Michigan Department of Health shortening isolation and quarantine guidance for K-12 schools
The new guidance from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says that you should isolate for five days if you test positive for COVID. Then, if you donโt have symptoms, you can return to school as long as you are wearing a well-fitted mask for six to 10 days.
Some SE Michigan schools temporarily close following Oxford High School shooting
Following the devastating Oxford High School shooting earlier this week, several schools across Southeast Michigan are increasing police presence or temporarily closing their buildings as they deal with their own threats.
Parents spar over masks at Utica Community Schools
Utica Community Schools is the largest school district in Macomb County and it is opting to start mask optional for fall semester. Superintendent Robert Monroe said it depends on parents and the choices they and their students make as to whether that can continue.
Michigan health department recommends universal masking in schools for beginning of 2021-22 school year
โBecause many students have yet to be vaccinated and students under age 12 are not yet eligible, layered prevention measures, including universal masking, must be put in place for consistent in-person learning to keep kids, staff and families safe,โ reads a MDHHS release.
Michigan ramps up COVID testing at nursing homes, schools, airports as numbers rise
Michigan officials are ramping up COVID-19 testing at nursing homes, schools and airports as the number of cases spreading throughout the state continues to rise. More than 72,000 free tests have been conducted at neighborhood testing sites in socially vulnerable communities and continue to provide testing . Free post-spring break testing pop-up sites are planned for school districts in 34 communities. Testing sites at welcome centers and Michigan airports are in the works for returning travelers. Vaccine providers with the capacity to vaccinate all individuals ages 16 years and older are allowed do so at this time, state officials said.
Wayne County school officials urge families to remain cautious over spring break
WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. โ With Michiganโs COVID-19 numbers on the rise and spring break around the corner, Wayne County superintendents are reaching out to parents to ask them to be vigilant in order to keep schools open. In order to keep schools open -- despite the rise in COVID cases -- it will depend on behavior outside of school. READ: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schoolsAdWayne County school officials are asking parents as they head into spring break to skip the parties because of the substantial community spread going on. Officials said the precautions at schools -- daily cleaning, contact tracing and isolating students -- are working and that they donโt want students to return to remote-learning. They said they are concerned that if students and families let their guards down over spring break, the community spread will explode more than it already is.
Metro Detroit students have end-of-year concerns
DETROIT โ During the coronavirus pandemic, Local 4 has been checking in with students around Metro Detroit on their struggles, successes and how COVID is impacting their lives. Itโs no surprise that students are starting to get concerned about end-of-year activities like graduations and proms. Paula Tutman spoke with students from the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, and they thing Michigan lawmakers need to be more efficient with their time. They acknowledge that they are not entitled to a fun senior year, but believe they have earned the right to start making plans. Walled Lake superintendent Kenneth Gutman said he thought there would be more guidance from Lansing, so he could direct his students on what they can and cannot plan toward, but he said heโs heard nothing.
CDC halves distance requirements in schools from 6 to 3 feet
The CDC now said the science supports reducing the minimum recommended space between students as long as everyone is wearing a well-fitting mask. Under the new guidelines, students in elementary school can now sit three feet apart instead of the previously recommended six feet -- as long as everyone is wearing a mask. โThese recommendations are specific to students in classrooms with universal mask wearing,โ said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. However, six feet of distance is still recommended in several situations, including:Between all adults, or adults and students. pic.twitter.com/w3lHKrO3fu โ CDC (@CDCgov) March 19, 2021The new guidelines will help some schools get back to face-to-face learning, especially where population and space is an issue.
200 students in quarantine as Oxford High School returns to virtual learning amid COVID outbreak
OXFORD, Mich. โ A COVID-19 outbreak has forced Oxford High School to return to virtual learning as 200 students are being quarantined, school officials confirm. The shift to remote learning is in effect through this week, and officials hope to return to in-person instruction on March 22, according to the school website. Of those student cases, one is at Daniel Axford Elementary, six are at Oxford Middle School and 11 are at Oxford High School, the data shows. There are exactly 201 Oxford High School students -- 10% of the student population -- quarantining due to potential exposure to a school-related case, according to the data. Three Oxford Middle School staff members are under quarantine due to potential exposure in a school-related case, the website says.
School funding fuels hybrid learning debate at West Bloomfield School District
WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. โ Two pieces of legislation passed last week offering additional funding for Michigan schools that provide at least 20 hours of in-person learning. Gretchen Whitmer, but one school district is now trying to decide if itโs worth to re-route its current learning plan. The West Bloomfield School District is in hybrid learning and was planning to keep it until next year. READ: What to know as Detroit public schools resume in-person learningBut the potential loss of $1.2 million in additional funding forced the districtโs Board of Education to discuss on Monday whether to increase in-person learning to 20 hours a week. Weโre living with the reality of the Legislature being the Legislature,โ Hill said.
Detroit public schools say there arenโt enough teachers to meet the demand as schools reopen Monday
DETROIT โ An estimated 20,000 Detroit Public School Community District students are set to return to classrooms Monday, but their teachers may not be there. READ: Detroit public schools to resume in-person learning on March 8The DPSCD said there are not enough teachers who are willing to go back into classrooms to meet the demand. AdREAD: Student demand for in-person learning far outweighs the number of teachers willing to return in DetroitSome parents spoke out and said they donโt want their children to be taught on a screen in a classroom. Even thought schools within the DPSCD will return to in-person learning Monday, some parents -- like Kimble and TaโMara Williams -- are choosing to keep their students at home. โThe teachers are not ready and the students are not ready as well.โThe bottom line is that the in-person demand for in-person learning exceeds number of teachers willing to return to the classroom.