Update on March 17th, 2020
All schools will be closed until April 15th. During this period the school districts and the Department of Education will be looking at 2-week snapshots of time to determine if additional closures should be necessary.
The district is working on an Instructional Continuity Plan for home-based learning until schools reopen. This plan will be implemented on Monday, March 30th. Details will follow later this week, along with details for the student feeding program.
All state standardized testing has been cancelled by the Department of Education.
Gulf District Schools employees should maintain a high degree of readiness to assist with the home-based Instructional Continuity Plan… our greatest task is maintaining our educational programs and supporting families through this unprecedented time.
Everyone is strongly urged to adhere to the CDC guidelines for gatherings. At present the limit is no more than 10 people in a single occupied space.
I know that everyone has as many questions as I have. We will continue to share information as it becomes available to us.
God Bless,
Jim
Emergency Declaration
At an Emergency Meeting of the Gulf County School Board on March 17, 2020, the board declared a local State of Emergency as pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, authorizing the Superintendent to act within his emergency executive authority as relating to district matters to include, but not limited to:
- Develop and implement an Instructional Continuity Plan (ICP) to ensure that students’ educational opportunities continue during the closure of schools
- Develop and implement a meal distribution program using for district resources
- Develop a plan for providing related services for students with IEPs or 504 plans
- Continuing making payroll for all employees with the understanding that employees remain “on call” to assist as needed
This order will be in effect through April 1, 2020 at which time the school board will meet in regular session to amend or extend this order.