Not counting charter or remote one-classroom schools, there are 48 public schools in Deschutes County. And only one was open for in-person learning for much of the fall: Sisters Elementary School.
Four days a week since late September, about 270 students from preschool to fourth grade have attended class inside Sisters Elementary. Many teachers, school staff and parents say their ability to learn in person has been a major benefit, academically and emotionally, for those children.
âItâs so much easier to form a relationship with kids when you can see their needs, theyâre sitting in the chair in front of you,â said Clay Warburton, a Sisters fourth grade teacher. âAnd you can meet their needs in a more direct, compassionate way than you can over Zoom.â