As COVID-19 Numbers Decline, Saline Schools Focus on Prepare on Five-Day-a-Week In-Person Instruction This Fall

As COVID-19 declines in Michigan and Washtenaw County, Saline Area Schools will continue with four-day-a-week in-person learning and scaled-back prom and commencement activities as district leaders begin planning for a return to full-time, in-person instruction in 2021-22.

At Tuesday's Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Dr. Steve Laatsch presented the bi-monthly update on the renamed "Continue to Learn" plan.

Laatsch noted that while COVID-19 numbers continue to drop in the region and in Saline Area Schools, there remain operational challenges with the number of students being quarantined. As of Monday, there were just five positive cases within the district - down from 24 a month ago. But there were still 101 students quarantined - even though the county had recently agreed to reduce the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days. Laatsch the quarantine protocols may be challenged on the west side of the state, but Laatsch learned Tuesday morning the Washtenaw County Health Department plans to continue to enforce the 10-day quarantines through the end of the school year.

Laatsch said having more students vaccinated will help the district. Last week's vaccination clinic at Saline High School resulted in 200 new vaccinations. Now, with CDC and MDHHS approval, health officials are recommending children as young as 12 be vaccinated for COVID-19. To that end, a second vaccination has been scheduled for 3-6 p.m., Thursday, May 27, at Saline High School. It's open to anyone 12 and up. (Schedule vaccines at http://bit.ly/salinevax2.)

Laatsch noted that the district was able to offer a scaled-back prom and graduation ceremony.

The prom will be held May 22 at Hornet Stadium and will only be open to seniors. In years past, the prom was also available to juniors.

Commencement ceremonies will take place in two separate ceremonies, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., June 6. Each ceremony is limited to 1,000 spectators, by MDHHS rules. Last year, there was no prom and graduation was split into four ceremonies.

Laatsch reiterated that there will be many academic programs offered this summer for students looking to catch up or get ahead. 

"And then we're planning on our five-day-a-week, fully in-person model for the next school year," Laatsch said.

Laatsch said the district is studying the ways it can leverage what it's learned about the use of technology and integrate new ideas into the district's instructional model while maintaining core goals - like literacy skills by the end of third grade.

There may be more need for greater academic intervention, Laatsch said. That may come through the MTSS program. Another key area of concern in planning for next year is diversity, equity and inclusion, Laatsch said.

Laatsch said the district was in the process of revising its strategic framework when the pandemic struck last year. That process has started again and the revisions should be published in September.

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