Public school districts in Marshall County will resume as normal after spring break ends.

A joint statement by the superintendents of Marshalltown School District, Theron Schutte; BCLUW and GMG school districts, Ben Petty; East Marshall School District, Anthony Ryan; and West Marshall School District, Jacy Large was released late Thursday afternoon regarding the coronavirus.

The statement is as follows:

Given recent health concerns, cancellations of major events, and the announcement that all three state universities are moving to online courses following their spring break, we wanted to provide you with an update around the coronavirus and school practices.

The safety and well-being of our students and staff members is our top priority. We are working with our area health departments, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and other state organizations, as well as collaborating with school superintendents in our region to carefully monitor this situation. Currently, there are no plans in any area districts to close school due to the coronavirus or for any other reason.

We are working together as a team of school districts to help make the best decisions for each of our individual districts. If local or state health organizations determine that there is a need to cancel school events, close school, or take other preventative actions, we will communicate as much information as possible in a timely manner.

We wanted to take this opportunity to let our communities know that we are taking this situation seriously, but also need to weigh the impact our decisions have not only on education, but also on our families. While our ultimate goal is to minimize the disruption, please be aware that changes to our operations may need to be made with relatively short notice.

As previously stated, to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone take the following actions:

• Frequently wash your hands for 20 seconds or more with soapy water. If unavailable, use hand sanitizer.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Stay home when you are sick.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Our goal is always to provide our students, staff, and families with a safe learning environment. We will continue to work together during this time to continue that practice.

Please feel free to communicate with your local school district if you have any specific questions.