COVID-19 Community Message 3/17/2020

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Home > COVID-19 Messages & Resources > COVID-19 Community Message 3/17/2020

UPDATED: 3/17/2020, 8:00 p.m.

Good evening MESD community, 
 
Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced an extension to her mandate to close Oregon schools to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). The governor’s new orders states that schools will be closed until April 28, 2020.

We know that the closure of our schools is an additional challenge to each of us in these trying times. We urge each of you to embrace practices of self-care and prioritize the health of your loved ones and yourselves. We are only able to serve our students if we have adequately taken care of ourselves. 

We are doing all we can to plan for our students’ return and are looking for additional guidance from the Oregon Department of Education on how to equitably deliver instruction to all students during this extended closure.

What we do know right now:

• We are continuing to work with our component districts to provide students with access to grab-and-go meals during the closure
• Our facilities will remain closed to students and all non-essential staff during the closure
• Our custodians have deep cleaned all surfaces in our schools, closing off rooms when complete, to ensure they remain disinfected for when students and staff return

Our community must come together as we navigate this constantly-changing situation.  We are developing answers to questions, including implications of pay and benefits, and will share those when they are available. 
 
We will be in touch with more information as soon as we have finalized the plan to navigate this extended closure. 

Thank you,
Sam Breyer, Superintendent
Multnomah Education Service District

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