Coronavirus closes schools: Parents worry about child care, graduation requirements and all that free time

Spring-like weather

For legions of school-age children across the country, the coronavirus for now has meant cancelled classes. A growing number of states - including Pennsylvania - have shuttered schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Staten Island Advance/Annalise Knudson)

Liz Gurnee and her wife, Rachel Thiessen, spent part of Friday afternoon shopping for new bikes and balls for their nine children.

The York County couple figures that if the coronavirus pandemic is going to keep their kids home from school for an extended period of time, they might as well ensure their children have plenty of extracurricular activities on hand.

“We have a nice size driveway where they can ride around,” said Thiessen, whose children attend an array of districts, from York Suburban, York Vo-Tech and West Shore.

“We figured if they are going to be stuck in the house, they might as well have new bikes and balls. We are thinking about what activities we can provide.”

The extended spring break aside, across Pennsylvania, legions of parents are contending with the latest coronavirus-fueled reality: Pennsylvania schools have closed until the end of the month amid the pandemic.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday closed all K-12 Pennsylvania schools for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16.

"We understand that these are trying times and recognize the impact of the coronavirus on our students and communities,” Wolf said. “First and foremost, my top priority as governor – and that of our education leaders – must be to ensure the health and safety of our students and school communities.”

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN PENNSYLVANIA: Click to see where cases of the coronavirus are in Pennsylvania are located.

For legions of parents, school closure entails a slew of concerns: from how to provide child care for younger children to worries that the older children, in particular, will be able to fulfill all the graduation requirements.

Gurnee is concerned that neither she nor her wife are qualified to home school their children.

“It’s hard to find quiet time to give them the attention they need,” she said.

They recognize that at least when it comes to work flexibility, they at least have that.

Chali Milic, the co-chair of the Lower Dauphin School District PTO, said many parents are worried about how they will provide child care for their young children for these next few weeks.

“It’s frustrating,” she said. “I have several friends who work who are like, ‘If schools close you can bring them to us,’ ” she said. “But then you have the whole quarantine issue. Maybe having all these kids together is not the best idea. That’s the question playing out among a lot of moms and myself.”

Milic, who has a son in fourth grade and another at Lower Dauphin High School, takes comfort in the fact the older one will be able to look after the younger one for a few hours each day.

“Yeah we are going to have to do what we have to do,” she said. “Having an older child there is a bonus but there’s only so much you can allow them to do.”

Milic worries that Lower Dauphin is not certified to do online instruction.

“For a high school student, missing four weeks of school can really be an issue,” she said.

One of the most pressing issues regarding school closures is that of the thousands of children who depend on schools for the bulk of their nutritional needs. At the moment, with the growing number of school districts closing down, Congress is considering making it easier for school meals to be passed out at places like food banks.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education said all children who qualify for the federal reduced or free lunch or breakfast program would still be able to get meals and snacks from their districts.

Some districts have already rolled out their plan for providing meals to children.

The State College Area School District, for example, is distributing meals at several apartment community complexes and shopping centers.

“Lunches will include sandwiches, fresh vegetables, fruit, milk and a dessert treat,” the district informed parents on Friday. “Cereal, yogurt, banana bread, and bagels are some of the items that will be provided for breakfast. Breakfast bags will also include fruit, juice, and milk. We encourage families to continue to be proactive in reducing the risk of coronavirus by not congregating at the pick-up site once meals have been distributed, continuing to wash your hands often, sneezing or coughing into a tissue, and staying home if you are sick.”

More: President Trump declares coronavirus pandemic a national emergency

Looking ahead, Gurnee and Thiessen worry that their planned vacation, which is scheduled for just after the school year wraps up, will be impacted by the school closure.

“We know it’s a minor concern compared to what some people are dealing with,” Thiessen said. “But we are concerned about our vacation plans.”

Wolf on Friday assured educators that no school district will be penalized if it fails to meet the 180-day or school hours requirements.

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