SMSD currently planning online class procedures, spring break to most likely bleed into next week

After an announcement from Gov. Laura Kelly mandating all K-12 schools to close for the remainder of the semester, the Shawnee Mission School District is navigating the uncharted territory of online schooling amid rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. 

The SMSD is currently conducting meetings and planning periods to pinpoint effective strategies for the school year’s last quarter — and the meetings could bleed into next week, according to East associate principal Dr. Susan Leonard. Much of the SMSD’s decision-making process will continue in collaboration with the Johnson County Department of Health and the Environment. 

East’s administration, Leonard said, will be able to move forward with online classes only as quickly as the district structures them. The planning process will likely push the start of structured online classes to late next week or the beginning of the following week, near March 30, according to a source close to the SMSD. 

The first issue the SMSD addressed involved making meals available for students on free and reduced lunch and breakfast plans. For the rest of the semester, free breakfast and lunch will be served to students at four school locations — Comanche Elementary, Rosehill Elementary, Shawanoe Elementary and Hocker Grove Middle School — beginning March 24. One breakfast and one lunch meal will be distributed to each student by each location’s pickup lane where appropriate social distancing will be enforced. 

“I think it’s frustrating and it’s hard to be patient, because you want information, and I’ve just tried to tell myself to be patient,” Leonard said. “And when I saw today that they had this structure for food, I thought, ‘You know what, I appreciate that that’s where they’re starting.’ Let’s take care of people’s basic needs first, and then let’s start ramping it up to the where we get to education.” 

The closure announcement from Gov. Kelly came as a surprise to administration at East, according to Leonard, who said it was “shocking” to hear — as Kansas is currently the only state to close K-12 school doors for the entire semester. The SMSD “seemed a bit surprised as well,” especially considering the notion of closing for the school year was not a raised concern from the district office, Leonard said. 

Despite the lack of current information, students are encouraged to enjoy the rest of their break — while also taking safety precautions as a high priority, Leonard said. Information from the SMSD regarding online classes and procedures will be released as soon as they are completely formulated over the course of the next few weeks.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus and the SMSD’s planned steps, concerned parties are encouraged to call a newly created district hotline at 913-715-2819.