May 17, 2021
Greetings,
The most recent recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has loosened mask wearing requirements for those who have been vaccinated. These recommendations are a sign that we are slowing the spread of COVID-19 and moving closer to returning to a lifestyle we enjoyed before the start of this pandemic.
However, at this time, all staff, students, parents, and other visitors to our buildings will be required to wear a mask. As we move forward, this requirement may change but for now this is our plan as we enter the final stretch of the 20-21 school year.
The CDC has also recommended that schools continue to require masks for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Youth under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccine. Youth between the ages of 12 and 15 became eligible for vaccination on May 12, 2021. Because people are not fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, students in this age group will not be fully vaccinated before the end of current school year.
In addition, there are directives in place from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) that still require the wearing of a mask in the workplace.
Throughout this pandemic we have followed our local Wayne County Health Department guidance and we will continue that practice. We have been successful at mitigating the spread of COVID 19 in our schools because we had a plan that moved forward in a cautious manner while balancing the need for in person instruction with COVID 19 safety protocols.
I know this has been a tough year for everyone with the COVID 19 pandemic. However, each day we take a step closer to rebuilding our confidence in the health conditions in our community and the workplace. It will take time before everyone feels safe and we are confident that the spread of COVID-19 has reached a point that it is no longer a public health crisis. I look forward to that day.
I wish you and your families all the best for safe and healthy days ahead.
Regards,
Glenn Maleyko, Ph.D.
Superintendent