UPDATED: Schools make plans now that year is declared over

The St Mary Parish school system put out this statement Friday morning:

Governor John Bel Edwards has officially proclaimed that schools will stay closed for the remainder of the
academic year. Students in St. Mary will continue their educational studies through the use of school-issued,
instructional resource packets provided to parents in two prior phases with an additional phase to be released
in the upcoming weeks. The school district also has an array of online instructional options presented by
grade level on the "Learning at Home" page on the district's website. Further, K-8 students may log into the
online portal, “Clever,” to access various English language arts and math programs as they would during the
normal school day.
Parents can expect frequent communication from schools and announcements from the district as the school
year draws to a close. An organized release of information will encompass important areas such as,
graduation, promotion, summer programs, etc. and will be immediately released as decisions are finalized.
St. Mary Schools fully intends to make every effort in sustaining learning for students throughout this time
and will continue to provide resources for parents in order to fulfill that commitment.
Additionally, immediately upon the governor’s statement of presumed closure, St. Mary officials contacted
the “Meals to You” program to extend the meal delivery deadline to May in order to secure a supply of
breakfast and lunch items through the normal close of school. The immediacy of this request will place the
parish in a position to support uninterrupted meal delivery services for those who elected to enroll in the
program.
Although the governor’s proclamation was anticipated, it is a bittersweet end to the school year and for
students who miss crucial face-to-face classroom instruction, social time with peers, and the caring stability
that daily school attendance brings. Every teacher, principal, and district official empathizes with the impact
that this necessary closure has on children albeit crucial to public health, and are devoted to offering students
a mechanism to diagnose and recover essential learning beginning on the first day of the new school year.

ORIGINAL STORY
St. Mary Parish public and Catholic schools are preparing to deal with the premature end of the school year.
Gov. John Bel Edwards made the long-awaited announcement Wedn-esday, keeping schools closed through the end of the 2019-20 year to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The schools were closed by Edwards’ March 13 order.
He emphasized that although students won’t go to school campuses, learning will continue through at-home paper lessons and online work.
“The announcement was expected although disappointing as we are faced with ending a school year without fulfilling the academic time in a face-to-face classroom setting,” St. Mary Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said in an email.
“Supervisors will be meeting on Monday to further plans on finalizing the school year in a manner that is focused on maintaining our commitment to student learning through a hybrid approach that includes both technological and printed resources. We will also soon communicate options for students regarding scheduling high school courses for 2020-21 and promotion considerations in the lower grades as we move forward.”
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux announced that its schools will remain closed through the end of the year, too.
“In our ongoing effort to protect the health and safety of our students, faculties, and school staffs, all school buildings will remain closed to our students through the remainder of this academic calendar school year,” the diocese said in a Thursday statement.
“We are incredibly proud of the hard work of our students, parents, faculties, and staff to ensure our children continue to receive a quality Catholic education while complying with the safety precautions set forth by our local, state, and national authorities.
Diocesan schools will continue to communicate with students and parents about assignments, grades and previously scheduled school activities, the diocese said.
“Please continue to pray for the sustained good health of all and for the recovery of all those who are ill,” the diocese wrote. “We encourage all of our school families to join Bishop Shelton Fabre in prayer each day during the Hour of Mercy at 3:00 P.M.”