The novel coronavirus won’t keep the Big Walnut community from getting much-needed food assistance this summer.
Big Walnut Bridges and Bountiful Backpacks are offering a program called “Summer Eagle Packs.” The program kicked off this week.
A weekly bag of shelf-stable food will be available every Monday until Aug. 3 at two locations: Westerville Estates, 11050 Fancher Road, Westerville from noon to 12:45 p.m.; and Harrison Street Elementary School, 70 Harrison St., Sunbury, from 1:15 to 2 p.m. One bag per family is provided.
To sign up for Summer Eagle Packs, visit https://tinyurl.com/yb5pvypu.
Also at these locations during the same times Monday through Friday until Aug. 7, a free daily lunch is available for anyone 18 years or younger. The “Kids Lunch Club” is courtesy of the Westerville Area Resource Ministry.
In a letter to families dated May 15, Big Walnut Local Schools Superintendent Angie Hamberg wrote, “As we wrap up this unique year, we continue to plan for next school year. Right now, we are planning for multiple scenarios as we await guidance from the state, including the exact requirements (primarily health-related) that we must meet next year.”
Reopening schools for the 2020-2021 year may not be done in a normal way due to COVID-19.
“The anticipated permissible options from the state for next school year basically include what we are doing currently with remote learning or only having up to 50% of students in buildings at a time,” Hamberg wrote. “Any scenario with kids in buildings will most likely require us to observe social distancing and continue using increased sanitation measures.”
The district will use a Pandemic Response Committee to help plan the process. In addition, Hamberg wrote, “We will provide an opportunity for all parents to provide input on allowable options through a district survey. For example, we need to prepare for the possibility of extending remote learning for a longer period of time, and we know that we will need to make adjustments in our delivery and expectations.”
A remote learning survey is available at https://forms.gle/1YYtxg935oB83J1p9.
Hamberg also thanked the Big Walnut community for voting in favor of the district’s most recent levy.
“With the current and imminent state cuts and local income tax cuts we will see, we are so fortunate to have these funds to provide services to our students,” she wrote. “Even with the passage of the levy, like many of our businesses and families, we are facing very challenging economic circumstances ahead.”
