Testing still required for students

Year-end testing will still be required by the state even though students are learning remotely, Superintendent of the Wasco Union Elementary School District Kelly Richers said.

“We are to test students in science, math, English and other school subjects,” Richers told the board.

Richers said that he does not anticipate opening the schools after the winter break.

Richers also said that as of this week, if a county moves from the red tier down to the purple tier, only the schools that had students in them would be allowed to keep students in that school. Prior to that, the state said that if a district was in the red tier with students attending school, students could attend school at any school site within a district.

“This means that because Clemens does not have any students, it cannot be opened if we go back to the purple tier,” he said.

When Richers presented his report to the board, he said that because of the pandemic, it is going to be more difficult to provide baskets of food to the families that need them. The pandemic prevents schools from having any fundraisers or food drives and the holidays, which the community generously gives, will not be happening this year.