Medical Lake and Riverside – school districts impacted by devastating fires – take different paths for returning to class

With wildfires around Spokane County upending daily life for some area students only two weeks or less before classes start, school districts in affected areas are grappling with how best to support students and staff as the first day draws near.

The 1,900-student Medical Lake School District is forging ahead, planning to start school as originally scheduled on Wednesday so students and staff can get a return to normalcy as much as possible.

“We’re feeling good about being on track right now,” said Medical Lake Superintendent Kim Headrick.

Nearby, the Gray fire has burned some 10,000 acres and 240 homes.

Riverside School District officials in Chattaroy, which serves around 1,600 students, delayed their first day of school by a week because of the Oregon Road fire burning near Elk. The postponement allows staff, administration and families to get their bearings following the devastation in their community, Superintendent Ken Russell said.

Rather than class ringing into session Wednesday as originally scheduled, school will start on Sept. 6. The delay won’t change the calendar any further, Russell said, as schools are permitted to waive the 180-day instruction requirement if unforeseen circumstances – in this case, an over 11,000-acre wildfire – prompt closures. School staff will work as originally planned.

“We are going to be ready by the sixth,” Russell said.

Medical Lake

Medical Lake administrators said starting school as planned provides a sense of belonging for students and staff in the wake of devastation.

“I just want to commend Kim and the school for having the courage to start on time and bring some security and some safety, psychological safety, to our students,” school board member Alexis Alexander said at a meeting Thursday. “It’s important that we get back and bring some consistency and some community to our kids.”

Despite an eagerness to get back into the swing of things, the district is understanding of families who can’t make Wednesday’s first day, Headrick said.

“They may have, given their circumstances, reasons that they can’t be here on the first day of school, and we’re totally supportive of that,” Headrick said. “And we’ll be ready to have their first day whenever they’re ready.”

A school district survey found that 16 families (Headrick estimates 25 to 30 students) and 12 staff members have been displaced by the fire. Some who lost their homes took shelter outside the district’s boundaries, spurring transportation challenges when it comes to busing students.

The district is supported by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which was approved by Congress in 1987 and allots federal funding to districts to ensure homeless and displaced children remain in their school of origin and receive equitable transportation to make this possible. Headrick said the district can use McKinney-Vento funding to aid in ferrying displaced students. In the past, Medical Lake has partnered with other school districts to get kids bused to town, and that could happen now.

“We work in partnership to provide resources as well as transportation,” Headricks said. “The intent is to maintain school of origin so that students have as few transitions as they are displaced or are living in what they call an unsheltered situation.”

Mental health support is another focus. Headricks finds solace in a pre-existing partnership with surrounding universities: Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Whitworth, which position 20 interns in social work/ family therapy with the district. Following the disaster, schools don’t have to start at ground-zero for providing mental health care.

“We are very fortunate in that we have some resources and supports that we can utilize right away to support our kiddos,” Headrick said.

While uncontained fires plowed through the town and many residents were situated without information in evacuation shelters or in other homes, the district was quick to post regular updates and links to resources on its website. The district kept families in the loop via emails about cancellations and discussions about next steps. A parent in attendance at the school board meeting Thursday praised the district for its transparency during the turmoil.

Despite the unprecedented devastation the communities experienced in the Gray and Oregon Road fires, community members have rallied around each other. Headrick believes the start of school will be positive for all involved.

“I feel a lot of smiles,” she said.

When teachers, parents and students arrive at Hallett Elementary School, a bright teal sign standing tall on the burned-out grounds will greet them, distinct against the blackened earth that surrounds the school. The fire came right up against Hallett, but didn’t damage the facility.

Joe Madsen spent a couple hours Thursday making sure there was something cheery for students and teachers alike.

“I wanted to welcome the kids and staff back,” he said. “They need something to smile about.”

The retired firefighter knows how hard it is to recover from a tragedy like the Gray fire.

“Teachers, in particular this year, are going to have a lot of work with kids and parents, and they need to take care of themselves,” he said.

Two of those teachers are his wife, Gail Madsen, and daughter Katrina Boyd. His son-in-law also works at the district and two grandchildren attend school there.

Riverside

Russell, the superintendent, said stakeholders were on board with postponing the start to school. Staff members have time to get their feet under them after many evacuated for days or lost homes. Students have time to manage their emotions without feeling the pressures of school.

“(Students) feel less anxious, they feel more supported. They feel like they have more time to get their basic needs in order. They feel like they have more time to get their shelters in order,” Russell said. “Worrying about mathematics and social studies was really not on their mind.”

District administrators are using the time cushion to work through logistical challenges presented by the fire. Chief among them is transportation. Regular bus routes go through burned areas, with some bus stops charred in places. After the fire line is mopped up, Russell said firefighters will ensure trees and other potentially hazardous debris are removed at bus stops for the safety of students .

Additionally, with the tally of destroyed homes coming in at 126 from the Oregon Road fire, the district knows some of its students are displaced from the fire, and could be taking temporary residence outside the district’s normal boundaries. But Russell is committed to keeping Riverside students enrolled in the district.

“Mobility is shown in the research as being very difficult on students and their learning,” Russell said. “So if we can keep them in their own district where they know their friends, and they have good relationships with their teachers and their staff, it’s just going to be a much better setup.”

This will require a long-term plan, Russell said, and until the district can get a sense of how many of its students are displaced and where, the details are still hazy.

“So we’re really working hard on that right now,” Russell said.

Riverside also qualifies for support under McKinney-Vento and can access those funds to shuttle displaced students.

While he doesn’t know yet exactly what state or federal funding will be available for the district, Russell is advocating for support to aid in transportation and looking after students’ mental-health needs post-fire.

To address the social and emotional needs of students and staff, the district has an existing flight team already trained for crisis response in disasters like fires. Consisting of school counselors and therapists, the team is qualified to hold individual counseling sessions or group therapy – whatever is needed, Russell said.

Classroom instruction may deviate from the education in years past, Russell said. There will be more emphasis on addressing students’ basic needs, including emotional wellbeing, shelter and transportation.

“If we have to slow it down a little bit to do that, I think we can find a sweet spot. I really do,” Russell said.

What won’t be a challenge for Riverside students is school supplies, clothing or food. Through the outpouring of community support from individuals, churches and nonprofits, Russell said the district is well-equipped to meet those needs in students.

“We are totally ready to get back to the basics, pause from our normal business and just love on our kids,” Russell said.

Riverside High School is hosting a community spirit event and fundraiser for those affected by the fires at its first football game of the season at 5 p.m. Friday.

Reporter Emma Epperly contributed to this article.