Return to School

Dear Families,

The process of developing our Return to School Plan has been a long and difficult one. Several committees have spent countless hours reading and rereading Michigan's MI Safe Schools Roadmap as we have worked to build a plan that not only meets the requirements of the roadmap but also meets the expectations of our families. These committees have looked at every aspect of our district as we have adapted, revised, and created new procedures designed to keep both students and staff safe as we reopen our schools. They have also reviewed our family and staff survey results and used those to help inform the plan. In addition, dedicated teams of teachers have been working incredibly hard to develop Highlander Virtual, our new virtual school, to be a robust learning experience and a viable option to in-person teaching and learning. We have worked to prepare for the known and unknown and around what it looks like should our region move down to Phase 3 of the MI Safe Start Plan, which will trigger mandated distance learning for all students. Currently, our region is in Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan, allowing for in-person instruction. As a county, our school districts have collectively decided to move forward with in-person instruction for the fall. I fully understand that with the release of our Return to School Plan, our families will be making very difficult decisions regarding how to proceed with their child's education. I hope that our learning options and plans will meet your family's needs and expectations.

Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.S.
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools

Learning Options for the School Year

Howell Public Schools will offer two learning options to families for the 2020-21 school year.

Option 1: In-Person Teaching and Learning
As long as the our region remains in Phases 4 or 5 of the MI Safe Start Plan, Howell Public Schools will offer in-person teaching and learning for all students each day that school is in session. Based on the phase our region is in, this will look different from what out families are used to, however it is our goal to return students to classroom and school routines that are as close to the traditional model as possible. If our region is in Phases 1-3 of the MI Safe Start plan, in-person teaching and learning is suspended and students will participate in mandated distance learning.

Option 2: Highlander Virtual
Highlander Virtual is a flexible alternative to attending class in an actual school building. Highlander Virtual is free and open to all students in grades K-12 who live in Livingston County and the surrounding areas. Students have access to all the learning resources, experiences and support services of Howell Public Schools. This is a wonderful option for families who are not comfortable returning to school buildings. To learn more about Highlander Virtual, click here.

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