text: A few weeks ago Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap and we have been working on our plan. The following answers several questions:
  While there are still significant unknowns about the future of COVID-19 and its impact on Michigan, the governor is committed to providing the guidance, support and clarity needed to safely bring students back to the classroom for in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year. In doing so, we will continue to put safety first, leveraging science, data and public health evidence to inform the decisions we make to serve each and every student in Michigan well. Please know that HPSD will have a home-based virtual option available for any families who are not comfortable attending school in a face-to-face setting in the fall.
  The COVID-19 preparedness and response plan will lay out how districts will protect students and educators across various phases of the MI Safe Start Plan. The Roadmap offers guidelines as to the types of safety protocols required or recommended at each phase. Recognizing that these protocols require funding. The safety protocols detailed in the roadmap includes guidance on the use of Personal Protective Equipment, proper hand hygiene techniques, cleaning/disinfecting, spacing in classrooms, screening for symptoms, athletics, and more. The Roadmap also recognizes the impact COVID-19 has had on students' and educators' metal health, and offers guidance on how schools can address this issue.
  The governor will determine the "when" and "where"— whether schools can reopen (or need to close) for in-person instruction. However, your local school officials, including superintendents and school boards, will determine the "how" — the mode of instruction (in-person, hybrid, or remote), each grade's curriculum and support services for students and staff — based on the parameters established by the governor and local needs and context.
  The MI Safe Schools Roadmap does not require schools to check a student's temperature. However, schools may choose to implement stronger safety protocols than those required by the Roadmap.
  Extracurricular activities may continue in Phases 4-6, with some required health and safety protocols. These types of activities may be limited or restricted especially at the start of the school year.
  In developing this Roadmap, the governor, the Return to School Advisory Council and the COVID-19 Task Force's goal was to maximize the amount of in-person instruction students receive while preserving the health and safety of students, teachers and staff. In doing so, the Roadmap outlines the minimum health and safety requirements necessary for schools to reopen for in-person instruction. We at HPSD are planning for face-to-face instruction this fall.
  The Roadmap does not prohibit parents or other visitors from entering school buildings, though schools may choose to limit parents and visitors entering buildings to extenuating circumstances which will most likely be the case at HPSD.
  Following regular public health practice, the local health department will initiate contact tracing to identify those who were in close contact to the individual (i.e., less than six feet apart for at least 15 minutes). Those who were in close contact will be asked to self-quarantine. Local health officials, depending on situation, may identify other exposure situations that require quarantine. School staff and officials, in accordance with federal and state privacy laws, are barred from disclosing student and staff health information, including whether a specific individual tested positive for COVID-19.
  During the next few weeks, HPSD will release additional information and guidelines for opening school. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we plan and implement return to school protocols that provide quality teaching and learning while maintaining the safety and well-being of all involved. Please know that HPSD will have a home-based virtual option available for any families who are not comfortable attending school in a face-to-face setting in the fall. Our tentative start date for the first day of school is August 24, 2020.