From staff reports
School districts in Clarion County have issued an update regarding the shutdown that was prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Allegheny-Clarion Valley
– The school district will remain closed to the general public until further notice. Only essential staff will report to work to ensure that the buildings are cleaned and disinfected, the district said in a statement.
“Our school district does not meet the 50% guideline required for free or reduced lunches outlined by USDA, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program,” the district said.
Since the district falls below the 50% threshold, the district said, it is working in conjunction with the following businesses that provide free meal service to the district’s students:
– Welters Country Market, 104 North River Avenue, Parker.
– Little It Deli, 615 Main St., Emlenton.
– Bob’s Place, 103 North Wayne Ave., Parker.
The following locations offer food pantry and food cupboard assistance:
– Emlenton Presbyterian Church, 508 Main St., Emlenton.
– Ebenberg Presbyterian Church, 405 Main St., Knox.
Clarion Area
The school district will provide an opportunity for families to drive through or walk up and pick up meals for children 18 and under at Clarion Elementary School, 800 Boundary St., Clarion, beginning Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Meal distribution will be set up outside of the main entrance under the canopy.
Grab and go meals will begin Wednesday and will continue daily Monday through Friday until March 27.
In the event school is closed longer than two weeks, meals will continue to be provided, according to a statement issued by the school district.
The district asks that:
– Children must be present in order for meals to be provided per USDA requirements.
– If driving, please stay in your car and meals will be passed through to the driver based on the number of children in the car.
– Meals provided to all students regardless of meal eligibility.
– Children will be provided one breakfast and one lunch daily.
– No substitutions will be permitted.
– All meals will meet or exceed USDA nutritional requirements.
– Children don’t need to be Clarion Area School District students. However, they must be 18 years old or younger.
– Families are asked not to congregate in the parking lot
– Families will not have access to the building.
– While not required, parents are encouraged to complete a one-time meal request form by going to clarion-schools.com and clicking on the meal request form.
Clarion-Limestone
“The Giving Tree and Family Friendship programs are partnering with local churches to get a food plan together for our families who need it during this time. More information will be shared soon,” the school district said in a statement.
The district also has a web link with free online educational resources, information on the coronavirus and resources about how to talk with children about what is happening
This site will be updated daily, the district said.
For more information, go to www.clasd.net.
North Clarion
The school district said it has established an email address, info@nccsd.org, for families to submit questions about the coronavirus and school closure.
“We will be happy to answer your questions as best we can with the information we are being given from the federal government, the state Governor’s Office, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the state Department of Education and the state Department of Health,” the district said in a statement.
Keystone
The school district said it is working toward providing child nutrition program meal services during the school closure.
The Knox Ministerium said it will support the area’s most vulnerable populations.
Prepackaged food and supplies are available from 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, March 19, at Edenburg Presbyterian Church at 405 Main St., Knox.
Anyone willing to contribute to these initiatives, may stop at either location during hours of operation or contact Pastor Karen Parsh at 814-881-3266.
Redbank Valley
The school district said there will be no active instruction by the schools in the district while school is not in session. Education resources will be posted to the school website and in the Google Classrooms for review, continuation and enrichment.
“If the district remains closed for an additional amount of time, further communication will be given concerning online instruction,” the district said.
The district said an email was sent to all parents on Friday, alerting them about the school closure.
If a parent did not receive the email, they are asked to send an email to emailupdates@redbankvalley.net.
The email must include a current email address and all of the students enrolled in the district.
Union
Union School District said it will provide meals to students in need during the closure.
Currently, the district has a meal drive-through service set up for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and Tuesday at the same time.
Delivery service will be provided only for students who do not have adequate transportation to pick up meals directly from Union High School, the district said.
Building access has been closed for the duration of this shutdown to all people other than those deemed essential employees.
The school district will not be providing distance education during the closure period per guidance from PDE, local leaders and their legal representatives.
The district explained this is because “most local school districts do not have sufficient infrastructure and resources to offer the same quality of education in the home as they do within their buildings.”
For more information regarding any of the Clarion County school districts, visit their respective websites.