Superintendent Update

District Updates from Dr. Christina Hinds

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Dear Wayland Union Families and Staff:

Hoping this update finds you and your family enjoying the summer!

This update will provide an update to questions I have received via email and/or at recent Board meetings regarding current news topics and our return to school plans. Our WUHS Athletic Director/Assistant Principal Mr. Matt Moffett has accepted a position closer to his home. We wish Mr. Moffett the best at his new district! We are searching for a new WUHS Athletic Director as well as an Assistant Principal who will work between the WUMS and WUHS focusing on 8th and 9th grade students. We look forward to finding our next new members of the dynamic Wayland Union Leadership Team.

On Tuesday, August 3, School Resource Officer Mr. Miller and I will be hosting a table at the Wayland City Police Block Party. Please stop by and see us!

On Friday, August 6, the Wayland Union High School Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) are partnering with the Allegan County Health Department to host a COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Clinic.

Here's the flyer: http://cms.allegancounty.org/sites/Office/Health/Lists/Calendar/Attachments/29/Mobile%20Clinic%20Popup_SADD_en-es_08062021.pdf. To schedule an appointment: https://ph-allegan.as.me/mobileclinicsadd0806. Thank you to our SADD representatives for organizing this event!

You won't want to miss our Return to Learn Carnival on Monday, August 16 from 5:00-7:00pm at the Wayland Union High School Parking Lot. There will be free food for children under 18 years old, games, a dunk tank, and more. Please mark your calendar and I'll see you there!

Great events continue to occur at Wayland Union Schools! Summer school is underway and we're preparing for a full return to school on August 23. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to email me at hindsc@waylandunion.org or call to schedule a meeting (269) 792-2181 extension 3001.

In partnership,

Dr. Christina Hinds

Current Topics

Controversial Issues

In the past few months, I have received questions about politics; Critical Race Theory (CRT); LGBTQ+ concerns; sexual identity; reproductive health; and COVID-19 vaccinations/protocols. With these questions in mind, I decided to speak to controversial issues within the classroom from a broad perspective at the June Board Work Session. The presentation was to describe how our instructional staff approach topics with varied beliefs or opinions according to our Board Policy.

Discussions surrounding controversial issues must follow the following criteria:

Is related to the instructional goals of the course of study and level of maturity of the students;
Does not tend to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view;
Encourages open-mindedness and is conducted in a spirit of scholarly inquiry.

The presentation provides an overview of the process if parents question the content of the curriculum or coursework, should they find it objectionable to their personal beliefs. Here's a link to the complete presentation: https://go.boarddocs.com/mi/wayland/Board.nsf/files/C47RBV6D4101/$file/Controversial%20Issues%2C%20Work%20Session%20Presentation%2C%206.21.21.pdf

The Wayland Union Schools mission statement is to teach, inspire, and challenge our children to become caring contributors, lifelong learners, and critical thinkers prepared to embrace all of tomorrow’s opportunities. Ignoring controversial issues would not prepare our students to become critical independent thinkers.

Critical Race Theory (CRT)

I have received many questions on Critical Race Theory. We do not teach CRT to our students. It is not a curriculum, which is the basis for what is taught in our schools. It’s a theory that was developed 40 years ago by lawyers, activists and legal scholars and may be taught in some college settings, but not typically in K-12. It is also not a curriculum or part of the Michigan curriculum standards, which is the basis for what gets taught in our schools. Wayland Union Schools coursework follows board-approved curriculum with supplemental materials approved by the building administrator or district following board policies.

Nondiscrimination

Wayland Union Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and orientation), age (except as authorized by law), religion, military status, ancestry, or genetic information (collectively, "Protected Classes") in its educational programs or activities. For more details, please see Board Policy 2260 Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Opportunity.

Regarding equity, Wayland Union Schools seeks to ensure various subgroups have equitable access to their education. This year, our instructional staff conducted an equity audit reviewing academic data for students in various subgroups: free and reduced lunch; gender; race; etc. to ensure our instructional practices are meeting the needs of ALL students. It is important to Wayland Union Schools that ALL students and staff feel safe and valued.

In Review: Back to School Plans

The following back-to-school plans are taken from the June 25 Superintendent Update. We will continue to monitor public health orders from the Allegan County Health Department (ACHD) and Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS). Wayland Union Schools Athletics will adhere to all rules set forth by MHSAA.

General Information

What will our instructional model look like?

All students will attend school full-time five days per week following the published school calendar: 2021-2022 Wayland Union Schools District Calendar

When does school start?

Our first half day of school is on Monday, August 23, 2021.

When is the Back to School Open House?

Back to School Open Houses will take place on the evenings of August 18 and 19:

Wednesday, August 18th

Wayland Union Middle School 4:00-6:00pm
Baker Elementary 5:00-6:00pm

Thursday, August 19th

Wayland Union High School 4:00-6:30pm
Dorr Elementary Preschool-1st grade 5:00-6:00pm
Steeby Elementary 5:00-6:00pm
Pine Street Elementary 5:30-6:30pm
Dorr Elementary 2nd and 3rd grade 6:00-7:00pm

What is the cost of breakfast and lunch for the 2021-2022 school year?

School Class A breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge; however, al a carte items (i.e., a cookie, a bag of chips, a bottle of water, etc) will have to be purchased with funds through an established food service account.

Will Wayland Union Schools offer a virtual option for students?

No, we did not have enough demand to make it feasible for our district.

COVID-19 & Communicable Disease Protocols

Are face masks required at school?

Face masks will be optional and provided by parents/guardians.

Will my child be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend school?

No. The COVID-19 vaccine is not listed on the School Required Vaccination List. For more information, please see: School Required Vaccines for Parents by MDHHS

Will you separate students who are vaccinated from students who are unvaccinated?

No. Vaccination status is a personal choice.

Will students be in cohorts in the classroom or on the playground?

No. As of June 22, 2021, MDHHS has discontinued all gathering limits for residential and nonresidential settings.

Will contact tracing continue?

Schools are required to report communicable diseases to their local health department within 24 hours. Positive or probable COVID-19 cases will be reported to the Allegan County Health Department following our Communicable Disease Board Policy 8450 and Michigan Law Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978. For a complete list of reportable diseases, please see the following document: 2021 Reportable Diseases. When there is a positive or probable case within a classroom, an exposure letter will be sent home to parent(s) just as we do with other communicable diseases such as chicken pox.

Will Wayland Union Schools quarantine students?

No, all quarantines will continue to be issued by the student’s resident health department.

Will student athletes need to be tested for COVID-19 to participate?

No, MDHHS and MHSAA lifted all requirements for student testing as of June 22, 2021.