Dear LOCS Families-

In the heat of summer, the 2020-21 school year may be the farthest from the minds of your children, who are enjoying the freedom and fun.

For the LOCS Administration, next fall’s preparation is underway.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her return-to-school task force released a detailed plan on June 30, explaining the protocols and procedures schools should follow planning to re-open for fall in-person learning.

Our team is diving into the specifics and how those can be adapted for LOCS and our student and staff community.

The state’s Safe Schools Roadmap focuses on the in-person learning circumstances, which will be dictated to some extent by the state’s late August phase of the Safe Start Plan.

 

We have a few updates this week:

REMOTE LEARNING IN FALL

LOCS will have a remote learning path available for families who choose that option this fall to start the 2020-21 school year.

Remote technology, a robust online interactive plan and strong teacher-student connections are all major focuses of our planning process.

The details will be shared soon.

 

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM

The second session of remote high school summer program will begin July 20 and registration will re-open next week, with information posted at LakeOrionSchools.org and on the LOCS social media channels. 

The Credit Forward and Credit Recovery registration will be also conducted online and the classes run through the Edgenuity platform.

 

SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION

The LOCS Board of Education completed the Superintendent selection process on June 30, voting unanimously to hire Benajmin Kirby as the next LOCS Superintendent, replacing retired Superintendent Marion Ginopolis.

Currently the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services at South Lyon Community Schools, Mr. Kirby is negotiating his Superintendent contract with the LOCS Board of Education. Once that is complete, the Board will hold a special meeting for formal approval of the contract.

Mr. Kirby is scheduled to officially begin work in LOCS on July 20.

Details are available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SuptSearch.

 

BOND IMPLEMENTATION

The LOCS Bond construction work continues at five district sites this summer: Webber Elementary, Orion Oaks Elementary, Carpenter Elementary, the new Early Childhood Center and the Lake Orion High School soccer stadium.

Webber, Orion Oaks and Carpenter are receiving new secure entrances, as well as varying levels of interior work.

Photos of the current school projects were shared earlier this week.

 

Have a safe holiday weekend,

LOCS Administration

Dear LOCS Families-

As we approach the holiday week, Lake Orion Community Schools continues to move forward on multiple fronts, creating the best opportunity for our students.

The prospect of the fall back-to-school environment should emerge by the middle of next week, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer releases the recommendations and requirements for schools to follow. The state legislature announced school funding proposals last week, but any definitive results from those remain in the future, as the legislative process will continue.

This will be a far more eventful summer than most, with our district changing superintendents, administrators planning for an unprecedented school year, significant bond construction occurring in five sites across the district and celebrating our high school graduates later in the summer than usual.

All of these moments are an opportunity for LOCS to move forward and enhance our standing as an elite district, educating and supporting our students.

I appreciate all of the connection and interaction with our communications during my years in the district and your passionate involvement in your children’s education. Our staff has focused on putting the students first in our decisions and I have complete faith that will continue.

 

A few updates this week:

HOME LEARNING SURVEY

The Lake Orion Community Schools Teaching and Learning Department reached out to the parent community and students in the late spring of 2020, seeking feedback from the Home Learning Plans during the COVID-19 pandemic-related school closure.

The survey results are intended to help the district's Teaching and Learning staff learn what was successful and the areas where improvement is needed.

The individual comments submitted were reviewed by the LOCS Administration and will help form the fall academic plans.

Another parent survey is anticipated prior to the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

The survey results are available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SpringSurveyResults.

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

The LOCS Superintendent finalists, Mr. Benjamin Kirby and Dr. Venessa Keesler, spent the past week continuing the interview process.

Each had a final interview with the LOCS Board of Education on Monday and one day each with individual stakeholder meetings for the administrators, staff and community members.

On Thursday and Friday, Board representatives met with associates of each candidate in remote “site visits.”

The next step in the process is scheduled for a special meeting Monday, June 29 at 6 p.m., when the Board is scheduled to discuss and potentially vote to select the new superintendent. The meeting's live-stream will be available at LakeOrionSchools.org/BoardMeeting.

RETURNING STUDENT INFORMATION

The Returning Student Information links are now re-opened for families to complete and submit their student's record. If a student was unsubmitted, the building secretary reached out by email earlier this week. Please complete the information as soon as possible as it helps LOCS determine staffing and plans for the fall. Secretaries are available for assistance by email through June 30.

RETIREE APPRECIATION

The end of the 2019-20 school year also concluded many careers as 21 staff members said goodbye to the district, moving into retirement. The group combined for 452 years of service to LOCS. 

The Board of Education and administrative cabinet thanked them for their tenure at Wednesday’s Board meeting. A video of their goodbyes was shared with the Board.

BOND IMPLEMENTATION

The LOCS Bond construction projects are moving along at a rapid pace. 

The new Early Childhood Center at Joslyn and Clarkston Roads has broken ground, the secure entrances and classroom additions at Carpenter and Orion Oaks Elementaries are making significant progress, the progress towards Webber Elementary’s new wing is advancing, and the refurbished soccer stadium at Lake Orion High School is quickly emerging. 

All information about the bond progress, including updated photos of the sites, is available at LOCSBond.org. 

INDEPENDENCE WEEK

The Lake Orion Community Schools Administration staffwill be out of the office and unavailable from Monday, June 29-Friday, July 3, 2020 for the Independence Day week. 

The staff will be available for normal business beginning on Monday, July 6, 2020, at 8 a.m.  

Have a safe holiday week,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

LOCS Families-

Happy Summer! Hopefully, your students are enjoying the weather and the freedom, getting a chance to relax.

Now that we are a week removed from the school year, we are starting to get some clarity on what the fall may look like for our students. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan schools may have in-person learning this fall with the appropriate safety precautions. While there were few specifics about that plan, she indicated that a detailed set of requirements and recommendations will be shared June 30.

Once the LOCS Administration receives that framework, we will be able to refine the plans our staff members have been preparing to this point.

Thank you for your patience in this process. Although the 2020-21 school year remains more than two months away, those will be a busy few months for our administrators, preparing the safest and most appropriate educational situation for your students.

We have a few updates to end this week:

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH/BOARD OF EDUCATION

On Thursday, the LOCS Board of Education voted in a special meeting to advance two candidates, Benjamin Kirby and Dr. Venessa Keesler, to the finalist stage for the Superintendent position. 

The 60-minute interviews with the Board of Education will be conducted the evening of Monday, June 22 and live-streamed at LakeOrionSchools.org/BoardMeeting.

The schedule: 6 p.m., Benjamin Kirby, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, South Lyon Community Schools in South Lyon, Mich.; 7:10 p.m., Dr. Venessa Keesler, Deputy Superintendent at the Michigan Department of Education in Lansing, Mich.

The finalist interview process will continue through the week.

The Board will also be meeting remotely at 6 p.m. Wednesday night for its regularly scheduled June 24 meeting, also live-streamed at LakeOrionSchools.org/BoardMeeting.

 

SUPERINTENDENT STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS

The Board will hold virtual stakeholder meetings with the candidates on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, including one for parents/community members at 3 p.m. each day. 

Due to the virtual format, the questions must be submitted in the online form at LakeOrionSchools.org/SuptQuestions, prior to 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. 

The questions, including the submitter’s name, will be asked by Superintendent consultant John Silveri in each session and the candidate will answer them during the 60-minute time session.

To “attend” the meeting in view-only mode for Benjamin Kirby, from 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81909661991 and use the password 134703.

To “attend” the meeting in view-only mode for Dr. Venessa Keesler, from 3-4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88399333103 and use the password 907567.

 

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER SCHOOL

Enrollment remains open for LOCS High School students (LOHS and Learning Options) who want to take advantage of the virtual summer school program. The Credit Forward and Credit Recovery program information and enrollment is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/HS-SummerSchool but will close on Monday, June 22, with the start of the program.

The elementary and middle school virtual summer school program registration closed today, June 19.

 

HOME LEARNING PLANS

While the end of the school year was the completion of the new Home Learning Plans, the plans are currently still posted on the LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning page. They will be removed on June 30, so please download the lessons if you plan to use them this summer with your student. The padlet of resources will remain live online.

 

REPORT CARD UPDATE

Students in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade will not be receiving an end of the year report card. High school students will be able view their final grades in PowerSchool beginning today, June 19, 2020.

 

LAPTOP RETURNS 

Families who borrowed a laptop for the Home Learning period should return the device at the upcoming drop-off days July 7 and July 8 from 1-3 p.m. at the CERC Building ( 455 E Scripps Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48360.)

(The only exception is if the student is enrolled in virtual summer school. Those students may keep their device until the end of the summer session.)

Drop-off items: 1- Laptop, 2- Power cable, 3- Note identifying name of the parent and student returning the device.

 

TECHNOLOGY PURCHASES

Lake Orion Schools and Sehi Computer Products, Inc. have partnered to create a device purchasing program that offers discounts on laptops, desktops, monitors, etc. This unique shopping link for LOCS families and staff is now open. Please register to receive access to district-endorsed devices and special pricing.

LOCS Parents & Staff Device Purchasing Portal: https://www.buysehi.com/category.jhtm?cid=1214

 

RETURNING STUDENT INFORMATION  

LOCS has paused the 2020-21 returning student information, due to issues with the PowerSchool program. Our service provider continues to work through the technical challenges. LOCS will re-open the information submission process as soon as possible and will communicate that opportunity to those who have not yet entered information for next fall. 

The district strongly encourages families to input information when the opportunity is available, as that helps with the administration’s fall staffing and planning. All fees (extracurricular programs, etc.) will not be collected until August.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

Dear LOCS Families- 

We made it! For three months, your students and our staff have adapted in ways few of us could have imagined. They embraced the evolving Home Learning Plans, they shifted to Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings and they tried to experience new opportunities.

Hopefully, the summer allows some downtime for your students to recharge. As we shared early this week, we don’t have a definitive design for this fall, but we are working on multiple options. Our staff will be prepared for whatever direction the state of Michigan requires, still focused on bringing your students the best possible education.

While the school year is finished, the administrative work of the district continues and we will reach out as appropriate.

We have a few updates this week: 

 

LAPTOP RETURNS 

LOCS set up a return period for devices families borrowed for the home learning period.  Anyone may return the device for a student.  Students who picked up a laptop and are enrolled in virtual summer school can return their device at the end of the session. 

Drop-off items: 1 – Laptop, 2- Power cable, 3- Paper/note attached to laptop identifying the name of the parent who picked up the laptop as well as the name of the student. 

Drop-off location: CERC Building  (455 E Scripps Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48360) 

Dates: Thurs., June 18/Fri. June 19, 9-11 a.m.; Tues., July 7/Wed., July 8, 1-3 p.m. 

Directions: Please enter off Scripps Road and proceed down the west side of the building toward the north parking lot. Please remain in your car and follow the distribution line. Cars will exit out of the parking lot onto Stadium Drive and turn left toward Lapeer Road. 

 

RETURNING STUDENT REGISTRATION 

Lake Orion Community Schools has paused the registration for returning students during 2020-21 school year due to issues with the PowerSchool program. The issues are expected to be cleared next week and LOCS will then re-open the registration. The district will communicate that re-opening opportunity to those who have not yet registered for next fall. We strongly encourage families to register as soon as possible, as that helps with the administration’s fall staffing and planning.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION 

The LOCS Board of Education will hold special meetings Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week to interview six candidates for the Superintendent position. There will also be a meeting on Thursday to determine the position finalists. The meetings will be remote and live-streamed at LakeOrionSchools.org/BoardMeeting. The Board will be accepting public input about the candidates during the interview process. LOCS will post an input form on the website once the interviews begin Monday evening.

 

YEAR-END VIDEO

The 2019-20 school year was unconventional for Lake Orion Community Schools. It was a year of highlights and wonderful moments. Join us for a trip from September through June in our district. https://youtu.be/tBw2Ndy5sGg

 

HOME LEARNING PLANS

While the end of the school year was the completion of the new Home Learning Plans, the plans are currently still posted on the LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning page. They will be removed on June 30, so please download the lessons if you plan to use them this summer with your student. The padlet of resources will remain live online.

 

SUMMER SCHOOL

LOCS will hold virtual tuition-based summer school opportunities for high school, middle school and elementary school this summer. The high school program has two online sessions: June 22 – July 17, 2020 and July 20 – August 14, 2020 while the middle school and elementary school programs run in one session from July 13-August 6. Registration links for all three programs are available.

 

SUMMER LEARNING PACKET PICK-UP

LOCS will have the limited remaining Summer Learning packets available for pick-up next week. 

For elementary students: the pick-up will be Monday, June 15 from 2-3 p.m. at Scripps Middle School.

For middle school students: the remaining packets will be available at the locker clean-out days. 

A map and description of the one-way pick-up process is on the LOCS website, entering off Stadium Drive and passing through the CERC complex before exiting onto Scripps Road. Please follow the directions for a smooth distribution.

 

REPORT CARDS

Students in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade will not be receiving an end of the year report card. High School students will be able view their final grades in PowerSchool beginning June 19, 2020.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

June 5, 2020

Dear LOCS Families-

The world around us has changed dramatically in the past week, but our LOCS staff remains focused on ending the school year consistently, providing our students the best possible finishing experience to this unusual year.

The Lake Orion High School seniors made their final visit to the high school this week to pick up their caps and gowns, while our middle school and elementary school students began approaching their final weeks before summer, staying focused on their Home Learning plans.

While the school year will conclude as scheduled a week from today, on Friday, June 12, LOCS will continue to communicate via email and at LakeOrionSchools.org as circumstances arise and our fall plans evolve.

We have a few updates at the end of this week:

SUMMER LEARNING PACKETS

Elementary and middle school families will be able to pick up their reserved summer learning packets on three dates at the CERC building next week: 

·      Tuesday, June 9 – 12-2 p.m.

·      Wednesday, June 10 – 3-4 p.m.

·      Thursday, June 11 – 6-7 p.m. 

A map and description of the one-way pick-up process is on the LOCS website, entering off Stadium Drive and passing through the CERC complex before exiting onto Scripps Road. Please follow the directions for a smooth distribution.

Families can choose any of the available times for pick-up.

 

LOCS PLAYGROUNDS

LOCS school playgrounds are now open to the general community following the Oakland County Health Division’s announcement this week. The usual summer outdoor athletic field procedures are now reinstated.

Visitors are still required to practice social distancing (six feet apart), wear a face covering and frequent handwashing/hand sanitizer.

LOCS does not plan to regularly disinfect the playgrounds, so the playgrounds and equipment will be used at the individual’s own discretion and risk. 

 

HOME LEARNING PLANS

LOCS is releasing one more week of Home Learning Plans today for the elementary and middle school students, taking the lessons through the end of the school year on June 12. While all of the Home Learning Plans since the start are currently on the LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning page, they will be removed on June 30, so please download the lessons if you plan to use them this summer with your student.

The padlet of resources will remain live online.

 

SUMMER SCHOOL

LOCS will hold virtual tuition-based summer school opportunities for high school, middle school and elementary school this summer. The high school program has two online sessions: June 22 – July 17, 2020 and July 20 – August 14, 2020 while the middle school and elementary school programs run in one session from July 13-August 6. Registration links for all three programs are available.

 

TECHNOLOGY RETURNS

Families who have borrowed technology devices from LOCS for the home learning period will be asked to return them at an undetermined date in July for processing. LOCS will send out a message with return instructions once those details are finalized.

 

UNITY AND HEALING

Earlier this week, I shared a message with the community about Unity and Healing, amidst the national protests. Please take a minute to read the letter, if you missed it this week.

 

MEALS DISTRIBUTION

The LOCS meals distribution for children in need will conclude on Monday, June 8, due to the end of the school year. The usual pick-up locations at CERC and Carpenter will still be in effect at the usual time, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. The packages distributed will be food to last through the end of the week.

A round of applause to all of the Food Service, Transportation, LOCS Board of Education trustees and LOCS Administrators, who have distributed more than 37,000 breakfast and 38,000 lunch meals during the nearly three-month process.

Food Service director Marla Ernst, who is retiring from LOCS at the end of the month, deserves individual praise. Thank you for years of service and your extraordinary leadership feeding those in need during the school closure.

 

ORION LIVING

The Orion Living Summer issue was recently delivered to residents’ homes. The issue features a look at the stellar LOCS Special Education program.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday, June 8, to discuss the next step in the Superintendent Search process. Though the meeting will be remote, most of the meeting will be held in a closed session to discuss the applicants and determine those who will be invited to interview. The Board will announce those invitations publicly at the end of the meeting.

 

SCHOOLS-OF-CHOICE

LOCS is continuing the Schools-of-Choice program for out-of-district residents interested in enrolling in the district for the 2020-21 school year. The application period is open through June 9.

The Schools-of-Choice Application 2020-2021 is available for students interested in Grades K-8, Learning Options Alternative High School, and the PHASES program (Special Education students ages 18-26.)

More information about the Schools-of-Choice program is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SOC.

ECC GROUNDBREAKING

The Lake Orion Community Schools Early Childhood Center groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, June 4 and attended by the LOCS Board of Education trustees, along with LOCS administrators and members of the ECC design team. Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercer, Board of Education president Jim Weidman and Early Childhood director Kim McLean shared the excitement of the bond project and impact the center will have on the district and the community.

Watch the ceremony to see their messages.

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we wind down the school year with the present and future of the district as our top priorities.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

May 29, 2020

Dear LOCS Families-

As we conclude another week of our unprecedented school year, we appreciate that the weather is improving and more areas of our lives are inching closer to normal.

With only two weeks remaining in the school year for our students, our staff is still focused on providing a strong academic experience through June 12, the final day of the school year.

We appreciate the support from all the families reminding the students that, even though we’re not in the school buildings, learning occurs every day.

For those families seeking a resource to explain the coronavirus to your students, the University of Michigan released a wonderful video explainer for students 6-11 years old.

We have a few updates to share this week:

 

FINANCE ADVOCACY

Our state schools will be facing massive budgetary shortfalls due to decimated state revenue.

LOCS is expecting a large per-pupil cut in the current fiscal year, anticipating a $500-700 per-pupil reduction, which equates to an overall $5-7 million cut. That would require substantial adjustments to our general fund operating budget in all areas.

Educators across Michigan are being asked to take part in the “Our Children, Our Future Campaign” to advocate for recovery dollars for Michigan's schools. Congress has passed the CARES Act, which sent nearly $400 million to Michigan, but we will need $3-5 billion over the next three fiscal years to avoid catastrophic cuts to education in every community in our state.

We ask that you please take the first step of contacting your member of Congress using our Voter Voice portal. Please take a minute to send this letter. Feel free to edit the text to tell your story and what a $700 per-pupil cut would look like for our district and community.

 

RETURNING STUDENT REGISTRATION

Lake Orion Community Schools is now registering returning students for the 2020-21 school year at LakeOrionSchools.org/Register.

The registration process is conducted through an online program called “PowerSchool Enrollment” using the students’ individual SnapCode sent to families in an email last week.

LOCS will not be collecting school-related fees at this time. School-related purchases/fees will be processed online in August.

 

SCHOOLS-OF-CHOICE

LOCS is continuing the Schools-of-Choice program for out-of-district residents interested in enrolling in the district for the 2020-21 school year. The application period is open through June 9.

The Schools-of-Choice Application 2020-2021 is available for students interested in Grades K-8, Learning Options Alternative High School, and the PHASES program (Special Education students ages 18-26.)

More information about the Schools-of-Choice program is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SOC. 

 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT INFORMATION

The Lake Orion High School seniors completed their academic career today, May 29. Though they couldn’t walk out of the LOHS building on their last day, many honored it by walking out of their homes, completing the school year’s theme of #StrongerTogether. Check out their departure.

LOHS families received a message on May 21 from the school administration, outlining the dates and times of the scheduled pick-up of year-end items and return of items.

For those who missed the message, the information is posted on the LOHS year-end page at LakeOrionSchools.org/LOHSYearEnd-2020.

 

SURVEY

With this school year almost complete and administrators planning for the fall – as much as possible, given the state guidance -- LOCS is seeking the community’s input. Families and students will be receiving a survey next week regarding home learning. The district asks that families and students complete the survey by the end of next week.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education continues to meet in a virtual setting.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting for district business will be held on Wednesday, June 3, at 6 p.m.

Each meeting will be live-streamed by ONTV and public participation is available by emailing the LOCS Board at least two hours prior to the meeting. More information on the board meetings is available on the Board of Education pages.

The Board wrapped up Teacher Appreciation Month with a video reminding the teachers that they are valued.

 

MEALS DISTRIBUTION

Only three pickup dates remain for the meals distribution for children in need: Monday, June 1; Thursday, June 4; and Monday, June 8.

The times (11 a.m.-12 p.m.) and locations (CERC building and Carpenter Elementary) remain the same.

 

ELEMENTARY BOOKS, FIELD TRIP

The elementary students continue to embrace learning in the final weeks.

Last month, the LOCS academic staff embraced a partnership with Golden Valley to deliver free books to the LOCS Kindergarten, first and second grade students. Nearly 13,000 books were delivered to students’ homes and they enjoyed their special surprises.

In the June 1 Home Learning Plans, second grade students will experience a tour of Lake Orion from teacher Kathy McMinn. Traditional field trips are not currently an option, but her recreation of our history and highlights is an experience all Dragons can enjoy.

 

ECC GROUNDBREAKING

As bond construction work continues, LOCS will feature a small groundbreaking ceremony next week for the new Early Childhood Center. 

Though the state’s stay home order and social distancing restrictions will limit the in-person attendees to those associated with the project, the ceremony will be live-streamed with viewing information shared next week at LOCSBond.org and LakeOrionSchools.org/EarlyChildhood. 

 

Thank you for your support as we approach the end of the school year. Though the future is uncertain, we gain more clarity each week and our staff members continue to plan, providing the best education for the students.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

 

Dear LOCS Families-

Thank you for your continued effort to keep the students engaged in learning through the end of the school year. Even though the circumstances have changed and we understand parents are more involved in the learning process, we appreciate that the student engagement remains strong.

The first week of increased video conferencing with teachers and students was a wonderful success, even as both sides ironed out the kinks. Seeing how everyone adapted to the new technology platforms gives us strong confidence moving forward, whatever the fall may bring.

Please remember Monday is Memorial Day, so it is a day off from school for staff and students, even in our home learning environment. Please spend the day considering those who have given their lives to keep us safe and enjoy (more) time with your family.

LOCS administrators are working on plans for the fall. However, nothing can be finalized without guidance from the Michigan Department of Education and the governor’s office. The district will be conducting a survey at the beginning of June to receive feedback and input regarding remote learning and fall scenarios.

 

A few district-wide updates for this week: 

RETURNING STUDENT REGISTRATION

Lake Orion Community Schools is now registering returning students for the 2020-21 school year at LakeOrionSchools.org/Register. The registration window runs from May 21 to June 12, 2020.

LOCS is aware of the initial issues regarding the appropriate student school/grade level assignments and the error message that arose. Both are being addressed by the district’s Central Enrollment department and will be sorted out as soon as possible.

The registration process is conducted through an online program called “Powerschool Enrollment” and families received their students’ individual SnapCode information this week.

LOCS will not be collecting school related fees at this time. School-related purchases/fees will be processed online in August.

Please complete the registration by June 12, 2020.

 

DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN INTEREST

The DK interest form (LakeOrionSchools.org/DK-Interest) needs to be completed by any in-district parent no later than Friday, May 29 at 3 p.m. to have their child entered into the DK lottery.

Students MUST be turning 5 years old from July 1-December 1, 2020, in order to be eligible for DK for the 2020-21 school year. Students with birthdays prior to July 1 will not be eligible for DK.

The DK lottery will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2020.

 

SCHOOLS-OF-CHOICE

LOCS is continuing the Schools-of-Choice program for out-of-district residents interested in enrolling in the district for the 2020-21 school year. The application period is open through June 9.

The Schools-of-Choice Application 2020-2021 is available here for students interested in Grades K-8, Learning Options Alternative High School, and the PHASES program (Special Education students ages 18-26.)

More information about the Schools-of-Choice program is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SOC.

 

SUMMER LEARNING PACKETS

Specific decisions regarding summer school for elementary and middle level students will not be made until LOCS receives guidance from the governor’s office and the Michigan Department of Education.

To supplement students' education this summer, LOCS will offer families summer learning packets.

These packets include literacy and math for Grades K-8. This is a great opportunity to keep students academically engaged throughout the summer.

Please take a moment to visit LakeOrionSchools.org/Summer-Packets to reserve a student’s printed summer learning packet.

The district will be printing these packets and will offer a drive-through, pick-up service the week of June 8 at Scripps Middle School (385 East Scripps Rd., Lake Orion)

The deadline to reserve a summer packet is Tuesday, May 26 at 3 p.m.

 

LAKE ORION HIGH SCHOOL PICK-UP/DROP-OFF DAYS

Lake Orion High School families received a message on Thursday, May 21, from the school administration, outlining the dates and times of their scheduled pick-up of year-end items and return of items.

For those who missed it, the information (along with all previous messages) is posted on the LOHS year-end page at LakeOrionSchools.org/LOHSYearEnd-2020.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education continues to meet in a virtual setting.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting for district business will be held on Wednesday, May 27, at 6 p.m.

Each meeting will be live-streamed by ONTV and public participation is available by emailing the LOCS Board at least two hours prior to the meeting.  More information on the board meetings is available on the Board of Education pages.

 

MEALS DISTRIBUTION

The LOCS meals distribution for children in need will shift slightly next week, occurring on TUESDAY, May 26, due to the Memorial Day holiday.

The times (11 a.m.-12 p.m.) and locations (CERC building and Carpenter Elementary) remain the same.

The schedule will resume with the usual Monday/Thursday distribution (after next Tuesday) and continue until the end of the scheduled school year, with the final distribution occurring on Monday, June 8. The full schedule of dates is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/FoodService.

 

FOOD SERVICE

The Food Service Department is encouraging families who may be experiencing a reduction or loss of income, due to the closures, to apply for the USDA’s Free and Reduced Meal Program. 

We realize that breakfast and lunch at school aren’t available, but there are many more benefits available for families based on their free or reduced meal benefit eligibility status.

Children who qualify will remain in effect for the first 30 operating days of the 2020-2021 school year. Please submit your online application at www.lunchapp.com.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

May 15, 2020

LOCS families-

I hope you are well and staying healthy.

The Lake Orion Community Schools staff continues to work hard for the district’s students, with a focus on the end of this school year and an eye towards the fall possibilities.

As our students continue to adapt to the Home Learning plans, our teachers are working to make it as effective as possible.

A teacher from each level (elementary, middle, high school and special education), came together this week in a video to explain the process.

Below are a few district-wide updates pertinent to this week.

 

POWERSCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR RETURNING STUDENTS

Next week, LOCS will begin the returning student registration process for the 2020-21 school year. All returning LOCS families will receive a communication from building principals on how to register your returning student for the 2020-2021 school year on Monday, May 18.

When families complete the returning student registration, LOCS will NOT be collecting fees for fall 2020 during returning student registration. Fees/school-related purchases will be collected in August. If you do not receive this PowerSchool Registration letter with your student’s personal Snap Code by May 22 at 4 p.m., please email your student’s building secretary or building principal for support. (Please check your junk mail/clutter to make sure the Snap Code was not routed there.)

 

HOME LEARNING UPDATES

LOCS will be expanding the Home Learning plan to twice-weekly video conference calls for students, beginning the week of Monday, May 18. The time schedule for each class’ meeting will be communicated by the student’s teacher.

Elementary teachers (grades DK-5) will be meeting via Zoom and teaching content from the weekly home learning template that is emailed and posted at LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning. 

Secondary teachers (grades 6-12) will be meeting with students via Zoom or Microsoft Teams Teacher meetings will range from 30-40 minutes for grades 6-12. 

These meetings are optional for students; however, strongly encouraged. More information is available on the Home Learning page.

 

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

Parents/guardians whose district-issued technology device has a problem or if there is a password issue can contact the Oakland Schools Service Desk for assistance.

Only the parent/guardian can call, not a student. The parent/guardian can grant approval during the call for the student to speak, as long as the parent remains present.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Oakland Schools Service Desk by creating a service ticket, calling (248) 209-2060 or emailing osservicedesk@oakland.k12.mi.us.

More tech support, including how to maximize bandwidth, is available on the Home Learning page.

 

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

The LOCS Board of Education met Monday, May 11 to outline the next steps of the Superintendent Search.

Deciding to re-open the application process, the Board will now accept applications until June 1 at 4 p.m. and meet in a virtual setting on June 8 to determine the interview candidates. Following the meeting, they will be released publicly.

Monday’s decision reset the timeline for a hire and the new superintendent now has a scheduled start date of July 20.

More information about the Superintendent Search, including the application process, is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SuptSearch.

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education continues to meet in a virtual setting.

The next regularly scheduled board meeting for district business will be held on Wednesday, May 27, at 6 p.m.

Each meeting will be live-streamed by ONTV and public participation is available by emailing the LOCS Board.  More information on the board meetings is available on the Board of Education pages.

 

SCHOOLS-OF-CHOICE

LOCS is continuing the Schools-of-Choice program for out-of-district residents interested in enrolling in the district for the 2020-21 school year. The application period is open through June 9.

The Schools-of-Choice Application 2020-2021 is available here for students interested in Grades K-8, Learning Options Alternative High School, and the PHASES program (Special Educations students ages 18-26.)

More information about the Schools-of-Choice program is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SOC.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

 

May 8, 2020

Dear Lake Orion Community Schools Families-

Hopefully, you’ve had a positive week, filled with outside enjoyment, opportunities to embrace spring and meaningful home learning experiences from the LOCS staff.

(It’s still a great time to thank them, capping off Teacher Appreciation Week.)

As we all continue to adapt to the various state and county orders, within LOCS we are evaluating, guiding and planning.

We have a few updates to end this week.

 

POWERSCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR RETURNING STUDENTS

LOCS usually sends out Snap Codes to families for returning student registration in July for high school students and August for middle school and elementary students. For the 2020-2021 school year, LOCS is going to start the registration process for returning students earlier (May 18 – June 12). 

All returning LOCS families will be receiving a communication from building principals the week of May 18, with Snap Codes to register your student for the 2020-2021 school year.

If you do not receive this PowerSchool Registration letter with your personal Snap Code, please email the building secretary or building principal for support.

 

BOND CONSTRUCTION

The LOCS Bond planning meetings have continued, remotely, during the school building closures. The design teams for the Stadium Drive and Paint Creek projects continue to discuss the plans and tweak designs. Updates on those meetings and all bond information is available at LOCSBond.org.

With the construction ban lifted, LOCS construction manager Frank Rewold and Sons was back on site immediately on Thursday, May 7, progressing with the projects at Carpenter Elementary and Orion Oaks Elementary. Both were underway prior to the state’s construction shutdown.

 

ACADEMIC PLAN

Students throughout the district continue to embrace the academic Home Learning Plans. The elementary and middle school plans are shared on Friday afternoons by teachers and at LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning. The high school students receive their weekly plans from teachers on Monday morning. The student engagement and creativity applying their learning shows the resiliency of our Dragons.

 

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Kindergarten registration for the fall of 2020 is now available online. The enrollment link is available on the Central Enrollment page at LakeOrionSchools.org/Enroll. We look forward to meeting our new students in the fall!

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education will hold two meetings next week.

On Monday, May 11 at 6 p.m., the Superintendent Search process will officially resume as the board determines the interview candidates. The majority of that meeting will be held in a closed session as the board members assess the applications. Once the closed session is complete, they will return to the open forum and announce the candidates who are offered interview slots.

A regularly scheduled board meeting for district business will be held on Wednesday, May 13, also at 6 p.m.

Each meeting will be live-streamed by ONTV. More information on the board meetings is available on the Board of Education pages.

 

Thank you for your support of LOCS in these changing times.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

May 1, 2020

Dear LOCS Families-

 

With May finally here and the weather turning, hope is rising.

Lake Orion Community Schools staff and students continue to shine with our Home Learning Plan, showing off their creativity whenever possible.

As we look forward, district administrators are planning for the final six weeks of this school year and beyond, into the summer and next fall.

Though there is uncertainty about the landscape, we are trying to prepare however we can to provide the best experience for our students in every situation.

Most of our updates this week focus on the future, which is an exciting thought for many of us.

 

KINDERGARTEN

Have a child ready to join our district and join the great Dragon tradition? LOCS announced that Kindergarten registration for the fall of 2020 is now available online. The enrollment link is available on the Central Enrollment page at LakeOrionSchools.org/Enroll. We look forward to meeting our new students in the fall!

 

HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER SCHOOL (CREDIT FORWARD/CREDIT RECOVERY)

Enrollment is now open for LOCS High School students (LOHS and Learning Options) who want to take advantage of the traditional summer school program. The Credit Forward and Credit Recovery program information and enrollment is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/HS-SummerSchool.

Summer school programs for elementary school, middle school and special education students would be more appropriate in an in-person setting, so LOCS will have to wait to see if the state of Michigan orders allow for that scenario. The district will share that option if it becomes available.

 

STUDENT LUNCH BALANCES

With the school buildings closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year, the LOCS Food Service Department has a few year-end reminders for families. Each current student’s meal account balance will roll over automatically into the new school year. Students who are graduating or moving out of the district may contact the Food Service Office to address their remaining balance. Parents can opt to donate the balance to a “Pay It Forward Account” which helps students who are in need; roll it over to a sibling’s meal account; request a refund and provide the address where to mail the check. For information, please contact Lynette Van Houzen in the Food Service Department at Lynette.Vanhouzen@lok12.org or by calling (248) 814-0201.

 

EBT CARDS FOR STUDENTS IN STATE MEAL PROGRAM

The state of Michigan established a Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) to provide temporary funding to address emergency food needs for families affected by the pandemic.

Students ages 5-18 who are enrolled in the Michigan Department of Education program for free or reduced-price school meals were scheduled to be sent supplementary funds to support their nutritional needs.

An EBT debit card was slated to be sent by mail to families, so please be aware. More information about the program is available on the state of Michigan website.

 

BOND CONSTRUCTION

In a recent executive order, the state of Michigan announced that construction could resume safely throughout the state on May 7. LOCS is hoping this will allow the district’s previously scheduled bond construction projects to resume, so they can be completed in time for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

 

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

The Lake Orion Community Schools Superintendent Search has resumed. The LOCS Board of Education will hold its next meeting the evening of May 11, which will be live-streamed through the ONTV web portal. The meeting will comply with the Open Meetings Act by opening and closing in a public setting, but the bulk of that agenda will be conducted in a closed session to discuss the candidate applications and determine those invited to be interviewed. More information, including future meeting dates, is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SuptSearch.

 

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

The first week of May is recognized nationally as Teacher Appreciation Week. Though our students are not in the school buildings, our teachers continue to connect with them through the Home Learning plans. Hopefully, families have even more appreciation for the wonderful connection our teachers have with the students and can help recognize them in some way next week. 

Today, May 1, is Principal Appreciation Day, so it’s also an opportunity to recognize our school leaders.

 

HONORING THE FRONTLINE LOCS ALUMS

The district would like honor all Lake Orion Community Schools alums who are frontline medical workers.

If you know someone who is working in the medical profession, helping protect all of us during the COVID-19 outbreak, please share their information and attach a photo -- ideally on or at their workplace -- below so we can honor them.

Please complete the form at LakeOrionSchools.org/FrontlineAlums so the community can see these Dragons making an impact.

 

Thank you for your interest and support of our district during this challenging time. Please reach out with your questions on these and other topics at communications@lok12.org.

 

Thank you,

Marion Ginopolis

LOCS Superintendent

 

April 24, 2020

Dear LOCS Families-

As we conclude another week in our COVID-19 world, I am pleased with our progress.

While respecting the state of Michigan’s executive orders to Stay Home and Stay Safe, our staff and families have adapted to our changing reality and found a rhythm.

I hope you were able to view my video message last week about my pride in our LOCS and Orion community, thoughts shared by all of our administrators.

Today, I’d like to share a few updates on district-related programs and important information.

 

STAY HOME ORDER

State of Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the state’s Stay Home order for an additional two weeks, scheduled to expire on May 15.

She explained the restrictions will relax in a few areas, but none of those items directly impacted the school plans, so LOCS buildings and facilities remain closed as we abide by the state order.

 

PROGRAM REGISTRATIONS

We understand that many families would like to begin registering for programs. At this time, with the Stay Home order in place, our departments are only operating remotely. When that changes, we intend for the registrations to follow as we will have a better idea of what programs will be possible. Until then, all registrations are on hold. If alternative means are available, we will share that information.

There are many uncertainties with our programs and celebrations scheduled for the end of the school year. LOCS administrators are working to keep as many intact as possible, in whatever form is available. These are constant internal conversations, taking into account the health guidelines and we will share details on the programs as they are determined and adjusted.

 

POWERSCHOOL

Earlier this month we shared that PowerSchool’s server was reset, changing our access links. We have updated them on our website and you can update your browser bookmark (https://lakeorion.powerschool.com/public/). If you use the mobile app and are having any problems, please remove it and re-install it to ensure it is updated to the new server.

 

MINDFULNESS

LOCS Mindfulness Instructor Stephanie Harris continues to produce three Mindfulness sessions each week, one for elementary students, one for teens and one for adults. Please embrace these free opportunities to calm and boost the mental health of you and your students. Featured on Fox 2 News this week, they are available to all residents in and out of the community at LakeOrionSchools.org/Mindfulness.

 

MEALS DISTRIBUTION

Pre-packaged meals continue to be distributed each Monday and Thursday for children in need. The meals are distributed from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at Carpenter Elementary and the CERC Building, with the LOCS staff taking appropriate social distancing precautions in preparation and distribution. Each distribution contains a bag with enough meals to cover the span until the next distribution (i.e. Monday has 3 days of meals and Thursday has four days.) The meals are intended for children 18 years and under, as well as those with intellectual disabilities age 26 and younger.

 

ACADEMIC PLAN

The LOCS Continuity of Learning Academic Plan, approved by the state of Michigan’s guidelines, continues to offer lessons for LOCS students each week. The Home Learning Plans are distributed by Grades DK-8 teachers through email each Friday afternoon, as well as posted at LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning. The high school plans are shared from teachers to students each Monday morning. More details about the high school plans are available at LakeOrionSchools.org/LOHS. Specific questions about the Grades 9-11 plans were also clarified in a video from Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercer. Special Education students are contacted directly by their teachers. 

 

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The LOCS Board of Education has resumed its regular meeting schedule, in a virtual setting. As with their previous meetings in the board room, the meetings are live-streamed on ONTV’s website (https://orionontv.org/live-stream) and broadcast on the Education Channel. They’re also archived for playback at any time (https://playback.orionontv.org/CablecastPublicSite/?channel=2). 

 

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

The Board took action during a special meeting on Monday, April 20, to re-open the Superintendent Search. The next step will be reviewing applicants and narrowing the field to the interviewees at an upcoming closed-session meeting. Once the interviewees are determined, their names will be released publicly and public interview times will be shared so the public can view on the live-stream broadcast. All Superintendent Search details are available at LakeOrionSchools.org/SuptSearch.

 

Our country and world are experiencing an ever-changing traumatic event and we are all doing our best to adapt daily. My thoughts go out to the families who have faced personal loss during this time and we hope to support you if we can. Please reach out to LOCS at communications@lok12.org if we can assist your family.

 

Please stay safe,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

After a month of watching LOCS students and staff embrace change, Superintendent Marion Ginopolis shared her pride and offered updates in a video to the community. #AlwaysLakeOrion

 

Dear LOCS Families-

At the end of another week of our unexpected circumstances due to the COVID-19 virus, we all should be proud of how we’re handling the challenges, how we’re modifying our routines and how we’re embracing the adjustments.

While school buildings are closed for instruction through the remainder of the school year, the work of Lake Orion Community Schools rolls on, although in a different form.

We will continue to bring you these updates, both to remind that we are still connected to your children and your family as well as sharing the impressive work continuing among our staff.

 

ACADEMIC PLAN

Hopefully, your student found the upgraded Home Learning Plan this week and began finding a rhythm to complete the opportunities. LOCS staff members have created the plans tailored to each grade for DK-8, shared in emails to all students/families on Monday and also posted at LakeOrionSchools.org/HomeLearning. Students in Grades 9-12 will receive an email from their individual teachers on Monday and special education students also will be contacted by their teachers. Please check emails and the website link the morning of Monday, April 13 for the new week’s opportunities. 

As the Teaching and Learning Department continues to process the state’s academic plan requirements, the plans will continue to evolve.

 

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE ORDER

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order on Thursday, shifting the end to April 30. LOCS is making every effort to abide by the order, which requires all non-essential jobs to remain shut down. The order also instructs citizens to observe and follow appropriate social distancing polices and not gather with a group beyond those in an immediate household.

 

LOCS BUILDINGS/FACILITIES CLOSED

Due to the Stay Home order, all LOCS buildings/fields/facilities are closed. That means all fields and playgrounds are off-limits to everyone. While many students and parents have inquired about retrieving items from the school buildings, due to the order, the buildings are closed until the order is lifted. When that occurs, LOCS will notify families of the process to enter buildings for specific items. Please do not try to enter schools or buildings at this time.

 

MEALS DISTRIBUTION FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

Thanks to our wonderful Food Service and Transportation staff members, the meals distribution for children in need continues on the new schedule – Monday and Thursday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. The same two sites, the CERC Building and Carpenter Elementary, are the locations for the orderly pick-up of meals, which last for the duration until the next pick-up date. Please remember, families are asked to pick up only at one site and only for children in need.

 

BOARD MEETING

The LOCS Board of Education held its first remote board meeting on Wednesday afternoon to hear about the multitude of district-related issues during the school closure and discuss district business. The meeting was live-streamed on ONTV, is currently re-airing on the education channel and is available for on-demand replay at https://playback.orionontv.org/CablecastPublicSite/show/986?channel=2.

 

COUNSELING

The LOCS counseling staff and Family School Coordinators at each school are available for student connection via email. Students can contact the counseling staff at their individual email addresses to set up an email exchange appointment. For families looking for some calming resources for their children and themselves, please check out our Mindfulness sessions posted three times each week at LakeOrionSchools.org/Mindfulness.

 

As we continue to move forward, we are thinking of you and your families, especially as many are experiencing a holiday season. Please stay safe and reach out to us at communications@lok12.org if there is anything we can do or assist in finding help beyond our district roles.

 

Thank you,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

April 3, 2020 Dear Dragon Family, We hope this communication finds you and your family healthy. We are all in uncharted waters. The global pandemic is impacting every corner of our lives, which is hard not only on our children, but also us, as parents and educators. Learning remains our mission, so we in Lake Orion Community Schools will continue to find ways to enhance that, even from a distance. Based on our school closure extending through this school year, staff have been working hard to prepare remote learning opportunities for all of our students. As we get used to this “new normal,” we are asking for patience and understanding from all stakeholders. Although we want work to be rigorous and meaningful, we also do not want to overwhelm or add stress to our students and families.  There is no replacing the interactions between teachers and students. But we can offer suggestions and supports to help our students stay engaged through this unprecedented disruption in their education.  Our intent is to offer flexible academic options for our students, understanding the family support varies, due to personal circumstances.      Elementary On Monday, April 6, parents of Grades DK-5 students will be receiving the first week’s activities.  These activities will be sent via email by your student’s teacher at 10:00 a.m. These activities will also be posted on our website. The plans will come out each Monday for the week. Students can work at their own pace and time. There will not be a specific scheduled time for elementary students to have to “attend class” via a video platform. All students across the district will be receiving the same activities, according to their grade level. There will be one template with all content areas and specials included, see the attached document. These activities are not required but strongly suggested. The Home Learning Resource Padlet that has been on the website will also continue to be available. Students can send their work/activities via email to teachers and teachers will provide feedback.     Middle School On Monday, April 6, parents of Grades 6-8 students will be receiving the first week’s activities. These activities will be sent via email by your student’s teacher/team at 10:00 a.m. These activities will also be posted on our website. The plans will come out each Monday for the week. Students can work at their own pace and time. There will not be a specific scheduled time for middle school students to have to “attend class” via a video platform. All students across the district will be receiving the same activities, according to their grade level. There will be one template with all content areas and elective classes included, see the attached document. These activities are not required but strongly suggested. The Home Learning Resource Padlet that has been on the website will also continue to be available. Students can send their work/activities via email to teachers and teachers will provide feedback. No standards-based grades will be given at this point.     High School On Monday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m., students will be receiving emails from each of their teachers with classwork. This classwork is not required at this point but strongly encouraged.  Students can send their work/activities via email to teachers and teachers will provide feedback. No grades will be given at this point.     All Students It is important to note that we are continuing to evolve our academic plan to best meet our students' needs. There may be changes to the plan as time progresses, such as grading of work and work being required especially at the high school level. We are currently reviewing the executive order from Governor Whitmer to ensure we meet all requirements. The district must submit a learning plan to our local intermediate school district. That template is not available currently. It is expected later today.  The district will then further work on the learning plan to ensure all requirements are met and submit the plan as soon as possible. We do not anticipate at any time for there to be required class times via Zoom or other internet-based platforms that students would need to engage with their teacher at a specific scheduled time of day for DK-8. We realize that many families are sharing devices and to stipulate a specific time would be difficult for many families. We continue to work on technology distribution. The district did conduct a survey. We are prioritizing based on need. We do not have enough devices for every family. In addition, Governor Whitmer’s executive order states that the learning plan cannot be 100% online. Our plan will have a variety of activities, all will not require a device. Below are a couple links for wi-fi: https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-to-offer-free-access-to-spectrum-broadband-and-wifi-for-60-days-for-new-K12-and-college-student-households-and-more https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19#thingstoknow&all_Pricingandotherinfo As always, thank you for your understanding and dedication in making the 2019-20 school year a success, regardless of the unprecedented situations we all face together. Please know that we take your child’s education seriously and are committed to doing the best we can to support your child both academically and social emotionally. As a reminder, there are many resources for parents and students on the Home Learning Resource Padlet that may help you support your child’s emotional and mental well-being during this time. We will get through this together! We are DRAGON strong! Sincerely, Heidi Mercer Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Lake Orion Community Schools

Dear LOCS Families:

At the end of another week of our school closure, I remain very proud of our staff, students and community members for their resiliency.

The twists and turns continue and everyone is adapting the best they can.

This week’s executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stated that all school buildings will be closed through the rest of the 2019-20 school year. She detailed the need for remote learning during the continued school closure. While the requirements of her order are still being interpreted by administrators across the state, our team in Lake Orion Community Schools is already ahead of this process.

The district’s remote learning opportunities will launch next week, under the direction of Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercer and her team. They’ve spent numerous hours preparing for Monday’s launch and I have full confidence that it supports our students and their educational growth.

REMOTE ACADEMIC PLAN

The LOCS remote academic plan will begin on Monday, April 6, 2020. The K-8 plan will be distributed in two ways: via teachers directly through emails to parents and it will be posted on LakeOrionSchools.org. High school staff will communicate directly with the students. Rest assured, there will not be specific times in which students will be required to complete their work. More specific information will be shared in a district-wide communication on Friday, April 3.

ONLINE AWARENESS

With families remaining home during the stay at home order from Gov. Whitmer, online time has likely increased within your homes. Now, more than ever, we ask that parents be vigilant in protecting their children’s online privacy and be aware of their online interactions.

The remote conferencing platforms (Zoom, GoToMeeting, WebEx, Google Hangouts) are wonderful communication tools, but all have vulnerabilities as well. Please remind students to act and dress appropriately when in front of the camera, do not accept online invitations from anyone unknown and not to share information with anyone they do not know.

Parents, please make your best effort to monitor what sites and tools your students are using and ask them not to record or take photos of the screen when anyone else is visible. Under no circumstances should they share an online group conference photo or screen on social media, due to the privacy concerns of the other children on screen.

POWERSCHOOL UPDATE

PowerSchool will be updated and available by the end of the week. The website links have changed for all staff, students and parents. But usernames and passwords remain the same.

New link for Parents and Students: https://lakeorion.powerschool.com/public/home.html

Teachers: https://lakeorion.powerschool.com/teachers/pw.html

Administrators:  https://lakeorion.powerschool.com/admin/pw.html

The links are also updated on the LOCS website (LakeOrionSchools.org/Resources).

The PowerSchool mobile app login remains the same. If a parent/student has a problem with the app, remove it and reinstall. The app’s LOCS district code is ZWXF.

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

The LOCS Board of Education will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on April 8, with a few modifications for the current situation. The meeting will be held remotely, at 2 p.m., with all board members and LOCS administrators participating via a remote platform. The community will be able to watch the meeting on the usual ONTV livestream: https://orionontv.org/live-stream

MEAL DISTRIBUTION UPDATE

LOCS will continue to distribute meals to all children in the community ages 18 and younger. The distribution schedule will shift slightly beginning Monday, April 6, as meal distributions will be held only on Monday (three days of meals) and Thursday (four days of meals.)  We will still have our planned distribution this Friday, April 3. The distribution will continue at the same locations (CERC and Carpenter Elementary) and remain from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on each of the two days.

In closing, there are many unknowns based on the executive order that will have to be examined in the coming days, so we don’t have all the answers yet. But as we finalize them, I will continue to keep you informed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in our evolving world.

Marion Ginopolis, Superintendent

March 27, 2020

Dear LOCS Families-

We’ve progressed through another week few could have imagined and I’m so impressed with our community. Seeing our students’ creativity at home, our teachers’ remote collaboration and our staff and Board of Education trustees assisting with meals inspires me.

The Orion community, in and around our district, encourages me daily in this process. Each week, I participate in group online meetings with the leaders of the Orion area and the way our community rallies, helping those who need it and understanding the severity of the situation, is rare among cites and townships.

These experiences and seeing your social media sharing remind me why I have enjoyed my time in LOCS over the past decade and it heartens me for when we reach the other side of this trying time.

SCHOOL CLOSURE

Though Governor Gretchen Whitmer made a public statement on Friday about her expectation for the school schedule, I would like to remind our families that nothing is definitive. I am aware of her comments, but my understanding is that a conclusive answer will come in the future, not today. As we have previously, LOCS will inform you when we have an official notice of the plans beyond the April 13 expiration of the stay-at-home order. 

POWERSCHOOL

Due to a previously planned server update, families and staff members will not be able to access Powerschool next week, March 29 through at least April 3. LOCS will send out an email with more information once it is up and running again.

FIELDS, BUILDINGS, FACILITIES CLOSED

LOCS buildings, fields and facilities are closed to the public. As the district complies with the state of Michigan’s stay-at-home order, the goal is to avoid public gatherings. By having our fields and buildings closed, that is one significant way to assist that process.

MINDFULNESS

Thanks to our LOCS Mindfulness expert, Stephanie Harris, students and parents in our district have an opportunity to ease their anxiety in this time of need. She is producing short videos to be released once each week for three different groups – one for our middle and high school students on Mondays, one for adults on Wednesdays and one for elementary students on Fridays – as an opportunity to help community members cope. The videos are available on our Mindfulness page: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/resources/mindfulness.

HOME LEARNING

The Teaching and Learning Department has spent the recent weeks creating the next phase of home learning for our students. Following spring break, the LOCS educational program will evolve. Using remote learning capabilities, students will connect with teachers in a designed program with more specific materials than the current padlet. While the padlet will still be available and updated for supplementary resources, teachers will be reaching out with grade and class-specific lessons. More details will be sent to families prior to April 6.

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

The LOCS Board of Education has suspended the Superintendent Search process during the school closure. President Jim Weidman's letter to the community is available for more details:  https://www.lakeorionschools.org/board-of-education/superintendent-search.

FOOD

The LOCS meals distribution program will continue moving forward on the Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at the CERC building and Carpenter Elementary site. The process is extremely efficient with our food service, transportation, and administrative staff all playing a role while respecting social distancing. We would like to thank those families who have picked up food for their orderly and respectful understanding of the procedures.

SOCIAL MEDIA  

Twitter: If you don't already have a twitter account, you may want to sign up so that you can receive very current information from me and from the district. If you need help setting up a Twitter account, email communications@lok12.org and we can send you instructions. To follow me: @marionginopolis. To follow the district @LKOrionSchools.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lkorionschools/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LakeOrionCommunitySchools/

Website: I encourage you to frequently visit our district website at https://www.lakeorionschools.org/ and especially updated information about the Corona Virus https://www.lakeorionschools.org/resources/coronavirus-awareness.

I wish all of you and your families a safe, healthy modified spring break week ahead. Please follow all directives so that we can get through this most difficult time and unknown future.

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

March 23, 2020

LOCS families –

As we enter the second week of the COVID-19 school closure, we wanted to reach out and keep connecting with you. We miss seeing your students in person, so we hope you will continue to reach out on social media to share the adventures and experiences everyone is embracing in their adjusted home life.

The serious nature of our society’s shift continues to intensify and we want to be a resource for families and students who need help. If there are circumstances you feel are weighing down your family or children, please reach out to us confidentially at communications@lok12.org and we will try to find assistance wherever we can.

We are keeping in close touch with Orion community leaders as well and we have a strong belief that working together is an essential component in unusual times.

Today, we have a few topical updates to share:

STATE ORDER: STAY HOME

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a three-week “stay home” order for the state of Michigan for all citizens, with only essential personnel considered exceptions. The order details were announced earlier today. Because the order extends until April 13, the school closure will continue until at least that point.

HOME LEARNING

When LOCS returns to its home learning on April 6, following spring break, the LOCS educational program will evolve. Using remote learning capabilities, students will connect with teachers in a designed program with more specific materials than the current padlet. While the padlet will still be available and updated for supplementary resources, teachers will be reaching out with grade and class-specific lessons. More details will come prior to April 6.

STATE ASSESSMENTS

The annual M-STEP state assessment testing will likely be waived for this year. The state of Michigan applied for a waiver to be released from those assessment tests this year and it was granted by the federal government on Monday.

MINDFULNESS

Our LOCS mindfulness expert, Oakview Middle School teacher Stephanie Harris, is preparing short resources for our students to embrace and ease their anxiety in this time of need.

The short videos will be released once each week – one for our Grade K-6 students and one for our Grade 7-12 students – as an opportunity to help them cope.

Ms. Harris is also working on a presentation to support adults and we will share more information about that when it is finalized.

MEALS

The first week of meal pick-up went smoothly at the CERC building and Carpenter Elementary. The LOCS Food Service workers, Transportation staff, Safe-Ed employees and a few administrators were wonderful participants, providing meals for the community’s children.

LOCS will continue the program on Wednesday, March 25, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at the same sites -- the CERC building (455 E. Scripps Road) and Carpenter Elementary (2290 Flintridge) – with meals for all children 18 and younger.

BUILDINGS CLEANED

After closing the LOCS buildings for six full days to allow any strains of the virus to die off a hard surface, the schools are scheduled to be disinfected this week by the cleaning crews. That is an extensive process that will take much of the week and prepare the building for when our students and staff members return.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION POSTPONED

The Kindergarten Registration Day previously scheduled for this week is postponed indefinitely. Please share that information with family, friends and neighbors who were planning to attend, as they are not in our School Messenger system. LOCS will widely announce a rescheduled date when it is available.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent

Lake Orion Community Schools

Dear LOCS Families –

Hopefully your families are staying safe as the COVID-19 school closure continues.

Lake Orion Community Schools will continue to reach out with information on a regular basis, as developments emerge.

Today, we wanted to share just a few items.

 

MEALS

The first day of meal pick-up (Wednesday, March 18) went smoothly at the CERC building and Carpenter Elementary. The LOCS Food Service workers, Transportation staff and Safe-Ed employees did a great job providing meals for the community and handling a process that was brand new to everyone.

LOCS will continue the program on Friday, March 20, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at the same sites -- the CERC building (455 E. Scripps Road) and Carpenter Elementary (2290 Flintridge) – with meals for all children 18 and younger. Because it is a Friday, there will be meals provided to last through the weekend, until Monday’s distribution.

 

COMMUNITY INTERACTION

As stated in national briefings, the recommendation is to keep gatherings to under 10 people to help flatten the curve and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Nationally and regionally, that has involved various group events being canceled.

Locally, we want to remind families that should extend to avoiding playdates and sleepovers.

We understand it is challenging to have children at home with only their family members for extended periods of time, but we are all following these recommendations for the greater community result and hopefully a quicker resumption of our usual lives.

 

HOME LEARNING RESOURCES

LOCS takes seriously the mission of educating every student every day while in the classroom. We also take special care regarding our students emotionally. 

The LOCS academic plan is built on the foundation that we cannot replicate the classroom experience and we are trying to minimize student and family stress. 

All resources are optional and designed to offer students the chance to enjoy learning, at their own pace and discretion.

LOCS also recognizes that our teachers need to take care of their own families during this time.

The information we receive regarding the situation changes frequently and our administration is processing and adapting to it as it shifts. Our Teaching and Learning staff members meet in a virtual setting every day to discuss the programs.

The padlet is our academic plan through April 5. We are facing two weeks of lost instruction time. The third week (March 30-April 3) is our scheduled spring break. If the district is required to remain closed after April 5, further details will be provided.

Teachers will not assign new classwork through April 5.

All Home Learning Resources on the padlet are linked on the front page of each school’s website.

There are many areas children can grow during this time that are just as valuable as core content. Students may learn to cook, work around the house, write a letter, practice filling out a job application, interviewing skills, create a resume, enjoy the outdoors, among other opportunities.

For those looking for more specific information about the LOCS curriculum for your student’s grade level, check out the curriculum pages: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/teaching-and-learning/curriculum

Please be sure that you are staying in tune with your child’s emotional state. This is a very unsettling time and your child’s mental well-being should come first over academic learning.  

If a family has more questions about the Home Learning Resources, there is an LOCS Frequently Asked Questions page addressing many of those.

 

PHYSICAL HEALTH

The health and safety of LOCS students remains a high priority and, even away from the LOCS buildings, remaining vigilant about health is essential.

As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, mitigation of the virus is the reason for closing schools and that should remain foremost in everyone’s thoughts during the period away from school as well.

Please monitor students and all others in their families for any signs of compromised health.

Oakland County has set up an Emergency Hotline for COVID-19 (248-858-1000).

It is important for families to be aware of the signs of the virus and to report to a health official if symptoms indicate concern of the situation.

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath 

The precautions and recommendations from state health officials remain in place.

• The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to: 
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.   
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.   
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

With such a significant disruption, students may be confused or struggling to process the extreme events of the recent days and weeks.

There are many resources available from reputable organizations to address anxiety and explain the virus, as well as the process unfolding. We have posted a number of these on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page.

 

Our LOCS students and families remain in our thoughts, even as they are away from the buildings during this required closure.

LOCS will continue to share information as it evolves and is pertinent to our students and staff.

Resources continue to be updated on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page, day by day.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

Dear LOCS Families-

This is an unprecedented time in our country battling the COVID-19 coronavirus and, like all of you, we are trying to make the best decisions for everyone, particularly the Lake Orion Community Schools students.

As we all adjust our current reality, we will try to keep you informed as we acquire more information.

Thank you for those who entered the buildings briefly Monday to retrieve necessary student personal items. It was an efficient process and reminded of our community’s understanding of the circumstances.

This update shares information about the Home Learning Resources, the food distribution plan, wireless connectivity, building access and the LOCS communication channels.

 

HOME LEARNING RESOURCES

LOCS takes seriously the mission of educating every student every day while in the classroom.  We also take special care regarding our students emotionally.  The following plan is built on the foundation that we cannot replicate the classroom experience and we are trying to minimize student and family stress. All resources are optional and designed to offer students the chance to enjoy learning, at their own pace and discretion. 

LOCS also recognizes that our teachers need to take care of their own families during this time.  In addition, the information we receive regarding the situation changes frequently.  We are doing the best we can with the information. 

• Please be sure that you are staying in tune with your child’s emotional state. This is a very unsettling time and your child’s mental well-being should come first over academic learning.  
• The padlet is our academic plan through April 5. We are dealing with two weeks of lost instruction time. The third week is our scheduled spring break. If the district is required to remain closed after April 5, further details will be provided.
• Teachers will not assign new classwork through April 5.
• There are many things that children can learn during this time that are just as valuable as core content.  This is an opportunity where students may learn to cook, work around the house, write a letter, practice filling out a job application, interviewing skills, create a resume, enjoy the outdoors, among other opportunities.
• All learning resources are linked on the front page of each school’s website.
• LOCS continues to monitor end of the marking period dates. Lake Orion High School exams will be postponed. No new dates have been set.
• State standardized testing (M-STEP, PSAT/SAT) remains suspended, while grad requirements, make up of instructional time and AP testing will be communicated at some point in the future.
• For those looking for more specific information about the LOCS curriculum for your student’s grade level, check out the curriculum pages: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/teaching-and-learning/curriculum.

 

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

LOCS established a food distribution plan for all children 18 years old and younger, regardless of their school or the community where they live. Meals will be available Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at the CERC Building (455 E. Scripps Road) and Carpenter Elementary (2290 Flintridge.) 

The distribution will begin this Wednesday, March 18.

Packaged breakfast and lunch will be available for enough days until the next pick-up appointment. Parents may pick up meals for their children, without the children present.

A flyer detailing the pickup details is available at LakeOrionSchools.org/FoodService.

 

WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY

With many residents remaining home as they practice social distancing, Internet access remains a priority.

Comcast shared information on Monday, with a few offers.

From the press release: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots, and then launch a browser.

New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month.

 

BUILDING ACCESS/CLEANING

With COVID-19 spreading, cleaning the facilities is critical.

To accomplish that in the most effective manner, the buildings will be closed from Tuesday, March 17-Sunday, March 22, to all personnel, public and LOCS staff members. 

The Centers for Disease Control shared that the virus can live up to three days on a hard surface. As a precaution, the district will close all buildings for twice that long, six full days, to ensure any potential remnants of the virus are eliminated.

Beginning the week of March 23 and continuing the week of March 30, the cleaning crews will disinfect the buildings, technology and school buses with only limited access to certain LOCS staff members.

 

PHYSICAL HEALTH

The health and safety of LOCS students remains a high priority and, even away from the LOCS buildings, remaining vigilant about health is essential.

As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, mitigation of the virus is the reason for closing schools and that should remain foremost in everyone’s thoughts during the period away from school as well.

Please monitor students and all others in their families for any signs of compromised health.

Oakland County has set up an Emergency Hotline for COVID-19 (248-858-1000).

It is important for families to be aware of the signs of the virus and to report to a health official if symptoms indicate concern of the situation.

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath 

The precautions and recommendations from state health officials remain in place.

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to: 

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.   
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.   
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

With such a significant disruption, students may be confused or struggling to process the extreme events of the recent days and weeks.

There are many resources available from reputable organizations to address anxiety and explain the virus, as well as the process unfolding. We have posted a number of these on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page.

Our LOCS students and families remain in our thoughts, even as they are away from the buildings during this required closure.

LOCS will continue to share information as it evolves and is pertinent to our students and staff.

Resources continue to be updated on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page, day by day and often hour by hour. 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Please rely on official sources of communication to obtain information about the district’s intentions and plans.

The LakeOrionSchools.org website and social media channels will be monitored and updated as usual during the school closure. If there is a pressing matter, please contact the district at communications@lok12.org.

 

Thank you for your patience during this uncertainty. Even as your students are away from our classrooms, we know they are growing in the world and learning in many unseen ways. We look forward to having them back in our schools and all of us together as soon as it is safe.

I wish the best for you and your families in this period of time.

 

Sincerely,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

Dear LOCS Families-

Thank you for your patience.

In these unique times amid the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Lake Orion Community Schools administrative team is working day and night to live up to our promise to provide the best education and support for our students.

With the closure of all LOCS schools through at least April 5, that promise extends beyond the traditional learning environment and today our administrators worked to address many of the questions from our community.

This communication will address many of those topics and, as with all communications, will be posted at LakeOrionSchools.org.

With rapidly-changing events and declarations, please remember to rely only on LOCS official district channels for pertinent school-related information.

School Messenger’s email/text/phone is the official direct communication tool, as well as the website LakeOrionSchools.org and the district social media sites.

 

ACCESS

The LOCS school facilities will be open on Monday, March 16 from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for students to retrieve any necessary personal items, including individual medication, needed for the duration of the closure.

• Following Monday’s opportunity, the facilities will be closed to the public for an indefinite period of time, so students and staff are asked to remove everything necessary.
• On Monday, staff members will be in their classrooms, secretaries will be in the office and administrators will be available in the buildings from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. as a resource for students and parents.
• LOCS buildings will close at 2 p.m.

 

CLEANING

With COVID-19 spreading, cleaning the facilities is critical.

• To accomplish that in the most effective manner, the buildings will be closed from Tuesday, March 17-Sunday, March 22, to all personnel, public and LOCS staff members. The Centers for Disease Control shared that the virus can live up to three days on a hard surface. As a precaution, the district will close all buildings for twice that long, six full days, to ensure any potential remnants of the virus are eliminated.
• Beginning the week of March 23 and continuing the week of March 30, the cleaning crews will disinfect the buildings, technology and school buses with only limited access to certain LOCS staff members.

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

LOCS takes seriously the mission of educating every student every day while in the classroom.

• During this unprecedented period, LOCS will offer home learning resources and activities, but there will be no mandatory academic work. We cannot replicate the classroom experience. We are trying to minimize student and family stress. All resources are optional and designed to offer students the chance to enjoy learning, at their own pace and discretion.
• The Home Learning Resources are available in a document attached to this email and also will be linked from LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus.
• The two pages feature a padlet of external academic resources (password: Dragons) and enjoyable learning opportunities for students.
• All of these resources are not part of the graded curriculum and are only offered as an option for students while away from school.
• Virtual learning students will continue as scheduled and connect with their mentor about the next steps.

 

TECHNOLOGY

LOCS will not be providing devices or home Internet access to students during this period.

For those seeking discounted Internet access, there is a potential resource at https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19 and families can contact their mobile phone provider for other options.

 

FOOD

LOCS will not be offering food service to any student during the week of March 16-20.

• Decisions about food service for the following weeks will be made at a later date and time and be communicated, if available.
• Blessings in a Backpack recipients will be able to accept their food on Monday, March 16, at their school during the 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. visiting opportunity.
• Community resources for local food banks are located on the LOCS website at LakeOrionSchools.org/FoodService.

 

EVENTS/SCHEDULE

All events in and out of the district associated in any way with LOCS students, staff and facilities will not occur.

• In most cases, those are cancellations. Should there be a rescheduled event, such as the Kindergarten Registration Day, that information will be communicated as soon as a new date is secured.
• The lone exception to the schedule is the LOCS Bond construction work, which is contracted to continue outdoors on the existing sites.
• Potential refunds for any events, if appropriate, will be addressed at a later time.

The extended calendar and potential resumption of school remains undetermined. Those decisions involve multiple entities, including federal and state governments and health organizations, in addition to LOCS.

As soon as it is appropriate to share a resumption date, LOCS will communicate to the community.

 

PHYSICAL HEALTH

The health and safety of LOCS students remains a high priority and, even away from the LOCS buildings, remaining vigilant about health is essential.

As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, mitigation of the virus is the reason for closing schools and that should remain foremost in everyone’s thoughts during the period away from school as well.

Please monitor students and all others in their families for any signs of compromised health.

Oakland County has set up an Emergency Hotline for COVID-19 (248-858-1000).

It is important for families to be aware of the signs of the virus and to report to a health official if symptoms indicate concern of the situation.

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath 

The precautions and recommendations from state health officials remain in place.

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to: 

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.   
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.   
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

With such a significant disruption, students may be confused or struggling to process the extreme events of the recent days and weeks.

There are many resources available from reputable organizations to address anxiety and explain the virus, as well as the process unfolding. We have posted a number of these on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page.

Our LOCS students and families remain in our thoughts, even as they are away from the buildings during this hiatus.

LOCS will continue to share information as it evolves and is pertinent to our students and staff.

Resources continue to be updated on the LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus page, day by day and often hour by hour.

 

Thank you for your support and understanding,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

Dear LOCS Families-

Late Tuesday night, the first presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 in the state of Michigan were announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

She shared that they remain presumptive cases, still to be confirmed by the national Centers for Disease Control, but the state is operating as if they are positive based on testing at the state lab in Lansing.

Though it was mentioned that one case is in Oakland County and one is in Wayne County, no more specific details or locations were provided.

At this time, Lake Orion Community Schools will remain in session.

Until we get further guidance from Gov. Whitmer and the Oakland County Health Division, the following measures are being enacted by LOCS.

For the immediate future, the following are being suspended:

• Building rentals
• All field trips, activities and events outside the district
• All middle school athletic competitions, including the Oakland County middle school wrestling tournament on Saturday
• All LOCS Enrichment Services/Community Education classes, including Saturday’s mom-to-mom sale at CERC
• All parent-teacher conferences
• All large-group activities

The district will defer to the MHSAA regarding those high school athletic competitions and, currently, those are proceeding. Athletic practices will continue for the time being.

The following events remain on as scheduled:

• SACC (School Age Child Care)
• GAP/Elementary enrichment programs
• Mini-Daze camps at CERC March 13 and March 19

LOCS will continue to reassess as events warrant.

Unless there is information that the LOCS community is directly affected, our staff and students will continue to take great care of their hygiene, while the district custodial staff will remain vigilant in the cleaning processes.

The same requests remain, as previously shared: sick students should remain home and be examined by a medical professional if any of the virus warning signs are apparent. When healthy students and staff are in school, they should continue to follow proper hygiene and wash hands with increased frequency.

The web page for information and trusted sources remains active at LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus. Governor Whitmer’s press release from Tuesday night is currently posted on the page.

LOCS remains focused on best practices to keep students safe and provide the best education every day.

Updates will be shared as appropriate.

Thank you,

Marion Ginopolis

Superintendent, Lake Orion Community Schools

March 5, 2020

Update on the coronavirus in Michigan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer created a task force “to combat the spread of coronavirus and assess the impact it may have on Michiganders’ day-to-day lives. The task force includes K-12 and university/college education, which will be a significant consideration as the state assesses the response and oversight.

“While there have been no confirmed cases in Michigan yet, we must recognize that this virus has the potential to impact nearly every aspect of our lives,” Governor Whitmer said in a released statement. “From our public schools, colleges, and universities to our businesses and hospitals, we must harness all of the resources we have to ensure we can prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep Michiganders safe. This is a strong, smart team that will make protecting our public health their number one priority and work closely with me to protect the people of our state.”

Within the district, the school and classroom cleanings continue.

Students and staff are encouraged to continue hand-washing whenever possible. The LOCS elementary schools have sinks and those are being used for students to wash their hands. Though hand sanitizer in every classroom is not immediately achievable due to the shortages, the district is making every effort to procure as many as possible as soon as they become available. The current dispensers are being converted to the alcohol-base when available. Spray bottles in the classroom are also being filled with disinfectant.

LOCS continues to make every effort to monitor the virus and, currently, that involves everyone in the schools and buildings practicing proper hygiene.

The district will continue to post updates on this page, including resources for parents to share with their children to help explain the situation.

Dear LOCS Families-

We are reaching out today to share Lake Orion Community Schools’ focus on the coronavirus (COVID-19) and district’s oversight as the virus spreads wider throughout the world and the United States.

LOCS’ goal is to keep our students as safe as possible and, at the current point, much of that centers around education and a proactive approach about the virus.

LOCS has created a webpage (LakeOrionSchools.org/coronavirus) to contain relevant and appropriately sourced information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Oakland County Health Division are the reputable organizations regarding the virus and updates. Those sites are linked off the LOCS coronavirus page and are continuously updated with the latest news for the general public.

At the district level, we have increased our focus on educating students and staff about the best ways to remain healthy.

• The CDC passed along information for K-12 school districts, including: “staying home when sick; appropriately covering coughs and sneezes; cleaning frequently touched surfaces; and washing hands often.”
• Handwashing is a particular emphasis, specifically “washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.”

The LOCS custodial staff has taken increased measures with the building cleanings during this period of heightened sensitivity. Large bottles of hand sanitizer will be placed in every classroom, while every student desk, table and community shared area will be regularly wiped down, as well as door knobs and frequently touched areas. All of these actions are to reinforce the importance of cleanliness and hygiene.

As the coronavirus progresses, the district will continue to monitor changes and update the web page accordingly.

Sincerely,

LOCS Administration

LOCS Families-

As the coronavirus spreads to multiple countries, Lake Orion Community Schools is watching the progress closely with our students’ safety in mind.

Oakland Schools, the county’s Intermediate School District, shared a fact sheet from the Oakland County Health Division about the virus and how citizens can protect themselves. Information is also available on the county's website.

LOCS plans to follow the guidelines shared by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Department of Health and Oakland County through the process.

LOCS will update families as appropriate moving forward.

For more specific questions, please contact the Oakland County Health Division at 248-858-1280 or health@oakgov.com.

 

LOCS takes seriously the mission of educating every student every day while in the classroom.

• The Home Learning Resources are currently available.
• The two pages feature a padlet of external academic resources (password: Dragons) and enjoyable learning opportunities for students.
• All of these resources are not part of the graded curriculum and are only offered as an option for students while away from school.
• Virtual learning students will continue as scheduled and connect with their mentor about the next steps.

During this unprecedented period, LOCS will offer home learning resources and activities, but there will be no mandatory academic work. We cannot replicate the classroom experience. We are trying to minimize student and family stress. All resources are optional and designed to offer students the chance to enjoy learning, at their own pace and discretion.

Governor Whitmer Releases MI Safe Schools Roadmap, Directs School Districts to Develop Return to School Plans 

Roadmap includes guidance on PPE, hygiene and cleaning protocols, athletics, and more 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap, a comprehensive document to help districts create local plans for in-person learning in the fall. The Roadmap outlines a number of safety protocols for schools to implement in each phase of the governor’s MI Safe Start Plan. The governor also signed Executive Order 2020-142, which provides a structure to support all schools in Michigan as they plan for a return of PreK-12 education in the fall. 

“Our students, parents, and educators have made incredible sacrifices during our battle with COVID-19,” said Governor Whitmer. “Thanks to our aggressive action against this virus, the teachers who have found creative ways to reach their students, and the heroes on the front lines, I am optimistic that we will return to in-person learning in the fall. The MI SafeSchools Return to School Roadmap will help provide schools with the  guidance they need as they enact strict safety measures to continue protecting educators, students, and their families. I will continue working closely with the Return to Learn Advisory Council and experts in epidemiology and public health to ensure we get this right, but we also need more flexibility and financial support from the federal government. This crisis has had serious implications on our budget, and we need federal support if we’re going to get this right for our kids.”  

“The most important thing we can do as we prepare to reopen school buildings in the fall is closely examine the data and remain vigilant in our steps to fight this virus,” said MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “I will continue to work closely with Governor Whitmer and the Return to Learn Advisory Council to ensure we continue to put the health and safety of our students and educators first. We will remain nimble to protect students, educators, and their families.” 

Executive Order 2020-142 requires school districts to adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan laying out how they will protect students and educators across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. The MI Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap offers guidelines as to the types of safety protocols that will be required or recommended at each phase. In recognition that these protocols will cost money, the Governor also announced that she was allocating $256 million to support the districts in implementing their local plans as part of the bipartisan budget agreement the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House, and the governor announced yesterday.  

The safety protocols detailed in the MI Safe Schools Roadmap includes guidance on  the use of PPE, good hygiene, cleaning/disinfecting, spacing in classrooms, screening for symptoms, athletics, and more. The Roadmap also recognizes the impact COVID-19 has had on students’ and educators’ metal health, and offers guidance on how schools can address this issue. 

Governor Whitmer will continue to use the MI Safe Start Plan as the highest-level governing framework for determining if and when it is safe to resume in-person instruction.  

“All of us on the Return to Learn Advisory Council share a commitment to marrying science and evidence, and practicality and local needs to ensure the health and safety of our students and educators,” said Tonya Allen, President and CEO of The Skillman Foundation and Chair of the Return to Learn Advisory Council. “We are proud to have a leader in the governor’s office who is committed to working with parents, teachers, and students to make sure we get this right. We will remain vigilant and flexible, helping ensure safety protocols are in place in every Michigan school.” 

“The governor’s MI Safe Schools Roadmap is a thoughtful, comprehensive plan that puts the health and safety of our students and educators first, balancing this priority with the importance of in-school education,” said David Hecker, President of AFT Michigan. “Our teachers and support staff are eager and ready to implement safety measures in our schools to ensure everyone who steps foot in them is protected from the spread of COVID-19. I applaud the governor’s leadership and unwavering commitment to our students during this time, and look forward to working closely with her as we continue to protect Michiganders from this virus.” 

On June 3, the governor announced a group of 25 leaders in health care and education to serve on the COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council. The council is chaired by Tonya Allen, and includes public health experts, a pediatrician, educators, school administrators, school board members, community leaders, parents, and students. The Council will continue to work closely with the governor as she continues to put the health and safety of our students and educators first. On June 17, 2020, Governor Whitmer announced that Michigan schools may resume in-person learning in phase 4 of the MI Safe Start plan, with strict safety measures in place. 

The Advisory Council was created to identify the critical issues that must be addressed, provide valuable input to inform the process of returning to school, and ensure a smooth and safe transition back to school. The Council will act in an advisory capacity to the Governor and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education, and will continue to develop recommendations regarding the safe, equitable, and efficient K-12 return to school in the Fall.  

To view the governor’s MI Safe Schools Roadmap, click here. To view Executive Order 2020-142, click here.

Governor Whitmer Announces Next Steps for School Reopening in the Fall 

The governor will release a “Return to School Roadmap” with guidance for educators on June 30th  

 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan schools may resume in-person learning in phase 4 of the MI Safe Start plan, with strict safety measures in place. The governor also announced that on June 30th, she will release an executive order and a robust document called “Michigan’s Return to School Roadmap” that will provide details on what will be required and what will be recommended for schools. The governor also highlighted the need for support and flexibility from the federal government to help ensure resources for students and educators. 

“Our students and educators have made incredible sacrifices these past few months to protect themselves and their families from the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Whitmer. “Thanks to our aggressive action against this virus, those who have done their part to flatten the curve, and the heroes on the front lines, I am optimistic that we will return to in-person learning in the fall. Schools must make sure to enact strict safety measures to continue protecting educators, students, and their families. I will continue working closely with the Return to Learn Advisory Council and leaders in health care to ensure we get this right, but we also need more flexibility and support from the federal government. This crisis has had serious implications on our budget, and we need federal support if we’re going to get this right for our kids.” 

“The most important thing we can do when developing a return to school plan is closely examine the data and remain vigilant in our steps to fight this virus,” said MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “I will continue to work closely with Governor Whitmer and the Return to Learn Advisory Council to ensure we continue to put the health and safety of our students and educators first. This is a big step, and we will remain flexible to protect everyone who steps foot in a Michigan school.” 

The Return to School plan will align closely with the MI Safe Start Plan. The governor will consider the six phases of the MI Safe Start Plan and the Michigan Economic Recover Council’s 8 regions of the state to determine when, where, and how face-to-face instruction can resume. Districts, students, staff, and families must be nimble and be prepared to move backwards if there is evidence of community spread of the virus. 

The Roadmap will set the minimum health and safety requirements, although districts may choose to enact more aggressive ones in consultation with local public health officials. These minimum requirements will apply to all schools, including traditional public, charter, private, and parochial schools. 

“Our number one goal on this advisory council is the health and safety of our students and educators,” said Tonya Allen, President and CEO of the Skillman Foundation and Chair of the Return to Learn Advisory Council. “We will remain vigilant and flexible and closely examine the data as we continue to make recommendations to the governor. This is a crisis unlike any we’ve seen before, and we are committed working closely together to ensure we get this right.” 

On May 15, 2020, Governor Whitmer signed Executive Order No. 2020-88 creating the COVID-19 Return to School Advisory Council. The Advisory Council was created to identify the critical issues that must be addressed, provide valuable input to inform the process of returning to school, and to ensure a smooth and safe transition back to school. The Council will act in an advisory capacity to the Governor and the COVID-19 Task Force on Education, and will develop and submit recommendations to the COVID-19 Task Force on Education regarding the safe, equitable, and efficient K-12 return to school in the Fall. 

On June 3, the governor announced a group of 25 leaders in health care and education to serve on the COVID-19 return to learn advisory council. The council is chaired by Tonya Allen, and includes community members, educators, parents, and students who will work closely with the governor as she continues to put the health and safety of our students and educators first. 

Governor Whitmer Announces Process to Chart Path for the Safe and Equitable Reopening of Schools

Whitmer signs Executive Order to create a Return to Learn Advisory Council 

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced the creation of the Return to Learning Advisory Council via Executive Order 2020-88, formalizing a process for determining how schools may be able to reopen in the fall. The panel – which will be comprised of students, parents, frontline educators, administrators and public health officials – will be tasked with providing the COVID-19 Task Force on Education within the State Emergency Operations Center with recommendations on how to safely, equitably, and efficiently return to school in the Fall. The State of Michigan will also partner with a national nonprofit organization called Opportunity Labs to bring national expertise to this project.

“It’s critical we bring together experts in health care and education, as well as students, educators, and families to think about how and if it’s possible to safely return to in-person learning in the fall and how to ensure the more than 1.5 million K-12 students across Michigan get the education they need and deserve,” Governor Whitmer said. “This panel will use a data-informed and science-based approach with input from epidemiologists to determine if, when, and how students can return to school this fall and what that will look like.”

On March 3, Governor Whitmer established the COVID-19 Task Force on Education which includes key state government agencies, including representatives from MDHHS, MDE, and others. Since then, she has worked around the clock with experts in health care and education to protect our students, educators, and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor closed school buildings to students on March 16, and on April 30, she announced that buildings would remain closed for the duration of the school year. The original Task Force is tasked with recommending a roadmap and framework for school to utilize to plan for various public health scenarios.

Going forward, the Task Force will be informed by the Return to School Advisory Council, including voices from educators, health experts, and other community stakeholders. The Advisory Council will gather critical stakeholder feedback on the content of the Roadmap.

The Advisory Council will provide the COVID-19 Task Force on education with recommendations on how to safely, equitably and efficiently return to school in the fall and assemble critical voices from education, public health and communities across the state to identify the key issues schools must consider before opening, including:

• Performing outreach to ensure the voices of stakeholders are included in the discussion of implementing the 2020-2021 school year in these challenging and uncharted circumstances.
• Ensuring experts in public health and epidemiology are informing the discussion of safety returning to school.
• Recommending actions to remove statutory/administrative barriers to delivering education before we are at Phase 6 of the MI Safe Start Plan.
• Recommending actions to develop and improve systems for remedial support for students who experienced learning loss during the spring and summer.

Dr. Mario Ramirez, Managing Director of Opportunity Labs, a practicing emergency physician and former Acting Director of Pandemic and Emerging Threats the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Ebola epidemic said, "we look forward to supporting the Advisory Council in its work to ensure the safest possible return to school in the fall." 

Support for this project is generously being provided but the Council of Michigan Foundations, the C.S. Mott Foundation, and other philanthropic organizations.

“I want to thank all of the parents who have been burning the candle at both ends these last few months trying to help their kids stay on track with their schoolwork while juggling their other responsibilities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I know it hasn’t been easy,” Governor Whitmer said. “My hope is that by organizing a formal process informed by public health experts, we can give school districts much-needed direction heading into the 2020-2021 school year.”

The panel will be made up of more than 20 members representing K-12 administrators and educators, health experts and community stakeholders

Anyone interested can apply for the Return to Learn Advisory Council by going to Michigan.gov/appointments and click ‘apply now’ under boards and commissions. You will be able to choose Return to School Advisory Council under the appointment information tab within the application. Applications are due by Wednesday, May 20.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

To view Executive Order 2020-88, click the link below:

• EO 2020-88.pdf

Governor Whitmer Extends Stay Home, Stay Safe Order, Reopens Manufacturing as Part of her MI Safe Start Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 7, 2020 

Governor Whitmer Extends Stay Home, Stay Safe Order, Reopens Manufacturing as Part of her MI Safe Start Plan 

Michigan’s Big 3 Auto Manufacturers Can Return to Work on May 11th 

 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-77 to extend Michigan’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order to May 28. The governor’s order will allow manufacturing workers, including those at Michigan’s Big 3 auto companies, to resume work on Monday, May 11 as part of her MI Safe Start Plan.  

 

“This is good news for our state, our businesses, and our working families,” said Governor Whitmer. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but this is an important step forward on our MI Safe Start plan to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly. As we continue to phase in sectors of our economy, I will keep working around the clock to ensure our businesses adopt best practices to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. When we all keep doing our part, we can reduce the risk of a second wave and re-engage our economy safely and responsibly.” 

 

Under Executive Order 2020-77, manufacturing facilities must adopt measures to protect their workers from the spread of COVID-19. That includes conducting a daily entry screening protocol for workers and everyone else entering the facility, including a questionnaire covering symptoms and exposure to people with possible COVID-19, together with a temperature screening as soon as no-touch thermometers can be obtained. They must also create dedicated entry points at every facility, and suspend entry of all non-essential in-person visits, including tours. 

 

“Governor Whitmer has brought together leaders in business and labor to ensure our workers can return to the job safely. The safety of our workers is our top priority and I am confident that Michigan manufacturers are prepared to deliver on the worker protections included in today's order,” said John Walsh, President and CEO of the Michigan Manufacturers Association. “We believe the manufacturing industry has a big role to play in Michigan's economic recovery and we're ready to lead the way. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the governor to bring the manufacturing industry back up to full strength.” 

 

Manufacturing facilities must also train workers on, among other things, how COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or suspected or confirmed diagnosis, and the use of personal protective equipment. 

 

All businesses in the state—including manufacturers—must require masks to be worn when workers cannot consistently maintain six feet of separation from others, and consider face shields for those who cannot consistently maintain three feet of separation from other workers. 

 

“MICHauto and the Detroit Regional Chamber applaud the Governor for her continued steps to safely re-open our economy. Automotive and manufacturing is not only the backbone of our regional and state economy, it is essential to the functioning of the global supply chain. This is good news for Michigan and the nation,” said Glenn Stevens Jr., executive director of MICHauto, and vice president of Automotive and Mobility Initiatives for the Chamber. 

 

“We have supported Governor Whitmer’s approach to keeping families, communities and companies safe since the beginning of this pandemic,” said Andi Owen, President and CEO of Herman Miller. “Our manufacturing teams are at the heart of our company. Working within the governor’s guidelines will help to ensure we maintain the safest environment for our employees, both as they come to work and return home to their families.” 

 

The governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order remains in effect until May 28, 2020. Under this order, Michiganders still must not leave their homes except to run critical errands, to engage in safe outdoor activities, or to go to specified jobs. 

 

To view executive order 2020-77, click the link below: 

• EO 2020-77.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

April 24, 2020 

Governor Whitmer Extends Stay Home, Stay Safe Order, Directs Michiganders to Wear Homemade Masks in Enclosed Public Spaces 

Governor’s Executive Order Lifts Restrictions on Activities like Lawn Care, Golfing, Boating 

  

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed executive order 2020-59, extending her “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through May 15. The new order will require people to wear homemade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also lift some restrictions on outdoor activities and allow some workers who perform previously suspended activities to go back to work. 

“Data shows that most Michiganders are doing their part by staying home and staying safe. That’s good, but we must keep it up. Social distancing is our best weapon to defeat this enemy,” said Governor Whitmer. “With new COVID-19 cases leveling off, however, we are lifting some of the restrictions put in place in the previous order. I want to be crystal clear: the overarching message today is still the same. We must all do our part by staying home and staying safe as much as possible.” 

“The numbers we’ve seen in the past week have shown a plateau in positive cases, but Michiganders must continue doing their part to fight this virus and protect their families,” said MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “The governor has taken a number of critical steps to protect Michigan families, and this order today will allow that work to continue. We will keep monitoring the data closely and work with our partners across state government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.” 

The order will require people to wear homemade, non-medical grade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also require employers to provide at least cloth face coverings to their employees. People won’t have to wear face coverings when they’re taking a walk in the neighborhood, but when they go to the grocery store, they should be wearing one. Under the order, however, no one will be subject to criminal penalty for going without a mask. 

The new executive order will also allow some workers who perform very previously suspended activities to go back on the job. Landscapers, lawn-service companies, and nurseries can return to work, subject to strict social distancing. Retailers to that do not sell necessary supplies may reopen for curbside pick-up and for delivery. Big box stores can reopen “closed areas,” like garden centers. And bike repair and maintenance can come back online. 

At the same time, the order will ease up on some restrictions on members of the public. It will, for example, allow motorized boating and golf (but no golf carts), consistent with sound social distancing. It will also permit individuals to travel between their residences, though such travel during the epidemic is strongly discouraged. And it will clarify that state parks remain open, as they have been throughout the emergency. 

The governor’s actions today are in close alignment with other Midwest states. On April 16, Governor Whitmer announced that she and Governors Mike DeWine (OH), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), JB Pritzker (IL), Eric Holcomb (IN), and Andy Beshear (KY) will work in close coordination to reopen the economy in the Midwest region. The governor is committed to continuing to work closely with other governors to protect families and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. 

To view Executive Order 2020-59, Click the link below: 

• EO 2020-59.pdf

Governor Whitmer Extends, Expands “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order to Save Lives

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Whitmer signed executive order 2020-42, extending her prior “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through the end of April. As with the prior order, Executive Order 2020-42 limits gatherings and travel and requires all workers who are not necessary to sustain or protect life to stay home. Executive Order 2020-42 also imposes more stringent limitations on stores to reduce foot traffic, slow the spread of the coronavirus, and save lives.

“Michigan has the third highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, and we’re still on the upswing. We must continue to do everything we can to slow the spread and protect our families,” said Governor Whitmer. “Data shows that most Michiganders are doing their part by staying home and staying safe. That’s good, but we must keep it up. When we do, we can save lives and shorten the amount of time we’re working through this crisis, which will be good for our families and good for our economy in the long-run. We can also protect critical infrastructure workers like doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, and child care workers. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that people stay home and stay safe.”

“It’s clear that staying home is the most effective way we can slow the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “This aggressive action will help us protect more people and ease the strain on our health care system.”

Executive Order 2020-42 prohibits all businesses and operations from requiring workers to leave their homes, unless those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations. Businesses and operations are to designate the workers who meet those criteria, and must adopt social distancing practices and other mitigation measures to protect workers and patrons in the performance of that in-person work.

Workers who are necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more. For a full list of these critical infrastructure workers, click the link to Executive Order 2020-42 at the bottom of this page. To enable these critical workers to get to their workplaces, automobile dealerships will now be allowed to open for remote sales, though showrooms must remain closed.

Under the new order, all public and private gatherings among persons outside a single household remain temporarily prohibited. Though Michiganders may leave the house to get groceries or needed supplies, the new order encourages people to limit the number of household members running errands to the maximum extent possible. As before, people may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders. The order clarifies, however, that travel for vacations or for any other purpose is prohibited.

A new section of the order imposes restrictions on stores in an effort to reduce crowds. Large stores must limit the number of people in the store at one time to no more than 4 customers for every 1,000 square feet of customer floor space; small stores must limit capacity to 25% of the total occupancy limits (including employees) under the fire codes. To regulate entry, stores must establish lines with markings for patrons to enable them to stand at least six feet apart from one another while waiting. Large stores must also close areas of the store that are dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, or paint.

“This doesn’t mean everything will go back to normal on May 1,” Gov. Whitmer continued. “But based on the data we have right now, this is the appropriate window for an extension. It will take time to safely and responsibly re-open the economy, which is why we will continue to provide critical unemployment support and assistance to our small businesses during this challenging time. We will get through this if we all continue to do our part.”

All individuals who leave their home or place of residence must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household.

To view Executive Order 2020-42, click the link below:

Executive Order 2020-42

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2, 2020

Governor Whitmer Signs Executive Order Suspending Face-to-Face Learning at K-12 Schools for Remainder of School Year 

Executive Order sets guidelines for remote learning, ensures teachers, school employees will be paid for remainder of school year

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer today signed Executive Order 2020-35, which orders all K-12 school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year — unless restrictions are lifted — and ensures continuing of learning by setting guidelines for remote learning. District facilities may be used by public school employees and contractors for the purposes of facilitating learning at a distance while also practicing social distancing.

“My number one priority right now is protecting Michigan families from the spread of COVID-19. For the sake of our students, their families, and the more than 100,000 teachers and staff in our state, I have made the difficult decision to close our school facilities for the remainder of the school year,” Governor Whitmer said. “As a parent, I understand the challenge closing schools creates for parents and guardians across the state, which is why we are setting guidelines for schools to continue remote learning and ensuring parents have resources to continue their children’s education from the safety of their homes. There is no video chat or homework packet that can replace the value of a highly trained, experienced teacher working with students in a classroom, but we must continue to provide equitable educational opportunities for students during this public health crisis.”

The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and the Michigan Council of Charter School Authorizers are currently developing a Continuity of Learning Plan template application for schools to utilize in order to create their localized plan. The application will be made available by April 3. District plans will need to detail how districts will provide opportunities for students to learn remotely and how schools will manage and monitor their progress. It will also provide information on how parents and guardians can learn more about the local plan. Each district must have its plan approved by their regional intermediate school district before being implemented. Public school academies must have their plans approved by their authorizer. Districts can also partner with one another to create joint plans.  

Every district’s plan will be different and will reflect what’s best and feasible for their community. A plan can include learning by any number of modes of instruction delivery, including a hybrid approach. However they are designed, districts must ensure their plans are appropriate, equitable and accessible for students and families.

If the plan relies on some online instruction, the district should ensure every student who needs it has access to an appropriate device with an ability to connect to the internet. Students and families will not be penalized if they are unable to participate in their alternate learning plan. 

Schools should continue to provide mental health care services for students, to the extent possible, and should be ready and willing to help efforts to establish disaster relief childcare centers. School districts will also continue to provide meals for families who need them during the COVID-19 crisis. If any schools have unused personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies or other materials, they are allowed and encouraged to donate them to organizations that could put them to use.

School districts will have the flexibility to adopt a balanced calendar for the 2019-2020 school year and/or to begin the 2020-2021 school year before Labor Day without having to seek additional approval. Teachers and school employees will be paid for the remainder of the school year. Student teachers will still be able to get a temporary certification and current teachers will still be able to get their certifications renewed, even if they can’t meet all the requirements due to COVID-19.

All Michigan high school seniors will be given the opportunity to graduate this year so that they may make a successful postsecondary transition. Additionally, all standardized tests previously scheduled for the remainder of the school year, including the M-STEP and the SAT, will be canceled. There will be a date in October for rising high school seniors to take the SAT and for other high school students to take the PSAT.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

To view executive order 2020-35, click the link below:

• EO 2020-35.pdf

Governor Whitmer Signs "Stay Home, Stay Safe" Executive Order 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

March 23, 2020 

Governor Whitmer Signs “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 

Governor directs all non-critical businesses to temporarily close, all Michiganders to stay home or six feet away from others during COVID-19 crisis 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.  

Effective at 12:01 am on March 24, 2020, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances. 

“In just 13 days, we’ve gone from 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities. The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives.” 

“Taking aggressive action to protect our communities is the most important thing we can do to mitigate further spread of COVID-19,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “If we do this now, we can make sure our hospitals and healthcare workers are prepared to take care of the sickest people. It is crucial that people do the right thing by staying home and staying safe.” 

Executive Order 2020-21 prohibits all businesses and operations from requiring workers to leave their homes, unless those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations. Businesses and operations are to designate the workers that meet those criteria, and must adopt social distancing practices and other mitigation measures to protect workers and patrons in the performance of that necessary in-person work. 

Workers that are necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more. For a full list of these critical infrastructure workers, click the link to Executive Order 2020-21 at the bottom of this page. 

Additionally, under Executive Order 2020-21, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household are temporarily prohibited. People may leave the house to perform for limited, necessary purposes, and may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders. 

Michigan is currently in the top five states in the nation in number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Several governors across the country have taken similar steps to protect their communities from the spread of COVID-19, including governors Mike DeWine (R-OH), Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), J.B. Pritzker (D-IL), Tom Wolf (D-PA), Gavin Newsom (D-CA), John Bel Edwards (D-LA), Phil Murphy (D-NJ), and Ned Lamont (D-CT). 

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:    

• Fever       
• Cough       
• Shortness of breath       

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is:  

• If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital.       

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.         
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.         
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.         
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.         
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.        

• Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.       

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.    

For those who have questions about the state’s actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8AM - 5PM daily.   

Michiganders can apply for unemployment benefits if they have left work or taken a leave of absence because of self-isolation or self-quarantine in response to elevated risk from COVID-19 due to being immunocompromised, displaying the symptoms of COVID-19, having contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the need to care for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or a family care responsibility as a result of a government directive. Those temporarily laid off from work should apply for unemployment benefits online at www.michigan.gov/UIA or 1-866-500-0017.  

Governor Whitmer is working to ensure that children who rely on the food provided by schools will have the resources they need. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has developed an online map for families to find meals. Families can access the map at: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition/. 

On March 19, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved the governor’s request for a statewide Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration, opening the opportunity to small businesses to access low-interest loans from the SBA. The application for disaster loan assistance is available at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. For businesses looking for more information on how to apply for an SBA EIDL loan or whether it is something they should consider, visit michiganbusiness.org/covid19. 

To view executive order 2020-21, click the link below:   

Executive Order 2020-21

This press release will be translated and made available in Arabic and Spanish at www.michigan.gov/whitmer.    

Governor Whitmer Announces Statewide Closure of All K-12 School Buildings 

School building closures will last Monday, March 16 through Sunday, April 5 

 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that in order to slow the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan, she is ordering the closure of all K-12 school buildings, public, private, and boarding, to students starting Monday, March 16 until Sunday, April 5. School buildings are scheduled to reopen on Monday, April 6. 

 

As of tonight, the number of presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Michigan is 12. 

 

“This is a necessary step to protect our kids, our families, and our overall public health,” said Governor Whitmer. “I am working with partners across state government to ensure educators, parents, and students have the support they need during this time, and to ensure our children who rely on school for meals have access to food. I know this will be a tough time, but we’re doing this to keep the most people we can safe. I urge everyone to make smart choices during this time and to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families.” 

 

“Closing our K-12 school buildings is the responsible choice that will minimize the risk of exposure for children, educators, and families and mitigate the spread of coronavirus,” said Michigan State Superintendent Michael Rice. “The Department of Education will continue to work closely with our partners in state government to help our students and educators in each school district get through this time. This is about protecting the most people in Michigan.” 

 

Governors across the country, including Mike DeWine (R-OH), Andy Beshear (D-KY), and Larry Hogan (R-MD), have taken similar steps to close schools and ensure the protection of children and families in their states. 

 

“Closing our school buildings is the smart thing and the right thing to do for the public’s health,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “These actions will help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan. I will continue to work with Governor Whitmer and our four COVID-19 task forces to ensure we protect our children, our families, and our communities.”  

 

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of: 

• Fever 
• Cough 
• Shortness of breath 

 

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to: 

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.   
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.   
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.   
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.   
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others. 

 

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. 

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Michigan announces first presumptive positive cases of COVID-19

Governor Whitmer declares a state of emergency to maximize efforts to slow the spread

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Oakland County Health Division and Wayne County Health Department announced today that two Michigan residents tested presumptive positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the first confirmed cases in the state. The governor has declared a state of emergency to maximize efforts and assist local governments and officials to slow the spread of the virus.

“We are taking every step we can to mitigate the spread of the virus and keep Michiganders safe,” said Governor Whitmer. “I have declared a state of emergency to harness all of our resources across state government to slow the spread of the virus and protect families. It’s crucial that all Michiganders continue to take preventative measures to lower their risk, and to share this information with their friends, family, and co-workers.”

One of the cases is an adult female from Oakland County with recent international travel and the other is an adult male from Wayne County with recent domestic travel. Clinical specimens were collected and sent to the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories where both tested presumptive positive for COVID-19. Specimens will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmatory testing.

“We are taking the identification of COVID-19 in our state very seriously,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “We continue to urge Michiganders to take precautions to prevent the spread of this virus in our state.”

"This patient in Wayne County is currently under isolation. Our Public Health Division is working to identify individuals who may have come into close contact with the patient so we can take appropriate steps and monitor them closely,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “We are continuing to collaborate with the state health department and recommend residents continue to practice prevention measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

“Oakland County and our Health Division will investigate the circumstances around this case so we understand if there are any potential close contacts," said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. "We must all as individuals and communities continue our prevention and preparedness strategies as we hope for a full recovery for this member of the community.”

Local health departments will be working diligently to identify anyone who has come in close contact with these cases and recommend they be assessed for symptoms and monitored appropriately.

There are steps residents can take to prevent spread of flu and the common cold that will also help prevent coronavirus disease, including:

• Washing your hands with soap and water.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoiding contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home if you are sick and contact your healthcare provider.

COVID-19 Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of Breath

The State of Michigan and MDHHS will announce additional recommendations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 tomorrow afternoon.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. Updates will be posted to Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

DATE: February 28, 2020

TO: Local and Intermediate School District Superintendents, Public School Academy Directors, Nonpublic School Administrators, Public Health Officers, Public Library Directors

FROM: Dr. Michael F. Rice, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Michigan Department of Education, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy for Health, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

SUBJECT: COVID-19 Updated Guidance

Currently, the State of Michigan has no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, but the state is closely monitoring the situation as knowledge evolves daily. Today, Governor Whitmer announced the activation of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) where state, local, and federal agencies will coordinate statewide readiness and communication related to COVID-19. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will continue actively preparing, monitoring, and coordinating response activities through the SEOC.

At this time, the health risk to the general public of Michigan from COVID-19 remains low, but schools and public libraries can take commonsense precautions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Person-to-person spread of COVID-19 appears to spread via respiratory transmission. Symptoms are similar to those of influenza (e.g., fever, cough, and shortness of breath). The current outbreak is occurring during a time of year when respiratory illnesses from influenza and other viruses are highly prevalent.

For schools, we all need to do what we can to keep students and staff engaged in the learning process while mitigating the spread of infections. We strongly recommend that schools and school districts partner with their local health departments to:

• Report influenza-like activity, absenteeism, and potential school dismissals.
• Educate students and the community about COVID-19.

Other recommendations for schools, public libraries, and public health agencies include:

• Educating students, parents, library patrons, and staff regarding preventative hygiene practices including:
  • Remain at home if you are sick and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
  • Cover cough with a tissue or sleeve. Provide adequate supplies within easy reach, including tissues and no-touch trash cans.
  • Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces.
• Separate sick students and staff from others until they can go home. When feasible, identify a “sick room” through which others do not regularly pass.
• Examine existing contracts for any employee issues or stipulations if school is dismissed or if staff are asked to stay home if they are ill.
• Review school curriculum and ensure plans are adaptable and flexible to ensure the required hours of instruction are completed.
• Investigate how your meal programs and after-school programs may be affected if you have to dismiss a school in your district or cancel large gatherings of individuals for sporting events, concerts, or celebrations.
• Schools should engage directly with their local health departments in preparing parental communications.
• Encourage influenza vaccines to help avoid other seasonal respiratory illness.
• Review additional documentation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC has developed guidance for child care programs, K-12 schools, and colleges/universities. Those documents are available at: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-for-schools.html

Decisions to exclude a student or staff member, or to close schools altogether, must be taken on a case-by-case basis, in coordination with local health departments. These decisions are local in nature and could vary from district to district or school to school.

MDHHS has developed a COVID-19 website located at michigan.gov/coronavirus. It is updated regularly with the most current available information. We encourage you to visit the website for tools to assist you with your preparations.

We will continue to share with you as more information becomes available. Thank you for all you do to keep Michigan schools and communities safe.