On Thursday, March 12, just before 6 p.m., Superintendent Dr. Tim Parson released a video via Facebook dismissing school beginning March 16 until March 27 on the recommendation from Governor Andy Beshear.

Governor Beshear asked that all districts close in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19.

“He (Beshear) called us on Wednesday, and said be prepared with 72 hours notice to shut school down for a period of time. He said to start thinking about your plan on how you would do that and we knew right then that he was going to do that,” Parson said. “He didn’t say it right then, but we figured it was his way of saying get your ducks in a row because it was about to happen.”

Parson said he did consider taking three weeks off in the beginning and that would lead up to Spring Break and with that week off as well, that would be four weeks Clinton County students would be out of school.

“We just put plans in place for the next two weeks and after two weeks if we have to extend it then we will just continue what we are already doing,” Parson said. “There are some districts I’m sure that are having the conversation about whether or not they have to listen to the governor because it was a recommendation. It wasn’t a mandate. For me, I don’t see that we gain anything by not listening.”

Having two weeks of Cyber Days, Parson wanted it to be more than just students doing worksheets. He said he wanted the teachers more involved by doing video lessons and other things during the two weeks school is dismissed.

“There’s a difference in being off for snow days or sickness and being out for two weeks,” Parson said. “There can’t be two weeks of just worksheets. There is going to be some video teaching through Google Classroom. I’m working on a document right now that has every teacher in the district at every grade level and their preferred method of contact.”

Even though school is out, Parson said the district will still be delivering food as they do during the summer months to those who need it.

On Friday, students filled out papers with contact information and whether or not meals were needed at their homes.

“We will be delivering lunch, and breakfast for the next day, every day for those who need it,” Parson said. “If some students need other things like another Cyber Day packet, we can do that as well through the buses.”

Parson said being able to provide meals to people and being able to continue to keep the Back Pack program operating, allows many of the school’s employees to continue to work while school is dismissed.

“We are fortunate that Cyber Days still count as instructional days so the state still gives us money,” Parson said. “We still have money to pay our people. A lot of our instructional aids and teacher’s aids will be riding the buses and helping pass out food. Others will be helping clean the buildings because we want to do a good job to sanitize the schools.”

Much like during a flu outbreak, the entire school district, buildings and facilities, will be getting a “deep” cleaning.

Parson said there are certain cleaning practices janitors can’t perform while students are present, but with school being let out, they can clean deep and sanitize everything.

“We are not allowed to use bleach while kids are there, but bleach is the best things to use to kill germs, so the schools use a diluted bleach solution after the kids have left for the afternoon,” Parson said. “Desks, door knobs … things that are touch points, water fountains, handles and that kind of stuff. We added hand sanitizing stations and are making more signs about washing your hands.”

There are also several different machines used to clean higher traffic areas including one used as a fogger type application.

“It will fog an area like where pest control people use bombs, well this is like that where they made bombs that, will kill virus and those kinds of things,” Parson said. “Our custodians are still reporting to work everyday. A lot of the deeper cleaning that can’t be done during the day with kids can be done without kids because when kids are there, there are things you are constantly going back and picking up. You have to keep checking bathrooms and have to keep sweeping floors … it really helps that we will have two weeks to do that deep cleaning.”

With the cases of the COVID-19 spreading throughout the state, chances of the outbreak getting better in the next two weeks are slim and Parson thinks it could lead to even more time off after these first two weeks.

“I think the time off will slow down the transmission of the virus across the state,” Parson said. “I think if cases keep rising, the Governor will tell us to keep the schools closed for another two. I don’t know that it will be over in two weeks. I think it has to help.”

Parson said he and his staff are working hard and trying to provide the highest level of education to students during this time and he hopes things can get back to normal very soon.

“We are going to try and teach them, feed them, and provide a service to them as well as we can,” Parson said.