in WKOA, letting your neighborhood school know of your plans as soon as possible will help us start planning for your student’s courses and success next year.  We will be hosting WKOA informational sessions in June to meet your school’s Teacher-Librarian and learn more about the program.  In the meantime, please contact your neighborhood school secretary or WKOA District Coordinator Julie Lane to enroll.