DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY DISTRICT

From the looks of it, the windfall from all of that COVID funding has ended at Detroit schools. Now, the district is eyeing staffing cuts, and the plan isn't going over well.

Family and friends said their final goodbyes Thursday to the Northwestern High School student who suffered cardiac arrest during a basketball game.

Local 4 news has learned that the Northwestern High School senior who went into cardiac arrest during a basketball game has died.

School is all about learning and so much more. It’s where friendships are made, and a place to discover new interests and experiences. Every school day counts, and that is why we spoke with Detroit Public Schools Community District about the importance of good attendance.

Cartier Woods, 18, a Detroit Public Schools Community District student, has been in critical condition since the game Tuesday night.

Cartier Woods is on life support, and his family is asking for prayers after the Northwestern High School senior’s heart stopped on the basketball court during Tuesday night’s game against Douglass High School.

People in the community have waited more than 10 years for something good to come from the old Cooley High School.

Giving children the best education they can get starts with ensuring they come to school daily. But in Detroit, students missing school regularly is a real problem.

For the past month I’ve been doing stories highlighting the issue of chronic absenteeism in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Chronic absenteeism is an ongoing problem that Detroit Public Schools Community District tackles with many different resources to address the root causes for absenteeism including socioeconomic issues and transportation issues.

It was no ordinary day for Davis Aerospace Technical High School students who got a chance to speak with an astronaut who’s currently orbiting the earth.

The city of Detroit is set to demolish an abandoned elementary school this week after catching on fire twice.

With everything going on in the world today we spoke with parents to find out what their concerns are with their children’s safety when they’re not there to protect them.

Officers said they made “several arrests” and took the shooter into custody after shots were fired following dismissal at Pershing High School in Detroit.

Dr. Brandi Pritchett-Johnson is a psychologist and owner of the Diane Morgan Group in Southfield. She sees clients for all different reasons.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District will dismiss students three hours early Tuesday (May 31) due to high temperatures, says Assistant Superintendent of Communications Chrystal Wilson.

Typically Detroit Public Schools Community District brings the students back after Labor Day, but Tuesday (May 10) night, the school board passed a change to the calendar.

When Power of Praises church leased the old Bellevue school from the Detroit Public Schools Community District in 2013, the building was a mess.

A first grade student at Fisher Magnet Lower Academy was found wandering more than a half a mile away from the school

The family of a 13-year-old boy who was struck and killed while crossing the street is speaking out after the bus driver was charged.

A Detroit bus driver has been charged because she didn’t turn on the safety stop lights for a 13-year-old boy who was struck by a car and killed while crossing the street, officials said.

There are thousands of eighth grade students in the Detroit school district, and officials want just as many to attend high school in Detroit.

The mother of a Detroit public schools student learned through social media that her son had been punched, thrown and sat on during an attack on a bus, according to a lawsuit.

A Detroit public schools teacher was transported to a hospital and treated for a “light concussion” after breaking up a fight between students.

A Detroit Public Schools Community District public safety officer died Thursday after trying to stop a fight near Henry Ford High School, according to officials.

A Detroit Public Schools Community District public safety officer is dead after trying to stop a fight near Henry Ford High School, according to Detroit public schools.

A proposed plan to close more than a dozen schools within the Detroit Public Schools Community District is being met with resistance from the community.

The superintendent of Detroit public schools said the district will wait until at least mid-March to consider removing its mask mandate.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District rolled out a plan to pour $700 million into improving facilities over the next two decades.

The future of dozens of Detroit school buildings will be examined as part of a 20-year improvement and investment plan by the city’s public school district.

COVID vaccines are going to be offered at Detroit public schools.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District plans to shift to virtual learning in the case of heavy snowfall this week, the superintendent said in a statement Tuesday.

As COVID case numbers continue a downward trend, Detroit Public School Community District students were back in the classroom after starting off the year with remote learning.

Officials with the Detroit Public Schools Community District said 92% of students have already returned their consent forms to show they’re ready to return to in-person classes.

Leaders of the state’s largest school district, Detroit Public Schools Community District, made the call to keep all 50,000 students home until Jan. 14, in hopes the number of COVID cases will be down by then.

Here's what's coming up on Local 4 News at 5.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) will be all virtual learning through Jan. 14, the district confirmed Tuesday.

The continued rise in coronavirus cases across Michigan and an expected surge following Christmas and the New Year is extending the holiday break for some students.

All Detroit schools will be closed through Wednesday during the first week of January so that teachers and staff can be tested for COVID-19 amid a statewide spike in cases.

Staff members at Detroit public schools will soon be required to get vaccinated for COVID-19 if they have not already, officials announced Friday.

In-person and virtual classes have been canceled for Detroit public schools next week as the district conducts widespread COVID testing and works to establish a learning plan amid an ongoing virus surge.

Here’s what is coming up on Local 4 News at 11:

The groundbreaking for the new campus is set for 2023.

Detroit Public Schools Community District will close all schools and central office locations on Monday (Nov. 22) and Tuesday (Nov. 23) of next week.

School districts are scrambling to make changes as Michigan leads the country in new cases of COVID-19.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is shifting to online learning on Fridays in December for mental health relief amid rising COVID-19 cases, the district announced Wednesday.

A historic Detroit high school could be transformed into something the entire community can use.

Here’s what to expect on Local 4 News at 6:

Action by Detroit schools is swift Tuesday night following a huge brawl at East English Village Preparatory Academy.

A Detroit high school was dismissed early Tuesday after a food fight during lunch led to multiple physical fights and sparked a police investigation.

Any other year, Count Day would be a day where millions of dollars would be hanging in the balance for Michigan school districts, but this time around is different thanks to the pandemic.

“It’s a great opportunity for those that want to make a difference in our schools and support our students,” said superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti.

Conversations about vaccines, masks and other protocols will likely be a main focus during the entire 2021-22 school year.

An outbreak at Renaissance High School within the football team has caused concern among some Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers.

School districts across Michigan are preparing for students to return to the classroom after the pandemic forced many to attend school virtually.

Michigan’s largest school district is strengthening its COVID protocols as it heads into the new school year.

The vision of a safe in-person learning environment for schools in Michigan varies depending on the school district.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District and its teachers have reached an agreement to return to classrooms for in-person learning under updated COVID safety standards.

Detroit will see an increase in funding of about $27 million. That money could go a long way to help repair buildings, replace books and equipment and set the district on a better path forward.

A criminal case has been dropped against a Detroit teacher who was charged in connection with the February 2020 drowning death of a 15-year-old student at Mumford High School.

A criminal case has been dropped against a Detroit teacher who was charged in connection with the February 2020 drowning death of a 15-year-old student at Mumford High School.

Andria and Andre’a graduated top of their class at Detroit’s Mumford High School -- one as salutatorian and the other as valedictorian.

Detroit Public Schools Community District is opening its doors as the go-to for summer learning and enrichment -- and any student in Metro Detroit can attend.

The district announced Thursday morning it will receive about $1.2 billion in federal funding.

The district announced Thursday morning it will receive about $1.2 billion in federal funding.

Here’s what's coming up on Local 4 News at Noon.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District is offering a recurring bonus of $15,000 for certified teachers to teach students with special needs.

The district said it is now using new criteria -- including vaccination rates -- to determine whether it will close schools again.

A group of students got involved in the effort to get their classmates vaccinated Saturday.

Schools within the Detroit Public Schools Community District will be allowed to resume in-person learning starting Monday, May 24.

There’s a tug-of-war emerging between school boards and educators over which decision is best for kids.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District had a special board meeting Thursday night to discuss coronavirus, community spread and how it might impact education.

The Detroit Publish School Community District announced that is pausing in-person learning until May.

A Metro Detroit teenager is rolling up her sleeve and making herself a model for getting the COVID vaccine.

With cases surging school districts all across the region including Detroit Public Schools Community District have decided to go virtual this week.

As COVID numbers continue to skyrocket, one Ann Arbor family is thrilled to be preparing to have the youngest members finally get vaccinated.

Coronavirus vaccinations are expected to ramp up across Michigan this week.

DETROIT – An urban explorer discovered unsecured files containing personal information inside the permanently closed Murphy Academy in Detroit. We relinquished all student data and building access back to the Detroit Public School District after it closed. Murphy AcademyDetroit Public Schools Community District emailed the charter school in Sept. 2018, sharing photographs of the records they took from Murphy Academy. Detroit schools believed they collected everything. Detroit Public Schools Community DistrictThe other question left to answer is: How could the school be broken into?

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. “These recommendations are specific to students in classrooms with universal mask wearing,” 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 — 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.

DETROIT – In-person instruction resumed Monday at Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti estimates only about 1,000 of the returning students will receive full face-to-face instruction right now. READ: In-person learning resumes today at Detroit public schoolsAdSome teachers are still teaching remotely, even if their students are at the school. Students will either have supervision from a teacher or an adult if they are physically at school. READ: Detroit public schools say there aren’t enough teachers to meet the demand as schools reopenWatch the videos above for the full report.

DETROIT – Here’s what you missed on Local 4 News at Noon. What to know as Detroit public schools resume in-person learningIn-person instruction resumed Monday at Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings. About 20,000 students have opted to return to the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic this spring. However, only about 20-30% of teachers have agreed to return.

DETROIT – In-person instruction is resuming Monday at Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings. About 20,000 students have opted to return to the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic this spring. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Viti estimates only about 1,000 of the returning students will receive full face-to-face instruction right now. Teachers are being offered an incentive of $750 more per quarter if they return to in-person instruction. More: Return To School updates

DETROIT – 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 don’t 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 Ta’Mara Williams -- are choosing to keep their students at home. “The teachers are not ready and the students are not ready as well.”The bottom line is that the in-person demand for in-person learning exceeds number of teachers willing to return to the classroom.

READ: Detroit public schools to resume in-person learning on March 8That amounts to about 20,000 children, but Detroit teachers willing to return to the classroom are only about at 20-30%. Detroit teachers were moved to the head of the line and anybody wishing to have the vaccine has had access. “We’re going to need services relative to trauma, we need mental health services,” Martin said. Constant cleaning, a max of 20 children per classroom, masks and social distancing, plus an extra $750 per quarter for teachers willing to return to the classroom. In the beginning Vitti says, “There will be a disconnect between family demand for in person learning and teachers willing to teach in person.”More: Return To School

DETROIT – Detroit public schools officially announced Monday that they will return to in-person learning on March 8. The Detroit Public Schools Community District’s return to in-person learning includes all schools and grade levels, officials said. Detroit students will return to school one week after the state’s recommended date for districts to reopen their classrooms. Recent family and teacher surveys showed twice as many wanted to return to in-person learning than when then 2020-2021 school year began in September. Ad“The decision for (the) Detroit Public Schools Community District to have face-to-face learning as an option was a decision made based upon the current data available,” said Terrence Martin, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.

In a letter to families, Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) officials announced that all grade levels at all schools will resume face-to-face learning beginning Monday, March 8. Students do still have the option to continue with online learning even as schools reopen amid the pandemic. Earlier this week, Detroit public schools reopened learning centers in the city following COVID-related closures, allowing students to learn remotely while in a classroom setting. Gretchen Whitmer “strongly encouraged” Michigan public schools to reopen for in-person learning by the beginning of March. Whitmer gave for Michigan schools returning to in-person learningWhitmer’s administration prohibited face-to-face learning for high schools in mid-November to help curb the spiking coronavirus cases.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District opened learning centers across the city on Wednesday. The centers are places for students to learn remotely while in a classroom setting. READ: Educators weigh in on standardized testing during COVID pandemicSakina Bolden is the superintendent of Detroit International Academy for Young Women. On Wednesday, Bolden and Detroit schools superintendent Nikolai Vitti toured the school’s new home and welcomed back students who chose to use the building’s learning center. Now that learning centers are open again, school officials are working toward getting back to in-person learning in March.

Detroiter William Gholston honoring men who helped him get to the topDETROIT – The excitement for Super Bowl LV is unlike any other with masks, social distancing and other COVID precautions in place. It’s the first time the stadium won’t be full for the big game, and it’s the first time the Super Bowl will go ticketless and cashless. Bucs defensive end William Gholston believes playing when he was a student at Southeastern High School in Detroit made him who he is. AdAs a sophomore in high school, he was deemed “too tall,” needed to fill out and realize he wasn’t a wide receiver, but bust as a defender. “He donated to the high school.

LANSING, Mich. – The battle to provide education for all during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to become more and more complicated. READ: Return To SchoolState superintendent Dr. Michael Rice called on the state Legislature to extend the school year Tuesday for students to make up for the lost time. “This school year, in and of itself, can’t even last five minutes longer,” said Paula Herbart, the president of the Michigan Education Association. Students need a break.”It’s undeniable that the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years have exhausted teachers. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said he can’t realistically extend the school year, but he can expand learning opportunities in every neighborhood.

DETROIT – By the end of the month the Detroit school district is reopening learning centers for students. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti made an announcement. READ: Detroit schools superintendent urges Whitmer to resume high school contact sportsThe learning centers are set to reopen on Feb. 24. As more COVID-19 vaccines are administered and the community spread stays below 5 percent the district wants to step back into the face-to-face model which will hopefully phase back in starting in March. AdIf community spread remains low then actual face-to-face learning will resume in March.

Dr. Nikolai Vitti started the letter by clarifying that he supports Whitmer, but he has grown frustrated by a lack of clarity about when winter contact sports can resume. He said there are continuing and legitimate fears about COVID-19 in the Detroit community, but 31 female and male high school coaches want to play basketball. “The continuing suspension of winter ‘contact’ sports contradicts the message that it is safe to return to in-person learning,” Vitti wrote. “Please do not let this frustration reach the level of a lawsuit against you and the state,” Vitti cautioned. “Coaches, student-athletes and their parents are in conversation with attorneys.”Mental health, physical well-being and scholarship opportunities are being affected, he said.

DETROIT – School districts across Michigan are struggling to meet Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s target to return to in-person learning by March 1. Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said 10-20% of students have been absent since the COVID pandemic started. The Southfield Public School District, has been 100% since March and while recognizing the importance of bringing students back to their teachers, Dr. Jennifer Martin Green said the science dictates the district remain remote. Both districts believe vaccinations are a key part in getting students and teachers back in the classroom safely.

DETROIT – Wednesday was a big day for residents of Detroit -- a day Detroiters have been waiting nearly 10 months for. READ: ‘This is the first step to getting our lives back’ -- Detroit begins vaccinating residentsMeda Chapman, a 77-year-old Detroit resident, was the first of 400 people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the TCF Center. READ: How Detroit residents can schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointmentEarly on, Detroit was a coronavirus hotspot. More than 1,700 people have died from coronavirus in Detroit, a little less than half of the roughly 3,600 that have died in Wayne County. “I think that the seniors especially should step forward and take the shot,” Chapman said.

DETROIT – When the pandemic first hit in March and students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) students were sent home, third grade master math teacher Voncile Campbell didn’t want her students feeling isolated. She has been battling a brain tumor, called an atypical meningioma. READ: Detroit teacher goes viral with nightly bedtime stories videos“My vision started fading on me again and I knew something was wrong,” Campbell said. It’s a change to the contract between the district and Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT). Fellow teachers started up a GoFundMe to help her financially through the gap.

DETROIT – School officials said it’s simple -- cancelling in-person holiday gatherings greatly raises the odds of in-person learning in January. Multiple school districts across Metro Detroit returned elementary school to face-to-face education so that they can squeeze in a little in-person learning before winter break. Parents and teachers are split on the decision as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. READ: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schoolsThe key to returning students to school safely rest with all of us, whether we have children or not. The leads to frustration for administrators and decision makers who are following the science.

DETROIT – Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s contract has been extended another three years beyond its current expiration, the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) announced this week. His current contract is set to expire June 30, 2022. Vitti first stepped into the Detroit superintendent position in 2017. He previously served as Duval schools superintendent. An amendment to the contract links his percentage of salary increase and one-time bonuses to that of teachers for a given contract year.

DETROIT – An average of 3.6 percent of students who were enrolled in school this time last year are nowhere to be found and school districts are trying to find out what happened. Administrators are grappling with the decline in enrollment in terms of possible post education and financially -- if the students aren’t found, school districts will lose funding at a time when they need it most. Detroit Public Schools Community District sent out volunteers to locate students, and the district is still missing as many as 5 percent of its students. READ: Wellness teams sent out to check on Detroit Public Schools Community District studentsThe districts are concerned. That means if the districts don’t find and return the students they could face a reduction in per-pupil funding.

DETROIT – The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is shifting from face-to-face learning to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16. Here is a note from the district on Monday:“We are shifting to online learning for your student. All classes will now be held online, students should be logging in everyday to attend class and complete assignments. Use this helpful link, Transition to Online Sway to access many resources that are available to support you during this transition to online learning.”Here’s that link again: sway.office.com. Read more: Detroit public schools shifting to online learning starting Monday, Nov. 16Related: Why Michigan is forcing high schools, colleges to go remote, but not younger students

Suspension of face-to-face learning to continue until Jan. 11, 2021If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.