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Nespelem School has been phasing students into in-person schooling.

The school board approved the return to in person school at their meeting held at the end of February.

Principal and Superintendent Effie Dean told The Star that Indian Health Services vaccinated the school staff in February, giving the school board the confidence to bring kids back to in-person school.

Dean said the school started phasing students into in-person schooling a couple of weeks ago with kindergarten through second-grade students attending for about a full day of in-person schooling per week, although different groups are attending for different lengths of time.

After spring break, third- and fourth-graders will start in person, followed about a week-and-a-half later by students in fifth through eighth grades.

She said they will eventually have all students who choose to attend in person attending two days a week, or 40% of the time, in combination with distance learning.

About 25% of Nespelem’s students are choosing to stay with distance learning and not returning to in-person, Dean said. 

 Dean also said they are sticking with 6-foot distances between people, despite state rules now saying students can be spaced just three feet apart.

Sports for seventh- and eighth-grade students has also returned, with football and cross country currently, and basketball starting after spring break.