Missouri Gov. Mike Parson meets with KC school leaders on reopening plans

Missouri Gov.

Mike Parson met with Kansas City-area school leaders Thursday about their reopening plans for the fall semester.

GOV.

MIKE PARSONMISSOURI"I think one thing is evident Ithinkevery body understands that thevirus is here, we're all goingto haveto deal with it."MISSOURI GOVERNORMIKE PARSON WAS INKANSAS CITY TODAY -TALKING WITH SCHOOLLEADERS AS THEYPREPARE FOR THEUPCOMING YEAR - IN THEMIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER EMMA JAMESLAYS OUT CONCERNSEDUCATORS HAVE.EMMA JAMES, REPORTING"School leaders tell meGovernor Parson was clearhe's a big believer in trustingschools to make their owndecisions.

At the same time,school leaders say they'rewanting some more guidanceon how to do that.DEAN JOHNSON, EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR, CROSSROADSCHARTER SCHOOLS"What are those criteria thatwe should be using to makedecisions about fullyreopening on site or havinghybrid classes or havingvirtual classes."EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OFCROSSROADS CHARTERSCHOOLS DEAN JOHNSONATTENDED TODAY'SMEETING --DURING WHICHADMINISTRATORS ASKEDFOR MORE GUIDANCE ONHOW TO MEASURE THECONDITIONS OF THEPANDEMIC.GOVERNOR PARSON SAYSOTHER CONCERNSINCLUDED FUNDING,TRANSPORTATION ANDNUTRITION.HE SAYS HIS OWNCONCERNS ARE ABOUTLOW INCOME STUDENTSAND THOSE WITHDISABILITIES BIENG LEFTOUT.GOV.

MIKE PARSON,MISSOURI"Many kids will have the abilityto go virtual that have theability to do that but there'sgoing to be a lot of kids outthere that will not and we'vegot to figure out how do weoutreach to them, what arethe schools doing, what am Idoing as Governor."JOHNSON SAYSCROSSROADS CHARTERSCHOOLS WILL MAKE SUREITS MOST VULNERABLESTUDENTS HAVE EXTRARESOURCES.THE SCHOOLS AREPARTNERING WITHORGANIZATIONS TO HAVESITES KIDS CAN GO TO IN ASOCIALLY DISTANCEDENVIRONMENT.MEANWHILE, THEGOVERNOR SAYSSPEAKING WITH SCHOOLLEADERS HELPS HIMUNDERSTAND HOW THESTATE CAN ASSIST THEM.HE SAYS IT'S EVIDENT THEVIRUS IS GOING TO BE ACONCERN FOR EVERYONE.GOV.

MIKE PARSON,MISSOURI"At the same time we've got tofigure out can we proceedsafely and what is that triggerto one day we say okay wecan't do anymore of this therisk is just way too high."IN KANSAS CITY, EMMAJAMES, 41 ACTION NEWS.