3/19/2020
Students, Parents, Guardians and Community Members:
In my letter on the 17th, I stated we need to pull together or we will pull apart. After our parents and students
came to the school on Tuesday, I am very happy to report that WE, the Continental Community, are pulling
together to continue the education process and take care of your kids.
FEEDING OUR KIDS
The Continental community has always stepped up to assist those in need. For the last few years, we have had
a program at Continental Local School called Packs for Pirates. A group from the Continental community got
together and developed this program to make sure students in need had food over the weekends.
We will continue to use Packs for Pirates to support these students over the next few weeks.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE:
–Thursday, March 12th – 65 packs of food went home with students who are signed up with Pack for Pirates.
–Tuesday, March 17th – Packs for Pirates sent home 67 packs of food along with vouchers to purchase food at
R&B Meats in Continental. These vouchers allowed for one pound of ground beef, two pounds of lunch meat,
hot dogs, and other foods to be purchased. Students picked up their packs during an open house at the school
on the 17th. There was enough food in these packs to last at least two weeks, maybe more.
The most amazing thing about all of this is those wonderful folks running Packs for Pirates did this with no
prompting or asking from school. They are just good people who ALWAYS take care of our kids.
WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN OUR FUTURE:
-On Tuesday, March 24th, the Circle of Friends Food Pantry, located at 300 North Main Street, Continental, Ohio,
will be open from 6PM to 7PM. The pantry will have PRE-BOXED food and will deliver it to YOUR CAR. Please
call ahead if you are not currently on the list to receive food from the Circle of Friends Pantry. You can call
Shelly Kosch at 419-969-4194 or Pastor Chuck Schmunk at 419-438-0903 with questions or assistance.
-On March 30th, Continental Local School will be making deliveries from the Packs for Pirates group. The packs
delivered on the 30th will be another two weeks worth of food. From 2PM to 4PM we will be bringing a bus
around to the homes of those students currently on this list to receive food. If you would prefer to pick up your
packs or if you are not on the list but feel it would be helpful for you and your family to receive this type of
assistance, please call the school at 419-596-3671.
After March 30th, we will wait to see what we are being told by Governor DeWine and will adjust our program
accordingly.
HOW CAN I HELP?
The Packs for Pirates and Circle of Friends Food Pantry are always looking for donations and financial support.
Canned foods, soups, and boxed pasta meals are always needed. Individually boxed cereals, snack bars, snack
cups etc. are also helpful. If you would like to assist with the purchase of perishable items, financial donations
are always accepted. Checks can be made out to Packs for Pirates or Circle of Friends Food Pantry. Checks
can be mailed to Continental United Methodist Church, PO Box 356, Continental, Ohio 45831 or call Pastor
Chuck Schmuck at 419-438-0903.
SCHOOL…WHAT DO WE KNOW RIGHT NOW?
Not much has changed at this point and time for our schools.
● There is no physical school until April 6th.
● The school buildings are closed to the public until further notice.
● Most employees have been ORDERED to work from home.
● YES, we are still attempting to have school.
○ Online school, homework packets, and other creative ways to teach and learn are being utilized.
● NO, students will not have to repeat their current grade level due to the school closure.
● YES, we will have a graduation. NO, I don’t know when or how, but we will have graduation.
There have been LOTS of questions. I would like to try and answer a few.
–Will these days count as school days?
The Governor has said, yes, if we are making a “good faith effort to educate” and students are making a
“good faith effort to learn” these days will count.
–Will there be state testing?
At this point, state testing has been “POSTPONED”. It has not been canceled. I will notify everyone
when I know more.
–What about field trips and extra-curricular activities such as the musical, sports, and prom?
Unfortunately, I have little or no answers at this time.
–OHSAA is still hoping to have spring sports but has not made a decision at this point and is subject to
further decisions from the Governor.
–The fate of the musical and prom will also depend on the decisions the Governor makes going forward.
–Are our buildings and buses being cleaned?
Yes, our buildings have been deep cleaned and sanitized as well as our cafeterias and buses. We also
resanitized after the students and the public were in the buildings on Tuesday.
Please continue to refer to our school webpage (www.continentalpirates.org) and our text alerts for further updates as we move forward.
