Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Dear Neah-Kah-Nie School District Community,

Thank you for participating in the recent Let’s chat with Paul and for your understanding as we navigate safely through the pandemic. 

The letter I sent on August 31 indicated the school district would begin the school year in Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL) due to the extremely high positive COVID case counts, high test positivity rate of 23.9%, and the upward trend in case counts.  The most recent county data shows a downward trend in the positive case count and a test positivity rate of 16%.  In the letter, I wrote I would continue to seek advice from the Tillamook County Health Department in order to make sound decisions.  The County Health Department’s advice is to return to in-person instruction.  

The school district’s plan is to continue to review county case count data and to communicate with school districts currently teaching in-person.  On Monday, September 20, district administrators and health officials will review the most current data and make the decision to continue in CDL or to transition to in-person instruction.  If we decide to move to in-person, the plan is for a Monday-Friday schedule following the school district’s annual calendar.  School administrators will continue to develop a plan to serve students who will be in quarantine. 

It is important for all of us to understand, we will be living with the virus until there is widespread immunity.  The best tools to protect ourselves and others is vaccination, physical distancing, face coverings, ventilation, hand hygiene, and staying home if exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Neah-Kah-Nie staff are 90% vaccinated.  Everyone age 12 and up is eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine. The school district strictly enforces face coverings for all staff and students.  We have mitigated safety protocols in place for maximum safety. 

I will continue to keep you informed of our decisions.

Sincerely,

Paul Erlebach, Superintendent

Neah-Kah-Nie School District

https://nknsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Letter-to-community-09152021-PDF.pdf