information from Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Public Schools continues to work in partnership with Public Health Seattle and King County as the lead agency for coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. As the largest district in our state, Seattle Public Schools plays a critical community role in providing stability and safety for our region. We will continue to work with Public Health and city, county, and state officials as we make decisions that impact all of us.
At this time, Public Health does not recommend proactively closing schools. Beyond providing education for our students, public schools are the access point for critical social services for thousands of families. Many of our students’ parents are on the front lines of the COVID-19 response. By keeping our doors open, we help ensure they can continue to do so.
We recognize how challenging this situation is for our families, students, and staff and take this situation seriously. We are taking preventative measures in response to new information from Public Health. Staff who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 may need to stay home and we have provided guidance on taking leave.
Families know what’s best for their children and we will honor your decision to keep your child home from school during this time. Absences will be excused. Please contact your child’s school if you will be keeping them home.
We have also asked teachers to provide activities in the event of a prolonged absence. This will not take the place of regular classroom instruction, but will supplement student learning. Assignments will not be required or graded.
As of today, March 9, in response to Public Health recommendations to limit social contact, events that bring large groups of students, adults, and community members together have been canceled. Child care and extended day learning programs are still running to support working parents. We will provide more updates regarding athletics soon.
Within our buildings, custodial staff are cleaning common and high traffic areas multiple times a day and we are providing resources, supplies, and time for students to wash their hands regularly. Please help us by keeping sick children home. Public Health is recommending anyone that has symptoms of any illness stay home a minimum of 72 hours without fever. If students exhibit illness or COVID-19 related symptoms we will contact a parent or guardian to come pick them up immediately.
We have strong emergency procedures in place in the event of a school or district closure, including providing lunches to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch.
In the event of a closure, we cannot provide online distance learning. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has released recommendations regarding learning in the event of a prolonged absence or school closure. OSPI does not recommend an online distance learning model unless a district can ensure that all students will have equal access to learning. Seattle Public Schools is the largest district in our state with a diverse student population and many of our students do not have regular access to technology or the internet.
You can learn more about our COVID-19 response on our Coronavirus Disease FAQ.
Our goal is to keep our doors open as long as possible while prioritizing the health and safety of our students and staff. Thank you for working with us through this evolving situation that impacts all facets of life and our entire community. We will continue to provide you regular updates.
Office of Public Affairs
