As we are all experiencing, the COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly altered the lives and plans of many, including Dr. Smith who has stepped down as Monroe School District's Superintendent. To ensure continuity of district operations, Dr. Justin Blasko has been appointed as the Superintendent, effective immediately.
We have enough Chromebooks for all of our registered students to check one out, but we will only be checking out Chromebooks to designated groups of students each day in order to minimize the number of individuals on campus at one time.
In this article are answers to some of the many questions we are receiving. We will continue to share information with you as we receive official guidance from OSPI and the State Board of Education and as we finalize plans moving forward. Please understand that we do not have answers to all of the questions and we are working diligently to find answers and make plans. Now, more than ever, please make sure your contact information is up to date at your child's school. If you need to make changes, please call your school front office.
After conference calls today with the Snohomish Department of Emergency Management, Governor Jay Inslee, and other Superintendents from throughout Snohomish County, we have made the decision to close all MSD schools to students beginning Friday, March 13 in order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout our communities.
March 9-13, 2020 is Education Support Professionals Week, a week where we recognize the contributions of our Education Support Professionals throughout our public schools. Please join us in showing our appreciation for the critical role they play in the success of our district.
Spring Conferences for students in grades K-5 are set for March 17-20, 2020. All elementary students will be dismissed at 12:55 p.m. on these days to allow teachers time to meet with families.
All schools in the Monroe School District will be open Friday, March 6, 2020. We have received confirmation that the two students at Fryelands Elementary who had been tested for coronavirus have received negative test results and are cleared by medical professionals to return to school. At this time, there continues to be no known confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our district.
We understand the current level of concern many of our families have for their students and the desire for as much information as possible regarding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). While we do not want to increase fears, we do want to provide you with relevant updates about the status of the illness in our community so that you can make informed decisions for your own family.
There are currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Monroe School District. We are closely monitoring the health and attendance of our students and staff and are preparing for any potential disruptions to daily school operations in an effort to minimize the spread of the disease.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, the immediate risk to the general public in Washington and the United States is currently considered to be low. Currently, there has only been one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Washington and there is no evidence that it is spreading in Washington at this time.