Sumner-Bonney Lake Schools Will Not Reopen Classrooms In Fall

BONNEY LAKE, WA — Students in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District will not be returning to their classrooms this fall, the district announced Thursday.

Like many districts across Washington, it had been planning to resume in-person when the school year starts in September, but a recent surge of coronavirus cases and new warnings from Pierce County's top health official have pushed the district to reconsider.

Superintendent Laurie Dent announced the move to parents with a letter reading in part:

"At my core – I am an educator, a teacher, who delights in nothing more than seeing your child in their classroom, diving into group projects and excitedly telling their teacher what they’ve just discovered. For that reason, I tell you that this announcement came with mixed emotion. The delight of seeing our amazing staff and inspired students engaging in learning has to always be balanced in my steadfast commitment to you to ensure their physical and emotional safety, health and well-being. Your child’s health, and the health of our staff, must be the top priority in all that we do."

Dent goes on to say that they are aware of parents concerns over distance learning and childcare, and that the district is working to plans to support families going forward which they hope to announce soon.

"Our District will also continue work with OSPI and the Department of Health, as well as our community partners, to determine what we can do to continue the delivery of free meals, as well as exploring enhanced childcare options for families needing this support," Dent said.

The district's Family Center, which helps families meet their basic needs, will also remain open seven days a week.

As for what comes next, the district says it plans to announce more details sometime next week, but that they are currently working to make remote learning better and more equitable to all students.

The school district's decision came shortly after Pierce County Health Director Anthony Chen issued a letter to superintendents telling them that he does not feel it is safe to reopen classrooms in September, considering the recent surge of coronavirus cases. Similar announcements have been made by the Puyallup, Seattle, Northshore, and Kent school districts.