BEND, Ore. -- Surveyed families of students at Silver Rail Elementary School have overwhelmingly asked that the school reopen for their children in the wake of this month's mass shooting, and Bend-La Pine School officials are working out the details.

Here is a letter sent Tuesday to Silver Rail Elementary families, as posted on the Silver Rail Community Information Hub:

Subject: Our return plan for Silver Rail Elementary

Dear Silver Rail Families,

With an overwhelming 86.2% of families indicating a preference to return to Silver Rail Elementary, we plan to reopen Silver Rail for students and families who feel ready to return. We intend to open as soon as possible, as we know that routine and community are helpful in recovery.

Our district’s facilities team and building partners are restoring the impacted areas of the school. At this time, Silver Rail will remain closed for repairs through November 6. Our return to Silver Rail depends on completing repairs and meeting all applicable safety codes, including Fire Marshal requirements for exit doors. The repair timeline will be clearer by the end of this week.

We recognize that families want information and decisions quickly. We will communicate the date of return as soon as it is feasibly possible to do so.

We know that the Silver Rail community, as well as families across our schools, want to have a conversation about safety and security in Bend-La Pine. While we believe that our schools have strong safety measures currently in place, we understand that there are ways we can review and strengthen our systems. We are committed to engaging in this topic with our community and making a plan for the future. We will soon announce community engagement sessions planned for next week.

We understand that being out of school for this timeframe presents challenges. Survey results indicate that families would like more support with the following areas during this time.

• Learning and engagement activities to do at home

• Supports for my child’s mental health needs

• Community and connection activities for my child

• Child care

• Food supports

• Family leave supports

This week, our team is working on providing these supports to families. Updates regarding each area will be shared as they are created.

We also recognize that not everyone will be ready to return at the same time. If your family needs more time, we will be ready for your student when you feel comfortable returning. If you would like to go to Bend-La Pine Online or another school for the remainder of the year, please indicate your interest on this form, and a member of our team will contact you this week.

We understand how much families want their children back in school, surrounded by familiar faces, routines, and the support of their school community. We share that goal and are working diligently to make it happen as quickly and safely as possible. We are approaching each decision thoughtfully, with student and staff safety at the forefront. As we learn more, we will continue to communicate with families and staff every step of the way.

Another posting Tuesday outlined Boys & Girls Club child care offerings:

Childcare Assistance for Silver Rail Families

Boys & Girls Club of Central Oregon

Boys & Girls Clubs is offering free care for Silver Rail students from Friday, October 28 through Friday, November 6, at its downtown location (500 NW Wall St.).

Two care options are available:

• School Day Care (7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.): 150 spots available at the downtown location.

• After-School Care (2:00 to 6:30 p.m.): 40 spots available at the downtown location.

Families who need care during both time periods must register for each separately. Sign up here.

• Select "Youth Programs" at the top of the screen

• Use the categories section on the left column to find the After School Program

• Click the blue "options" button so see all of the available programs

• Select the blue "enroll" button to submit an application

• Select the Club Member that you would like to attend the program

• Follow the prompts to confirm your enrollment

If you need assistance, please contact Policy & Advocacy Operations Coordinator Dalia Juarez at dalia.juarez@bend.k12.or.us.

If more than 40 students need after-school care, Boys & Girls Clubs can make an additional 30 spots available at its Eastside location (1707 SE Tempest Dr).