Below is a summary of the Emergency Order issued this evening by the State of Michigan. Much of this information is pretty straight forward.  Having said that, our COVID Response Planning Committee and the Board of Education will meet tomorrow to process this information and develop strategies for our district to respond to this situation.  

 

Hillsdale High School and Horizon High School will operate its normal school schedule on Monday and Tuesday.  Starting on Wednesday, November 18 - Tuesday, December 8, all high school students will be virtual learners at home.  

 

In a new Emergency Order under the Michigan Public Health Code (MCL 333.2253), MDHHS Director Robert Gordon has further limited gatherings in the State of Michigan. Under the new order, all in-person activities for students in grades 9-12 are suspended. 

 

Districts may continue to educate high school students through distance learning, but may not offer extra-curricular activities or athletics in-person for any grades. The order further limits in-person gatherings for PreK-8 students to instruction only, leaving the decision about in-person PreK-8 instruction to the local district and health department. 

 

Districts may, however, continue to offer in-person instruction at any grade level for special education students and English language learners.

 

These restrictions are in place starting Wednesday, November 18 through Tuesday, December 8 (three weeks). This means the last day of in-person instruction for general education high school students must be Tuesday, November 17, 2020. 

 

To summarize, between November 18 and December 8:

• In-person instruction for 9-12 graders is suspended 

• K-12 athletics (practice and competition) and extra-curricular activities are suspended

• PreK-8 in-person instruction is permitted at the discretion of the local district and health department 

• School buildings may be used for basic services such as:

  • Food distribution

  • Internet facilitation for students

  • Health care/mental health services

  • Child care

• GSRP and early childhood education is still permitted

While the order lasts for three weeks, we've been told that data will continuously be evaluated, so these restrictions may continue longer. We will continue to provide you with the latest information as it's available. For more information regarding this three-week pause, visit michigan.gov/coronavirus. Pause to Save Lives-1.pdf