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West Michigan students head back to class as districts monitor a potential holiday surge in COVID-19 cases

Some schools are waiting two more weeks to monitor the case numbers, until allowing students back inside buildings.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — With hope for the new year ahead, school administrators are trying to find the best way to teach students, while keeping them safe from COVID-19. Rockford Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Schibler, called managing 2020 a "huge" challenge. To begin this year, students in grades 6-12 at Rockford will be testing out a new hybrid model of learning for at least two weeks. 

"I’ve heard the concerns expressed by our health officials throughout the state of the potential of a spike in number of positive cases," said Schibler, "Well, I don’t want to wait to see if it could happen, so we put in place this hybrid for 6-12."

After two weeks, the district will reevaluate. If there is not a spike in cases, they may move back to in-person instruction. 

According to data from Rockford Public School's COVID-19 Dashboard, currently, 8 students and 4 staff members have tested positive for the virus. 

Other school districts have a similar mindset watching for a possible surge in cases. However, Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) will remain fully virtual until January 15. Then, the students can opt into a hybrid model of teaching. That will mark the first time GRPS students have been in the classroom since March of last year. 

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"About 75 percent of our students have opted for the hybrid in-person, which will start Tuesday, January 19," said John Helmholdt, spokesperson for GRPS, "Another 25 percent, though, will still have 100 percent virtual opportunity for instruction. We wanted to give parents a choice."

Helmholdt said the district is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and county health guidance to make in-person learning work in a safe way. One of those measures is six-feet distancing, something he said is a challenge because they often have 30 students in a class and have hundred-year-old buildings not built for social distancing. The solution was the hybrid model starting in two weeks, with half students in the classroom on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the other half on Thursdays and Fridays. 

"We know that the epidemic order that was issued on December 18, is set to expire here," said Helmholdt, "We're also hearing very clearly, and this is relatively new messaging at the state and county level, that students pre K-12th grade can, and some are arguing should be, back in person, either hybrid or 100 percent. Even when we're in the highest risk category."

On the other hand, Coopersville Area Public Schools are returning to in-person learning Monday. While they too are monitoring a potential holiday surge, Superintendent Matt Spencer said the majority of parents responded to a survey saying they want face-to-face instruction. 

"It feels like the first day of school in the fall in some respects," said Spencer, "For the first time in almost two months, we’re having all students and staff who chose face-to-face as an option on campus."

RELATED: State scientist: Michigan virus numbers looking better

Spencer said there is still a number of families who chose a virtual learning option, but the majority are in-person. He said the district monitors state, county, and district case numbers, as well as hospitalizations, among their deciding factors on what to do for the school year. Prior to Thanksgiving, the district went virtual, as they did have more people in quarantine. 

"When a number of students and staff members are in quarantine, it gets to the point where you can’t efficiently run a public school system," said Spencer, "We ran into that just before Thanksgiving, about a week and a half. But luckily, all the things I mentioned are trending down."

According to Coopersville Area Public School's COVID-19 Dashboard, currently 3 students, and no staff members, have tested positive for the virus.

All three school administrators expressed hope to return to full in-person learning at some point this year or next. However, Schibler believes some health and safety measures are here to stay for a while longer. 

"I think even with the vaccine, there will probably be an interest in wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social distancing," said Schibler, "I don’t see that going away right away, because people are scared. It’s had a big impact, far greater than we thought in March." 

Schibler also said he expects health professionals at the county and state level to make the COVID-19 vaccine available to education workers in an appropriate manner. He said he plans to take the vaccine, and encourages other school personnel to plan on receiving it when it is available as well. 

"I want to get back to a place we have confidence where our students and teachers can be in the same classroom together and teaching and learning," said Schibler, "Because that is, without a doubt, the most effective way for students to learn."

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