Dear Bullock Creek Parents and Staff:
I would like to begin this letter by letting you know that I hope your summer is going well and I hope you’ve all had time to find some normalcy and relaxation. This letter is intended to provide our most recent district updates with regard to COVID-19 protocols. Over the last few weeks, we have had extensive conversations with local and regional ISDs, the Midland County Health Department, and the Bullock Creek School Board. We have monitored communication from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as well as the Center for Disease Control. Based on the information gathered from these various agencies, we have prepared our initial plan for students and is listed below. As you all well know, conditions and requirements of the COVID-19 virus may change and we will need to remain as flexible as possible.
- Facemasks are encouraged but not required for staff and students within the school buildings or outdoors.
- Per Federal requirement, all students and staff riding on district transportation will be required to wear facemasks.
- Those individuals fully vaccinated, that are negative, will not be required to quarantine if considered a close contact and are willing to provide evidence of vaccination.
- The district will ask that all fully vaccinated individuals provide evidence of a vaccination card in preparation for potential close contact quarantines.
- Those not vaccinated and considered a close contact may choose an alternative to quarantine by submitting to daily rapid antigen testing throughout the 10 days they would have spent in quarantine. Negative test results allow the student to remain F2F and those testing positive will need to quarantine.
- Cohorting of students will be done where possible.
- Throughout the school year, the district will advertise vaccination clinics for those
interested in receiving a vaccination.
- Regular cleaning procedures will be maintained by the district for each individual
building.
- Contact tracing will again be completed in conjunction with the Midland County Health
Department.
- Staff will encourage regular hand washing. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout
each building.
- Temperature checks will not be completed at the beginning of each school day at this
time but we ask that anyone not feeling well or anyone with a high temperature please
remain home for the day.
- K-5 students will cohort for lunches but will be allowed to have recess together when
they are able to be outdoors.
- Seating charts will be established for each classroom.
- Classroom plexiglass will be available but not required.
- Elementary start times for 2021-22 will revert back to the start time from the 2019-20
school year. These will be communicated by individual building principals.
- Elementary pick up and drop off will remain as they were in 2020-21.
- No visitors will be allowed in school buildings unless invited by the building
administrator.
Based on feedback at the end of last school year, Bullock Creek is not planning to
offer full time online curriculum this school year. We will continue to evaluate this and plan for changes if necessary.
I want to thank everyone for their diligence in following required protocols throughout last school year. For the most part, as a district and community we were able to manage the COVID-19 virus much better than many districts in our region. This is because of all of your efforts. Please understand that the above list is not an inclusive list of all items related to COVID-19. We will continue to receive guidance from health officials and remain flexible in our efforts moving forward. We appreciate all your support and understanding, thank you!
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your building principal or myself.
Sincerely,
Superintendent