County, city schools offering breakfast and lunch for children

With classes paused due to the coronavirus threat, Dyersburg City Schools and Dyer County Schools began offering breakfast and lunch to all area children on Monday. Each system established numerous drive-thru locations offering meals to every child, regardless of district affiliation. Dyersburg schools offer meals from 10:30 – 11 a.m. each weekday, while Dyer County schools provide meals from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Above, meals were being distributed at Finley Elementary School Monday morning.

State Gazette photos/ Brandon Hutcheson

BRANDON HUTCHESON

bhutcheson@stategazette.com

Although Dyer County and Dyersburg City Schools remain closed due to the coronavirus threat, both systems began offering free meals to area children on Monday.

Many area children were taken to Dyersburg Intermediate School for meals on Monday morning. By 10:45 a.m., the DIS cafeteria staff had distributed over 50 breakfast and lunches to area kids.

The drive-thru service, established throughout numerous locations in Dyersburg and Dyer County, provided all area children 18 years old and younger, regardless of district affiliation, with two meals – breakfast and lunch.

According to the school systems, children had to be present in the vehicle to receive the meals, and all food items must be taken off the food distribution sites to eat. Meals provided were only issued to children.

Dyersburg City Schools served meals from 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. at numerous locations within the city limits, including Dyersburg Intermediate School (Phillips Street side), Dyersburg High School, Hendren Heights (333 Sellers), Bruce Recreation Center (801 Vernon St.), Future City Recreation Center (490 St. Joseph Ave.), Second Baptist Church (1720 Schaffer St.), New Birth Ministry (215 High Ave.), Greentree Apartments (725 U.S. Hwy 51 Bypass), Church of Jesus Christ (601 Christie St.), and the New Life Union Mission (213 W. Cedar St.).

Above, a reminder asking everyone to remain in their cars was present during the Finley Elementary School drive-thru. Below, Finley educator Hailey White attempts to brighten the day of those who pick up their meals.

The Dyer County School System provided meals from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at all eight county schools, Dyer County High School, Northview Middle School, Three Oaks Middle School, Fifth Consolidated Elementary, Finley Elementary, Holice Powell Elementary, Newbern Elementary, and Trimble Elementary.

Meals from both systems will continue to be offered each weekday.

Academic packets:

In addition to meals, both school systems will have academic packets available for students this week.

Dyersburg City School students will have their academic packets available Tuesday, March 24 from 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Pre-K – 5th grade students in Dyersburg City Schools will pick up their packets at each food distribution site on Tuesday. Academic plans will also be available online in PDF format on each school’s website at www.dyersburgcityschools.org/dps and www.dyersburgcityschools.org/dis.

Sixth grade through high school students enrolled at Dyersburg City Schools will communicate with their teachers via Google classroom if that was the previous method of classroom instruction. Otherwise, assignments can be picked up at each food distribution site on Tuesday or downloaded online in PDF format from each school’s website at www.dyersburgcityschools.org/dms and www.dyersburgcityschools.org/dhs.

Pre-K – 12th grade special education/ self-contained class students should pick up an appropriate grade-level packet at any of the city school’s feeding sites. Special education teachers will communicate with each parent regarding modifications and accommodations.

Academic packets for Dyer County students will be available Wednesday, March 25 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dyer County Pre-K – 5th grade students will have a packet available at each school during the issuance of meals.

Students who are in 6th – 12th grade and do not have Internet access will be provided packets at their school during the issuance of meals. Students in those grades who do have Internet access will be able to communicate with teachers via Google classroom. Online resource information will be provided to students.

Dyer County special education students, grades Pre-K – 12th grade, will have individual packets available for pick up at their school from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The special education teacher will communicate with each parent.

All education plans from each system are subject to change.