Gov. Laura Kelly today asked all K-12 schools to close for one week, starting Monday, to face the COVID-19 risk.
The closures will give the public schools time to plan, she said.
Gov. Kelly said this closure was “strongly recommended” in consultation with the State Board of Education and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Some school districts, such as the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, already were scheduled for spring break this week.
Other districts, such as the Piper Public Schools, announced a closure last Friday for this week. Piper had been scheduled to go on spring break the following week.
The Turner Public Schools went on spring break on Friday, and students are out of school until March 24.
The Bonner Springs-Edwardsville Public Schools will be on spring break March 16 through March 23.
Gov. Kelly also said the state must continue to support child care efforts to remain open.
“This was not an easy decision,” Gov. Kelly said. There are challenges including maintaining meals for children in need, addressing child care and other challenges from students not being in school, she said.
The State Board of Education has formed a team of experts, she said, to build a comprehensive plan to address the challenges the schools are facing with COVID-19.
Those challenges include how students can continue their studies online if necessary; how schools can assist students who do not have access to online tools to finish the semester, especially those who will graduate in May; how schools can provide for students who have individual education plans; how schools can continue school-based mental health services; how schools can continue providing meals for students who need them; what role can schools play in assisting in child care; how schools can assist in efforts to keep children from congregating in community spaces and keep them quarantined in their own houses; and how to educate parents on ways to continue the students’ educations.
“We need an approach that achieves educational goals while also providing a safe environment for our students, and acting in the best interests of public health,” Gov. Kelly said.
“Kansas will continue taking proactive steps to ensure that we’re doing our utmost in COVID-19 prevention and response,” she said.
To see the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/