Garfield Heights City Schools Shares Instructional and Meal Plans for Students During School Closure

In light of the Governor’s statewide order to close school for the next three weeks effective Monday, March 16th at 3:30 p.m., the Garfield Heights City Schools has developed a comprehensive instructional plan for all students. Monday, March 16th is a professional development day for staff with no school for students. This professional development day will be spent preparing for student instruction during thisschool closure.  

Those in Grades 4 through 12 will utilize Google Classroom during this period of time to receive, perform, and submit routine assignments. Parents of students in Grades Pre-K through 3 will have the opportunity to physically pickup instructional packets beginning in the afternoon on Monday, March 16th and all day on Tuesday, March 17th . Building principals will be in touch with specific requirements for these assignments including Google login information.  The online and hard copy instructional material that will be made available beginning Monday is designed to provide students with routine learning resources during this three week period.  Teachers will hold "virtual office hours" each-and-every weekday during this timeframe as well so that students can ask questions and submit information with timely feedback.  Teachers will not hold these office hours during our regularly scheduled Spring Break, during the week of March 23rd through March 27th.  The school closure period is designed to shift the place of learning from the buildings where individuals congregate, to online and the homefront, so that our District can uphold the adopted order of social-distancing.

In addition, all preK-12 students will have the opportunity to receive a free breakfast and lunch, in what the District is calling its “grab-and-go” program beginning Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th from 9 a.m. until 12 noon. This program will be available for all students and will be distributed at the Middle School. We will temporarily suspend this program during the District’s regularly scheduled Spring Break during the week of March 23rd and will resume the week of Monday, March 30th. Students, parents and siblings are able to pick up these meals.

Students in Grades Kindergarten through 3 can also pick up their hard-copy instructional packets during this “grab-and-go” beginning on Wednesday, March 18th.  All of the materials will be available at GarfieldHeightsCitySchools.com.

In summary, the Garfield Heights City Schools is dedicated to maintaining the continuity of education during the state-ordered school closure period. Buildings will be thoroughly disinfected and rigorously cleansed during this time as well. Ultimately, our hope is for everyone to remain safe and healthy. The District will continue to communicate with timely updates as soon as information is available. Thank you for your continued flexibility during this unprecedented time and evolving matter.

Please stay safe, stay healthy, take care of yourself and take care of each other.

Sincerely,

Chris G. Hanke
Superintendent of Schools