GHV and West Hancock close down after Governor’s recommendation

            Garner-Hayfield-Ventura and West Hancock school districts announced on Monday that classes and activities will be cancelled for the next 30 days. 

            The announcements came after Gov. Kim Reynolds called for school closings on Sunday after the discovery of substantial community spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 through the state.

            “Based on new information today from the Iowa Department of Public Health, now is the time to move to the next level of response,” Reynolds said. “I am now recommending that all Iowa schools close for a period of four weeks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

            GHV will release more information as more details are known. 

            GHV schools will be closed until further notice. 

            West Hancock will determine an exact date of return at a later date. 

            More information will be put out through JMC email on educational plans for students during this time away from school. 

            Additionally, Iowa’s high school Unified Activities partners – the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, the Iowa High School Athletic Association, the Iowa High School Music Association and the Iowa High School Speech Association – have prohibited all spring activities during the recommended four weeks of school shutdown. 

            The recommended closure date currently extends through to April 10, which would mean schools returning on April 13. 

            “All IHSAA and IGHSAU sports are now in a prohibited period for practice, competition, and sanctioned activity until the closure is lifted,” the statement read. “This prohibition means no in-person contact between coaches/administrators and student-athletes for the duration of the period.”

            Schedule adjustments and updates on how the seasons will play out will be announced through www.iahsaa.org and www.ighsau.org.

            The IHSMA has cancelled Class 4A and 1A solo/small ensemble festival set for April 18 and the state large group festival set for May 8-9.

            “There should be no in-person contact between teachers/administrators and participants for the duration of the prohibited period,” the statement said. “Any effort to provide IHSMA participants with a make-up experience should take place only via digital media through the duration of the prohibited period.”

            Further updates can be found on www.ihsma.org.

            Speech events will be prohibited to practice or makeup individual state contest until the closure is lifted. 

            Contact between coaches, judges and students for that duration is prohibited. 

            All-State Festival on March 30 is cancelled. 

            Further updates can be found on ihssa.org.