On March 13th, officials of the Gary Community School Corporation announced the closing of schools for the next 3 weeks in an effort to diminish the spread of the Coronaviris.
"The health and safety of our students and staff would be at risk, so closing schools was the best decision," said GCSC Emergency Manager Dr. Paige McNulty. "We will continue to monitor the situation and work with our local and state partners to navigate these uncharted waters."
Students were sent home with 3 weeks worth of instructional materials. According to the Indiana Department of Education, daily use of these materials will count as an instructional day. Students must submit completed packets upon their return in order for their absence to be approved.
Another critical piece to this forced closure is the availability of food to students. GCSC has partnered with local churches and organizations that will serve as daily food distribution sites. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to youth ages 18 and younger. A list of sites can be found on the school district's website.
"We appreciate the support and cooperation of our parents, students, local government and community partners," said McNulty. "We are all in this together and must lean on one another to get through this difficult time."
Full details of the District's Coronavirus plan as well as the student instructional materials can be found at www.garycsc.k12.in.us. Periodic updates will also be shared on the school corporation's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.