MEDFORD, Ore. — After Governor’s announcement late Thursday night to shut down schools for the next two weeks, school districts spent the morning planning for how to handle this unprecedented situation. The governor’s announcement caught many by surprise late last night.
Every school district is handling the next two weeks as best they can while trying to keep students educated.
“Schools will be completely closed, they won’t be answering phones there won’t be folks in those buildings,” Medford School District Superintendent, Bret Champion said.
Monday, the hallways of every school in Oregon will be empty. Now that spring break is doubling, the focus is on educating students while dealing with a unique situation.
“One thing we know for sure about COVID-19 is that it is an hour to hour, a day to day affair,” Champion said.
Medford School District Superintendent Bret Champion says teachers are handing out homework and assignments. He wants to ensure kids keep learning. As soon as possible, schools will reopen.
“We’ll continue to monitor everything going on around the globe and particularly in Jackson and Josephine counties and make a decision about what next steps look like,” Champion said.
Right now, kids are scheduled to miss six total days of school. But Champion says teachers will be compensated for the extra week off.
“The Medford School District is committed to our teachers and staff, and they won’t be held harmless for a decision that’s outside of their control. So, they will be paid for this upcoming week,” he said.
Private schools in the Rogue Valley are handling this time away from school differently. St. Mary’s and Crace Christian schools both say they will be going remotely for at least a portion of this time to continue students’ education.
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