PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Following Governor Kate Brown’s announcement that K-12 schools will close statewide, starting on March 16 through March 31, local school districts are working on action plans to keep their critical services running during the closure.
During the closure, school districts are required to develop plans for returning to school, continuing meal services and ensuring adequate cleaning supplies for increased cleaning protocols. The Oregon Department of Education is tasked with studying the impact the closure will have on the school year. Brown also ordered the Early Learning Division to support child care programs and child care needs for vulnerable families, healthcare workers, and first responders.
Portland Public Schools will be providing students with breakfast and lunch, starting on Tuesday, March 17. Food will be provided between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, March 20, and Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31. Students and families can pick breakfast and lunch at the following locations:
- Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Elementary – 620 N Fremont Ave
- César Chávez Elementary – 5103 N Willis Blvd
- George Middle School – 10000 N Burr Ave
- Grout Elementary – 3119 SE Holgate Blvd
- Harrison Park School – 2225 SE 87th Ave
- Lent School – 5105 SE 97th Ave
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary – 4906 NE 6th Ave
- Rigler Elementary – 5401 NE Prescott St
- Rosa Parks Elementary – 8960 N Woolsey Ave
- Scott Elementary – 6700 NE Prescott St
- Sitton Elementary – 9930 N Smith St
- Woodmere Elementary – 7900 SE Duke St
- Markham Elementary – 10531 SW Capitol Hwy
- Madison at Marshall – 3905 SE 91st Ave
- Franklin High School – 5405 SE Woodward St
PPS will not be providing meals for students during the regularly scheduled spring break from March 23 through March 27.
Washington
On Friday, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee expanded school closures to the entire state. Schools will be shuttered until April 24—roughly six weeks. Following that decision, Evergreen Public Schools in Clark County said that their childcare partner, Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium, would stay open through the school closure. Additionally, meals will be made available to students beginning on Tuesday, March 17.
“Any student or community child” can have access to grab-and-go breakfast and lunch through either of two programs: meal pick up or delivery. From 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. bagged meals can be picked up at any of the following locations:
- Burton Elementary (14015 NE 28th St.)
- Cascade Middle School (13900 NE 18th St.)
- Covington Middle School (11200 NE Rosewood Ave.)
- Crestline Elementary (13003 SE 7th St.)
- Ellsworth Elementary (512 SE Ellsworth Road)
- Hearthwood Elementary (801 NE Hearthwood Blvd.)
- Heritage High School (7825 NE 130th Ave.)
- Mill Plain Elementary (400 NE 164th Ave.)
- Silver Star Elementary (10500 NE 86th St.)
As an alternative, meals will also be delivered along normal elementary school bus routes in the district. Students of any grade can wait at a designated bus stop and receive both breakfast and lunch at the regular pick up time.
“We know this is an unprecedented closure for our educational system. I want to thank everyone in advance for working together as a community to take care of each other. We will continue to provide frequent updates to you in the days to come,” said Superintendent Mike Merlino in a Friday statement.
KOIN 6 News will continue to update this story with meal programs as information becomes available.