By Alex Aubuchon

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri schools have been hard at work making sure no student misses out on the education they deserve.

Whether it is through handing out packets of schoolwork or switching to online classes, Missouri schools are committed to giving kids the work they have been missing and providing them with the schooling they need.

In addition to supplying work for the students while they are at home, schools have also been preparing and distributing meals for students and their families while they are quarantining at home.

Krissy Friedman, principal at Hermitage High school, spoke about some of the things the school is doing to ensure that students are not only receiving their education, but also making sure they stay fed.

“We have provided instructional materials to students in packet form based on their demographic, most students did not have access to internet,” Friedman said. “We are also still providing food and giving parents the option to pick it up at school or at different pick up locations.”

Teachers are using a big yellow school bus to deliver meals. Hermitage students can come get their meals at one of the six pickup locations.

“I think it’s awful important to make sure that our kids get that food because what we bring them could be their only meal of the day,” Deanna Carter, preschool teacher, said.

When asked if she was concerned about jeopardizing her own health by coming into contact with children and parents while delivering meals Carter gave a simple but effective response.

“Nope.”

Hermitage High School is one of the 555 Missouri public and charter schools to close it’s doors in mid March of the 2020 pandemic.

Now, in late April, with the end of the school year and graduation looming, there are still many questions that have yet to be answered.

DESE or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is responsible for watching after public and charter schools.

DESE area supervisor Shelly Aubuchon spoke about what is being done by the state to help aid the schools and their scrambling administration.

“All supervisors have been keeping in close contact with all of their area superintendents to make sure that they are kept up to speed and that we are all on the same page,” Aubuchon said. “In addition, we have been attending Zoom meetings and conference calls with the commissioner of education and her executive leadership team on a daily basis.”

As of April 30, all Missouri public schools have been closed for the remainder of the school year.