KWSO News for Tue., Dec. 8, 2020

Jefferson County School District 509-J will Continue Comprehensive Distance Learning but PAUSE “Limited In-Person Instruction” until at least January.  During the week prior to Thanksgiving, they began to deliver limited in-person instruction, or LIPI, to small groups of students within levels allowed in-state guidance.  More students were being added this week but that has now been called off.

Yesterday it was announced that LIPI is discontinued for the time being due to support staff shortages because of quarantine requirements.

Like most districts in Oregon – 509J students have had instruction within the Comprehensive Distance Learning Model since the beginning of the school year and that will continue this week and next – with the winter break starting December 21^st.

Teachers will post schedules for students on their Google Classrooms.  At the Warm Springs K8 Academy families are reminded that students need to log in by 9am and that Comprehensive Distance Learning continues after lunch.

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To slow the spread of COVID-19, residents of the Warm Springs Reservation need to stay at home except for essential activities like grocery shopping, work or medical appointments.  Employees on Administrative Leave need to stay at home except for those reasons.  Limit your contact with anyone not from your household by staying home and not allowing contact with people from outside your household.    Anyone who has tested positive or close contacts that should be quarantined at home – need to stay at home.

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The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Executive Board has revised the Association’s calendar to start activities in February.  In the revised calendar, Fall sports are moved to Season 2 and will begin in February with multiple activities permitted by state guidance.  Cross Country and Soccer, as outdoor sports, are permitted by the Governor’s Office and OHA in all counties.  As an indoor activity, Volleyball is tied to the Governor’s County Risk Level Guidance and only allowed in those counties deemed as Lower, Moderate, or High Risk.  Full contact football remains on the Governor’s prohibited list of activities at this time.  Season 3 features the traditional Spring activities (Baseball, Softball, Golf, Tennis and Track & Field), all of which are permitted by state guidance as outdoor activities.  These will begin April 5 and extend into the third week in May.   The sports calendar wraps up with Season 4 and traditional winter sports (Swimming, Basketball and Wrestling) beginning in mid-May and extending into late June.   And of course – those plans are subject to change.

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The Branch of Public Utilities for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs posted a water outage notice for Kah-Nee-Ta for tomorrow (12/9/20) and again next Wednesday (12/16/20).  Tomorrow they will work on the replacement of an Altitude Valve.  Next week will be a more complicated and lengthy installation of the South Kah-nee-ta Pressure Reducing Valve station.

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The Black Lodge Singers have been nominated for their eighth Grammy award in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.   Canyon Records described the drum groups impact by saying “the Black Lodge Singers have helped shaped the sound of contemporary Pow-Wow singing,”   The 63rd annual Grammy Awards will air on January 31 on CBS.