LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools will close through April 5 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said.
"It's not an easy decision but we know its the right one to make for the health of our students," Dr. Pollio said Thursday.
Pollio said schools will remain open Friday, March 13. The district said if parents decide not to send their child to school, with a note, it'll be considered an excused absence.
"We know this is a hardship for families and we do want to give parents time to make arrangements for their children," Dr. Pollio said.
No school activities will be allowed starting after school March 13. After school activities and field trips are also all cancelled while school is closed. The district is now focusing on cleaning all facilities and buses.
The district will distribute meals at no cost to any students under 18 at 43 different sites despite the closures. Those sites can be found here.
The district's spring break is scheduled for March 30 through April 3. School is expected to resume April 6. Pollio said the last day of school will be June 10.
"We know it's a challenging time in our community to be out several weeks in the spring. It's not easy for our students and our families. But once again, our goal is to keep our students safe while also providing them an opportunity for learning and the services that they need, such as lunches," Dr. Pollio said.
If the district decides to extend the closures, t will consider non-traditional instruction online.
The announcement comes after Gov. Andy Beshear recommended all schools cancel in-person classes for the next two weeks in an attempt to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Louisville Catholic Schools are also closed through this time. At this time, two people in Jefferson County have tested positive for COVID-19.
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