Havre Public Schools working through COVID-19 closure

Havre Public Schools sent out an automated call this morning asking its students, and their families, to make sure they are in contact with the student’s teachers.

The best way to contact the teachers is through the teachers’ emails, the message said.

The district is trying to make certain it connects with all of its students, and if they have not been contacted they are asked to call 395-6719, a post on the district website said. People should only call that number to establish contact with the school district.

School district teachers are starting to give homework assignments to their students while the school buildings are closed.

Gov. Steve Bullock ordered Sunday all non-residential K-12 public schools to close through March 27.

Bullock declared a state of emergency in Montana last Thursday, the day before President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.

Friday also saw the first confirmed cases of coronavirus in Montana.

Novel coronavirus 2019 was first detected in China in late December.

The virus causes COVID-19, a disease with symptoms including a fever, coughing and shortness of breath. The illnesses for confirmed COVID-19 cases have ranged from mild symptoms to sever illness and death.

In its update Wednesday, World Health Organization reports 207,855 confirmed cases and 8,648 deaths with the virus confirmed in 166 countries, areas or territories.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its Wednesday update reports 7,038 cases confirmed in the U.S. in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands with 97 deaths.

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services said this morning that no cases had been confirmed in Blaine, Chouteau, Hill or Liberty counties.

After Bullock issued his directive Sunday, Havre closed all public school buildings to non-school personnel, suspended all activities and directed all school district personnel to stay home unless directed otherwise.

Breakfast and lunch are being provided by the school district, with parents or guardians able to pick up the meals, and they can pick up breakfast and lunch at the same time, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Highland Park Early Primary School north cafeteria doors and in front of Lincoln-McKinley Primary School.

Montana University System also issued directives to its units, saying all campuses should migrate to online or other distanced learning procedures by March 23.

Montana State University-Northern announced its campus would remain open — although it announced today that, following NAIA guidelines, its gymnasium and weightrooms would close — but it would migrate as many classes as possible to distanced learning. It released updates on its food services Wednesday.

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