Portland Public Schools: Back To School Update: Physical Distancing In Schools

Press release from Portland Public Schools:

August 31, 2021

Dear Families and Students,

As we’ve communicated all summer long, we will keep three (3) feet of physical distance for students and staff, nose to nose, to the extent possible. This is aligned to the recommendations in the Oregon Department of Education’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners Resiliency Framework.

While the overwhelming majority of our 3,000+ classrooms will comfortably maintain 3-feet of physical distance between each student nose to nose, we realize that we will have a few “to the extent possible” classrooms when we take into account furniture, equipment, and room for some movement. We will work with each school leader to maximize distance to the extent possible and maximize other layers of health and safety across our schools.

Each layer of safety we’ve planned for in our schools works together. We know that the combination of our layered safety measures helps to better ensure a healthy learning environment. We’ve upgraded our air filters to MERV 13 standards across schools, and will have HEPA air purifiers in every classroom. And we know that it will take all of us doing our part, wearing our masks, washing our hands, and getting a vaccine shot when eligible, to keep ourselves and each other safe.

How did PPS determine that the overwhelming majority of our classrooms will comfortably maintain 3 feet of physical distancing? 

Using our known data, PPS estimated how many students could occupy each classroom, assuming a minimum of 3 feet of distance between each student. To complete this effort, we took the following steps:

Classrooms with enrollments below the estimated number of students are not anticipated to have spacing concerns.

Of course, we also understand that this is only part of the process. We’ve taken this analysis and walked each of our schools and classrooms to verify and or make adjustments that maximize physical distancing to the extent possible. We appreciate our Area Senior Directors, our district’s senior leaders supervising schools, our facilities team, and school principals for their room by room efforts on this front.

What type of adjustments are you making to maximize physical distancing?

Three feet of distancing is not that much different than a regular classroom environment.  Any classroom that we determined cannot maintain 3 feet between desks due to enrollment or room layout will review/take the below measures, if feasible, to maximize distancing:

• Remove ancillary furniture and rearranging desks
• Move or switch larger class sizes with smaller class sizes
• Repurpose traditional non-classroom spaces to use as classrooms
• Changing out 2-person tables for single student desks where possible (Anticipating our distancing needs, PPS ordered thousands of these desks in May and finally received them last week; however, not every classroom will have single person desks.)

What is the purpose of physical distancing? 

The COVID-19 virus primarily spreads when one person breathes in droplets or aerosols that are produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. The risk is increased the closer someone is to the infected person. However, with universal masks and ventilation, the risk of transmission and infection decreases significantly. 

Based on studies looking at both the virus circulating and real life studies in classrooms, the CDC now advises 3 feet spacing of physical distance for classrooms.  

How will physical distancing be considered by the Multnomah County Health Department when investigating?

It is very important that, in order to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure, you self-screen for symptoms of COVID-19.

If there is a COVID-19 case identified in one of our schools, we will follow local public health requirements for contact tracing, isolating and quarantining. This will include an investigation to verify what individuals, if any, might have been within 3 feet of a confirmed case. We understand that each case will be unique, and each exposure will determine the appropriate next steps for possible quarantining.

We hope this latest information is helpful ahead of the first day of school. Visit PPS.net/BacktoSchool2021 for more answers to your common questions and our 2021 Back to School Family Guide. We will be sure to share further updates on other important topics that you need to know as PPS families and students.

This press release was produced by Portland Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.