Since this story was published, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced the closure of all Michigan school buildings until April 5. >>> MORE DETAILS HERE
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says students will not attend school Friday, amid an outbreak of COVID-19, the new coronavirus.
Vitti tweeted Thursday night that staff and administrators will report to work Friday to discuss a contingency plan for if the district needs to close for an extended period of time. Many metro Detroit schools have already announced similar measures to discuss online learning possibilities.
DPSCD officials are "considering a defined closure strategy that is best for the long-term health and safety of our employees, students and their families," Vitti tweeted.
At a press conference earlier in the day, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said officials were not recommending the closure of public schools at the time.
"There are no diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the City of Detroit," he said.
As of Thursday night, there were 12 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Michigan, 10 of which were announced late Thursday.
In a letter to parents earlier in the day, Vitti said that the district was "not in a position to cancel any classes," that there's no need to shut down schools at this point, and that online learning is not an option for a vast majority of Detroit students and families.
- CHECK THE METRO DETROIT SCHOOLS CLOSINGS LIST HERE -
Meanwhile Vitti said the district's custodians are expanding cleaning and disinfection work in school buildings. The district has also ordered more soap, and will be checking soap dispensers more frequently.
Here is the complete statement by Vitit, sent to parents and posted to the DPS website:
"In addition to the emails I have already shared with you and the letter that was due to go home to students' families last week, I wanted to provide you with additional information about our position on growing concerns with COVID-19 (Coronavirus), especially in light of the Governor's "State of the Emergency" declaration last night.
The Governor rightfully made this declaration, however, her intent was not to create fear or panic but to ensure that local health authorities and health care providers receive the resources and assistance needed to address the virus through state and federal funding. We are not in a position or need to cancel school at this point. As you know, "online learning" is not an at scale option for the vast majority of our students and families. However, as a district, we are committed to ensure your health and safety and that of our students.
We have directed all custodial teams to expand cleaning and disinfection work to include frequently touched surfaces, such as door knobs, handles, and light switches daily. Additional supplies of hand soap and disinfectant solutions were also ordered and soap levels are now checked more frequently throughout the day. If this is not happening, then please inform thebuilding principal and use the accountability measures I outlined in my last email.
In addition, we have canceled all student study aboard trips for the spring/summer. All previously approved in and out of county travel is proceeding unless employees and/or students who were due to participate have indicated that they no longer feel safe to travel. At this point, we have no intention of discontinuing our participation in ongoing sport/academictournaments or spring sports/extra curriculum activities.
Please continue to use the following strategies to protect your health and that of your students:
• Washing your hands with soap and water.• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.• Avoiding contact with people who are sick.• Staying home if you are sick and contact your healthcare provider.
COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath. Please visit your primary doctor if you demonstrate these symptoms. The district will share any and all confirmed COVID-19 cases of the virus with employees and families and manage those incidences on a school building and/or district department level based on possible exposure.
We will ensure ongoing communication regarding this subject with you and will continue to follow the direction of federal, state, and city health authorities,
Sincerely, Nikolai P. Vitti, Ed.D.SuperintendentDetroit Public Schools"
On Wednesday, all public universities in Michigan announced they will be suspending all in-person instruction for the time being, and moving classes online. Macomb Community College and Oakland Community College are also following suit. Most schools plan to restart in-person classes in April. (Get more information here).
As for other local schools, the Rochester Community Schools district is closed for the rest of the week to educate staff about the virus and plan a response if needed. The West Bloomfield School District is also closing Friday for a contingency planning day. Birmingham Schools will be closed Monday so staff can prepare for a possible long-term closure. (Get more information here).
In Ohio, all public, private and charter K-12 schools were ordered to be closed at the end of the day Monday for three weeks.
