Dear Darrington Students, Staff and Community:

Following Gov. Inslee’s mandate, Darrington Schools will be closed as of 3 PM today. At present we have been given a date of April 27 to resume operations. The course of the COVID-19 outbreak will determine when we are allowed to return to school.

This morning I was on a conference call with OSPI Superintendent Reykdal. He outlined five key objectives for schools during the closure. These are, in order:

1) Providing meals to students

2) Continued work, salary and benefits for school employees

3) Child care for families of first responders and health care providers

4) Assuring that the Class of 2020 graduates

5) Providing educational resources and supports to students and families

At Darrington School District we take these objectives seriously. As we move in this new direction, we are already taking steps to assure that meals are provided for students and that work continues (though in a different form) for our staff. We are exploring with community partners how to provide child care for first responder/health care families. Our teachers have sent home the first set of educational resources and supports today. I met with the Class of 2020 today, and I promised them that we will help them complete their studies, and that they will graduate at the end of this year.

Building and district offices will be open from 9am-1pm during the closure. Grab-n-Go meal service will be available weekdays from 11am-1pm outside the cafeteria. Teachers will continue to send work home to students during the closure.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost their lives in the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the families impacted by this terrible illness. I want to recognize the toll that this has taken on students, families, and the staff. We ask for your continued patience and understanding as we work through this crisis. Please look for updates on our website, Facebook, and via email.

Stay well,

Dr. Buck Marsh, Superintendent