All students from Luther Public Schools will get free breakfast and lunch beginning Monday, March 23, the first day of the mandated school closures as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
Superintendent Barry Gunn distributed a letter on Thursday announcing the service. He said all students, in any grade, would receive breakfast and lunch. Those desiring the meals should line up in their vehicle in the elementary school drop line between 9 am – 10 am, for the food to be handed to them.
“Students do not need to be in the car we will simply ask how many are needed and hand them through the window. Easy as that,” said Mr. Gunn.
He said breakfast will be cereal and milk; and lunch will be a sandwich and chips.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma State Department of Education on Thursday announced intentions to pursue a federal waiver to suspend statewide student assessments for the 2019-20 school year.
“Oklahomans, like all Americans, are seeking to ‘flatten the curve’ of a global pandemic. Our foremost concern is ensuring our students and school communities remain as safe and healthy as possible, which is why the State Board of Education voted earlier this week to cease all school operations until at least April 6, and possibly longer,” said State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister.
“Our educators and district leaders need to shift their focus from assessments to essential services, including child nutrition and planning to continue student learning through alternative delivery methods. Their priority cannot be with assessments that would be of questionable validity in the wake of a global pandemic. Assessments are very important tools, but they do not outweigh other considerations during this time of uncertainty.”
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires each state to administer academic assessments in English language arts, mathematics and science in grades 3-8 as well as once in high school. The U.S. Department of Education has indicated it would consider waiver requests from states with widespread closures related to the spread of COVID-19.
The waiver request will also seek suspension of the Oklahoma School Report Card for the current school year. The pandemic has spurred at least 39 states to close schools statewide.
