<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585077790065.jpeg" alt="Teachers at Riley Elementary School in Great Bend display a message to students during the school closure." />
 <figcaption>Teachers at Riley Elementary School in Great Bend display a message to students during the school closure.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend Post
















USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton says information about the Great Bend
school district’s approach for the next eight weeks of school is currently changing
daily. The closing of all school buildings in Kansas to stop the spread of
COVID-19 is far from ideal, but USD 428 staff is making the best of the
situation with a plan in place to continue learning for all K-12 students.
Thexton says those students and families that have access to internet can
virtually obtain their lessons and those without internet or unreliable online
resources will have access to the paper/pencil packets.
"We have a lot of families with parents working or an older sibling is watching the younger ones," said Thexton. "We want to be flexible and we do not want this to be a burden."
Continued learning at the elementary schools will focus on reading, writing,
and math. At the middle school and high school levels, there will be a broader
focus on English, math, social studies and science. "This is a trying time," Thexton added. "There are a lot of unknowns out there. We want to try to reduce as much anxiety as possible."While a lot of the learning
responsibility will fall on the student, parent or guardian, USD 428 teachers
will be available to assist learning via phone, email, and even video
conference.
The weekly paper/pencil lessons will be available to be picked up at the
beginning of the week during the free lunch pickup times at school sites from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
"The main pickup for the packets will be during the lunch time," Thexton said. "If a parent cannot make that time frame, we will make sure we get those packets to them even if we have to drop it in mail."
USD 428 sent out surveys to all district families to determine what their needs
are to make this continued learning work which begins March 30."We will make the accommodations to help kids get the information they need for this plan."Hear the entire interview with Thexton and Assistant Superintendent John Popp from this week's edition of Room 428 that aired on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM March 24.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/782336725&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=false&visual=true"></iframe></div>

USD 428 Superintendent: ‘School districts are not known to pivot that fast, but somehow we are’