Little Rock Superintendent Mike Poore said Sunday that district students and teachers are to proceed today through Thursday this week with their previously developed paper and online school assignments.
District staff will follow up on Wednesday, Poore said, with plans for student lesson assignments to be used beginning Friday and on the following days in which the city and state's school buildings are closed as a way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson has directed that all public schools be closed to on-site instruction at least through April 17 and that alternative methods of instruction be used so that the school days won't have to be made up later in the year.
In a video message to parents on Sunday, Poore said that "Phase II" of the at-home instruction -- starting Friday -- will shift almost entirely to online instruction -- even for the elementary pupils who have been relying on worksheets and other on-paper lessons.
That shift to online lessons will necessitate the district to provide laptops and tablets or other devices to students who do not have them to do their school work, Poore said.
Also in the video presentation, Poore said the district has an agreement to provide a child care program for Arkansas Children's Hospital staff using school district staff who volunteer to provide the service at the hospital. He said that will start with fewer than 15 school district staff.
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Poore said the district is also talking to other area medical centers about providing child care or day camps for children of staff at those other medical centers.
Metro on 03/30/2020