Statewide school shutdown | Prince William schools provide details

Prince William County Public Schools will close following a statewide order today from Gov. Ralph Northam.

We’re told that county schools will be closed to students effective Saturday, March 14, until April 14, and that this closure, in response to the coronavirus spread, may be extended depending on the situation.

Prince William County Public Schools provided us with these additional details:

• All SACC will be closed from March 16 onward.
• Packaged breakfasts and lunches will be provided to-go at select locations throughout the county, to anyone under the age of 18. Details on locations and times will follow in an additional message.
• The only employees who will report March 14 -17 will be the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendent, the Associate Superintendents, and custodians as directed.
• Designated food service employees and custodians will report during the closure at select locations as scheduled.
• No other PWCS employees should report until further notice.
• Decisions on instruction and employees reporting to work beyond March 16-20 will be sent next week.
• All full and part-time employees will continue to be paid during the closure.
• For student safety, the SATs planned for this weekend have been canceled, students should contact the College Board for more information.
• All activities and community use are canceled until further notice.

The news comes after Northam today ordered all K-12 schools in Virginia to close for a minimum of two weeks in response to the continued spread of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Schools will close from Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27, at a minimum. Localities will maintain authority over specific staffing decisions to ensure students maintain continuity of services or learning while protecting the public health of teachers and staff, a press release states.