Ritenour School District has decided to cancel all after school activities from March 13, 2020 to March 15, 2020. 

The past few weeks have consisted of uncertainty as the coronavirus has circulated through almost every country in the world causing a worldwide panic.

With survival mode on, this has caused a widespread effect on public schools, universities, jobs and many other communities. 

The board is still communicating about plans for the response, but a message was sent out today confirming that for now, the extra-curricular activities would be put on hold. 

Activities director Lee Laskowski and other staff members have been constantly reevaluating where the situation stands. 

“It is constantly evolving and we are trying to address the information as it comes in, not only for the district but for every individual student. Safety and well being is absolutely at the forefront of all of our decisions. We can only go off the information in which we are provided,” Laskowski said.

As Ritenour prepares for this epidemic, discussions are being held about what school might look like if it had to be done online. Many students wonder how school would be able to function with online schooling for the whole district. 

Junior Jakiel Smith and senior Dieionshea Lewis discussed the effects online schooling would have on the district as a whole. 

Smith has experience with online classes and believes it is beneficial to him.

“All my classes are online and it is easy. Online school has its pros and its cons,” Smith said.

Lewis and Smith also discussed how this would affect low-income communities, especially younger kids who rely on parents for child care, and those who rely on the school for food. 

“You have to think about the middle schools and elementary schools. I feel like closing school is not going to help the situation. It is just now kids are let free for two whole months. Some kids do not even have food and school gives them something to eat,” Lewis said.

As of now, the only precaution that has taken place is the cancellation of extra-curricular events, but any future decisions will be communicated with students and family.