COVID-19 Metrics Improving, But Obstacles Remain for Full-Time In-Person Instruction in Saline Schools

COVID-19 metrics watched by Saline Area Schools officials are improving, but obstacles remain as the district plans a return to full-time, in-person instruction.

For now, students whose families chose the in-person model will continue with the "hybrid model" - attending in-class school twice a week and doing other work remotely. 

Interim Superintendent Steve Laatsch updated the Board of Education on the district's "Return to Learn" plan during Tuesday's meeting.

Using Washtenaw County Health Department's weekly data snapshots, Laatsch noted that the positive test rate has fallen from 8.7 percent to 4.1 percent since the last meeting two weeks ago - nearing that 3 percent target set by the district. Another metric, new cases per 100,000 residents, is declining, falling from 33 to 20 in two weeks. The target is 10.

Laatsch said COVID-19 mitigation efforts in the district are meeting expectations. He noted, however, that it's been difficult to have the district's youngest students maintain social distancing.

"Especially at the younger grade levels, they do tend to gather together and therefore we have to continually remind and work with our students to maintain proper distancing," Laatsch told the board.

At the younger levels, the district as quarantined entire sections of classes due to COVID-19 cases on the recommendation of district nurse Karan Hervey.

"Karan, working with the Washington County Health Department, has determined that at those young levels, because the students are with the teacher all day and they're young and they are often closer together than some of the other grade levels, that those classes would quarantine all together," Laatsch said.

The district's most recent dashboard showed 22 students in quarantine at Harvest Elementary, 15 at Saline High School and 14 at Saline Middle School.

In all, on Monday, there were 74 students and staff out of school and in quarantine - up from 53 the previous week. Before the break, the highest quarantine count was 53.

Obviously, increasing the amount of in-person instruction is not feasible as more and more students and staff are being quarantined.

Another challenge is teacher vaccinations. During the early days of the vaccination effort, because Washtenaw County has so many health care workers, there are fewer vaccinations available to teachers. To date, 22. 6 percent of teachers have been vaccinated. Laatsch said many people expected the district would be farther along by now.

About 60 Saline staff members have received the vaccination in Washtenaw County during phase 1A of the process. They work in very specific conditions. Most of them are special education staff who work with physically and emotionally impaired students who have difficulty wearing masks, or require prolonged close contact, Laatsch said.

Another 40 staff members who reside in other counties received the vaccination. About 350 more staff members are waiting for vaccination.

Later in the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Curt Ellis received notice that the health department was asking districts to provide a list of staff members to be vaccinated in the next phase. Ellis said the information was due by Friday and that he expected vaccinations would commence soon after.

Laatsch also answered a series of "frequently asked questions." One question asked why some neighboring districts have been able to return to full-time in-person instruction. Laatsch said there were two factors.

Some districts have smaller class sizes and can more easily socially distance, he said. Some districts, he said, have a different risk tolerance.

"What we are finding in these school districts is they are often quarantining up to 100 students a day,  or 30 or 40 staff members, and they're comfortable in that model.  We are not," Laatsch said. "That creates lots of challenges with staffing when teachers are out or paraeducators are out and we are not able to get substitutes.  And when that many students are in quarantine it is hard to keep up with the instructional model."

Board Trustee Jenny Miller noted that she'd learned the district really increased pay to substitute teachers.

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