Kansas City Public Schools will remain closed until April 3, 2020, but have added resources to help provide services for students, including food and learning packets. 

How can students access food?

KCPS is offering sack lunches and meal kits for all KCPS students on at certain times and locations next week (listed below). Students will need to bring their student I.D. with them. If they don’t have their I.D., they can be looked up in the Tyler Student Information System. 

Students will be able to visit the location once a day and will be provided enough food for breakfast and lunch until the following day. On Thursday, students will be given enough food to last through the weekend. 

KCPS has also provided a sign-up link for students and families who may need home delivery. Please email food@kcpublicschools.org or call 816.418.3663 (FOOD) if your family needs home delivery. 

Food pickup location details: 

Tuesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 26

7-11 a.m. and 1-6 p.m.

Locations:

• Northeast High School (415 Van Brunt Blvd.)
• Central High School (3221 Indiana Ave.)
• East High School (1924 Van Brunt Blvd.)
• African-Centered College Preparatory Academy-Lower Campus (6410 Swope Pkwy)

Monday, March 30 and Wednesday, April 1

7-11 a.m. and 1-6 p.m.

Locations:

• Northeast High School (415 Van Brunt Blvd.)
• Central High School (3221 Indiana Ave.)
• East High School (1924 Van Brunt Blvd.)
• African-Centered College Preparatory Academy-Lower Campus (6410 Swope Pkwy)

What additional learning support do students have during the closure?

KCPS has put together work packets for students that are available on the district’s website and will also be mailed out to families beginning March 24, 2020.

Due to concerns over equity and access, digital learning opportunities will not be offered in place of classroom instructions. 

The work packets are grade-specific and were created to offer supplemental learning content for students at home. 

Dr. Mark Bedell, KCPS Superintendent, said he wanted to remind families that even though these packets are available online right now, they are meant to provide work for students from March 24 to April 3. 

He said he wants students to continue enjoying their spring break (March 16 – March 20) until then. 

Online packets available here.

What should parents be doing during this time to continue their child’s education?

Dr. Bedell said he understands that many parents may not be familiar with educating at home and suggests that parents set up some kind of structure for their children as they remain home. 

“Work with your kids between the hours of 9 and 3,” he said. “Have a schedule for them. Let them sleep in a little bit and our teachers will be available between 9 and 3 should parents need to email or reach out to them. Set a nice schedule where they can get some work done, they can play a little bit, they can have lunch, then they can get back to doing some more work.” 

What extra measures are being taken inside classrooms to prevent COVID-19?

KCPS is taking extra cleaning measures in schools and other buildings while students and staff are home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Every building will be cleaned with hospital-grade products and we don’t want activity in those buildings besides essential staff coming in,” he said. “We don’t want to contaminate those buildings. Every building will be wiped down including the Board of Education building.”

Will students be returning to school April 6th?

Kansas has canceled school for the remainder of the school year, and many Missourians are wondering if there have been discussions to do the same in Missouri. 

Dr. Bedell said he does not have any concrete answers yet. 

“Not at this point, but listening to the governor last night say that there would be some more updates regarding our educational institutions, all I can do is stand by and wait,” he said. “At this point, my job is to have a contingency plan in place should it be longer than the April 3rd date. We are thinking beyond that point just to be safe, but if not, then we go back to school on April 6th.” 

How can community members support students during this time?

“Right now, we just need more positive words of affirmation,” said Dr. Bedell. “Our kids need to be validated, our educators need to be validated, they need to know that there are people out here that care and support them. We also have to operate with empathy and understanding… maybe this is the thing that will bring us all closer together as a community that has really been divided racially and economically. We are battling something that doesn’t care what kind of money you make, it doesn’t care what your age is, it doesn’t care what race you are or what sexual orientation you have. It’s a common enemy that we all have to fight against and hopefully, this can help us come together.” 

Parting thoughts?

“I have to sincerely express my appreciation for the faculty and staff members in this organization,” said Dr. Bedell. “If you look at what the instructional team put together, under the leadership of Dr. Marla Sheppard, this is beautiful and we are going to share this with everybody. Even our custodial and food service teams, they are boxing lunches. We have about 14,000 items put together for kids to roll out on Tuesday. These people are working hard and they are the engine of the school district. They keep things moving. I think sometimes, the Superintendent is the one that everybody hears and the one that people will praise, but ultimately, the Superintendent is only as good as the people who work beside the Superintendent. I really want to commend all of these people who are out here in the trenches working hard because they genuinely care.” 

For more information regarding KCPS’ response to COVID-19, please click here.