The Lamar County School District has shut down all district schools and discontinued its feeding program to provide the strictest safety for its employees and students because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Superintendent Tess Smith made the announcement after a special-called School Board meeting Friday morning.
“When we close today at noon, we will not reopen until at least Monday, April 20 at 8 a.m.,” she said in an interview after the meeting Friday. “No one will be in the buildings unless there is an emergency. There will be security checks throughout the shutdown by our officers and all other local law enforcement.”
Smith said the suspension of the Grab and Go meals is for safety reasons.
“There is just no way to continue (the feeding program) and stay within safety guidelines, even as our numbers have dropped significantly,” she said. “It has become evident that we are putting people at risk by continuing.”
The district’s online enrichment learning will continue throughout the shutdown,” Smith noted. “We will continue to work diligently from home. This decision was made for the safety of our staff as well as those that they serve.”
Lamar County School District officials will reconsider the status of the shutdown closer to April 20.