Portland Public Schools: Announcing Planned Changes To Coronavirus Protocols In Light Of Declining Case Numbers

Press release from Portland Public Schools:

February 17, 2022

Dear PPS Families, Staff and Community,

"As the COVID-19 pandemic moves into its next phase, we are preparing to make changes to our safety protocols in response to declining cases.

With case numbers that had peaked in Multnomah County because of the Omicron variant now projected to decline even further in the coming weeks and months, and with the high percentage of vaccinated individuals in Multnomah County, we expect shifts in guidance from public health experts.

Because of that, we are planning to make the following changes starting on March 1:

• Outdoor masking on campuses will become optional.
• School dances and other in-person school events may resume.
• Civic Use of Building permits – which allow for use of school buildings by community groups and individuals during non-school hours -- may be approved for indoor use (the CUB office will begin accepting permits for review on February 15).
• Overnight field trips may resume.

All changes are in alignment with the statewide Ready School Safe Learners guidelines for the 2021-22 school year (updated February 9). Our full slate of Standard Operating Procedures is collected on the 2021-22 COVID-19 Safety and Protocols webpage.

Thank you for everything you are doing to keep our students and community safe.

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