Photo by Deb Gau On Monday, Lori Dragstra and Pam Wiering explained the screening process now in place for everyone entering Avera Marshall Medical Center as part of COVID-19 and influenza prevention. Patients and visitors have their temperature checked, and are asked if they have had a fever of 100 degrees or higher, a cough or shortness of breath over the past two weeks. Avera is also limiting the number of visitors in its facilities, to help protect patients and healthcare workers.

MARSHALL — Area schools are making preparations to shut down this week, as part of Minnesota’s efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

While the exact timeline of the closures differs from district to district — some schools are shutting down Wednesday, others have closed already — school officials in Lyon County say their districts will still provide meals for area children.

Dion Caron, director of business services at Marshall Public Schools, said the district will continue to provide free meals to anyone under the age of 18, starting March 18 through March 27. Kids won’t be able to eat meals at school facilities, but they can pick up a free grab-and-go bag containing breakfast, lunch and a snack, plus milk. Bags will be available Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Marshall Middle School, as well as in the parking lots of Samuel Lutheran School, St. Stephen Church, and Holy Redeemer Church.

Caron said MPS will be using federal funds to help provide the meals, and will also be working with Marshall Food4Kids to provide snacks.

Scott Monson, superintendent of Marshall Public Schools, said much of the past few days has been taken up by planning for response to COVID-19.

“This is evolving and changing rapidly,” Monson said. He said the district is receiving the latest information from agencies like the Minnesota Department of Health, the Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Sunday, Gov. Tim Walz ordered all public schools in Minnesota to close down from March 18 through March 27. The time is meant for schools to prepare distance learning plans, in case schools need to be closed for a longer period. The governor’s order also called for schools to provide child care for health care workers and emergency responders.

While area school officials said Monday that they were busy getting ready to comply with the order, not all districts are closing down right away. Monson said Marshall Public Schools would be open Monday and Tuesday, partly to give families time to make child care arrangements, and partly to give teachers a chance to talk to students about what might happen if schools are closed past March 27. MPS changed its academic calendar so students would start their fourth quarter on Tuesday, and at least get a chance to meet their fourth quarter teachers before schools close, district staff said.

If schools stay closed, Monson said, MPS will shift over to a distance learning program.

“We’re trying to figure out what that looks like right now,” Monson said Monday. Teachers and school staff will still report to work starting Wednesday, although there will be no class and there will not be e-learning days March 18-27.

While teachers are working, custodians will also be cleaning and sanitizing school facilities, Caron said.

In addition to providing meals at Marshall Middle School and remote pickup locations, Caron said MPS will be offering child care for children of emergency responders and health care workers, as well as school staff. He said a survey went out to parents to get a tally of child care needs.

Caron said the school district’s day care would also remain open while school is not in session.

Other school districts in Lyon County said Monday they were preparing for the statewide closure. Across the county, districts were sending out surveys to families to learn if they will need meals, or if they are emergency responders who will need child care.

• The Lakeview School District will be closing down on Wednesday so district staff can develop a distance learning plan, said Superintendent Chris Fenske. Fenske said Lakeview was sending out surveys to families in the district to learn whether families needed meals while school was closed, whether emergency workers would need child care for their children, and whether students needed access to Wi-Fi or devices for distance learning.

• Lynd Public School will be closing down on Wednesday. Superintendent Robert Tews and Principal Jason Swenson said class on Monday and Tuesday will be important to help give students some closure before school shuts down for the next week. Swenson said school staff will be using the next 8 days to work on a distance learning plan.

Meanwhile, he said, the Lynd district sent out a survey to get an idea of how many meal deliveries families might need while the school is closed.

• Minneota Public Schools announced it would close down starting Monday because a large number of students, staff and community members were at a girls’ basketball game in Minneapolis on Thursday. On Monday, the district updated its Facebook page with announcements that teachers would meet starting Monday to plan for distance learning. Meanwhile, the school and school vans would undergo a deep-cleaning.

The announcement said school-provided childcare would begin Wednesday, but the hours are still to be determined. Meal deliveries or pickups would also begin Wednesday, with a lunch and a breakfast packaged together.

• RTR schools closed Monday for teacher planning, but will be open today, said Superintendent David Marlette. By having one last class day on Tuesday, RTR students will get a chance to pick up tools or supplies they might need if the district needs to go to distance learning.

Marlette said RTR has already had e-learning plans for a couple of years, but implementing a full distance learning program would take additional planning.

“We are going to work hard over the next eight days to perfect it,” Marlette said.

Marlette said RTR will be offering sack meals to students starting Wednesday. There will be meals available to pick up at the Russell, Tyler and Ruthton school sites, he said.

• Tracy Area Schools closed down on Monday, and district staff got to work on planning for distance learning, said Superintendent Chad Anderson. Anderson said a survey would go to out to families either Monday or today, to learn if they will need meal deliveries for their children.

Anderson said the school district has also been in contact with local emergency service providers, as well as Sanford Tracy Medical Center and Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy, to learn if any of their employees need child care while school is out.