JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio announced that students will not return to classrooms until at least April 20 at a press conference at the VanHoose Education Center on Friday, March 20.

Following spring break, teachers will use April 6 as a Professional-Development Day to learn how to use virtual classrooms as part of their Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) curriculum.  

Students will begin learning in the virtual classrooms with NTI on Tuesday, April 7 through Google Classroom with teacher-developed content. 

Additionally, JCPS will allow students on free and reduced lunch to reserve 25,000 Chromebooks soon, which the district will distribute. 

“We know a great deal of our kids do not have access to devices,” Pollio said.

There are currently 60,000 students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program, but Pollio acknowledged many already have internet access at home or through smartphones. 

Pollio also promised that every JCPS high school will have an in-person graduation of some kind during the summer in which they will receive their diplomas. He also apologized to the Class of 2020, who is missing activities such as prom and senior-activity weeks. 

Pollio, additionally, made a point to recognize nutrition staff in their service to students during these ‘breaks.’ He said that Nutrition Services distributed 14,000 meals today alone, and they hope to increase the total number of meal sites to 69 by next week. 

“We have significant work to do,” Pollio said.