Question and Answer: COVID-19 

Do students have to make up this time (March 16-27, 2020 school closure)?

Students will not have to make up this time. Distance Learning will start March 30 and the lost days will not be added to the end of the school calendar.

What if I need to pick up medication from my child(s) school?

Families should work with their school administrator/principal to arrange for pick up.

Are there daycare services offered?

As part of our commitment to the Moorhead community, Moorhead Area Public Schools in coordination with the YMCA will be providing care to district-enrolled students aged 12 and under who are children of emergency workers critical to the community’s response to COVID-19. Please see the following document for more information and to identify if your occupation will apply: Priority Categories of Emergency Workers

The care will begin on Wednesday, March 18 and will be provided at Robert Asp and Ellen Hopkins Elementary School from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

To enroll in the child care program, please complete the following forms:


Moorhead Area Public Schools will make every effort to notify registered families, but if you have not received communication, please bring your child to one of the sites on Wednesday.

Where can I find meals for my child/children?

Beginning Wednesday, March 18, Moorhead Area Public Schools will provide meals for students while schools are closed to ensure that students’ nutritional needs are addressed.

To keep our students safe and encourage social distancing, meals will be distributed via school bus to multiple drop off points in each school boundary area.

The meal bags will include both breakfast and lunch. Any student can go to any location to pick up a meal. Students must be present to receive a meal. Families are asked to keep the food refrigerated and use within three days. Special diet meals are available by contacting Food Services Director, Donna Tvedt at dtvedt@moorheadschools.org.

What will happen on March 30, 2020?

Moorhead Area Public Schools are closed from March 16 - March 27, 2020. Starting on March 30, 2020 a distance learning plan will be in place. Although students will not be present in the school buildings, they will have access to appropriate educational materials and receive daily interaction with their licensed teacher.

Administration, teachers and staff are working diligently to develop a plan to continue the quality education that our students need and deserve. Parents, students and the community will receive additional information on the plan as more details become available.

What is distance learning?

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.

Moorhead Area Public Schools is working to create a plan to ensure all students have the ability to learn in this capacity. A plan will be implemented by March 30, 2020, and parents, students and the community will receive additional information on the plan as more details become available.

What if my child does not have access to a computer, tablet, internet or necessary technology?

Students in grades 5-12 will have a school owned chromebook device assigned and distributed to each student. Distribution will begin the week of March 23 starting next week.

A centralized Help Desk phone telephone number will be created for teacher and student use and will be shared once established. The service will begin by March 30.

We are exploring low cost/no cost options for families and will provide information as soon as possible.

How will you provide services to students with special needs?

Service will be provided via distance learning for all students. IEP teams will work with parents to determine what that learning will look like for students for whom the usual distance learning methods are not appropriate.

Some suggested ideas for these students include teacher made videos, teacher-made materials being sent home and phone calls from teachers. The District also has some on-line resources that will be appropriate for most learners with special needs.

What recommendations do you have to keep my child engaged and protected over the next two-weeks before distance learning begins?

Do not go out of the house unless necessary. Keep gatherings under ten people and  limited to only people you know have no risk of being infected.

Distance learning information and materials will be available shortly and distance learning will begin on March 30.

What resources can you provide for me to help my child understand what is happening and deal with the emotional impact of this time?

Our counseling staff has put together some helpful resources to support families as they deal with the impacts of the coronavirus on mental and behavioral health of children and adults alike as well as great activities for families and students.

What can I do to prevent coronavirus?

Students and staff can reduce their risk for getting and spreading viral respiratory infections, including the flu and the common cold, by taking simple steps which will also prevent coronavirus, these include:

Where can I find more coronavirus information?

Below are links to the Center for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Heath’s COVID-19 information.

When will I hear more from the school?

We will be making regular updates on our website:
www.moorheadschools.org/COVID-19