Nearly a month into the new school year, the Seaside School District has accomplished its primary goal: keeping students in class, full time.

“I’m just really pleased with having the kids back in the building,” Seaside Middle and High School Principal Jeff Roberts said during last week’s school board meeting. “We are glad and we are thankful that they are here.”

Over the past few weeks, he said, it’s been rewarding to see the students participating in hands-on learning, doing science experiments, working in the wood shop and baking in the kitchen.

“Those things are not replicated online,” he said. “None of the things our staff do are easily replicated.”

Superintendent Susan Penrod expressed gratitude for the staff and administrators, who have provided continuity for students while dealing with a variety of external factors.

“Not only has it been a long time since we’ve had all the students back, full time, every day, but we have them all back in new buildings,” she said. “We’re learning a lot of new routines.”

Sarah Shields, assistant superintendent of instruction, agreed, adding, “It’s like a brand-new thing.”

The school district’s leadership team continues attending meetings hosted by the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education to stay abreast of new health information and recommendations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Oregon Health Authority weekly outbreak report last week showed five virus cases from the Seaside School District. Four were students from Pacific Ridge Elementary School and one was a student from Seaside High School.

Clatsop County has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases over the last few months because of the delta variant. However, student-aged children are also experiencing case rate increases.

“When data started coming out, we were seeing mostly cases in elderly, but it’s starting to get younger,” Penrod said. “For students, the highest rates are among 12- to 17-year-olds.”

Students of color are also disproportionately affected in terms of case rates.

In light of cases across the county, Penrod said, “we are very dedicated to keeping our students safe by having protocols in place.”

She used the metaphor of Swiss cheese to illustrate how each individual protocol — from wearing masks and vaccinations to entry screenings and heightened sanitization and cleaning practices — adds a layer of protection for students, staff members and the community, and decreases the risk of transmission.

“We continue to eliminate holes,” she said. “It continues to keep us safer.”

Penrod also presented the unofficial enrollment numbers for the 2021-22 school year. Six-hundred-fifty students are enrolled and attending class on-site at Pacific Ridge Elementary School. At the secondary school level, there are about 390 middle school students enrolled, and 500 high schoolers, a significant increase from the 2020-21 school year. Cannon Beach Academy’s enrollment is at roughly 50 students, up from 43 last year. Penrod said they will provide official enrollment numbers in October.

The school board approved a $750 donation from Tom Briggs for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) supplies, activities and projects at Pacific Ridge.

The board also approved plans for a garden site at Pacific Ridge that will offer more hands-on, outdoor learning opportunities. The project will be completed in phases. The first phase, which is budgeted at $1,650, includes 7 feet of raised beds, one per grade level including pre-kindergarten; rain-catch barrels; and decorations for the fence. In the future, the Pacific Ridge Garden Team hopes to add compost bins, a shed for storage and garden signage. The second phase will involve expanding the garden, adding fencing and potentially building a framed greenhouse.

The Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority provide information and resources for family. They presented these five tips for students and households to minimize the spread of COVID throughout the fall:

– Make a plan to vaccinate all eligible household members

– Mask up in public, including when carpooling

– Limit gatherings with other households

– Move social activities outdoors

– Develop a plan in case your child needs to miss school