All North Dakota Public and Non-Public Schools closed for five days

UPDATE: North Dakota Public and Non-Public Schools, upon declaration of Governor Doug Burgum Sunday night, will be closed for five days. 

"The strategy around school closings is to slow the pace of the spread," he said.

North Dakota DPI Superintendent Kirsten Baesler says officials are in the process of organizing being able to deliver meals to students. She also said that this can cause anxiety. Baesler says her department is working on resources to help adults be able to talk about Coronavirus to kids.

Burgum says they're trying to get a more comprehensive understanding from medical professionals if they're able to handle a "spike" in the event it happens.

As far as making up the days missed this week, the Governor said a new law has changed the requirements from "days" to "minutes," and that schools likely have time "banked" under current law.

Burgum says this tonight's executive order does NOT apply to preschools or daycares, and that Minnesota's announcement this morning had no impact on the announcement he made tonight.

Fargo Schools already had a pre-planned break schedule for this coming Thursday and Friday, the 19th and 20th.  The closure includes all schools, programs, activities and trainings.  The closures are designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19.  Earlier Sunday, Moorhead, D-G-F, and Park Christian Schools in Minnesota made similar announcements.  Currently, there is only one confirmed case in North Dakota, a Minot-area man in his 60's who is not hospitalized.

ORIGINAL STORY: Gov. Doug Burgum, State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte will hold a press conference at 7:30 p.m. today, March 15, to make an announcement about K-12 school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tune in to AM 1100 The Flag, AM 1090 The Flag, am1090theflag.com and am1100theflag.com for updates on this developing story.