UPDATE: Moorhead Schools will be closed Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020. School is scheduled to resume via distance learning delivery beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.
Moorhead Area Public Schools continues to follow the advice of the state and local experts as we monitor the COVID-19 situation. Today, Governor Tim Walz and Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker announced that all Minnesota public schools will close to students starting Wednesday, March 18, 2020 with the plan to resume some form of instruction on Monday, March 30, 2020. Our top priority is always the health and safety of our students, so I am announcing today that we will be closing schools immediately to mitigate any risk of COVID-19 spread.
During the school closure for students, Moorhead Area Public Schools will be joining school districts across the state to create plans to equitably distribute distance learning to our students should we need to close schools statewide for a longer period of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minnesota Department of Education is defining distance learning to mean that a student receives daily interaction with their licensed teacher(s) and appropriate educational materials.
As you know, the complexity of the decision of closing schools is immense. Our leadership team is working diligently to put together a strong operational strategy.
- We are committed that every staff and student will be put in the place to be safe.
- We are committed that every child will be given the opportunity to get a healthy meal.
- We are committed that every child will receive a high quality education.
Our educators will be giving thoughtful planning to our distance learning plan, offering careful consideration for students in a variety of areas, including students receiving special education services, multilingual learners, students experiencing homelessness, and students who rely on meals served at school.
Some things to keep in mind as students stay home:
- Please ensure students are not congregating, having friends over or getting together in groups.
- Please continue prevention measures that have been defined by the CDC.
As always, our first priority is the safety and well-being of our students. We also want to ensure every child has access to the education they need and deserve. We will continue to keep you informed. I have confidence that we have the best team in place to face this unprecedented challenge together. Thank you for your partnership and commitment to keeping our students and our community safe.
Sincerely,
Brandon Lunak, Superintendent