Now what?
Schools are closed and we’re directed to practice social distancing. For caregivers, that means we’re all of a sudden surrounded by bored, confused, hungry kids. If you’re overwhelmed, don’t feel bad. We all are!
Here are some resources to help:
School District 2 Breakfast & Lunch for Children
School District 2 is providing grab-and-go curbside pickup meals for children ages 0-18. Breakfast will be available from 7:45 to 8:30 and lunch is available from 11:00 to 12:30 at these sites:
- Castle Rock Middle School – 1441 Governors Blvd.
- Riverside Middle School – 3700 Madison Ave.
- Lewis & Clark Middle School- 1315 Lewis Ave.
- Medicine Crow Middle School – 900 Barrett Rd.
There will also be a mobile food trailer at the following elementary schools:
- McKinley: 9:00-9:30
- Washington: 9:45-10:15
- Newman: 10:30-11:00
- Ponderosa 11:15-11:45
- Orchard 12:00-12:30
Updates and more information can be found on the school district website at Billings Public Schools.
Internet Services
Charter/Spectrum is providing free broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students impacted by school closures. For more information call 1-844-488-8395 or check their website at Charter Internet.
Online Art Tutorials
Several businesses are providing free online art tutorials to keep kids busy and engaged. Here are just a few!
- Doodles with Mo Willems, author and illustrator at Kennedy Center online.
- Art projects with supply lists at Wild Free and Crafty and McHarperManor.
Educational Resources
Local schools are contacting parents with information on learning resources and expectations, so you will hear from your child’s teacher sometime soon. Here are some additional resources:
Scholastic is offering free learn-at-home resources at appropriate grade levels. They can be found at Scholastic Learn at Home.
Many visitor attractions are providing live or recorded broadcasts of their locations. Here are some ideas:
- Visit the Great Wall of China.
- Virtually tour Yellowstone National Park.
- Check out the Panda Cam at Zoo Atlanta.
- Hear the Seattle Symphony.
Podcasts for Kids
Podcasts are a great way to teach listening skills. Here are just a couple of great options out there for kids and families.
- Science, humor, and more at Brains On.
- History and fun at The Past and the Curious.
- Fairy tales, legends, and more at Stories.
And don’t forget, with these school closures, that your kids will not fall behind their peers academically! Their peers are all in the same situation. They may learn something they usually wouldn’t — like baking, or clay sculpting, how weather prediction works, or maybe the math and science involved in the power of social distancing.
Don’t be too hard on yourself, or on them. We all learn from everything we do — and this is a brand new learning experience for all of us.
Marisa Clark was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in 2019 and is currently a volunteer Peer Coordinator.
