Huron School District

Completely Committed To Kids!

Hello Huron Families:

I wanted to take a moment at the start of this letter to say thank you.  Thank you to all of our students, parents, and families for all of the support and patience that you have shown during this time.  It has been quite a journey so far, and now, we are about to embark into uncharted territory once again. 

Since my last communication, there have been many changes at the state level that have impacted our planning process.  We have also been reviewing our remote learning and face-to-face enrollment numbers, while making staffing decisions in order to best meet the needs of students when school begins.  In addition, we recently received final health and safety guidelines from the Wayne County Health Department.  We have also been working hard with members of our staff to negotiate final protocols and to finalize plans for the start of the year. 

This letter contains information about the start of the 2020-2021 school year.  Please understand that some of the details of the plan have changed, and some aspects of the return have been adjusted to adapt to our student enrollment numbers and staffing needs.  We have worked hard to balance the need for students to have face-to-face instruction and quality remote instruction with our need to keep class sizes as low as possible, while keeping students and staff healthy and safe.   As a result, there have been changes to the instructional schedules at each level, and there is a change in the start date/calendar for the beginning of the school year.  The information is outlined below.  I have also included an informational graphic called the Return To Learn Framework that outlines the details of the instructional program at each level.

You will also be receiving more detailed communications from your building principals pertaining to student schedules, teacher assignments, arrival/dismissal, hygiene and cleaning protocols, and parent screening protocols and expectations. 

Although the final schedule/model for face-to-face instruction is slightly different from our initial communication, these plans have been finalized and represent our efforts to balance remote learning, face-to-face instruction, and student counts, while providing the safest and most purposeful learning environment possible.  The details of the District’s plans are outlined below:

Calendar Change and The First Day of School For Students:

Please note that the first day for ALL students has been set for September 8, 2020.  This is a change from the original calendar date of August 31, 2020.  This includes our Kindergarten students.

Huron Schools Remote Learning Program: 

Elementary and secondary students who are currently enrolled in the Huron Schools Remote Learning Program will receive instruction entirely online.  Detailed information will be provided by individual buildings pertaining to log-in information, course syllabi, daily schedules, connectivity, and the use of the Huron Learning Hub for online instruction.  Parents can contact their school’s main office with questions pertaining to these communications. 

Face-To-Face Instructional Schedule and Plan:

Please remember that more detailed plans and schedules, including teacher assignments and individual student schedules are being sent through building communications from Brown, Miller, Renton, and Huron High School.  The following represents a general overview of the Face-To-Face schedule and plan.

Elementary Students:  Elementary Students will be attending school for face-to-face instruction on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, excluding regular breaks and holidays.  On Wednesdays, students will attend school remotely.  Teachers will provide an established schedule for learning on the remote learning Wednesdays.  The elementary teachers will practice a strategy known as “cohorting” their students, limiting the amount of other students that they are exposed to throughout the school day.  Therefore, one class will stay together during the school day, and will not mix with larger groups of students, except during arrival and dismissal.   Lunch periods and recess have been planned in accordance with our cohorting model and the guidance provided by the Return to School Roadmap and the Wayne County Health Department.  Students will be eating lunch in their classrooms, and students will have recess each day.   

Elementary Daily Start Time Change: During the 2020-2021 school year, student entry at each elementary school building will begin at 9:20 AM and classes will begin at 9:45 AM.  This is one hour later than previous school years.  This change is being made due to redeployment of staff as part of an effort to keep class sizes as low as possible.  As a result, the time change is necessary in order to provide contractual obligations while providing face-to-face instruction.

Renton Jr. High School:  Renton students will be attending school for face-to-face instruction for five classes per day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday of each school week, excluding regular breaks and holidays.  On Wednesdays, students will attend school remotely.  Teachers will provide an established schedule for learning on the remote learning Wednesdays, and students will engage with teachers remotely during those times.  Remote learning Wednesday schedules and lunch schedules will be provided to parents as part of Renton’s building communication.

Renton Daily Start Time Change: During the 2020-2021 school year, student entry at Renton Jr. High School will begin at 8:30 AM and classes will begin at 8:45 AM.  This is one hour later than previous school years.  This change is being made due to redeployment of staff as part of an effort to keep class sizes as low as possible.  As a result, the time change is necessary in order to provide contractual obligations while providing face-to-face instruction.

Huron High School:  The Huron High School Schedule represents the largest change from the original planning framework.  Huron High School students will be attending school based on an alphabetized grouping (Groups A [A-L] or B [M-Z]).  Students in the Group A will attend classes for face-to-face instruction on Mondays and Thursdays, and will attend classes virtually for remote learning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Students in the Group B will attend classes for face-to-face instruction on Tuesdays and Fridays, and will attend classes virtually for remote learning on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.   When students are attending classes remotely, teachers will provide an established remote learning schedule, and students will engage with teachers remotely during those times.  The remote learning schedules and lunch schedules will be provided to parents as part of Huron High School’s building communication.

Huron High School Daily Start Time Change: During the 2020-2021 school year, student entry at Huron High School will begin at 8:30 AM and classes will begin at 8:45 AM.  This is one hour later than previous school years.  This change is being made due to redeployment of staff as part of an effort to keep class sizes as low as possible.  As a result, the time change is necessary in order to provide contractual obligations while providing face-to-face instruction.

Screening Protocols and Expectations:

The MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap mandates that schools “must cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff.”  According to the Wayne County Health Department, Return to School Roadmap FAQ document, “the health department is instructing parents to do the health screenings prior to sending their kids to school.”  Parents must do a health screening of their student(s) each day, prior to sending the student(s) to school or putting the student(s) on a school bus.  The link to the Wayne County Health Department COVID-19 Screening Tool for Families can be found at this link.  http://www.huronschools.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_105709/File/Parent-COVID-19-Screening-Tool-for-Families.pdf

Masks:

The Governor’s executive order, E.O. 2020-142, and accompanying MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap requires that face coverings be worn by all staff members, except during meals.  In Phase 4 of the Governor’s Roadmap, facial coverings must be worn by all students, staff, and bus drivers during school transportation.  In addition, facial coverings must be worn by all students in the hallways and common areas, except during meals.  Students in grades 6-12 must also wear facial coverings in all classrooms.  All students in grades K-5 are not “required” to wear facial coverings in classrooms as long as the students remain with their class throughout the school day and do not come into close contact with another class of students (otherwise known as cohorting).   The Huron School District is working to provide the safest possible atmosphere for students, as we weigh the ability of our younger students to tolerate PPE for a full school day.  We have purchased facial coverings for all of our students in the district.  We will distribute these facial coverings to students on the first day of school and at the bus stop for those students riding the Huron buses.  Our plans are to "cohort" our elementary aged students in classrooms.  If we are successful, K-5 students would not be "required" to wear face coverings in classrooms; however, we are strongly encouraging students to wear them for maximum safety. 

Social Distancing:

While six feet of social distancing is strongly recommended, and preferred, it will not be possible in every Huron School District classroom and hallway.  Our operations department is working with building administration to creatively maximize space within classrooms to allow for maximum social distancing and spacing.  In addition, we have been successful in reducing class sizes at all levels in order to maximize the amount of physical distance we can separate students in classrooms. 

Transportation: 

Although we expect participation in the district provided transportation to be less than normal, we are providing transportation to district resident students.  Students and staff will be required to wear face coverings when riding the bus. This is mandated by the state, and students will not be permitted to ride the bus without a face covering.  Cleaning protocols for our buses may have an impact on bus stop times; if choosing to utilize HSD transportation, please check bus stop times carefully (when available) as they are likely to change from what they were in the past.

Cleaning and Hygiene Protocols:

The MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap requires schools to clean frequently touched surfaces, including light switches, doors, benches, and bathrooms at least every four hours, using an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution.  In addition, student desks must be wiped down with an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution after every class period.  Also, playground structures must undergo normal routine cleaning, and school buses must be cleaned before and after every transit route.  The Huron School District has worked with custodial staff, teachers, and transportation staff in order to plan regular cleaning schedules, cleaning logs, and cleaning protocols for all school buildings and transportation vehicles. 

Keeping Students Home if Sick:

See attached document from the Wayne County Health Department’s Return to School Roadmap: 2020-21 Virtual Binder, page 9, or click on the link below.  Parents are required to perform a health screening of their student(s) each morning prior to placing them on a school bus or in a school building.  If students are exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms, students should be kept home from school.  These symptoms include a fever (temperature of 100.4 or higher), a new or worsening cough, runny nose and/or congestion, tiredness and/or achiness, shortness of breath, vomiting and/or diarrhea, or new loss of taste or smell.  Also, Students should not come to school if they have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days or have traveled out of the United States in the last 14 days.   Parents or guardians are asked to keep students home from school if they are exhibiting signs of sickness, and the school district will make consideration for student absences in order to accommodate the needs of students.  Click on the link to view the Health Department’s COVID-19 Screening Tool for Families: http://www.huronschools.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_105709/File/Parent-COVID-19-Screening-Tool-for-Families.pdf

Notable Protocols and Information:

Visitors and Parents in Buildings:  The Huron School District is a welcoming environment.  Nonetheless, the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap strongly recommends that “family members or other guests are not allowed in the school building except under extenuating circumstances.”  As a result, parents will only be granted access to the school building by appointment.  As always, feel free to contact the building if you need to speak to an administrator or make an appointment to speak with your student’s teacher. 

Drop Off and Pick Up:  We anticipate that Drop Off and Pick Up will be congested even more than usual under our new protocols.  The elementary buildings have put protocols in place in order to make this as process as smooth as possible; however, the volume and timeframe involved will create dense traffic situations.  Please understand that we are asking parents NOT to park their vehicles nor to exit their vehicles during this process.  Instead, staff members will escort students from the curb side to the door of the building.  Our elementary principals will be sending communications with more details pertaining to this process.  We are asking for your patience as we work together to make these protocols successful. 

In addition to this letter, I am including the updated Huron School District 2020-2021 Return to Learn Framework graphic, the Wayne County Health Department Return to School Roadmap Virtual Binder, and the Wayne County Health Department Return to School Roadmap Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.  The Return to Learn Framework includes reference information on face-to-face learning, remote learning, and district protocols.  The Health Department’s Return to School Roadmap Virtual Binder includes required and strongly recommended protocols for schools, while providing direction and guidance for parents and school staff.  The Frequently Asked Questions document provided by the health department includes questions pertaining to health department protocols and guidelines for sick students and staff, quarantine protocols, facial coverings, daily parent health screenings of students, and more.  Please take a look at these documents, and feel free to contact me or your building principal if you have questions. 

You will also be receiving communication from your building principal with more details pertaining to the class schedules, teacher assignments, time schedules, and remote learning expectations. 

Thank you again for your patience, understanding, and support as we work through this challenging situation.  Enjoy the rest of the summer.  We will keep you posted with more information as it becomes available. 

Sincerely,

Donovan Rowe

Superintendent of Schools

Huron School District

Link to the Wayne County COVID-19 Screening Tool for Families:  http://www.huronschools.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_105709/File/Parent-COVID-19-Screening-Tool-for-Families.pdf

Link to the Wayne County Health Department Return to School Roadmap: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1597666539/resanet/stffbslgio28aipx7ywf/Return-to-School-Roadmap-binder-081420-ADA_1.pdf

Link to the Wayne County Health Department Return to School Roadmap Frequently Asked Questions Document:  https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1597946957/resanet/p16wkeok6egqglntlkud/FAQ-Return-to-School-Roadmap.pdf

Hello Huron Families,

I am sending you this communication in order to give you the most recent information about our return to school planning for the fall of 2020-2021. The communication includes a letter explaining our current plan for safe return to learning in the fall. The attachments include the Return to Learn Planning Framework Graphic, our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Document, and the link to the Remote Learning Enrollment Form.

The documents explain the plans for in-person, face-to-face learning as well as the Huron Remote (Online) Learning option. Parents choosing the remote learning option should use the link to the Remote Learning Enrollment Form in order to register for the remote learning program. This must be completed by August 7, 2020.http://huronschools.org/remotelearningenrollment

Please understand that the health situation in the state is ever-changing. The Huron School District continues to work with the Wayne County Health Department and Wayne County RESA to establish protocols pertaining to cleaning, social distancing, PPE, screening, hygiene, transportation, athletics, and other considerations. We are also using the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap as a guide when considering state requirements and recommendations.

As a result, the plans we have made are subject to change, depending on the Governor's Executive Orders, legislative changes, Wayne County Health Department recommendations, and the health status of our region. We are monitoring the situation in the state closely. We will continue to communicate as new information, mandates, and guidance becomes available.

Please review the attached documents carefully and let me know if you have questions.

Thank you for your continued patience and support during these times. We appreciate our community, and we are proud to be a part of it.

Have a great day.

Sincerely,

Donovan Rowe

Superintendent of Schools

Huron School District

Related Documents

• Return to Learn Planning Framework update (PDF)

• Parent Letter 7-31-2020 (PDF)

• FAQ Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

Dear Huron School District Families and Community,

I hope this communication finds you and your families safe, healthy, and enjoying the summer. I know you have many questions regarding our return for the 2020/21 school year; my hope is that this letter provides some answers, using the best information that is available as of today.

MI Safe Schools: Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap

Governor Whitmer, on June 30, released her Return to School Roadmap. It provides significant guidance for preK-12 public schools in the form of “Requirements”, “Strong Recommendations”, and Recommendations” in the areas of Safety Protocols, Mental & Social-Emotional Health, Instruction, and Operations. Highlights of the Roadmap include:

• Phases 1-3: No in-person instruction, remote learning only
• Phase 4: In-person instruction with required safety protocols
• Phase 5: In-person instruction with minimal required safety protocols
• Phase 6: In-person instruction with a return to pre-pandemic protocols

We are currently developing the Huron School District plan for Phases 1-3, Phase 4, and Phase 5 and aligning it to the MI Return to School Roadmap. The Huron Reentry Task Force continues to engage in meetings in order to develop plans for eventual recommendations to our Board of Education for approval. 

Please keep in mind that we are working through many of the logistics associated with a safe return to school. The options and concepts listed below are not meant to be exhaustive, but rather illustrative to give families a general sense of what to expect when we start the 2020-21 school year. Above all else, we’re doing our best to be flexible (options to meet student and family needs) and nimble (being prepared to quickly transition from one educational model to another).

In-Person Instruction

The Huron School District is working on plans in order to engage in safe and educationally sound, in-person instruction, in compliance with the Roadmap, to the students of the Huron School District, when school starts on Monday, August 31, 2020.  After considering our parent and staff survey results, we are working to create schedules and timelines that will allow us to offer in-person instruction to students in the safest and most purposeful way possible. 

We are also planning to offer, by request, an on-line learning option to students at all grade levels. One of the charges of the Reentry Task Force is to implement an on-line learning option that is robust, aligned to our curriculum, supported by our teachers, and that fully engages our students in their learning.

Some school districts had earlier announced hybrid learning models (every-other day, half-day, etc.), and some school districts more recently have announced that they will start the school year by only providing an on-line learning option. However, we recognize the burden this would place on many families in terms of work schedules and childcare.

As we continue to work to prepare a plan for in-person instruction, it is important to remember that the plans are naturally contingent upon our being allowed to do so (per state leadership) and our ability to do so safely, in compliance with all requirements. As parents and families consider their learning options for this fall, please keep the following in mind, especially if we start the school year in the current Phase 4.

Masks

In Phase 4, face coverings are required for all staff and all students in grades 6-12. They are required of students in grade preK-5 when they leave their classrooms and enter common areas, such as hallways; and are strongly recommended when in the classroom. All students and staff on Huron School District buses will be required to wear a face covering. Face coverings will be required for visitors to Huron School District buildings and grounds. We recognize that some students and staff may have medical conditions that prevent the use of masks. Those situations will be handled on a case-by-case, and confidential, basis.

Social Distancing

While six feet of social distancing is strongly recommended, and preferred, it will not be possible in every Huron School District classroom and hallway. Our operations department is working with building administration to creatively maximize space within classrooms to allow for maximum social distancing and spacing.

Transportation

Transportation will be provided to Huron School District students as it has in the past. Students and staff will be required to wear face coverings when riding the bus. Cleaning protocols for our buses may have an impact on bus stop times; if choosing to utilize HSD transportation, please check bus stop times carefully (when available) as they will likely change from what they were in the past.

Cleaning and Hygiene Protocols

Even before the MI Return to School Roadmap came out, the Huron School District was planning for more stringent cleaning and hygiene protocols. Every building in the district has been equipped with electrostatic sprayers for use in daily classroom sanitization and school bus sanitation.  All school buildings in the Huron School District are being outfitted with hand sanitizer stations.  Additional cleaning and hygiene protocols, as required by the Roadmap, are being planned for and implemented.

Over the next few weeks, the HSD Reentry Task Force will be finalizing our district’s plan. It will provide detailed information regarding the topics in this letter, as well as others. For example, the MI Return to School Roadmap requires school districts to follow direction from the local health department regarding procedures when a student or staff member is positively diagnosed with COVID-19. That direction has not yet been made available, but when it is, it will be widely communicated and strictly followed.

An assumption and common understanding that I hope we share is that during this pandemic, things change quickly (back on June 30, the belief was that we would be in Phase 5 for the 4th of July). We are working to be flexible and are planning for every eventuality and scenario. 

Let me close by including a reminder of the three (3) most important things we can all do prevent the spread of this virus: wear a mask, practice social distancing, and regularly wash hands. All of us, doing our part, is the best chance our children have at receiving the best educational experience possible – both in the classroom and through their extra-curricular endeavors.

Sincerely,

Donovan Rowe

Superintendent of Schools

Huron School District