By the Oregon Capital Bureau and YachatsNews.com
Oregon’s schools now are closed for six weeks.
Gov. Kate Brown announced the extended school closure late Tuesday, hours after talking with
reporters by phone and announcing that 150 of the state’s 197 school districts had found ways
to provide meals to children.
On Monday, Brown had said she was still considering whether to lengthen the current two-
week-long closure — which includes Oregon’s traditional spring break which starts Monday, March 23. She had banned public and private gatherings of more than 25 people,
which many school classrooms and hallways would violate.
“I do not take the decision to extend school closures lightly,” Brown said in a statement
Tuesday. “This will have real impacts on Oregon’s students, parents, and educators. But we
must act now to flatten the curve and slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission in Oregon,
otherwise we face a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease.”
The current school closure was to end March 31. It now will last through April 28.
The Oregon Health Authority said Tuesday that the state’s known coronavirus cases rose to 67; there has been one death.
In Washington state, far and away the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, there are 1,012 cases and 55 deaths.
Brown mandated that all regular school employees continue to be paid. Previously, the Oregon
Department of Education had said that was up to the individual school districts and their
collective bargaining agreements with employees.
The governor also said districts must “provide learning supports and supplemental services to
students and families during the closure period, including meals and child care. This includes
the delivery of food assistance and offering child care for essential health care professionals
and first responders.”
Brown has said she is in frequent communication with federal officials and with Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee, who has ordered that state’s schools through April 24.
The Oregon Education Association, which is the state’s largest teacher union, applauded
Brown’s decision to extend the school closure and said it would safeguard the health of
students and educators.
“We also commend the governor for her commitment to maintaining vital nutrition and mental
health services for our students, and for directing districts to ensure all school employees are
paid during these closures,” OEA President John Larson said in a statement.
Earlier Tuesday, the state Department of Human Services banned almost all visitors to long-
term care facilities and residential group homes. The only exceptions are for essential emergency and medical personnel and for people visiting residents who are near the end of
their lives.
Large gatherings, including weddings and funerals, already have been banned under Brown’s
executive orders. The rationale is that the larger the crowd, the more likely people are to come
into contact with someone with coronavirus and further spread the disease known as COVID-
19.
Lincoln County School District statement
Following Brown’s announcement, Lincoln County School District Superintendent Karen Gray issued the following announcement:
Dear Students, Parents/Guardians, and Community Members,
Our community, our state, and much of the world are now dealing with an unprecedented public health crisis. Today, Governor Kate Brown issued an Executive Order extending the closure of all public schools through Tuesday, April 28, 2020. You can read the Executive Order here.
This action is intended to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to protect Oregonians at the highest risk of contracting the disease. Governor Brown said in her Order, “I also recognize that school closures disproportionately impact Oregon’s most vulnerable children and families,” but “action is necessary to minimize disruptions…on Oregon’s health care system, first responders, and emergency workers.”
Governor Brown’s Order will ensure that schools continue to receive funding during this closure so that employees will not be laid off and vital services, including meals for students, will continue.
LCSD will continue to make the following resources available during the extended closure:
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LCSD is committed to continuing to provide three meals per day during weekdays to any child ages 1-18. Routes and curbside sites are available on our website and will be updated. We will also be using Remind to send information to families.
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We will provide information, upon availability, about possible child care/daycare for first responders, emergency workers, and health care professionals.
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We will provide information, upon availability, about health/medical resources for families in our community.
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We will provide information, upon availability, any supplemental educational options for our students.
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We will provide information, upon availability, any updates regarding instructional time and graduation.
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We will provide information to all employees about uninterrupted salary and benefits as all employees of public schools will continue to be regularly paid.
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For additional information you can access the Oregon Department of Education’s coronavirus webpage here – ODE COVID-19 page
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You can also access the Lincoln County School District’s webpage for more information here – LCSD COVID-19 (coronavirus info)
Schools are essential to communities. We know that extending the school closure will cause difficulties for many families who rely on their schools for meals, health care, and a safe place to be during the day. Since the COVID-19 coronavirus first emerged in Oregon, we have followed the guidance of our public health and education agency partners, including the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Department of Education, and Oregon School Activities Association, in taking preventative steps to make sure staff and students are safe.
Please make every effort to follow published health-related guidelines such as regular handwashing and social distancing. During this health crisis, it is not recommended that anyone congregate with groups of people or friends. We still have time as a community to slow down the spread of coronavirus if we work together.