As schools across the nation grapple with the prospect of resuming classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts in rural Oregon hope to leverage their modest size to conduct largely in-person classes.

In eastern Oregon, Baker School District will resume in-person learning for younger students. Students sixth grade and up will come to school two days a week, and the other two days will attend class online. In person learning will include recess and physical education for the students. All students will wear face coverings indoors. For months, Baker County had just one positive COVID-19 case, but that increased to 16 in the last few weeks.

Elsewhere in the state, the small town of Monument will take advantage of its large classrooms to impose a 35-foot distance between desks. Monument had just 53 K-12 students last year, and another five students in their preschool program. Monument’s isolation from strong cellular networks makes internet learning particularly challenging, prompting the school district to move ahead with in person learning despite growing cases in the county.

Read the full story from the Oregon Public Broadcasting network here: https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-rural-school-districts-fall-plans-in-person-instruction-grant-baker-umatilla/