Today was an unprecedented day. Today was a sad day. Today was a day that I have never witnessed in my 37 years in education. Today, March 17, 2020 Governor Laura Kelly announced all school facilities will close for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. We are working with the Kansas State Department of Education to develop alternative learning opportunities for all students and will share more information soon.
We understand the hardship a school closure places on our families as well as the social and emotional impact it may have on our students. Our district leadership team and Board of Education have been developing (evaluating and considering) various contingency plans. Already successful is the breakfast and lunch program for all kids 1- 18 years old in our USD 108 towns and communities. We started serving those meals today and will continue to do so until Wednesday, May 20, 2020 which would have been the last day of school. School would have dismissed on Wednesday, May 20 and our plan is to continue to provide breakfast and lunch during this period.
Key staff are meeting and addressing critical issues. Updates on issues will be provided as soon as information, direction and solutions are available. We will continue working on issues until we create a solid plan that leads to success for all students. We know you all have questions and concerns; we do too. But in order to succeed we have to have time to get all things coordinated. We anticipate the release of educational instruction plans on Monday, March 30, 2020. We have been given a great challenge to rise above and we are going to do just that. We all have Tiger GRIT!! Be patient and hug your kids often. Help us find solutions and avoid problems.
We are committed to working together as a community to support one another throughout these unprecedented times, and communication will remain a top priority. USD 108 Washington County Schools has various forms of communication – our Facebook page, our twitter account, the Live feed on our district app and school messenger. Additional information will be posted on district social media accounts as they are developed.
As a reminder, this school closure is in response to the current public health crisis. The focus should remain on preventing the spread the coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it is also referred to.
Please be mindful of the following:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing (cough/sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue).
- Please keep sick children at home.
- Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
Follow additional guidance from these sources:
We are in this together and will emerge stronger than before. Our students and families are worth this effort and we are committed to seeing it through.
Sincerely and with much love,
Denise O’Dea
Superintendent USD 108
Washington County Schools