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August 13 – 19, 2020 NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢

No. 33 www .associatednewspapers.net

THE BELLEVILLE
ENTERPRISE
ENTERPRISE

Vol. 135, No. 33
Attorneys Lisa Martin and
Alexandria Taylor will vie
for the 6-year term at the
34th District Court on the
Nov. 3 General Election bal-
lot.
See page 6.

THE CANTON
EAGLE
EAGLE

Vol. 73, No. 33
Voters in Canton
Township will choose
between current incumbent
Supervisor Pat Williams and
his Democratic challenger
AnneMarie Graham-Hudak
on the Nov. 3 ballot.
See page 3.

THE INKSTER
LEDGER STAR
LEDGER STAR

Vol. 73, No. 33 School districts, families, educators facing difficult decisions this year
Inkster students are Back to school preparations this year The CDC has released guidelines for for the six coronavirus phases identified
among those who will have been put on hold for K-12 schools in reopening K-12 schools and child care pro- under the MI Safe Start Plan.
receive protective face Michigan since the coronavirus (COVID- grams, though the federal government ini- Most of the state is currently in “Phase
masks through a $200,000 19) pandemic hit in March. As COVID-19 tially disagreed with their suggestions 4? of the plan, meaning that in-person
donation to Wayne County cases in the state increased at a rapid pace before amendments were made in July. instruction will be allowed but with a num-
from Ballmer Giving, LLC. again in July and into August, members of U.S. President Donald Trump and his ber of restrictions in place to ensure safety.
See page 3. local boards of education and district administration have been pushing for Regions experiencing phases 1-3 of the
administrators are deciding how -- and if -- schools to reopen in the fall while health plan cannot offer in-person learning at all.
THE NORTHVILLE they will resume in-person classes in the officials are worried that it may not be Regions experiencing phases 5-6 can also
EAGLE
EAGLE fall. The Center for Disease Control and safe. offer traditional in-person learning with
Prevention (CDC) officials issued new
fewer protocols in place.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Vol. 20, No. 33 coronavirus guidelines for schools on July said in a Facebook post that she will “not All Michigan school districts are
23, but as administrators agree, the situa- send our kids and our education work- required to finalize plans for the academic
Northville Township vot-
ers approved the request for tion remains fluid and changing every day. force into our schools unless it is safe to do year that follow state guidelines and have
an operating millage renew- The process for reopening schools amid so, plain and simple.” them approved by their board of educa-
al and increase by a 2-1 mar- the pandemic has been widely debated, Whitmer released her own guidelines tion in this month.
gin during the primary elec- and currently, the responsibility is with on June 30 meant to help schools prepare Most districts have not finalized reopen-
tion last week. individual school districts to determine for the upcoming academic year. The ing plans for their K-12 schools, but rather
See page 5. what the upcoming school year will look Return to School Roadmap requires all have shared some details on what students
like. school districts to develop learning plans and families can expect in the fall.

THE PLYMOUTH Northville Public Schools Plymouth Canton Schools
EAGLE Northville Public Schools Board of Education members Members of the Plymouth Canton Community Schools
EAGLE
Vol. 20, No. 33 approved a plan last week to begin the 2020-2021 school year Board of Education were expected to finalize a plan for stu-
The COVID 19 pandemic with a Virtual Start for the month of September for elemen- dents' return to school at their meeting Monday evening.
may soon claim another vic- tary, middle and high school students that will transition to an Last week, during a six-hour meeting, board members
tim as VFW Post 6695 in approved in-person scenario no later than the first week of announced that classes would open virtually, with no face-to-
Plymouth is facing the finan- October. The in-person scenario for elementary and Cooke face classes. That decision came just one week after the
cial peril that the pandemic School students includes the option to attend full time, announcement that parents and students would be offered
has caused. Monday through Friday; while the middle and high school in- several options regarding classed.
See page 5. person scenario is a 50-50 Hybrid, with students rotating Superintendent of Schools Monica Merritt said that input
between in-person and virtual learning every other day. The received in a survey of parents and feedback from the
in-person scenarios approved at each level allow for imple- Plymouth-Canton Education Association teachers' union
THE ROMULUS mentation of each of the required safety protocols for Phase 4 weighed heavily on the change of course.
ROMAN of the Michigan Roadmap, along with maximizing implemen- Options that were being considered for re-entry included
ROMAN
Vol. 135, No. 33 tation of the highly recommended safety protocols to the great- a family choice of either in-person or fully virtual learning.
est extent possible in a school setting. Parents/families across Option A would have included the return to five days a week
Dr. Benjamin Edmondson the district will have the option to elect a full semester virtual in-person instruction, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
has been selected by the learning option that will continue uninterrupted from the start This model would include all health and safety require-
members of the board of of the school year, or may opt for the September Virtual Start ments and recommendations guided by the MI Safe Schools
education as the new super- that transitions into the identified In-Person scenario. Roadmap. In order to best prepare for returning students to
intendent of the Romulus Northville K-12 students will begin the 2020-21 school year full in-person days, the district reentry task force members
Community Schools. on a modified virtual schedule (Virtual Start) from Sept. 8 recommended a phased-in start to this model allowing the
See page 6. through Oct. 2. Cooke School, self-contained special education district to begin with half-days in-person for the first few
classrooms, and other special programs will begin transition- weeks of the school year (exact dates were to be determined
ing students into in-person learning throughout September. and communicated prior to final approval). The half-days
THE WAYNE During the month of September, in addition to providing will help students to acclimate to some of the new require-
EAGLE quality distance learning opportunities to students, there will ments of in-person learning, such as wearing face coverings
EAGLE

Vol. 73, No. 33 be transition planning, small group in-person support for iden- and getting adjusted to our new hygiene, health and safety
tified students, as well as in-school orientation and transition routines.
Michigan State Police are opportunities at each grade level. The September Virtual Families were also to be offered the full five-days-per-
continuing to investigate the Start will allow students and staff to develop competence week virtual option during Phase 4. This model would be
death of a Wayne man follow- around the new Learning Management System that allows for taught by district teachers utilizing regular curriculum. Once
ing the discovery of his body in smooth transitions between virtual and in-person learning in the region moves into Phase 5, which has minimal restric-
Van Buren Township last the event that intermittent school closures become necessary tions and allows for more flexibility for face-to-face learning,
Sunday. or our region moves into different phases of Michigan's Road the district would begin transitioning this virtual learning
See page 4. Map. option into full five-days, in-person learning.
Following the September Virtual Start, for families select- Option B would include opening with fully virtual classes
ing in-person attendance: Elementary students will attend full for all students, which is apparently the option favored by
THE WESTLAND time, Monday through Friday, in-person in cohort class group- the board of education members. Instruction in this model
EAGLE ings that may include rotating teachers; Middle School stu- would be taught by district teachers utilizing district curricu-
EAGLE

Vol. 73, No. 33 dents will attend school every other day, rotating between in- lum. Once the state moves the area region into Phase 5,
which has minimal restrictions and allows for more flexibili-
person core content (Math, Science, ELA and Social Studies)
John Hambrick presented courses and virtual learning for elective courses and High ty for face-to-face learning, the district would begin transi-
plans for the development of School students will also attend school every other day, rotat- tioning this virtual learning option into full five days of in-
the former Wayne County ing between in-person instruction and virtual learning. Cooke person learning. Parameters for screen time limits, live real-
General Hospital property to School students will begin with a partial return in September time instruction (synchronous), and the use of multiple
the Westland Planning
Commission last week. See Northville classes, page 2. See Plymouth Canton classes, page 2.
See page 4.

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