Mendoza

LA GRANDE — The La Grande School District will likely start the 2021-2022 school year with as many as six faculty and staff members absent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

George Mendoza, superintendent of the La Grande School District, told the school board at a work session Wednesday, Aug. 25, that the affected faculty and staff members will not be able to work when school opens next week because they are either recovering from COVID-19 or have to be quarantined because of a possible recent exposure to the virus.

School begins Monday, Aug. 30, for kindergarten through seventh grade and for freshmen, and on Aug. 31 for students in eighth grade and for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Safety mandates

Mendoza also told the school board the recent COVID-19 safety mandates required by the state have been made for one primary reason — the state wants to do everything possible to help school districts avoid again having to offer only online instruction.

School districts were limited to distance learning in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2020-2021 many schools offered instruction only via online Comprehensive Distance Learning classes for most of the year. CDL was not popular among many students and educators across the state.

Mendoza also discussed Gov. Kate Brown’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate that requires all teachers and staff to be vaccinated by Oct. 18.

“I am truly sorry we are at this point. I do want our staff to have personal choice, freedom and opportunities to decide what they feel is best for themselves. Our district will be very supportive, caring and understanding of our staff as we implement this mandate,” he said.

Mendoza noted that two groups of people can be exempted, those who have sincere religious beliefs that prevent them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination and individuals who have a physical impairment that limits their ability to receive a COVID-19 vaccination based on a specified medical diagnosis.

Estimated enrollment

The La Grande School District’s estimated enrollment, as of Aug. 25, is 2,232 students, 15 fewer than it had in mid-September 2020.

The district’s estimated total of elementary school students is 980, with 411 at Central Elementary, 267 at Greenwood Elementary, 258 at Island City Elementary, 10 students in the Rising Stars program, and 34 in the La Grande Virtual Learning Academy, which is the district’s online education program.

Estimated middle school level enrollment is 543. La Grande Middle School, has an estimated 157 sixth graders, 180 seventh graders and 169 eighth graders on campus, plus five in its Explore program and 32 LVLA students.

The district estimates 709 high school students — 657 at La Grande High School and 52 at the La Grande Virtual Learning Academy. Estimates show 187 freshmen, 153 sophomores, 178 juniors and 139 seniors on campus.

Dick Mason is a reporter with The Observer primarily covering the communities of North Powder, Imbler, Island City and Union, education, Union County veterans programs and local history. Dick joined The Observer in 1983, first working as a sports and outdoors reporter.