Nespelem School, which had planned to start bringing students back to part-time, in-person school in November and to have them all back full time in January, delayed those plans indefinitely. 

A Zoom meeting on Nov. 4 between the school district and parents and community members was held to see how they felt about returning to school. 

Principal and Superintendent Effie Dean told The Star on the phone on Tuesday that on that day COVID rates started “going through the roof,” which changed how people felt about returning to physical school.

Dean said that a large number of parents don’t intend to return to in-person school this school year, while others were understanding that the area is “way above where we are supposed to be for starting the hybrid process.”

Nespelem School students are currently distance learning with help from Chromebooks and internet hotspots. 

Dean said the timeline for returning to physical school depends on the COVID pandemic. 

“It really depends on what happens with the rates,” she said. 

After the holidays, the situation will be reviewed, Dean said. The process of deciding when to reopen includes surveys and meetings with parents, the public school employees’ and teachers’ unions, as well as school board meetings.

“We really want it to be a decision that everybody has input towards,” Dean said about reopening physical school.