GOV. SCOTT ADDRESSES SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR REMAINDER OF SCHOOL YEAR
Governor Phil Scott ordered on Thursday evening that all schools in Vermont remain closed to students through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Districts will close schools for in-person instruction and be required to implement continuity of learning plans for remote learning. This extends the Governor’s previous directive dismissing PreK-12 schools from March 18 to April 6.
This decision was made in consultation with the Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Education in the continued effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to Governor Scott’s office, to minimize disruption to students’ learning, the Governor’s order directs school districts to come up with plans for distance learning by April 13.
The news comes as the Health Department said the number of cases in Vermont has increased to 183, up 25 cases from yesterday, as well as ten deaths from the Virus within the state.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, said that in addition to the elderly and those in poor health, he is also concerned with those who smoke, vape, or use alcohol on a regular basis.
Levine encouraged those who needed help recovering from dependency at vthelplink.org.
Lavine said that more testing will be opened up to more citizens, as long as it is ordered by a physician, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.
“Early and broad testing has shows effective to flatten the curve,” Levine said, “And Vermont is still early enough to take advantage of that.”
Vermont Education Secretary Dan French attended the press conference remotely.
At his point the Department of Education is not recommending any layoffs for staff of schools, instead working to determine “what the staffing patterns should be,” said French.
“Our first priority is to define what our programs will look like,” said French.
Scott emphasized, “public safety is first.”
“The education of our students and the bonding and learning experiences they have at schools are tremendously important, so I fully appreciate the impact and difficulty of this decision,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I also recognize it will be challenging for some schools to implement remote learning through the end of the year. But I’m encouraged by the creativity I’ve seen from administrators, educators and parents already, which is why I know, together, they can rise to the occasion.”
Governor Scott also noted that some school districts have also set up creative and critically needed programs to offer onsite care for their students whose parents are working on the frontlines in this response. “These educators and staff who are finding ways to support these families have been critical to our COVID-19 response efforts and I am so proud and appreciative of their hard work, creative can-do attitude and their willingness to step up in this moment of service. These educators, and the staff supporting them, represent the very best of our public education system.”
The Agency of Education will provide technical guidance to districts on how to implement continuity of learning plans by the end of the week, specifically looking to address challenges around equitable access to learning opportunities, Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities, the continuation of school meals, and school attendance and school calendar requirements.
The Department for Children and Families will also provide updated reimbursement provisions for providers who are not currently offering services and for providers who are delivering child care through this health crisis.
Read the full directive here: https://governor.vermont.gov/content/directive-5-continuity-learning-planning-pursuant-eo-01-20.
For the latest information and guidance relating to Vermont’s COVID-19 response, visit www.healthvermont.gov/covid19.
