Whatcom school districts begin providing food service answers during COVID-19 closure
Tuesday marked the first day no Whatcom County schools were in session after Gov. Jay Inslee ordered all schools in the state closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.
But that doesn’t mean school administrators weren’t hard at work, answering some tough questions about how to handle the closure, which will last through at least April 24.
“Please let your children know we are thinking about them, and we will miss seeing them during the break,” Ferndale School District Superintendent Dr. Linda Quinn wrote in a letter to Ferndale families.
Here are the updates the Whatcom County districts provided late Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17-18:
Bellingham Public Schools
Bellingham is finalizing its plan to offer drive-thru meals for students at 16 locations around Bellingham beginning Monday, March 23, district spokesperson Jacqueline Brawley told The Bellingham Herald in an email Wednesday. More details are expected to come from Superintendent Greg Baker soon.
Brawley wrote that the district has taken great care to follow the health and safety directives from the state and Gov. Jay Inslee while making the plan.
“While we are acutely aware of the needs of our students and community, and we need to balance those needs with the new reality of safety concerns and responsibilities of social distancing,” Brawley wrote. “We want to provide food to students in the best way possible, meaning we don’t want to do something wrong while trying to do something right.
“Our food services team is going to great lengths to change their norms and processes to improve safety protocols, including working in shifts to prepare meals so that we don’t have too many people working in the Central Kitchen together at the same time.”
Brawley reported that the district also is working with community partners to see what role the Central Kitchen may play in larger food distribution challenges.
Blaine School District
▪ Food service: Blaine announced in a Facebook post Tuesday that it will begin weekday distribution of meals on Wednesday. The district set up a Nutrition page on its district website, complete with details, maps and addresses for delivery routes. Blaine said it would feed all children, regardless of their student meal status.
Ferndale School District
▪ Food service: Quinn wrote in her letter that the district hopes to have grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches available for students beginning Friday, March 20. More details will come, Quinn wrote.
▪ Childcare: Quinn wrote that the district is “exploring our options” and would have more details by Friday. Anyone who anticipates needing childcare during the school closure is asked to complete an online survey.
▪ Staff pay: Quinn reported that the district is working with employee group leaders to answer questions related to meaningful work, continued pay, benefits and leave for staff.
▪ Learning plans: A group explored the district’s resources and researched strategies being used by other districts and hopes to have an update next week, Quinn reported.
▪ Levy: The Ferndale School Board has made the decision to postpone a School Programs and Operations Levy request scheduled for the April 28 election, according to a press release Wednesday, March 18.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
COVID-19, the new coronavirus, is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby.
Although most of the cases have been mild, the disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
Click the drop-down icon in the upper right of this card for more information on symptoms and how to stop its spread.
What you can do
Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, according to the Whatcom County Health Department.
▪ Keep six feet between yourself and others when in public.
▪ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with hands that haven’t been washed.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue in the trash and then wash your hands.
▪ Stay home if you feel sick. Avoid others who are sick.
▪ If your symptoms are severe and require medical care, call your doctor first.
Lynden School District
▪ Athletics: In a letter to Lynden families and staff, Superintendent Jim Frey said all athletic practices have been canceled for the duration of the closure.
▪ Food service: Nutrition services will begin Thursday, March 19, with pickups between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Fisher Elementary, Isom Elementary, Bernice Vossbeck Elementary and Lynden Middle School, Frey reported.
▪ Childcare: Frey wrote that the district is reaching out to Lynden Christian Schools and other community organizations to explore childcare options for first responders and healthcare workers and that it is awaiting guidance from the Department of Children, Youth and Families. It hopes to received guidance Wednesday.
▪ Learning opportunities: The district is exploring options to provide opportunities for learning, maintaining academic skills and scheduled student engagement during the closure, Frey reported.
▪ Graduation: Frey reported that the district is awaiting guidance from the state about graduation and guidance from colleges and the College Board about how to handle Advanced Placement and college courses in high school.
Meridian School District
▪ Food service: Beginning Wednesday, Meridian will offer food delivery options for families with children 18 and younger, the district announced on its website. Breakfast and lunch pickups will still be available at Meridian Middle school between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., but the transportation department also will have the following delivery sites: Pollman Circle / south end of Vail Drive from 11-11:30 a.m.; Mobile Lane from 11-11:15 a.m.; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (5800 Northwest Drive) from 11:20-11:35 a.m.; Cordata Presbyterian Church (400 Meadowbrook Court) from 11-11:30 a.m.; Pacific Rim Apartments (978 Pacific Rim Lane) from 11-11:30 a.m.; Truth Tabernacle (901 54th Terrace) from 11-11:30 a.m.; and New Life Fellowship (180 E. Pole Road) from 11-11:30 a.m. The district reported it also can provide door-to-door food delivery to families with students that are not within walking distance of pickup locations by calling 360-318-2172.
Mount Baker School District
▪ Food service: Mount Baker announced in a Facebook post Tuesday that it is working to set up stations for food pickup at elementary schools for those that can’t pick up food from the bus service announced earlier in the day. The district said it hoped to have more information by Tuesday, March 24.
▪ Learning opportunities: On the district website, Mount Baker announced that it has put together a learning opportunity schedule for pre-kindergartners through sixth-graders to provide families online and non-digital opportunities to serve as a guide.
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
