The following information was sent to district parents Friday, March 13: 

Dear parents and guardians,

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced yesterday afternoon that all school districts across the state will close for an extended period of time to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Milford Schools were open today, but will be closed Monday, March 16 for four weeks. Students will return Tuesday, April 14 after Spring Break. Our Extended Day program at the Route 28 location will be open Monday, March 16 only. 

School districts in our region are all treating this extended school closure differently. Milford has decided to encourage students to remain engaged in their learning while school is closed, and our teachers will be available online to answer questions and assist students as needed.

Our school buildings will be closed to the public at the end of the day Tuesday, March 17, through April 13. The District Administrative Office located at 1099 State Route 131 will be open throughout the closure, with the exception of Spring Break April 6 through 13. 

Please contact us if you have a question or concern, we are here to help. District administrators, building principals, and secretaries will be available to take calls and emails. See our directory here.

KEEPING STUDENTS ENGAGED DURING THIS EXTENDED CLOSURE:

Today in school in grades seven through 12, students received information and instruction from their teachers on what to expect for the next three weeks. Teachers sent home recommendations that included a personalized menu of work options to keep students engaged during this extended school closure. We highly encourage students to work during the school closure. Teachers are available to answer questions by email daily Monday through Friday. 

In grades preschool through sixth, today, either your child’s teacher or the school building Principal, will communicate with you about activities for practice and skill-building that students can work on at home. Teachers will be available to answer questions by email daily Monday through Friday.

Communication will be open between families and teachers throughout this extended closure, and we encourage you to call your child’s school if you have a question or if your student has any issues connecting to online resources. School secretaries will be available to answer questions each weekday during the closure, with the exception of Spring Break April 6 through 13. See our directory here.

PROVIDING NUTRITION SERVICES FOR STUDENTS:

During this school closure, we have a plan in place to continue to provide meals to students who need them. We will be providing meals Monday through Friday from March 16 through April 3. Meals will not be provided during Spring Break April 6 through 13.

Meals will be available for pick up from Mulberry Elementary School, 5950 Buckwheat Road, March 16 through April 3. Lunches and breakfasts will be packaged together for the same family.

To order a meal, families are asked to call by 9 a.m. the day they plan to pick it up. Families can indicate when they call if they intend to order meals for the week, or just for that day. This information will help our Nutrition Services Department plan and order enough food for all families. 

To order a meal, or if you have questions, the following Nutrition Services Staff are available to help: Kathy King - (513) 576-2290; Kim Gregory - (513) 576-4160, Peggy Parsons - (513) 576-2291, or Gerry Levy - (513) 576-2292. Please leave a message with your first and last name if your call is not answered. Families must also indicate if there are any food allergies in the household. 

There will be limited delivery available for families that do not have transportation, are quarantined, or for other reasons are unable to pick up the meals. 

STUDENT MEDICATIONS: 

An important note for students who receive medications while attending school: if your child receives prescription medications at school and you will run out of the prescription during the four-week closure of school, please make arrangements to pick up the medication. All nurses will be in the school buildings during normal school hours on Friday, March 13, Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17. Please stop by the school and sign out your child's medication. Please note that per Milford Policy no medication will be sent home with students. Medication must be picked up by a parent or another adult designated by a parent. Please contact your student's school building nurse for more information or if you have concerns.

INFORMATION ABOUT POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS: 

Our school buildings will be closed to the public at the end of the day Tuesday, March 17 through April 13. The District Administrative Office located at 1099 State Route 131 will be open throughout the closure. 

The District Administrative Office will be open normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday during the school closure, with the exception of Spring Break April 6 through 13. 

Please contact us if you have a question or concern, we are here to help. District administrators, building principals, and secretaries will be available to take calls and emails. See our directory here.

All school events including athletics are cancelled now until April 3.

The State of Ohio ordered that districts close through April 3. Our Spring Break begins April 6. We will be making decisions about events after April 3, and we will communicate that information with you. 

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS ARE ON AS SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK:

Our Board of Education has three meetings scheduled for next week and those meetings will still be held. Board meetings are public meetings and therefore, remain open to the public:

• Board of Education Special Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 7:45 p.m. The Board is meeting to view presentations from consultant services to assist in conducting a superintendent search.

• Board of Education Work Session scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 5:30 p.m. The Board will discuss bond issue timing and plan options. This meeting will be broadcast live on our Facebook page.

• Board of Education Regular Meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be broadcast live on our Facebook page and will also be recorded by ICRC-TV and available for viewing on our website after the meeting.

KEEPING YOUR FAMILY HEALTHY AT HOME: 

Information changes rapidly about the spread of this virus. We encourage families to take preventative measures to stay healthy.

• Spring break is April 6 through April 13. We ask that families evaluate their travel plans and monitor the Centers for Disease Control’s travel advisories if you plan to travel outside of the country. 

• As conversations around COVID-19 increase, children will likely start to worry. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes their anxieties or fears. The CDC has created these guidelines for talking to children about COVID-19. 

• We also encourage families to regularly check these websites for the most up to date information about COVID-19:

  • Centers for Disease Control

  • Clermont County Public Health

  • American Academy of Pediatrics

  • World Health Organization - Busting Myths about COVID-19

• You can call the Ohio Department of Health’s Coronavirus/COVID-19 hotline with questions/concerns: 1-833-427-5634.

• You can also download this flyer which includes tips on how to protect yourself and others.

We will keep monitoring the situation and take our cues from health officials and from the state on the best course of action to move forward after this extended school closure. As you know, things are changing rapidly with this outbreak. 

We encourage our Milford families to take care of themselves and take preventative measures to stay healthy. 

Sincerely,

Nancy House, Superintendent