CPS ready to give out meals after spring break

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools is set to provide its students with meals starting Monday as in-person classes have been canceled to COVID-19.

 The "Grab and Go" bags contain breakfast and lunch options for CPS students Monday through Friday.

“We have about 80 bus stops that we'll be making throughout the course of the morning and early afternoon,” said CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark.

CPS will have special routes for "Grab and Go," targeting areas of need.

“We are trying to cover as much of the district as we can,” said Baumstark. “But looking at it regionally so they're not school-specific.” 

CPS has canceled classes until at least April 27 to help slow COVID-19's spread. The district said last week after classes ended that a Russell Boulevard Elementary employee tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

More than 500 cases have been confirmed statewide.

The "Grab and Go" stops will last for 15 minutes. CPS asks people to continue practicing social distancing when they come to the stop. 

“We're asking people just to pick the stop that's closest to them,” Baumstark said. “Come there with their students, and we'll provide them with a grab and go lunch sack.”

CPS is also working to accommodate its special education population who may not have immediate access to stops because of mobility challenges. 

“There are some instructions for those individuals to be able to notify the special education department,” Baumstark said. “They can send a proxy with their student ID number to be able to obtain those meals.”

Over spring break many businesses and nonprofit organizations in the area provided students with meals. Baumstark said CPS is grateful for bridging the gap over the week. 

She said the timing of calling off classes -- right before spring break, when the district does not serve meals -- was unfortunate. However, the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri doubled up on the Buddy Packs it sends home with needy students. Businesses and other organizations served meals in several locations.

Information on the timeframe, stop locations and routes for "Grab and Go" were sent to CPS parents.

Remote learning

With COVID-19 restrictions forcing teachers and students to move their classes out of school buildings remote learning is also underway. 

CPS said the first week of remote learning went well and having spring break soon after the end of in-person classes allowed CPS teachers and staff to adjust.

Baumstark said CPS teachers and curriculum coordinators have performed well in getting content together and ready for students. 

“To be able to do things either through paper packets that were provided, before students left, as well as through online options for our students who learn on devices,” she said.

Baumstark said during spring break CPS educators were able to make sure the online programs were working correctly and we able to address different needs for students.

“We have addressed different needs for our students who receive special education services for English language learners or additional individuals who may have, or need additional resources in order to be able to continue their learning,” Baumstark said. “And so that's allowed us to go through that.”

CPS has used Zoom, a virtual meeting application, with its teachers and students to provide an avenue for learning online. 

The original date of CPS returning to school was pushed back due to the stay-at-home order announced by City officials on Tuesday. 

CPS is working on a plan to get through the extension for its kindergarten through fourth-grade students who were sent home with work packets that would take them through April 10. 

“We'll be working on those additional days, our curriculum coordinators were talking about it,” Baumstark said. “Our system superintendents were visiting about it during our incident command meeting yesterday. We're doing everything we can to come up with a plan.”

CPS has made the packets that were already provided available online, along with a lot of academic resources and technology resources and answers to questions parents may have.

Baumstark said it will be important for people to continue to check the website as they work through school at home.

Stay up-to-date on this developing story here and on ABC 17 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.