
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana students distance learning this month amid the novel coronavirus outbreak will finish their school year from home, state officials said.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick made the announcement together in a Thursday afternoon press conference.
School buildings statewide will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year unless otherwise stipulated for purposes stipulated by executive orders such as child care.
"It's going to take a collective effort to save lives and schools must do their part," McCormick said.
Educators must now deliver a total 160 instructional days this year, down from the typical 180 days required each year, or plan to offer at least 20 days of remote learning between April 2 and the end of the school year.
Allotment of these instructional days will be determined by individual schools and districts, McCormick said. If a school falls short of these requirements, the Indiana Department of Education can waive the difference in instructional days not provided.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick speaks to public education advocates Thursday, Feb. 27 at River Forest High School.
K-12 schools across the state initially began closing their doors the week of March 16 for various periods of time as a step to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Less than a week later, the governor issued an order mandating the closure of all Indiana public and private schools through May 1.
Since then, educators and families have had to make use of eLearning technology to teach, collaborate and complete and submit assignments from home.
More than 3,000 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported to the Indiana State Department of Health as of 9 a.m. Thursday. More than 200 cases have been reported in Lake County.
With the governor's latest executive order signed Thursday, students in some districts will see a loss of approximately 10 weeks of in-person instruction, or over 25% of the instructional year, compared to a typical academic school year.
About half of Indiana's schools are equipped to teach in a 1-to-1, student-to-electronic device ratio, McCormick said. About 85% have an established learning management system in place to assist in remote education.
The IDOE will work with local districts to help sustain education through eLearning, extended learning or virtual learning hybrid models.
Educators will be required to submit a continuous learning plan addressing plans for instruction for the rest of the academic year.
Those plans will be due to the Indiana Department of Education on April 17.
Teacher licenses set to expire this spring will be extended through September 1, 2020 and some emergency teaching permit requirements will be waived.
For the class of 2020, the state will recognize credit for courses students are currently enrolled in to help students meet graduation requirements.
If the number of credits students earned prior to this spring and the number of courses the students are currently enrolled in this semester add up to the state's graduation requirements, students will be recognized has high school graduates this spring, McCormick said.
Graduation requirement exams have been waived.
Spring celebrations like commencement ceremonies and prom will be decided at the local level, McCormick said.
"Those milestone moments are going to be tough," McCormick said. "If you are upset at anybody about this situation, you can be upset with me and please target that to me because I need you to be good partners with your local schools. They are going to do the best they can on being creative on what that looks like."
Distribution of spring semester credits to middle schoolers and high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be decided locally and based on if students have earned those credits, McCormick said.
The superintendent said the IDOE will work with schools based on their continuous learning plans to help fill gaps in education missed during students' time away from in-person instruction.
"Do we think we're going to have gaps? Absolutely. ... It becomes now how do we address the gaps?" McCormick said. "K through grade 11 will be our new target, obviously, to say what are we going to do with that skill gap that obviously has come over the last few months and will continue on through the end of the year?"
Aquinas Catholic Community School

Meal distribution available to Aquinas families only
8 to 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through end of school year
Aquinas Catholic Community School, 801 W. 73rd Ave., Merrillville
More info:Â http://www.aquinas.school/
Crown Point Community School Corp.

Breakfast and lunch available to free and reduced lunch qualified students.
10 a.m. to noon, March 16 to 20, March 30 to April 9
Crown Point High School, Jerry Ross Elementary School, MacArthur Elementary School, Timothy Ball Elementary School
Duneland School Corp.

Curbside meal pickup for Duneland School students. Lunch for current day and next morning's breakfast provided daily.
Additional breakfast and lunch provided in Thursday distribution for Friday meals.
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday through school closure
Chesterton High School, follow signs to meal pickup area
More info:Â duneland.k12.in.us/domain/400
Gary Community School Corp.

Buses will distribute lunches in 45-minute increments to two dozen locations across the city for children 18 and under
A complete list of distribution locations and visit times can be found at garycsc.k12.in.us.
Griffith

Griffith First Christian Church
Sack lunches in a grab-and-go, drive-up style.
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through April 10
Griffith First Christian Church, 202 W. Pine St.Â
More info:Â facebook.com/griffithfcc/
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Griffith Public Schools
Grab-and-go meals for children 18 and younger
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, March 17-20
Griffith Middle/High School, drive up to Door C, meals will be delivered to car
More info:Â griffith.k12.in.us
Hanover Community School Corp.

Drive-up sack lunches available for each student in car.
8 a.m. to noon, March 18
More info:Â hanover.k12.in.us
Lake Station Community Schools

Grab-and-go meals including a lunch and breakfast
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday through April 9, excluding spring break March 23 to 27
Edison Jr./Sr. High School at Door A near tennis courts
More info: https://www.lakes.k12.in.us/
Merrillville Community School Corp.

Breakfast and lunch distribution will take place at listed school entrances and from buses at park and church locations. Students must be present.
On Mondays, meals will be distributed for three days and on Thursdays meals will be provided for two days.
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday, March 17 to April 9, except spring break March 30 to April 9 and Good Friday
Fieler Elementary, Iddings Elementary, Merrillville High School, Merrillville Intermediate School, Miller Elementary, Pierce Middle School, Rethink Church, Salk Elementary, Stefek Park, Wirtes Park, Wood Elementary
More info: https://www.mvsc.k12.in.us/News/216#sthash.m3Gzcf02.dpbs
Michigan City Area Schools

Grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches available to students for five days on Mondays.
4 to 6 p.m. Mondays, including spring break, through extent of school closures
Barker Middle School, Krueger Middle School, Elston Building, Knapp Elementary School
More info:Â https://www.mcas.k12.in.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=21026Â
Portage Township Schools

One week's worth of meals available each Monday of school closure, excluding spring break
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., March 30 and April 6
Portage High School West, Door F, meals delivered to vehicle door
More info: portage.k12.in.us/health_services/health_news__updates
River Forest Community School Corp.

Five grab-and-go meals, including breakfast and lunch, will be offered to any children under 18 years old.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. March 18
River Forest Middle/High School, Door D, Curbside pick-up, children must be in vehicle
More info: rfcsc.k12.in.us/article/210778?org=rfcsc
School City of East Chicago

Daily grab-and-go brunch pick-up
10 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday beginning March 18 to 27
East Chicago Central High School, Block Middle School, Harrison Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, McKinley Elementary
More info: scec.k12.in.us; or contact Sodexo Magic general manager Earnest C. Lilly Jr. at 219-391-4084
School City of Hammond

Curbside meal pick-up at participating schools for any child 18 and under. Two meals, including breakfast and lunch, provided on Mondays and Wednesday with one meals, including breakfast and lunch, on Fridays beginning March 23.
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through each week of school closure
Edison Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Harding Elementary, Irving Elementary, Maywood Elementary, Morton Elementary
More info: hammond.k12.in.us
School City of Hobart

Five grab-and-go meals available to children ages 18 and under.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, March 18 to April 8
Hobart Middle School, Liberty Elementary, Early Learning Center, Ridge View Elementary
More info: hobart.k12.in.us/coronavirus
School City of Whiting

A week's worth of breakfast and lunches provided each Monday for the number of children in each family.
8 a.m. to noon, Mondays, March 23 to April 6
Whiting Middle/High School, Door 6
School Town of Highland

Five breakfast and lunch meals every Monday. Students must be present to receive meals.
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays, March 23 to April 6
Johnston and Southridge elementary schools
More info: highland.k12.in.us
Tri-Creek School Corp.

Grab-and-go lunch and breakfast item available daily to Tri-Creek students 18 and under
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, March 17 to 20, March 30 to April 10
Lowell High School, Three Creeks Elementary
Union Township School Corp.

Grab-and-go meals available for all Union Township children 18 and under.
Two days of breakfast and lunch meals provided on Tuesdays. Three days of breakfast and lunch meals provided on Thursday.
11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 30 for duration of school closure; additional one-time distribution 11 a.m. to noon March 29Â
Wheeler High School, Grand Hall entrance
More info:Â union.k12.in.us
Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso Community Schools
Free grab-and-go breakfast and lunches distributed once a week to all kids 18 and under.
Students must be present to receive meals and will receive 10 "take and bake" meals each week, including five breakfasts and five lunches.
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays
At the parking lot between Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
More info:Â valpo.k12.in.us/apps/pages/meals