As schools in the valley continue to plan for opening in the fall, West Valley on Monday decided to push back the first day of school, and Whitefish has scheduled the first two weeks of school as a transitional period. Both districts also have survey results that show a majority of families plan to send students back to school as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Districts in the valley are anticipating to open in phase 2, which means group sizes are not to exceed 50. Whitefish is also requiring masks for everyone in this phase in addition to health screening and hand sanitizing upon entering buildings. In West Valley, masks “may be required in common and high traffic areas, during passing times, and on buses,” in addition to health screening and hand sanitizing upon building entry when feasible.

Phases may change at any time based on local and state health conditions and directives. Currently, COVID-19 cases in Flathead County have been on the rise.

The first day of school for West Valley School District has been moved to Aug. 31, five days later than initially planned. Additionally, there will be no late start Fridays, which was about 45 minutes set aside for teacher training. That time will be used to establish days for teachers to train and prepare before school starts.

The district has yet to decide a final learning delivery model and schedule for students, which is being discussed. Whether that means students may either opt for on-site or remote learning, or the district creates an alternative schedule with a combination of on-site and remote learning for all students, is yet to be decided, according to West Valley Superintendent Cal Ketchum. A recommendation and decision is anticipated at a 5 p.m. board meeting Monday, Aug. 10.

Factoring into the recommendation are results from a survey given to families, which 98% responded to, according to Ketchum. The majority of respondents said they would have their children attend school in person under phase 2, with about 6% saying they wouldn’t, he said. The survey did not ask whether or not families would do remote learning if the district offered it. Last school year, West Valley School had a total enrollment of about 710 kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

Whitefish School District also shared its own survey results in a recent email to families updating them on what the first two weeks of school will look like.

According to the email, the survey showed about 83% of 840 responses would have students return to the classroom for on-site learning and 17% preferring remote instruction in phase 2.

Last school year, Whitefish School District had a total enrollment of 1,917 kindergarten through 12th-grade students, according to the 2019 Flathead County Superintendent of Schools statistical report.

“No matter what option is best for your student and family, I am confident that we will continue our outstanding educational programs in Whitefish Schools,” Whitefish Superintendent Dave Means stated in the email.

Whitefish School District has created a “coordinator of COVID-19 mitigation practices” position that is held by nurse practitioner Deanne Sramek, who holds a doctor of nursing practice degree and has assisted in drafting guidance and procedures related to COVID-19 for the district. The district will also add a full-time nurse position. More custodians and paraeducator/health aides will be hired for each school, which includes Whitefish High School, Whitefish Middle School and the new Muldown Elementary building.

The school district will have a two-week transition into holding 100% of classes on-site and remote learning for students who choose this option. Students opting remote learning will join live-streamed classes, also known as synchronous learning.

“With the possible changes in phases that we may face at the beginning or at any time during the school year, we plan to start school with the Whitefish School District Reopening Transition Plan. We plan to start the year with orientation to new approaches to blended learning, remote learning, and in-person learning for students, staff and families. This will require a different schedule in the first two weeks of instruction with reduced numbers of students and alternating attendance,” Means said.

“If we continue to be in Phase II at the end of those two weeks, we will then transition to our Phase II plan on September 8th with our on-site learning for 5 days per week and remote learning for those who choose this option,” he said.

Extracurricular activities will also resume in phase 2 in accordance with group size limitations and health protocols.

Families in Kalispell Public Schools also favor returning to school for on-site learning. In a July Daily Inter Lake article the district reported receiving 4,747 responses to a survey sent to its families, with 84.7% of those respondents planning for their children to return to school for on-site learning, and 13.9%, selecting remote learning. The remainder chose an option that they are either moving/relocating to another school district. Last school year, Kalispell Public Schools had a total enrollment of nearly 6,000 students.

Kalispell families who prefer remote learning are reminded the deadline to register for this educational delivery method is Aug. 7. What instruction will look like is expected to be formalized by Aug. 14. The district has also scheduled teacher training days prior to the start of school in order to prepare. The first day of school is Aug. 28 for grades six and nine. First- through 12th-graders start school on Aug. 31. Remote instruction starts Sept. 8.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.