BUCKHANNON – One question that’s arisen for some parents and guardians of Upshur County School students since the Upshur County Board of Education voted to switch to remote learning only is about the delivery method for weekly meals.

On Monday, Upshur County Schools Superintendent Dr. Sara Lewis Stankus told My Buckhannon that five-day meal packs are still available for pickup weekly.

Upshur County Schools Director of Wellness and Child Nutrition Eddie Vincent said the meals are available curbside at each school, with the exception of Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“While the COVID-19 numbers are so high, we did not want to send our bus drivers out to deliver meals,” Stankus said.

Vincent joined the call with My Buckhannon and said parents may also pick up five-day boxes of food for their students at the Upshur County Schools warehouse from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Right now, the options are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. curbside at the warehouse and at each school, except Buckhannon Academy Elementary School, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Vincent said. “I am working with the principal at BAES, and we may have an announcement of the availability to pick up curbside at that school during different hours for parents who work. If we have a time for BAES, we will announce that before Wednesday.”

Check back with My Buckhannon to see if there are added hours for Buckhannon Academy Elementary School for curbside pickup of the five-day boxes for students.

The curbside pickup will be available on Wednesdays for families through Jan. 4, 2021.

During the Nov. 17, 2020 Upshur County Board of Education meeting, BOE members voted unanimously to change from the blended model of instruction to a completely remote mode of learning for Upshur County school students until Jan. 4, 2021.

Their decision to make this switch was for the safety of students, staff and teachers as the number of COVID-19 cases reached new high levels, to give parents an opportunity to plan for learning and child care and to allow teachers to reset following the Thanksgiving Break and develop truly innovative ways of delivering online learning.

Even though learning in Upshur County is remote – not in-person – Fred Eberle Technical Center is still open four days a week for students because those students must complete a certain amount of in-person hours in order to become certified. Also, the Fred Eberle Technical Center serves students in more counties than just Upshur.

Stankus said that when the Board voted to go fully remote, they voted to let students continue to attend Fred Eberle Technical Center so they could complete the hours for their certifications.

“Fred Eberle is going four days a week, and they are off on Wednesdays,” Stankus said. “The State Superintendent said that all staff would continue to go to school.”

Another condition in the Upshur County Schools’ remote learning model allows for students who have an I.E.P. – or individualized education program – to also attend school.

“We work with the families of those students who have an I.E.P. and those students come to the school to work with the teachers,” Stankus said.