FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OAKRIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
OAKRIDGE, OREGON
541-782-2813
On Wednesday evening, Dec. 16, the Oakridge School District and Oakridge Education
Association (OEA) reached a tentative agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding
addressing workplace concerns related to the COVID-19 epidemic. The Agreement is effective
through June 30, 2021:
● The parties reached a compromise on where teachers are required to work: Teachers
will continue to deliver Comprehensive Distance Learning from home, if they choose,
until the District determines that Limited In-Person Instruction or Hybrid instruction will
begin or expand for their assigned students. The District has been providing in-school
instruction for about 100 of its 500 students, including K-1 grade students and students
that require in-person learning to fully access their education. The District indicated
during the Dec. 16 bargaining session that in-school instruction will be expanded to
other grade levels after consultation with local health authorities, following the
provisions of the Oregon Department of Education “Ready Schools, Safe Learners”
blueprint.
● The District also agreed to extend paid leave benefits through June 30, 2021 for District
employees who are required by medical authorities to quarantine, for up to 10 work
days, if the employee is exposed to or contracts COVID 19 while on District property.
Federal leave benefits for those quarantined are expiring Dec. 31, 2020.
The District and OEA had previously reached agreement on an extensive list of health and
safety protocols to be followed by staff members working in school buildings.
The safety of our students, staff, and the community is a high priority. This MOU will help
ensure that our health and safety protocols will be effective and clearly understood; that
students will continue to receive the best education possible in a safe environment during
these unprecedented challenges; and that Oakridge residents can be assured its school district is doing what it can to mitigate the spread of COVID among the greater community.