The latest

So far, so good - at least as good as can be expected!

To recap...
At B-B-E schools, K-12 classes will not be held starting Wednesday this week (March 18) through at least Friday, March 27. School classes will be held on Tuesday, March 17.

School staff such as cooks, janitors, Jaguar Kids Connection staff and an undetermined number of paraprofessionals will be on duty during this period of time.

Parents who fall under the category of "Medical Professionals" and "First Responders" have the option of sending their children ages 12 or under to school for an adjusted level of instruction and activities. To further clarify this, children who meet this criteria will be accommodated in the JKC "School-Age" group of students. *IMPORTANT: parents who meet that criteria must register or at least contact the school office today (preferred) or tomorrow if they need assistance with their children during this time.

Further clarification of the professions in these categories is listed at this web article at the Bonanza Valley Voice website (short link): https://bit.ly/2wbkqjJ.

And another point. Licensed teaching staff will be "on duty" (but not necessarily in the buildings) during this period of time working on distance learning ideas. Much of this is already in place at B-B-E, but as it is with any new idea - it's still a work in progress. Distance Learning at B-B-E has focused (in the past year) around accommodating "snow days" and not extended period of school shut downs like we are currently facing.

And yet another point. The school is enacting a strict "no guests/visitors/volunteers" policy starting today, Monday, March 16. For the safety of students, staff and the community, only district personnel (those on payroll and contracted partners) are permitted inside district school buildings. Visitors and volunteers will not be admitted to schools at this time.

The goal is to greatly reduce the level of foot traffic in and out of the school buildings. The state's executive order is not meant to completely halt all operations at schools or day cares.

School board meeting live stream
Here's the direct link to view the school board meeting tonight, thanks to Mr. Zehrer with the B-B-E Broadcasting group for setting this up. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m., and it is not open to the public. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgtuehViMxA.

On another note...
I've reached out to our local B-B-E area Lutheran, Catholic and Christian Reformed pastors asking them to submit Pastors Notes columns for the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper. The work of the Lord continues whether or not people can worship on Sundays or not!

Local COVID-19 hotline
Click over to the Bonanza Valley Voice website to read about the local hotline established for residents who have COVID-19 related questions.  https://bit.ly/38Vyxae

St. Patrick's Day in Padua
All events are ON for the St. Patrick's Day activities at the Padua Pub, set for tomorrow, Tuesday - which is St. Patrick's Day. Obviously, if you are not feeling well, do not go to that or any other event!!

And finally (for now)
This situation changes almost hourly. For the latest state/federal information, utilize these websites:
1. https://www.health.state.mn.us
2. https://education.mn.gov/MDE/index.html.

According to the MDH and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the best COVID-19 prevention activities are the same activities parents teach children when discussing influenza and the common cold. They include these four major guidelines to follow:
1. use quality hand-washing practices (20 seconds or more with soap);
2. cover your cough or sneeze;
3. stay home if you do not feel well;
4. avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;

COVID-19 symptoms: coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is characterized by mild symptoms including a runny nose, sore throat, cough, and fever. Illness can be more severe for some people and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people, and people with other medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill. People may experience the following symptoms: • runny nose; • sore throat; • cough; • a mild to severe fever; • difficulty breathing (severe cases).

That's all for now.