- Ten texts! Why ten?
- Because you're gonna have a lot of time to read.
- That is true.
- It felt like the last day of school, Monday,
as parents and students came by
Lake View Elementary in Madison.
Ahead of schools being closed statewide
for the next three weeks
to prevent further spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
- I'm surprised of how quickly things have progressed
to there's no activities, then there's no school.
- Last week, Governor Tony Evers
directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services
to close all schools after Wednesday, March 18.
But many districts preempted
that deadline for an earlier one.
- Really, all we've been told is it was closing today
and won't be opening till, I expect till April 6.
- [Narrator] Districts like Madison.
- Everything is happening so fast.
- [Narrator] Lake View Elementary principal
Nou Vang-Vue spent Monday assisting parents and students
to collect what they need from the school.
- Families can come in to get any kind of supplies
that they need from the classrooms
or from their child's locker.
And then also, fifth grade students and families
are welcome to come in and get their Chromebooks
to then take home and engage in enrichment activities
at home while school is closed.
- I found it!
- The enrichment activities are strictly voluntary.
For the most part, all instruction will come to a halt.
- [Vang-Vue] After six o' clock today, this building
and all buildings within our school district will be closed,
and so even myself and my staff
will not have access to the building.
- Sarah Davis and her two sons, Liam and Mika,
stop by the school for lunch.
Last year, a daily average of more than 471,000 meals
were distributed through the Wisconsin
school lunch program.
Even with school doors closed,
many districts are still distributing food daily.
- [Davis] It actually helps a lot,
just because none of us was prepared for this.
- [Narrator] With the abrupt closure, families that rely
on schools for meals and childcare
are forced to find alternative solutions.
Principal Vang-Vue says the district
is working on those details.
- Our district leaders are coordinating
and collaborating with our community organizations
to figure out like, what will that look like.
- [Davis] Not having school for that long
is gonna be difficult.