By Mike De Felice

Special to Kitsap Daily News

PORT ORCHARD — South Kitsap School District’s board of directors doubled down Wednesday by again giving the green light for students and parents to choose taking fall classes either remotely or by taking a combination of onsite classroom and remote instruction.

The school board voted 3-2 in favor of retaining the hybrid option. Board directors Eric Gattenby, John Berg and Jeff Daily voted for the two-option plan. Rebecca Diehl and Liz Sebren voted against the plan.

School Superintendent Tim Winter earlier recommended the board revisit their July 22 decision to endorse the two-option plan following a Kitsap Public Health District letter July 27 to county school districts, which stated that, “We do not feel that it is safe to open schools for traditional classroom learning in August or September,” citing the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Kitsap County.

The SKSD decision affects grades 2-12; Students in K-1 and some special education will receive in-class instruction during a shortened school week this fall.

The county’s other school districts, including Bremerton, Central Kitsap, North Kitsap and Bainbridge Island, have elected to begin the school year this fall with online-only instruction.

An updated report will follow.

— Bob Smith contributed to this story.