Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that in-person school is canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year in an attempt to slow spread of the novel coronavirus that has spread around the world.
This follows a previous closure through April 24.
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said the closure affects more than 1.2 million students statewide, including more than 80,000 high-school seniors who attended their last in-person high school class without realizing it.
The extended closure will put more pressure and more emphasis on attempts to conduct school remotely, which have varied from district to district.
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Denise Juneau, reacting to the closure, said SPS would conduct remote learning via "a variety of methods and channels" including learning packets, video lessons and online instruction when possible.
The state superintendent, in his statement, said, "Just as our great-grandparents understood after two World Wars and the Great Depression, this generation will grow up knowing how to persevere in the face of challenges.
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"These next two months will be tough," he continued. "I won’t diminish that. However, learning must continue." Gov. Inslee, in his statement, emphasized to students that their grades wouldn't suffer because of the closure.
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