We are so excited to welcome your child to the 2021-22 school year. We have some exciting changes for the year ahead, but you can still count on your child receiving one of the best educations in Washington.  The state Department of Health’s K-12 COVID-19 requirements were recently updated. Here’s what you need to know as we prepare for the first day of school.

What will the school day look like?
We will offer full-time, in-person instruction five days per week on our previous start/end time schedules. FREE meals will continue to be served at each school location, and buses will return to their normal routes. 

Does my child have to wear a mask?
Yes. We must observe the state order requiring face coverings in K-12 schools (for both unvaccinated and vaccinated students and staff). Compliance with this order is required and is not at the discretion of local school districts.

Will my child be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
No. There is no COVID vaccine requirement for students, and that is not expected this year. Fully vaccinated, non-symptomatic students will not have to quarantine when exposed to COVID-19.

Will schools observe physical distancing requirements?
We will maintain a physical distance of three feet between students in classroom settings to the degree possible and reasonable. Each school’s ability to do so will be dependent on a variety of variables.  

What are my options if I am not comfortable with my child returning in person?
We will continue to offer remote learning through the Oak Harbor Virtual Academy. We also have our parent partnership program called HomeConnection, which combines homeschool with district resources.  These two options give all of our families the ability to continue their child's education with our district safely and effectively. For families interested in these options, please call 360.279.5903. 

Is late start Wednesdays happening this year? 
Yes. This will replace our early release Mondays from previous years. The reason for Late Start Wednesdays is to provide an extra hour of sleep for students mid-week, improve alignment with after-school sports and activities, and allow staff to engage in professional development training in the morning. On Wednesdays, all schedules will start one hour later. Your child’s school will be sending communication with specific start times and bell schedules. 

Do I need to do anything to receive transportation for my child?
All families needing transportation to or from school are required to fill out the following transportation request form. Even if your child received transportation services in previous years, families still need to fill out the transportation form.

When will classes be listed?
Schools are working hard to get class lists created for our students.  As we get closer to the start of the year, schools will be communicating with families with specific dates when they'll be released.

When will we know if our elementary in-transfer request is approved?
Our elementary teams are currently reviewing the in-district transfer requests. Before transfer requests are approved, school registrars must finalize new student enrollments and confirm the registration of returning students for the new school year. The transfer meeting is held after these processes are completed to know how many spots are available.  Careful consideration is made to ensure space availability at the transfer school and balanced class sizes for all the elementary schools. Once in-district transfers and then choice transfers decisions are made, families are notified. If a transfer is granted, the transfer school makes the notification. If a transfer is denied, the neighborhood school contacts the family to inquire about appealing the denial and being placed on a waitlist.

Didn't see your question answered? Ask us!