Southern Oregon marks one year since COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic

Thursday, March 11 marks one year since the World Health Organization declared that the novel coronavirus constituted a pandemic, reflecting the disease's global spread.

Children finally getting back into the classroom-- the effects of c-d-l and the pandemic are still being felt.

"it has been incredibly challenging for our students.

It's been exactly 364 days since the covid-19 pandemic threw the medford school district and other school districts across the united states into disarray.

For hundreds of years, teaching has primarily been in person, especially for younger students.

But in almost a full year later, since the pandemic started, those same students have had to deal with the challenges and after effects of comprehensive distance.

[take :dr. bret] çááádr. bretáááÑ every single day, i hear from parents and sometimes students, themselves, students themselves about how.

Their their frustration levels and how they've become disengaged from everything and, and, and those mental health, those social emotional health struggles are real.

But according to medford school, district superintendent, dr. brett champion students, aren't the only ones who have had to deal with the challenges the pandemic teachers have had their fair share of struggles as well.

Champion says that his districts teachers had to quickly adapt to the challenges of teaching in a completely different method and says that it was probably one of the hardest things that his educators have ever had to deal with.

If our teachers have worked harder and in more challenging circumstances in the past 12 months than they ever have before in their careers, i guarantee it and is incredibly proud of how his teachers rose to the occasion to educate the next generation.

During this past year of uncertainty, i am incredibly proud of the work our educators did to rally together, to mold and figure out what, what we can offer within the, some of the constraints that the state, um, have, has put on it.

As students across the medford area, make their way back into the classroom.

Champion wants to let everyone know that the school district will be there for their children.

No matter what the next 364 days hold in store during this pandemic, we want our students to know that the medford school district stands fully prepared to, to ensure that we're restoring that hope that we are able to give you that pathway to work with your parent, to find what's next for you by knowing you, by seeing you by hearing you, um, because that's what we're learning.

School officials say it's an effort to get more students back into classrooms. officials say they've mapped out the square footage in every classroom to determine how many students are allowed in each one.

From custodians to teachers and principals, officials say the whole process was a team effort.

"our principals and teachers are rock stars and they just got in there and physically did it.

Okay.

They're moving desks around.

The custodians are helping.

And so every room we know exactly how many bodies can fit in a really, um, in a way that really supports the best instructional practices that we have."

Zotolla says between now and the first day of classes, they'll be reaching out to families and informing them on how the they can have full-time classes.

Grants pass schools will lobby gov.

Brown for reduced social distancing requirements.

The school board has passed a resolution to ask governor brown for reduced spacing requirements in classrooms. this all part to try to return to full-time in-person learning.

The klamath county school district board passed a similar resolution last week, lobbying the governor and the oregon department of education to reduce the 35-square-foot per student requirement to 9 square feet effective april 5.

The letter that will be with this move - s-o-u is following suit with other oregon colleges like oregon state and o-u yesterday --- sou president linda schott announced the ashland-based college will return to primarily in-person classes and student activities for the start of the fall term in september.

The plan is reportedly flexible, allowing for hybrid alternatives as needed and with restrictions on gathering sizes and public events expected to remain in place.

The shift will allow restaurants to reopen indoor dining at 25 percent maximum capacity or 50 people.

Newswatch 12's jayda mcclendon joins us live from downtown grants pass.

Jayda, how are restaurants preparing for tomorrow?

Alicia, the restaurant owners i spoke to today say they're doing a lot of cleaning as well as getting more staff ready to work tomorrow.

For some downtown grants pass restaurantsbusiness isn't going as usual.

"it's, it's been very difficult.

We've, uh, worked hard on keeping the morale up of the employees as well as ourselves as owners, because one week you're told, okay, you can open and then you order product and you staff everything and you get ready.

And then two weeks later you're told you have to close now."

Jill dimi, co-owner of the bohemian says it's been a rollercoaster.

Now that customers can dine inside her bar and grill starting tomorrow, she's feeling hopeful again.

However, it comes with some limitations the 25 percent capacity rule means she can only have 12 point two five people.

"i don't know how i'm going to do the 2.25.

Um, we're, we're excited.

We know it's still going to be a bit of a rollercoaster."

Over at the horny goat, co-owner shelly solomon is on the same ride.

"we are, we are over at 200 seat restaurant.

So when we went down to only the 50 seats, it really was economically hurtful because it takes a lot of revenue to keep this big of a building and staff onboard afloat."

Solomon came up with some creative ways to beat the business blues.

We've got this little greenhouse huts and people seem to think it's kind of like a cool cabana, so very intimate and we're just trying to make it work.

What's been life savers for both solomon and dimi are these parklets.

The restaurants petitioned for the city of grants pass to put them back sooner than later and it worked out in their favor.

Both owners say they wouldn't be able to survive without their customers support, and they look forward to serving them indoors again.

Very excited, excited to see our regular customers come back.

Um, you know, we're like family here.

This is where the locals eat.

So it's, it's, we're excited, very excited."

Under the 'high risk' category, outdoor dining also gets some relief too.

Restaurants can increase to 75