The Jefferson City School District, Blair Oaks R-2 School District and Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City schools have closed school in an effort to slow transmission of the novel coronavirus.
JC Schools announced early Monday afternoon that schools will close Wednesday and reopen no later than April 6. Spring break was already scheduled for March 23-27. All school events and activities have also been canceled.
.
The Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City followed with an announcement later Monday afternoon that its schools also would close Wednesday and reopen no later than April 6, with all extracurricular activities canceled.
That includes Helias Catholic High School and Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph and St. Peter elementary schools in Jefferson City, among the diocese's 37 elementary and three high schools in central and northeastern Missouri.
The Blair Oaks Board of Education voted Monday to close schools from Wednesday and reopen no later than April 6. All school activities are also canceled.
Blair Oaks teachers and staff will use various platforms to provide instruction to students during the closure, Superintendent Jim Jones said. Parents and guardians completed a survey Monday to provide information to help the district create at-home instruction plans. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for students as needed. The details will be finalized today, Jones said.
Principals in diocesan schools have been provided with resources to work toward e-learning or packet-based instruction, according to a news release from the Diocese of Jefferson City. Diocesan Director of Communications Helen Osman said the schools are currently determining child care and meal options for students.
JC Schools is in the process of preparing "supplemental learning solutions" for students to access at home. Schools sent home Chromebooks today with all second- through 12th-graders. If a student does not have internet at home, they can access Wi-Fi outside one of the school buildings or they can be sent instructional packets in the mail, Superintendent Larry Linthacum said.
JC Schools is still developing the logistics of its plans, but the district said it will alert families through email, text, phone and social media about how to access resources while schools are closed.
The district will send surveys home to determine which families don't have internet access at home and which families need assistance with food. The district will send further emails when plans are made.
JC Schools and diocese school staff will be paid during the extended closures. Linthacum said the district will have to evaluate whether employees will be paid after April 3 if the closure is extended past that date.
JC Schools teachers are expected to be on call the week after spring break to answer questions.
If the closure is extended past April 3, the Jefferson City School District and the diocesan schools will evaluate if anything needs to be done differently. JC Schools will share information as decisions are made if the closure is extended past April 6, according to an email sent to district families and staff.
The district's employees will be required to log all travel information to allow the district to plan accordingly for employees who may travel to areas of concern over the break. The Diocese of Jefferson City recommends students and staff self-quarantine if they travel overseas.
Linthacum said he does not yet know if days will be added onto the school calendar. Osman said she also does not yet know if the diocesan schools will extend the school year.
Beginning Wednesday, JC Schools will provide a grab-and-go meal drive-thru for students on free and reduced lunch.
Lunch and breakfast will be available to pick up at the same time at eight sites: Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Lewis and Clark Middle School, East Elementary, South Elementary, West Elementary, Thorpe Gordon Elementary and Pioneer Trail.
The New Bloomfield R-3 School District will also close its schools from Wednesday through April 3.
Iberia R-5 School District is closed now through March 31, with plans for classes to resume April 1. All activities and events are canceled during that time. Further details regarding alternative instruction and meals will be issued by the district in the next few days, the school announced.
The Osage County R-1 School District will close its schools from Thursday through April 14.
The Russellville Cole R-1 School District has not made plans to close schools, because the Cole County Health Department did not make a recommendation on school closures, Superintendent Perry Gorrell said.
Gorrell said the district will consider closing schools if attendance drops or if the health department recommends it. If the district does decide to close schools, students will be provided with at-home instruction, but plans are not yet finalized, Gorrell said. The school board will discuss plans for a school closure at the board meeting today.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association also called off the remaining Class 4 and 5 state high school championship basketball games.
The organization called the decision "difficult" but stated in a news release Monday that the cancellations were made in consultation with local and state officials, as well as schools.
The News Tribune reached out to Eugene Superintendent Dawna Burrow but did not receive a response.
Earlier coverage:
Jefferson City School District, others to close amid COVID-19 outbreak