Schools serve free meals; assess remote learning opportunities

Meal sites for children and teens are open for the remainder of the week as schools are closed by the Gov. Steve Bullock’s order in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.

While the two-week order continues through next week, the majority of schools start their previously scheduled spring break March 23-27.

On Monday, schools formulated plans to finish out the week that included instructional-related plans and worked on relaying the information to families.

Bigfork School District is continuing regular instruction through Thursday. Teachers have the option to present from home or at the school.

Grades 5 through 12 are using Chromebooks, and students who don’t have access to devices, pen and paper. Teachers and students will communicate with each other by camera and microphones on the Chromebooks. Students who don’t have access to internet at home can call into sessions by phone.

Bigfork kindergartners through fourth-graders will have materials sent home. Grade-level instructional videos will be available to parents or guardians throughout the week to review with their children.

Whitefish School District administrators met most of Monday and decided not to provide instructional delivery this week, and instead, prepare for the long-term under the assumption the closure will likely be extended.

“We are using this week to prepare and train for the likelihood of remote learning environments after spring break, including both digital and print-based/packet instructional options,” Whitefish Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt stated in an email to families sent Monday.

“Although the Governor directed a two-week school closure through March 27, we are operating under the assumption that we need to plan for a longer period of time. Our response team began preparation last week and we are now working with our teachers to create a plan for each grade level,” she said.

Schmidt also noted the district would take steps to “deep clean” schools and buses in preparation when school resumes.

Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau also sent an update to families Monday after administrators met for nearly five hours with the understanding that the situation remains in flux. The letter also included a link for families to complete a survey to help the district assess remote learning capabilities.

“I want you to know that high levels of care and support were consistently expressed by our administrators concerning our families and staff. We are working to navigate this uncharted territory with the best and most current information we have, which we know may change tomorrow,” Flatau stated in an email to families on Monday, letting them know that building principals would reach out with details of alternative plans schools are working on.

“Our goal is to maintain support for every student despite the challenges that we are currently facing,” Flatau said, noting that a communication plan is in place to deliver accurate information to families.

On Tuesday, Columbia Falls School District Superintendent Steve Bradshaw said some educational instruction is being delivered on a limited and building-by-building basis whether online or hard copies. The district is also in the midst of surveying what kind of internet and technology access families have and how to move forward.

Evergreen School District Superintendent Laurie Barron said superintendents part of the Northwest region of Montana Association of School Superintendents have upped their communication efforts in light of the closures.

“We don’t want to act in silos,” Barron said Tuesday. “We’re sharing information on what we are doing with staff, students and meals and coordinating efforts and sharing resources.”

As far as what Evergreen schools are doing with instruction, she said families will receive emails with recommendations “to continue learning essential standards.”

“If school is not back in session after spring break, we will send work home for students,” she said.

With the school closures, families may also be scrambling to find child care, which may prove difficult as some daycare centers that also deliver preschool programs are following suit with public school districts and closing. Other daycare facilities do not take drop-ins. Still others are debating whether or not to close.

Families interested in finding out about daycare availability on their own may access a list of providers by creating a free online account with The Nurturing Center at https://bit.ly/2ISzSns.

“We are gathering information about who is closed and who is open, but we do not have anything comprehensive, as of yet,” said Nurturing Center Provider Services Manager Cindy Moulton Straughn.

The Nurturing Center, which provides support and training to licensed childcare providers in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties, remains closed until further notice, but staff are answering phones and responding to emails. For more information, call 406-756-1414.

“We have been fielding a lot of calls today about child-care providers wondering if they should stay open or not, as well as questions from parents looking for child care,” Straughn said on Monday through Facebook and Twitter.

“At this time, we are awaiting more guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services on recommendations to child-care facilities during this critical time,” she said, anticipating updates to come,” Straughn said.

One option that remains open are drop-in daycare facilities such as Scribbles Playcare and Sprouts Club, both located in Kalispell.

On Monday, Scribbles Playcare Owner Brittney Malley and Sprouts Club Manager Ashley Levesque anticipated more drop-ins and made preparations staffing-wise, but said it was an average, or slower, day for drop-ins, which could change.

“We’re going to remain open as long as the governor doesn’t call for child-care facilities to close. We are definitely taking precautions. We’re taking temperatures of children who come in,” Levesque said. “We have been in touch with the health department to see who we should accept and not accept.”

Malley said Scribbles is also taking temperatures.

“We’ve removed all the toys that could be picked up and put in mouths,” Malley said. There is still play equipment for children to enjoy. “We have sanitary stations right outside our gate for everybody to sanitize hands and Clorox wipes to wipe down doorknobs.”

Sprouts, located 40 Commons Way, accepts children 18 months old to 12 years old and is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Scribbles, 38 First Ave. E., accepts children 3 months old to 12 years old and is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The number of children either facility can take in is dependent on the amount of staff and the ages of the children. It is recommended to call at least a day or two in advance before arriving. Scribbles may be reached at 406-755-7550 and Sprouts at 406-752-7529.

When considering placing children under the supervision of relatives or friends, families are reminded of Gov. Steve Bullock’s social distancing directives.

“Parents should avoid, if possible, placing children for child care with grandparents, family members, friends, or providers over the age of 60 or immunocompromised persons,” the directive states.

There are eight reported cases of COVID-19 Montana. A ninth reported case is a part-time Montana resident “with no documented exposures or close contacts in Montana, and was not tested in Montana,” according to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services. All are adults.

To date, no cases have been confirmed in Flathead County.

Free breakfast and lunches are available to people 18 and under through Friday. Meal sites and times are as follows:

Bigfork

• ACES, grab-and-go dinners may be picked up from 4:30 to 5 p.m., 439 Grand Dr.

Columbia Falls

• Glacier Gateway Elementary School, 440 4th Ave. West; 11 a.m. to noon

• Horine Park, between Talbot Drive and Beth Road, 12:05 to 1 p.m.

• Canyon Elementary School, 200 N. St. Hungry Horse, 10 to 11 a.m.

• Martin City Fire Hall, 332 Central Ave. Martin City, 11:10 a.m. to noon.

• Coram Community Church, 185 Coram School Lane, Coram, 12:10 to 1 p.m.

Kalispell

Free meals may be picked up from the following seven sites from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Friday.

• Central Kitchen north side of the building, 106 Northwest Lane.

• Edgerton Elementary main entrance, 1400 Whitefish Stage Road.

• Elrod, south side of building on Fifth Street, 412 Third Ave. W.

• Hedges Elementary main entrance, 827 Fourth Ave. E.

• Peterson Elementary student drop-off area, 1119 Second St. W.

• Rankin Elementary main entrance, 2155 Airport Road.

• Russell Elementary east kitchen entrance, 227 W. Nevada St.

Evergreen

Free grab-and-go sack lunches may be picked up from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Friday. Drive up to either location and tell a staff member how many lunches are needed and they will bring it to you directly.

• Evergreen Junior High School cafeteria, 18 W. Evergreen Dr.

• East Evergreen Elementary main entrance, 585 E. Evergreen Dr.

Whitefish

• Muldown Elementary, 1300 E. Seventh St., 11 a.m. to noon.

• Whitefish Middle School east side of the building, 600 E. Second St., 11 a.m. to noon.

• Forest Acres mobile home park at main mailbox site, 11 to 11:30 a.m.

• City Beach, 70 Lakeside Boulevard, 11:45 am to noon.

• Olney-Bissell School will make stops at Martin Camp Road at 12:15 p.m. and in Olney at the mercantile at noon. Please be on time. If you are late there is a chance you could miss these drop offs.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com. Bigfork Eagle Reporter Mackenzie Reiss contributed to this article.