Spring break starts for CCSD; free meals still handed out

Food distribution is still available for Clark County School District families as spring break begins Monday.

Dozens of schools will have distribution sites open from 9 a.m. to noon starting Monday, according to a statement from Superintendent Jesus Jara. Locations of the pickup sites can be found at ccsd.nutrislice.com/menu.

Distance education will resume April 14 as previously planned, according to the statement. Teachers are not working and students are not required to participate in class instruction during spring break.

In his note to parents, Jara said, “While I encourage everyone to follow Governor Steve Sisolak’s directive and #StayHomeForNevada, I want our teachers, parents, and students to take the opportunity to relax as much as possible.”

Parents and guardians are now able to pick up free meals without a child present at the sites after the U.S. Department of Agriculture relaxed the rules for the program during school closures.

The new guidance allows sites to waive the rule but asks districts to protect “accountability and program integrity.”

As an accountability measure, parents at Clark County sites will be asked to provide either the student’s ID card or the student’s name, identification number, school site and grade level, the district said.

On Sunday, the district announced Centennial High School’s food distribution site has been closed after someone working at the site fell ill, according to a statement.

Last week, the school district announced that a food service employee died after contracting COVID-19. The employee worked at Desert Pines High School in east Las Vegas. The site will be closed for deep cleaning until further notice, according to the district.

The statement said that all employees working at food distribution sites utilize gloves when distributing food. Food items are prepackaged at the Food Service Central Kitchen or individually wrapped from the manufacturer and not handled outside of their packaging by workers at the distribution sites, the district said.

The kitchens at all food distribution sites have been cleaned at least three times a day since the distribution began, the district said Sunday in the statement.

More education news

Graduating seniors

In a video message to students last week, Jara said the district and principals are working to find a way for seniors to graduate.

“I don’t know when, I don’t know how, I don’t know what it’s going to look like, but what I can tell you is that we are going to find a way to recognize (you) for your phenomenal accomplishments,” Jara said in the video.

Making up missed days

The school district will not have to make up days missed because of school closures over the summer after state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert approved the district’s distance learning plan, which will include a massive expansion of its Chromebook program.