Cd’A schools to close

All schools in the Coeur d’Alene School District will close beginning Monday, March 16, and remain closed at least until Monday, April 6, the school district announced Saturday afternoon in a news release.

This closure applies to the next two weeks of instruction, followed by spring break week. All extracurricular activities, including athletics, will be suspended in the district during this temporary shutdown, and parent-teacher conferences will be rescheduled, district officials announced.

“We are taking this unprecedented action to help slow the continuing spread of novel coronavirus in our region,” district spokesman Scott Maben said in the release. “Spokane County health authorities today announced three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Spokane County, and Idaho now has two confirmed cases in the southern part of the state.

“Additionally, throughout the district we are aware of multiple individuals (employees, students, and household members of employees and students) who have sought testing for COVID-19 and are awaiting results of those tests,” Maben added. “One of these individuals recently was in contact with another individual who resides outside of Idaho and has since tested positive for COVID-19. The contact did not take place in any of our facilities.”

The Coeur d’Alene School District’s announcement follows Friday’s news from Washington that Gov. Jay Inslee had ordered all of the state’s K-12 public schools to close beginning Tuesday, March 17, through Friday, April 24. Washington has been one the hardest-hit areas with coronavirus cases and deaths, with 572 cases reported as of Saturday afternoon, and 37 deaths. The majority are on the west side of the state.

In the Coeur d’Alene School District news release, Maben said the district is working on plans to make school meals available for families to pick up at select sites each weekday, beginning Wednesday, March 18. This will include both breakfast and lunch. More details about this, including times and locations, will announced soon, he said.

The district is working to establish emergency childcare services for younger school-aged children of healthcare workers, first responders, and vulnerable populations, Maben said.

He noted the School PLUS childcare program will not be available on Monday and Tuesday as officials focus on thoroughly cleaning schools to be designated childcare sites. School PLUS is expected to resume on Wednesday, March 18, for the families that are currently enrolled.

Regarding online educational resources, district officials are considering what can be made available for families, Maben said. He noted that unlike universities, public school districts are not really equipped to offer online instruction to students who range from kindergartners to high schoolers. Additionally, some families may not have access to the broadband internet and technology necessary for online instruction.

Coeur d’Alene Public Schools will stay in regular contact with Panhandle Health District, Kootenai Health and other key agencies and partners throughout this closure and as long as necessary, Maben said. The district will work with the Idaho Department of Education on how this closure affects the school year calendar, while also ensuring the district’s high school seniors can graduate on time.

“In the weeks since the coronavirus outbreak emerged in the Northwest, Coeur d’Alene Public Schools has taken action to educate students, staff and families about exposure risks and best practices for prevention. We also stepped up our routine cleaning of schools using approved disinfectants,” Maben said in the release.

“Our region, nation and world now are confronting an unprecedented public health crisis,” he added. “In close consultation with state and local public health authorities, we have endeavored to keep our schools open and healthy. We now believe it is necessary to enact this temporary closure, and Panhandle Health District is in support of our decision.”

Maben said the district is encouraging parents, students and staff to be patient as officials navigate all the issues the coronavirus health crisis presents.

Updated information will be available at cdaschools.org, and on Facebook @cdaschools.