HOPKINS, Mich. — In a letter to parents Wednesday, the Board and Administration of Hopkins Public Schools announced it would be closing its schools for the rest of the week due to illness and staff shortage issues.
According to the letter, the district has seen a significant increase in positive COVID-19 cases, health department quarantines and other illnesses. On Tuesday, 25% of the students at Hopkins Elementary school and middle school were absent due to illness and/or quarantine. Illness has also resulted in an increase in staff absences.
As a result, Hopkins Public Schools is closed Thursday and Friday and all after school activities are also canceled. Classes are expected to commence Monday, Nov. 15. For the week of Nov. 15-19, the district is requiring masks while indoors. Masks will remain optional at athletics and extracurricular activities happening outside the traditional school day.
“There will be no school the week of November 22. This will give our families a nine-day break and hopefully allow us to have a reset to continue in a more normal mode when school resumes on November 29. When students return on November 29, mask wearing will be recommended but not required,” the letter reads.
“The current quarantine rules allow for close contacts to remain in school while monitoring their symptoms if both the positive case and close contact were masked. Taking advantage of this health department rule in the short term will allow for more students to attend school and for far fewer student quarantines that may impact holiday plans.”
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