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Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Wednesday the state would extend its emergency school closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak through the end of the academic year, requiring students continue with distance learning until summer.

Brown, along with officials from the Oregon Department of Education and Health Authority, also announced guidance on graduation, saying high school seniors who were on track to graduate before the initial closure in March will receive passing grades for their classes to meet requirements.

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Those who were not on track will have the rest of the semester to improve their grades and Brown encouraged educators to focus their attention on helping them cross the finish line.

It will be a district-by-district decision on expanding classes into the summer, or starting the 2020-21 school year sooner.

School in Salem-Keizer

"Like you, we are hurting, but we know this latest guidance comes as another measure to keep us as safe and healthy as we can be," said Christy Perry, superintendent of Salem-Keizer Public Schools.

At this time, Perry said no decisions have been made about Salem-Keizer's graduation ceremonies or the opportunity for students to reschedule events like proms.

For Salem-Keizer's 3,000 high school seniors, officials said there is no change to the number of credits required to graduate. March 13 is now considered the final day of coursework for students in the class of 2020, and the district will issue a .5 credit as "pass," or "incomplete" for the work already done.

For seniors who don't have enough credits to graduate as of March 13, district officials said they will create individualized distance learning schedules to help earn credits through the end of the school year and stay on track with their peers. "Essential Skills" and "Personalized Learning Requirements" are suspended.

"For the Class of 2020 — we see you," Perry said. "There is no world in which this is fair. We will not give up on finding creative ways to honor you and restore every amount of normalcy that we can."

The district is still providing free meals and free Chromebooks to those who need them.

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An expected, difficult decision

Last week, Oregon Department of Education officials said they foresaw the "strong possibility" students may not return to physical schools this academic year, but did not extend the closure that was previously set through April 28.

Students, staff and parents across Oregon have begun preparing for "Distance Learning for All," which is still set to begin April 13.

Tim McFarland, an elementary school teacher in Salem-Keizer, said he wasn't surprised Brown took this action, and agreed it's the safest thing to do. His concerns fall to teachers and parents who are stressed right now with all they're being asked to do.

Lisa Harnisch, executive director of the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub, said she fears families will feel isolated and alone, that we do not yet realize the economic strife COVID-19 will create, and those furthest from opportunity or already facing adversity will suffer most.

"I have been so impressed with the way the community has stepped up to fill the needs of kids and families," she said. "My hope is that this support and community engagement does not stop."

Jim Green, executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association, said it appeared for some time this day was coming, but "it's a difficult day all the same."

"It's sad to think of families unable to experience the graduation moment celebrating years of hard work by students," he said. "It's sad to think of empty classrooms, further disruptions in learning and knowing that some students' needs will be unmet.

"But these are unprecedented times, and we support the governor's decision in the interest of protecting public health."

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Contact education reporter Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745 or follow Natalie on Twitter @Nataliempate or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist.