As the turmoil caused by the coronavirus continues to gather momentum Govenor Jay Inslee issued an Executive order extending his original order to close schools for two weeks. Now the closures have been extended to April 24.

In a tweet Inslee said,

"I am directing the closure of all K-12 schools in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Schools must close by Tuesday, March 17th and stay closed through Friday, April 24."

That would mean the earliest students could return to classes in those counties would be Monday April 27. 

Seattle Public Schools said in an announcement:

As of March 12, all Seattle Public Schools (SPS) classroom instruction, athletics, club sports, preschool, enrichment programs, etc., are closed. While school-building childcare is also currently closed we are working closely with the city and partners to determine how to mitigate for working families.

This is a fluid situation. There are many unknowns, we are committed to sharing information as soon as it becomes available.

We recognize the significant impact this will have on our entire community, students, families, and staff. Closing SPS for six weeks mid-year is unprecedented. We acknowledge the anxiety this may cause our students, especially our seniors who are focused on graduation and those students who depend on Seattle Public Schools for critical services. 

We also recognize the burden this will place on our staff and working families. SPS is in regular contact with local and state officials to ensure we address the needs of our school communities and we will be working in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) on what this extended closure means for the school year calendar. As soon as we have more information, we will share it with you.

Beginning Monday, March 16, Seattle Public Schools will be distributing lunches every weekday at 26 school sites throughout the city. All Seattle Public Schools students can participate. Additional information about meal pick up will be shared with families on March 13. These 26 sites will become a central location for family and student resource distribution. 

Highline Public Schools said in an announcement:

Today, Thursday, March 12 is the last day of school, including athletics, activities and clubs. Friday, March 13 is a non-student day as normally scheduled. School offices will remain open through Friday, March 20 so families can pick up their student’s medication and other personal items. 

We understand that extended school closure will create hardship for many families. The school day is the centerpiece of the lives of many people. Children count on the reliable routine that a school day offers, from the classroom setting to the many people at school who know them, care for them and provide recognition of them five days a week.

Families, too, count on that routine and the knowledge that their children are cared for during the day. It allows them to tend to their workday or focus on the other pieces of life that need to be taken care of–and there are many.

Contemplating weeks without that structure and care may seem overwhelming. Please know that we are doing our very best to make decisions that will help care for all of us through this time.

Meals for Students 

Meals will be available to all students under the age of 18 starting this Monday. Locations for Monday are as follows:  

• Glacier Middle School | 12:00-12:30 p.m. | 2450 South 142nd Street, SeaTac 
• Central Office | 12:00-12:30 p.m. | 15676 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien 
• White Center Heights Elementary | 12:30-1:00 p.m. | 10015 6th Ave SW, Seattle
• More locations will be added 

No forms or registration are required. Students can drop by to pick up a meal. 

Over the next few days, we will communicate additional meal locations, as well as our plan to support families in the following ways:

• Providing learning support materials online, via email and hard copy. These are not meant to be a substitute for classroom instruction but will help students practice their skills and learn independently during the closure.
• Providing childcare for our families who need to continue working during our closure.
• Providing support to our 12th-grade students to ensure they complete graduation requirements.