Crittenden and Livingston county schools will be closed for two weeks, officials announced this afternoon, as a result of the nationwide attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Crittenden will be in session on Monday then closed Tuesday through March 27. Livingston County Schools will be closed Monday and remain closed through March 27.
The closures are based on recommendations by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear that all Kentucky public and private K-12 schools should close for two weeks due to COVID-19 precautions.
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| The Press will post a LIVE Video News Conference with Supt. Vince Clark and Judge-Executive Perry Newcom at 3:30pm Friday. It will be posted to Facebook then archived on YouTube and The Press Online. |
“The previously scheduled professional development day on Friday, March 13, prevented teachers from sharing resources with students that they will need during the nine-day closure,” said Superintendent Clark. “We will provide students with Chromebooks, chargers, paper resources and other supplies needed on Monday for students to learn from home.”
Crittenden students in grades two through 12 will be assigned Chromebooks and chargers to take home during the closure. On Monday, students will download lessons onto their Chromebooks. They will have the ability to work on them offline at home and upload upon return to school. Some lessons may have supplementary links and Web-based resources. While not all homes may have
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Lunches will be provided for Crittenden County students March 17 and continue through the entirety of the closure. Any parent may come to the back of Crittenden County Elementary School each weekday, from 11 a.m. to noon, for a free sack lunch for children. Lunches will include a sandwich, fruit, vegetable, milk, as well as a breakfast item for the following morning. Parents simply need to drive to the back of the building, near the cafeteria doors, and remain in their vehicles. Staff will bring out lunches to parents. Additionally, plans are underway to open eight mobile feeding routes to central locations in the county where parents or students can meet staff to pick up lunches daily. For parents of students unable to access lunch in either of the two options, a delivery service is being planned and details will be shared on Monday.
In a letter to parents, Livingston County Superintendent Victor Zimmerman said school officials will meet next week to address services for learning, nutrition and family needs.
“We know we have parents who work while their older students stay home, often caring for younger siblings and they have no means to travel to pick up lunch," Clark said. "We want to ensure all students continue to receive nutritious meals during this absence from school.”
During the nine-day closure, students will be utilizing Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) days to ensure learning continues in both Crittenden and Livingston counties. This method of instruction is used when inclement weather forces school to be closed. NTI days, known in Crittenden County as Rocket Way Days and in Livingston as Live RED at Home Days, allow students to be considered present and work on instructional content even when they are not in the school building. As a result of using NTI days, days missed due to the coronavirus will not be added to the end of the school calendar, but rather, they will be counted as instructional days if students complete the assigned lessons.
Clark said near the end of the nine-day closure window, he will join other superintendents and agencies across western Kentucky to evaluate the status of the spread of the coronavirus and determine appropriate next steps for the school district. The district will communicate its plan on March 26.
In the meantime, Clark stresses the importance of everyone helping to contain the spread of the coronavirus by practicing good hygiene techniques (washing hands for 20 seconds minimum, covering coughs and sneezes, etc.) and being mindful of social distancing. While research has shown that children appear to be less susceptible to the virus, they can be carriers of it. Those over age 60 or with compromised immune systems are at highest risk. Clark explained that many students’ caregivers fall into this category, and their health and well-being is critical to so many Rocket families.
“These are unprecedented times,” said Clark, “and patience and flexibility are key. We want our parents, our students and our community to know that the health and safety of our students has always been our number one priority, and we will continue to make all decisions based on that. We appreciate everyone’s support as we work quickly and diligently to create the safest, most effective plan for our Rockets.”
Clark said communication will be updated and shared regularly through school messaging tools, including Infinite Campus Messenger, the district Website, district and school social media, and The Crittenden Press. State-wide information regarding the Coronavirus also can be found at kycovid19.ky.gov.
Livingston County parents may email communications@livingston.kyschools.us.
In the meantime, Clark stresses the importance of everyone helping to contain the spread of the coronavirus by practicing good hygiene techniques (washing hands for 20 seconds minimum, covering coughs and sneezes, etc.) and being mindful of social distancing. While research has shown that children appear to be less susceptible to the virus, they can be carriers of it. Those over age 60 or with compromised immune systems are at highest risk. Clark explained that many students’ caregivers fall into this category, and their health and well-being is critical to so many Rocket families.
“These are unprecedented times,” said Clark, “and patience and flexibility are key. We want our parents, our students and our community to know that the health and safety of our students has always been our number one priority, and we will continue to make all decisions based on that. We appreciate everyone’s support as we work quickly and diligently to create the safest, most effective plan for our Rockets.”
Clark said communication will be updated and shared regularly through school messaging tools, including Infinite Campus Messenger, the district Website, district and school social media, and The Crittenden Press. State-wide information regarding the Coronavirus also can be found at kycovid19.ky.gov.
Livingston County parents may email communications@livingston.kyschools.us.
