AAPS Superintendent Jeanice Swift Update for Jan. 14

Update From Jeanice K. Swift, Superintendent of Schools

We have successfully navigated the return to learning in the AAPS from winter break, and we are working together through this January of high COVID-19 case numbers impacting our schools and the Ann Arbor community. Many thanks to our students and staff, parents and community for all you are doing to support this school year; we are making progress together.  Following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, AAPS schools will be in school on Tuesday, except for Pathways and Skyline, whose families were notified earlier today.

As we prioritize health and safety, we also have an emphasis on an in-school educational experience for as many students as possible, on as many days as we reasonably and safely can do so during this school year.

Our AAPS school plan features layers of protection against transmission of COVID-19; we understand that this is the best way to keep our students and staff learning together in school.

When we are unable to staff a school appropriately for in-school operations, we will transition classrooms, grades or schools to remote, virtual learning for a period of time due to staff COVID impact. We will continue to more strategically base in-school learning decisions on the school-by-school impact on staff and students.

~Summary Highlights of Superintendent Update~

  • Our priority continues for in-school learning.
  • Our foundational tools to prevent COVID transmission include vaccination and boosters, universal masking and remaining home when exhibiting any symptoms.
  • Decisions to transition a school to remote, virtual learning for a period of days will be based on the ability to staff the school appropriately for in-school learning, high numbers of COVID-19 cases and as a response to a COVID-19 cluster or outbreak in the school.
  • The weekly AAPS COVID-19 Case Dashboard, updated today, reports 74 cases with direct impact in 25 schools and district locations.
  • We are aware of 87 additional COVID cases between January 10 – 14; these cases are reported from staff and students who were not on campus during their infectious days, yet many of these cases directly impact staff in-school attendance.
  • Our AAPS COVID Response Team has reviewed the updated guidance for K-12 schools from the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD). School nurses are implementing some aspects of the guidance already. We will be sharing specifics on implementation plans with staff and the AAPS community next week.

This concludes the Superintendent Update summary highlights. 

You may conclude your reading here or continue for more detailed information below. 

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We continue our commitment to the foundational tools we have available to us to reduce COVID-19 transmission:

                

  1. Vaccinations and boosters 

We have achieved a high level of vaccination among staff & students in the AAPS. We strongly urge vaccination and boosters for all who qualify; we continue to offer more vaccination opportunities in the AAPS. Learn about upcoming vaccine clinics here: https://www.a2schools.org/vaccineclinics.

  1. Masking

It is important to pay special attention to ensuring masks are well-fitted and worn properly; we have masks available in all schools.

  1. Stay Home

ALL must remain home when experiencing any symptoms of illness; individuals, students or staff, who develop symptoms while at school will be sent home. Please review the updated Daily Screening Questionnaire before sending your student to school each day.

As we move forward, decisions will be based on:

  • the ability to staff schools for in-school learning, supervision of students and safe in-school operations, 
  • high numbers of positive COVID-19 cases within a given classroom or school and 
  • guidance by the WCHD in response to a COVID-19 cluster or outbreak situation. 

When we are unable to staff a school appropriately for in-school operations, we will transition classrooms, grades or schools to remote learning for a period of time due to staff COVID impact.

Weekly AAPS COVID Report

Our priority of health and safety and our work to maintain school environments as low risk as possible for COVID-19 transmission continues as we face this current fall COVID-19 surge.

The weekly AAPS COVID-19 Case Dashboard, updated today, reports 74 cases with direct impact in 25 schools and district locations. Unfortunately, our AAPS experience reflects the trend in continuing high case rates for Washtenaw County and Michigan. As is required by state reporting guidelines, the dashboard report includes only those individuals who were on a school campus during their infectious days.

In addition, we are also reporting 87 additional COVID cases; these cases are reported from staff and students who were not on campus during their infectious days, yet many of these cases directly impact staff in-school attendance.

High COVID-19 cases directly affect every school, district location and all operations teams. Increased absenteeism results from a cascade of COVID cases among staff, mandatory isolation days and those who are absent due to caring for an immediate family member.

This dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases is likely to extend over the coming weeks and create conditions where we will struggle to staff our schools adequately to ensure supervision and a secure opening for students and staff.

Upcoming AAPS Vaccination and Testing Events

AAPS continues to offer more vaccine clinics for AAPS students, including the booster shot for students 12-15 years old, as approved by the CDC this week. These clinics will be held at Pioneer High School from 4 – 6:30 PM 

· Tuesday, January 18 – (All times are full on this date)

· Tuesday, January 25

· Tuesday, February 1

Registration is required as we are allotted a specific number of vaccines by MDHHS, whose contractor administers the vaccine.

More information will be shared in the coming days regarding upcoming testing events for students and families in the AAPS.

Vaccination and boosters are our best protection from serious illness and hospitalization. The most important ways that our students and staff, families and community can help to support this critical effort to keep our schools open is to ensure vaccination and boosters and to monitor daily for any symptoms and remain home while symptoms persist, regardless of vaccination status.

Martin Luther King Day Observance

American statesman John Lewis shared,  “Of all the gifts given us by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I think the greatest has been the belief in society’s ability to change and the power each of us has to affect that change. …And Dr. King continues to shape our lives every day. The legacy of his courageous acts and sacrifices filters into the world around us. We stand on his shoulders. We celebrate his commitment to peace and love, his philosophy of nonviolence, his respect for all peoples. We lean on his strength, his belief in the spirit of history.”

Thank you for your partnership and support of our students in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

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