COVID Closes Gladstone School

COVID cases are forcing students in two local schools to stay home. Reynolds High School in Troutdale is moving to distance learning for at least a week because they have so many students in quarantine. There is no school today or Friday, to give teachers time to prepare for distance learning all next week.  The Reynolds school district number of students and staff that have actually tested positive for COVID-19 is small, but they have a lot of kids out for possible exposure. The goal is to return to the classroom on the 27th.

Hundreds of students in Gladstone were also sent home to quarantine. Everyone at John Wetten Elementary will stay home until the 26th. A superintendent’s letter to parents explains the decision came after a vaccinated staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

Portland Public Schools posted a dashboard listing the numbers of positive cases. Lisa Kensel is the President-Elect for the Oregon Parent Teacher Association, and the mother of three school age children.  She tells our news partner KGW, “I’m not really concerned, given that we’re a district of 50,000 students.  300 students is a very low percentage.”