Local school districts vary on reopening

Katie Teachout, The Journal | Last updated Aug 14, 2020 10:44am0

Katie Teachout count

Lind-Ritzville Middle School principal Darrell Lembke works on back-to-school plans before a meeting of administrators last week. Lind-Ritzville School District will be using distance learning for all students.

RITZVILLE – Lind-Ritzville School District is choosing to start the 2020-21 school year Aug. 31 with all students engaged in distance learning. Superintendent Don Vanderholm said the decision was based on the "strong recommendations" from the governor, and state and county health departments.

"Our primary goal is still to open our campuses for student learning as soon as possible. Even so, we may have to operate schools under these restrictions for the entire school year, or at least until things dramatically improve and the guidelines are modified," Vanderholm said.

Vanderholm said the school...