The latest two-week average for COVID-19 cases and positive test rates still put the Hood River County School District as eligible to bring K-5 students back to classrooms in a hybrid of on-site and distance learning, but a number of parents and teachers told the district board they questioned bringing them back on November 30 as virus cases rise in Oregon.  District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn said the metrics are trending in the wrong direction, but added that while distance learning has worked for some, it doesn’t meet the need of all students.  He also made an impassioned plea for the community to prioritize health and safety, and wear face coverings and practice social distancing.  Some elementary teachers told the board that reducing them from 20 hours of student contact in distance learning to eight hours of in-classroom contact is detrimental to their efforts.  Polkinghorn said the district has tentatively scheduled a community forum with Hood River County Health Officer Dr. Christopher Van Tilburg this Monday at 6 p.m. to talk about a school reopening.