Leon County Schools officials gave an update Monday afternoon on the districts’ plans concerning school closures related to COVID-19, as well as plans to feed food insecure students and paying employees. Superintendent Rocky Hanna led off addressing media, saying the district’s tentative plan to return to school March 30 may not be certain:
“Right now our tentative plan is to return to school on Monday, March 30. But as you all see what I’m seeing around the country, that’s probably less likely to happen and we have to be prepared,” Hanna told reporters.
The district announced last week it will be closed for the week following spring break. During that time, the district plans to feed food insecure students:
“At 13 of our sites, in partnership with United Way of the Big Bend, Second Harvest food bank and the Department of Agriculture, we will serve children 18 and under food,” Hanna said. “Both lunch and breakfast, and provide a grocery bag full of food for them to take home to supplement resources and lack of food they may have on their shelves and in their pantries.”
The district is not sure about the hours food giveaway locations will operate yet, but it will likely be in a four-hour window of time each day. The thirteen locations will give food out in drive-throughs, with security on premises. The locations will be at the following schools:
Elementaries:
Apalachee, Chaires, Fort Braden, W.T. Moore, Ruediger, Hartsfield, Oak Ridge, Woodville, Springwood, Riley, Sabal Palm
Middle schools:
Nims Middle School, Fairview Middle
Students still have to learn in the meantime. Assistant Superintendent of academic services Gillian Gregory says the district will use online resources for all grade levels, which will be rolled out prior to March 30:
“On March 30 and beyond, we will have rolled out a variety of plans for students, K-11 and twelfth grade students, that will provide for their learning - either through a digital format, accessing content through media locations such as on the internet, websites, school websites, our student information system like FOCUS,” Gregory said. “But also we will provide opportunities for students to get information in pencil and paper, for whom digital content is not readily accessible.”
And, Hanna says, during this period of school closures all levels of LCS employees will continue to receive paychecks
For teachers, with respect to a planning day, Hanna says: “If the district feels confident in a March 30 return, it will use the Friday, March 27 as a teacher planning day.”
Hanna urges parents to update their contact info with respective schools.
The afternoon update is the first of what the district promises will be daily updates on all efforts related to COVID-19 and school closures following spring break.
