The Pella School Board held an emergency meeting to address several issues Friday afternoon.

The board convened via telephone, and approved a resolution to pay all hourly staff and continue benefits through April 12th, as well as a continuity of service for salaried employees.

The board also approved a temporary food service program to ensure students in need of meals receive them, and additional discussion was held about access to public buildings and the development of virtual education. Meals will be available beginning on Tuesday, March 25th, and will be open to all children in the Pella School District, regardless of school affiliation.

Superintendent Greg Ebeling says unless something significantly changes, he anticipates the closure will last longer than the April 13th guidance from the governor’s office, and the district is trying to prepare for that situation.

Ebeling says the challenges of virtual or remote education mainly lie with younger, elementary age students, who don’t have the same type of access to technology as those in the middle school and high school.

The Pella School Board will meet again on Monday in regular session, which begins at 4:30 p.m. via teleconference. A public hearing is scheduled for the proposed FY 2020-21 fiscal year budget for the district, as is a resolution approving an agreement with the City of Pella and Marion County for the Prairie Ridge Urban Renewal Plan.