As KY school shutdown extends through April 20, principals begin to prepare.

Gov. Andy Beshear said that Kentuckians should prepare for the public K-12 schools shutdown to be extended two more weeks as the number of reported coronavirus cases in the state continues to rise.

Most schools are taking two weeks off as well as an already planned week of Spring Break. Many districts, including Fayette, had initially planned to resume classes April 6. But Friday Beshear asked superintendents to extend the shutdown through April 20.

Beshear said in his daily coronavirus update that he had asked superintendents not to reopen until April 20.

All Fayette County Public Schools will remain closed to students until April 20, said Superintendent Manny Caulk.

“While we are disappointed that it will be longer before we see our students again, we absolutely support the Governor’s efforts to blunt the spread of COVID-19 and we will do everything we can to support our students, staff and families,” Caulk said. “As I shared previously, our schools have worked diligently to prepare for such a possibility, and our teachers have developed plans to provide high quality, engaging instruction for students.”

Families and students will hear directly from schools about their individual expectations. Families who have not heard anything before April 6, 2020, should call the district at 859-381-4100.

During the shut down, all Fayette school offices will be closed to the public.

Except for spring break (March 30 through April 3), the school district will provide free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday through April 17, for anyone under the age of 18. Meals will be delivered during the 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. window at 127 bus stops throughout our community. Food is also available for pick up at 19 schools. This is a walk-up service, so children should come to the front of the school between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to pick up a boxed breakfast and lunch at the same time.

“There is no manual or guidebook for the times we are experiencing; we are responding to the shifting landscape hour-by-hour and day-by-day,” Caulk said. “But of this I am certain: the people who work for Fayette County Public Schools are among the best in the nation, and we care deeply about our students, staff and families.”

Jessamine Superintendent Matt Moore said on social media that late Friday afternoon, Kentucky school district superintendents participated in a conference call with Beshear and “we received word that the Governor is now recommending that school district closures are extended an additional two weeks. “

“What we’re seeing nationally and what we’re seeing in Kentucky is escalating cases. It is more important now than ever that we engage in social distancing. And while kids seem to be resilient to the virus, they can certainly get it and they can spread it,” Beshear said during the conference call.

Moore said Jessamine County Schools won’t reopen until at least April 20.

Interim Education Commissioner Kevin Brown asked schools to prepare home learning materials through at least May 1, Kentucky Department of Education officials said.

Indiana officials said Thursday that schools there won’t reopen until at least May 1 and maybe not then.

President Donald Trump said at a news conference Friday morning that the US Department of Education will not require standardized testing for this school year. Kentucky’s Interim Commissioner Kevin Brown said earlier this week that he would ask the federal government to suspend the annual statewide testing which normally occurs each spring.

Lexington’s Lafayette High School administrators told students in a video Thursday that they needed to be prepared to transition, after April 6, to a non-traditional instruction model called NTI.

“If and when that comes you’ll be doing learning from home,” through online instruction platforms, said Associate Principal Richard Royster.

Fayette County Public Schools this week became the last of Kentucky’s 172 school districts to apply to the state’s non-traditional learning program. In that, the state approves learning from home plans in exchange for the district not having to make up missed days at the end of the school year.

Lafayette administrators said students could stay connected to their teachers and the school by checking their email several times each day.

Lafayette High School Principal Bryne Jacobs told students that custodians and clerical staff were still in the building as were teachers preparing material for students.

“I can’t tell you how much we miss you,” Jacobs told students.

He said he understood that for parents, “this is a time of confusion.”

“You want answers,” he said.

Shannon Blackburn, the principal of Ashland Elementary, sent parents a message saying that packets of lessons had been delivered to their homes so that learning from home could continue beginning April 6.

“Please be patient with us, as we navigate through this new way of teaching. Teaching online is something some of Team Ashland has had to learn quickly,” she said.

“Please continue to tune into the local news and read through any message sent from Superintendent (Manny) Caulk in order to know the plan going forward,” said Blackburn. “Ashland Elementary is taking the steps possible for students to have a seamless transition to anything that may occur in the future. Just like all of you, we are living minute to minute, day by day and doing the best we can.”

Shortly after noon Friday, Caulk sent families a letter that explained why information and technology being provided to families at various schools wasn’t all the same at this point:

Caulk said teachers have made contingency plans to be sure children have what they need to continue learning in case of an extended school closure. Some have developed paper and pencil packets, while others have made videos of instruction or created online modules.

Some parents have already been to their child’s school to pick up lessons, or received deliveries of chrome books or other learning materials.

He said every teacher has a different style and each school is working to meet the needs of individual student populations.

Specific activities and resources have been developed to address individual goals for students with special needs. Special Education teachers will be providing those for families, he said.

“This is a challenging time for our community, not only because of the many unknowns we face during this rapidly changing situation, but also because the steps being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 are causing economic hardship for many of our neighbors,” Caulk said.

Families can call the district at (859) 381-4100 with questions. There are resources at the www.fcps.net/COVID19 website.

On Thursday, the Kentucky General Assembly approved emergency relief for local school districts that have been impacted by the novel coronavirus.

The relief measure would become effective immediately if it’s signed by Beshear, a news release said.

The measure was approved in an amended version of Senate Bill 177, a bill sponsored by state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington.

It allows local school districts to use the 2018-19 school year data to determine average daily attendance for funding under the state’s SEEK formula, which is the main source of K-12 education funding for Kentucky’s public schools.

It extends the number of nontraditional instructional days available to school districts to help them make up school days lost due to COVID-19. The legislation allows school districts to request unlimited nontraditional instruction days. It permits distance and tutorial learning.

The measure would also require school districts to approve emergency leave for teachers or classified employees with COVID-19 health or related concerns, as well as allow districts to continue to provide free lunch in accordance with established emergency procedures.

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 8:53 AM.