VIENNA — The Maries R-1 School District will be modifying its schedule, beginning Monday, March 30 in an effort to keep teachers available to interact electronically with students. The change also promotes the practice of safe social/physical distancing and gives staff time to take care of their own families during the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.

R-1 Superintendent Mark Parker last Friday said the school district can’t fulfill its educational mission 100 percent from home. Because of the demographics of the school district’s population, with many students not having adequate access to the internet or a device to connect to the internet, teachers have to be at the school campus for at least some of the time. Students were sent home with homework packets on the last day school was in session. The homework it contained goes through the end of this week. Parker said they are looking at this new issue this week and will determine how to get the new homework packets to students. “So many decisions,” he said.

The school developed a Social Distancing Staff Schedule of office hours at school. All teachers will be required to be accessible via electronic means from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. when at school or not at school. Student and parent contacts will continue on a least a weekly basis. Staff will come to school every other day, alternating on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There will be only a few staff members at the school on Thursday. This is an effort to keep serving student educational needs and cut down on the staff population at school. At the same time, he said, this helps keep their stress level down.

Parker said they are trying to keep everybody working and paid. DESE has stated the school districts will continue to receive state payments including ADA revenues at the current rate.

The school district’s leaders have had to react as the coronavirus requires changes in policy and behaviors. Parker is updated on the news and is aware what other school districts are doing. He also is in frequent contact with Ashley Wann of the Phelps-Maries Health Department. Some school district have shut down for 30 days with everyone staying at home. It is not known if Maries R-1 will be forced to adopt this policy as well. Until then, they are doing the best they can.

Student Meals

Meals will continue to be prepared for students if the student meal numbers support it. Drivers will be used to deliver meals and teachers will be assisting on the delivery routes.

Parker said 150 students are taking advantage of the free breakfast and lunch each weekday, which was being delivered daily. This is about 31 percent of the school district’s total student population who are receiving these meals. The meals are cold food that they pack with ice while delivering. Maries R-1 will be reimbursed for the meals by USDA.

Starting on Monday of this week, the meals will be delivered every other day. On Monday students will receive four meals, that includes breakfast and lunch for Monday and Tuesday. This will continue throughout the week.

Parker said they will continue to provide the meal service as long as the district can keep getting food supplies. There have been no issues yet but it may happen in these times of uncertainty.

When the meals are delivered, the delivery person knocks on the door and they are practicing social/physical distancing by staying at least six feet away. Parents and students are asked to refrain from physical contact with the delivery people.

Parents who want their children to begin receiving the delivered meals should call the school and speak to Amy Rowden.