The Hood River County School District says it will continue in comprehensive distance learning until at least November 5, even though the Oregon Department of Education announced last week that it was suspending one of the three county health metrics required for schools to reopen.  It would allow several Oregon counties, including Hood River, by opening the door for in-person instruction for students in kindergarten through third grade.  ODE suspended the test positivity metric at the state and local level through the week of September 27 in response to the impact of wildfires on testing for COVID-19.  That metric will return in early October.  The district indicated in an effort to keep stability in students and families’ schedules, it will keep November 5 as a target date for some kind of return to in-person instruction.  The district says it meets weekly with the Hood River County Health Department to review the county’s case rate and compare it to the ODE metrics for school reopening.