The Lake Washington School District (LWSD) will be closed from March 12-27 in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

LWSD has been following guidance from Public Health — Seattle & King County in an effort to stay open as long as possible, a district press release states. In light of the current information shared March 11 by elected officials, district officials believe “it is time to plan for alternative ways to serve our community and families,” the release states.

In collaboration with the school board of directors and the Lake Washington Education Association, district officials have made the decision to close all schools for about two weeks and re-evaluate any further closures during that time, the release states.

“We know that many people rely on our school district for their ability to continue providing services to our community through their employers,” the release reads. “We play an important role in the ability of many organizations to continue running for the health and safety of our community.”

According to the release, this was not an easy decision and plans moving forward require additional planning and preparation.

On March 12 and 13, the district will be planning for an alternative model with the following services:

Available child care during school hours for families who are not able to remain home or serve in critical community roles such as health care and first responders.

Available meals for children provided at school sites — details to follow.

Available educational resources with supports for at-home learning.

“We recognize this closure creates many different challenges, and our goal is to provide basic services to continue supporting our families and our communities,” the release reads.

District officials will continue to provide updated information over the next two days, and would ask for the community’s patience in submitting any questions or concerns to allow staff to focus on their work and planning for the next two weeks, the release states.

“We strongly urge families to follow the updated guidance from [Public Health — Seattle & King County] for social distancing and other precautions in an effort to slow the spread of this virus,” the release reads.

On the athletics side, LWSD said that practices scheduled on March 12 are cancelled and more information will be forthcoming regarding the rest of the days during the closure.