TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) — Tippecanoe County public school leaders are looking for ways to serve students during its extended break. These school districts join hundreds of schools across the country canceling in-person classes amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“There's just no playbook for this, there's just no cookie-cutter approach and we've been taking this day by day,” said Scott Hanback, Tippecanoe School Corporation superintendent.
Uncertainty is what's mainly plaguing Tippecanoe County public schools right now. School leaders are working on a plan for students as the nation works to contain the highly contagious COVID-19.
“Will there be meals served? Will there be child-care still available? Some of those responses we just didn't have answers yet,” said Les Huddle, Lafayette School Corporation superintendent.
Now that the public school districts have decided to stay closed after spring break, the plan is working to provide resources that students depend on while in school.
“We're trying to figure out how we can provide sack-breakfasts, sack-lunches, those opportunities for kids,” said Huddle.
Many local organizations have reached out to the schools to offer services. Superintendent Huddle said they will work to compile a list and get the information to parents.
“Be it child care, be it food opportunity, academic support, those types of things,” said Huddle.
As for student e-Learning, this is something the superintendents plan to learn and adjust to as it goes.
“Remote learning is going to be new for all three districts,” said Hanback. “All three of us have incredible technology in our classroom that enhances our curriculum and instruction but I think what's going to be new for all of us is actually maintaining some sense of educational continuity remotely when students and teachers are not face-to-face.”
While they're planning for what's to come during this extended break, the superintendents are also preparing for what's next when students and staff are back to class.
“We're going to do everything we can to make sure that it doesn't impact our staff financially and overall we are going to do everything we can to make sure that it doesn't hurt our children academically, we want to make sure that they are continuing to get a high-quality education,” said Rocky Killion, West Lafayette Community School Corporation superintendent.
The superintendents are looking at Apr. 6 as a potential day for students to come back to class. Governor Eric Holcomb is allowing schools up to 20 days of closure without penalty in response to the outbreak.
