Superintendent Update

Dear Families and District Staff,

Today we remember those fallen, as well as those who survived, the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City nineteen years ago. As you are talking with your children about the tragic event, I invite you to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum website at www.911memorial.org. A 35-minute webinar highlights first-person accounts of the attacks and the aftermath. Participants are able to connect with Museum staff in real-time from an interactive chat. Anniversary in Schools, will be available all day on demand. You may register at https://www.911memorial.org/learn/students-and-teachers/anniversary-schools-webinar. We will never forget.

As we conclude our third week of school, I am proud to report how well our students are managing the new safety protocols required during Phase 4. Everyone, students and staff, continues to adjust to the new hybrid model of instruction, yet I observe resilience, compassion, and grit on a daily basis.

As a reminder, the Wayland Union Schools COVID-19 Preparedness Plan states we will follow the hybrid model until the State of Michigan moves our region to Phase 5. The hybrid model ensures compliance with the safety protocols set forth in the Return to School Roadmap, keeping our students and staff healthy. For a review of the phases, please see the graphic below or the MI Safe Start Plan at: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/whitmer/MI_SAFE_START_PLAN_689875_7.pdf. For local COVID-19 data, please see the MI Safe Start Map at https://www.mistartmap.info.

In closing, please keep in mind that each of us face challenges which may not be known to others. We need our community to stand strong and united as we continue to navigate this pandemic. These are extremely difficult times with tremendous hardships. Yet when we come together, with positivity, hope and courage, to support our students and staff, we are providing the education our students deserve. Thank you for all YOU do to support Wayland UNION Schools students and staff!

In Wildcat Unity,

Dr. Christina M. Hinds

Wayland Union Schools Superintendent

Each Friday, WUS will post a COVID-19 Dashboard of any current positive case for the week (student or staff) and also year to date totals. No identifying information will be posted. This dashboard will be posted on the COVID-19 page found on the district website. Please see a sample of what you'll also find on our website:

The document below will be shared with our parents to help them navigate who to call for various situations and the chain of command (1st contact, 2nd contact, 3rd contact, 4th contact). The departments are listed alphabetically and the phone numbers are listed on the 3rd page. This will also be posted on our Parent Quicklinks page found on the district website.

The Wayland Union Schools will hold its monthly Board of Education meeting on Monday, September 14 at 7:00pm. With the recent release of Executive Order 2020-176, we are limited to indoor gatherings with a maximum of 10 people. We will hold the Board meeting as a hybrid. The Board, Superintendent, and Assistant Superintendents will gather together allowing for public comment and/or viewing via Zoom. Please see our district website for the link.

Our first home football game will be held on Friday, September 18, 2020. Prior to the start of the game, at 6:40pm, our High School Band will lead us in the National Anthem and a pre-game show. Immediately, following we will commemorate our beautiful new turf with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Kick-off starts at 6:59pm.

Due to Executive Order 2020-176, all school districts are required to limit spectators. Our players are allowed two guests. Players will provide a ticket to their guests. Only ticket holders will be able to enter the stadium. All spectators will be required to wear a face mask at all times and maintain a six-foot distance to those outside of your household. For the safety of all, we cannot congregate at the fence lines or in the parking lots.

We are thrilled we are able to allow students to play football during Phase 4. We very much look forward to the day when we can welcome the full community to our games!

Mark Uyl, MHSAA Executive Director, provides a summary of Executive Order EO 2020-180 as it pertains to student-athletes:

"As of September 10:

1. Face coverings may be worn but student-athletes are not required to do so while in active participation in cross country, golf and tennis. Active participation only applies when an athlete is “in” the game/match/meet/race/competition or is actively involved in any warm-up or cool-down activity. In swimming & diving, there is no requirement of face coverings while preparing to enter the water (and obviously while in the water) but the covering shall be worn at all other times when on-deck or in the facility.
2. Face coverings are required in football, soccer and volleyball. This includes all times during active participation and all times during non-active participation when 6 feet of physical distance cannot be maintained.
3. There are no provisions in EO 180 for medical intolerance reasons or medical waivers. This is not an MHSAA regulation, and thus the MHSAA has no legal authority to waive or modify this Executive Order from the Governor’s office.
4. In both indoor and outdoor practice and training sessions in all regions of the state, including Regions 6 and 8, this same sport-specific guidance applies.
5. Consistent with current Executive Orders, face coverings shall be worn by coaches, medical staff, game event staff, media members and spectators. Note that broadcasters and PA announcers are an exception to this requirement when that person is actively broadcasting or announcing. This allows broadcasters and announcers to remove the face covering while performing those speaking duties but should wear the face covering at all other times.
6. Officials may wear face coverings on the field of play if he/she desires. Officials shall wear face coverings upon arrival at a facility, before the contest, during intermissions away from the field/court/area of play and following the contest until departure. Remember that officials have no role in enforcing face covering requirements as this is a responsibility of school administrators.
7. Executive Order 180 does not define ‘facial coverings’ for purposes of organized sports. Traditional cloth masks, gaiters, affixed helmet plastic shields (100% clear – no tint) and cloth/fabric helmet attachments located inside the face mask (all of which must cover the nose and mouth) are not prohibited."

The Wayland Union Fitness Center will open on Saturday, September 19 from 8-11am. Requirements to stay open are as follows:

• Masks are mandatory
• Social Distancing will be enforced
• All equipment will be wiped down after use
• Maximum capacity will be followed
• Fitness Center hours: Mondays/Wednesdays, 5:30am - 7:30am and Mondays/Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays from 4:00-8:00pm, Saturdays, 8am-11am.

To better understand the return to school phases, please find

a brief breakdown with graphic above.

Phases 1-3:

According to the MI Safe Schools Roadmap, a return to school in Phases 1 - 3 is completely remote learning; therefore if the State of Michigan moves us back into Phases 1 through 3, WUS will be providing remote instruction. If this occurs, you will notice changes to our format, curriculum, and expectations from distance learning in the spring. We have reviewed survey feedback from parents, students, and teachers and are planning for increased direct instruction, streamlined communication and delivery of content, and consistent procedures around the documentation of attendance and participation.

Phase 4:

Wayland Union Schools is located in Allegan County. Allegan County continues to be in Phase 4 of the Return to School Roadmap. In Phase 4, school districts may opt for face-to-face instruction, remote instruction, or blended instruction (both face-to-face and remote). Our neighbors have announced plans varying from remote instruction to blended learning.

In Phase 4, the Michigan Return to School Roadmap requires stringent safety protocols such as:

• Face masks

• All students preK-12 always wearing face masks on the bus;

• All students preK-12 always wearing face masks in the hallways and common areas;

• Students, in grades preK-5, must wear face masks in classrooms unless they remain in their classroom all day and do not come in contact with other students;

• Students, in grades 6-12, must wear face masks in all classrooms;

• All staff members always wearing face masks, except during meals

• Increased cleaning protocols; and

• Increased hygiene practices and instruction.

Phase 5:

When our region moves to Phase 5, all Wayland Union students and staff will return to face-to-face instruction five days per week. We will follow the directives from the MI Safe Start Plan, the Governor’s Return to School Roadmap, and Executive Orders. We look forward to Phase 5 with great anticipation!

Phase 6:

Post-pandemic. Return to school as we have typically experienced it.

Wayland Union Schools Superintendent

Website: waylandunion.org
Location: 850 East Superior Street, Wayland, MI, USA
Phone: (269) 792-2181