USD 253 Emporia Public School’s COVID-19 dashboard is now up and running.
The dashboard consists of two separate documents, one containing raw data with no narrative and the other containing a full incident report for each case. The non-narrative document will be updated weekly on Fridays while the incident report will be updated as quickly as possible following the announcement of a new case.
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Kelly Bolin says all cases will be grouped together by elementary education, secondary education and K-12 staff classifications. Bolin says this is being done to protect the privacy of any positive individual.
While the dashboard is now fully up and running, Superintendent Kevin Case says changes may be made in the future as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Patrons can find the dashboard online at www.USD253.org/dashboard.
In other business, Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Rob Scheib and District Food Service Director Denise Kater provided an update on the district’s school lunch program. The update included information on how students can order lunch each day regardless of whether they are attending in-person or remote.
Kater explains an app has been developed that makes the process a simple one.
Additionally, Scheib encouraged all families to still fill out free and reduced lunch forms despite the US Department of Agriculture announcing its plans to provide school children with free lunches through the remainder of the calendar year. Scheib says filling out those forms is important as the plans for those efforts after the calendar year concludes are currently unknown.
He says it is best for parents to be prepared for if the program does not continue at the start of 2021 through the remainder of the school year.
According to Kater, at this time, all food is being prepared on-site at district buildings with meal choices being somewhat limited due to meals being free and a desire for serving the same meal for onsite and remote learners. At this time meals consist of one-grain bread, two meat alternates, half a cup of fruit and vegetables and milk.
Kater says she is actively working to provide more menu choices as the school year continues.
For more information or to find the district’s lunch app visit USD 253.org or this story at KVOE.com where we have provided a link to the district’s website.
The USD 253 Board of Education will reconvene Wednesday, Sept. 23 during which time the district will revisit discussions on the state’s gating criteria from last month. That meeting is set to begin at 7 pm and will be viewable on the district’s website.
