The Vashon Island School District will begin offering meals to all students beginning Monday, March 16.

Students will be given free “Grab ‘n’ Go” bags that include breakfast and lunch for each day throughout the closure of the school district, which was announced by superintendent Slade McSheehy Wednesday evening in order to protect students and prevent the spread of COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus.

Students may pick up their own bags between 8 and 11 a.m. daily at Vashon High School. Bus drivers will also deliver them along three designated routes at locations throughout the island.

The designated pick-up locations on Vashon for students to receive free breakfast and lunch (Courtesy Photos).

On the north end route, staff will begin distributing meals for students at 8:30 a.m. at Ober Park, at 8:45 a.m. at Landy’s Corner, at 9 a.m. at the lower ferry parking lot, at 9:15 a.m. outside the Vashon Havurah, and at 9:30 a.m. at Agren park.

On the Tahlequah route, staff will begin distributing meals for students at 8:30 a.m. at the Burton Mercantile, at 8:45 a.m. at Inspiration Point, at 9 a.m. at the Tahlequah ferry dock, at 9:15 a.m. at Lisabeala Church, and at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of Westside Hwy and Cemetery Road.

On the Maury route, staff will begin distributing meals for students at 8:30 a.m. at Ellisport and Portage, at 8:45 a.m. at Kingsbury (behind Engels), at 9 a.m. at the Maury Park lookout, at 9:15 a.m. at the upper Gold Beach bus stop, and at 9:30 a.m. at the Dockton Fire Station.

Lisa Cyra, food service director, said that the menu for each day will be different, from bagels and cream cheese to homemade banana bread or blueberry muffins served with fresh fruit, yogurt, milk and juice. The lunch items will loosely consist of a sandwich — students will be able to choose between two to three options — veggies, fruit, chips and milk.

Families are asked to complete an online survey in order to gauge the need for meals in the community, though they may opt into or out of the program at their choosing.

“There’s going to be blips along the way, but I think over time, we’re going to get better at it and try and reach out to more and more families, which will be super important,” said Cyra. She added that many faculty and community members have volunteered to help facilitate the program. “Our community is just amazing,” she said.