LONG BEACH PENINSULA — Ocean Beach School District is closed for the next six weeks, and possibly longer. This sets off a determined effort to try to address the ongoing needs of students and families.

The news came March 13, after Gov. Jay Inslee announced at a press conference that he was signing an executive order to shut down all school districts in the state through at least April 24. Since then, Inslee — and many other governors throughout the country — ordered all restaurants and bars to restrict indoor sit-down service and banned public gatherings of 50 or more people.

Following the conclusion of Inslee’s press conference, OBSD immediately sent out a news release that it would be working on plans to deliver food and curriculum by bus route. The district also said it would be working to support families by also providing childcare.

Addressing food insecurity

Of the 1,058 students attending OBSD at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, 66.6% qualified for free or reduced breakfast and lunch. That figure is well above the statewide rate of 43.3%.

The school district has asked that all families that would like to have school meals delivered to their bus stop during the closure to send an email to district.secretary@oceanbeachschools.org. That email should include the names and grades of students in the family. The district hopes to begin providing meals on March 18 at the earliest.

The district’s plan at the moment is to deliver meals along school bus routes with a daily delivery at bus stops, according to OBSD Superintendent Amy Huntley. Huntley told the Observer that the meals will have to be different than what is normally served by the school in order to practice safe food-handling techniques. The district held a meeting Tuesday morning, March 17, to discuss and figure out the basics of the plan.

Volunteer Natalie Hanson confirmed that the Food4Kids Backpack Program was also temporarily suspending operations. Hanson said that the program likely wouldn’t restart until next week or the week after.

Hanson explained that the backpacks went home with students — as they normally do — last Friday, but there is no way for the students to return the backpacks. She said the hope is for the bus drivers to ask the students to bring their backpacks to the bus routes so that they can be returned to the volunteers to restock and redistribute.

Providing childcare

OBSD said it is committed to providing childcare for the families that most need it. Last Friday, students at Long Beach Elementary and Ocean Park Elementary schools were sent home with a flyer that asked for families to contact the district if the lack of childcare would cause them to lose employment.

Huntley said that the district reached out to families that expressed a need for childcare services, but that they do not expect those services to start until next week at the earliest.

Keeping up with curriculum

While students won’t be in the classroom for the time being, the district plans to continue providing curriculum for those that want and need it.

Ilwaco High School Principal David Tobin said in a message to families that the school was trying to determine which families have WiFi or internet access at home. The school is asking those who have internet access to indicate so by emailing either himself (david.tobin@oceanbeachschools.org) or Tammy McMullen (tammy.mcmullen@oceanbeachschools.org).

He said that the school hopes to provide work for seniors who are credit deficient in order to allow them the opportunity to correct these issues, as well as any student enrolled in dual credit courses to give them the opportunity to earn the dual credit if they so desire.

For other students, Tobin said the school aims to provide enrichment work and encourages students to complete the work, “in order to keep their brains working and thinking.” The work is not required, but highly encouraged.

Ocean Park Elementary and Long Beach Elementary School posted on Facebook that its teachers were working to create optional academic activities and resources for students. The plan is for the materials to be dropped off along with the meals at the bus stops. Huntley said enrichment materials will be delivered to families starting next week at the earliest.

The Observer will have more information on the district’s plans in print and online as the situation develops.