The 2021-2022 COVID-19 Response Plan is linked at the bottom of this letter. Please read the letter to better understand the decisions that were made for a healthy and safe school year. _____________________________________
Hello Star families and community,
As we head into our 2021-22 school year, I want to first give my prayers to all of our families who had their homes damaged by the recent flooding and those affected by power outages. I am so sorry for the personal and financial hardships the flooding caused and pray you are on your way back to getting your home back and lives back to normal.
In the coming weeks you will be receiving much communication relaying important school related information. Today we wanted to communicate to our Star families our 2021-22 COVID-19 Response Plan that addresses COVID-19 protocols for returning to school.
Even as you read this letter COVID-19 cases are rising in our state and community, many businesses are going back to mandating mask wearing, and other states are returning to school & finding themselves in the position of returning to remote learning within days.
As educators we always focus on an Essential Question or Learning Focus for our students. With this in mind, our Essential Question is What do we need to do to have our students in-school learning all year in a healthy school environment? First and foremost, our mission is to provide for the safety and good health of the school children & school staff, their immediate families, and their extended families. We strive, with the cooperation and determination of the students, parents, and teachers, to have the children in school for in-person learning the whole school year.
The Covid-19 pandemic is not over, and the virus is serious and non-discriminating to adults and children alike. As the pandemic is fluid, with situations and conditions changing almost daily, any plan can and will be adapted as the health crisis evolves. Many considerations have been factored into the development of the plan.
A “layered approach” for health and safety should continue with good hygiene, proper social distancing, health monitoring, and mask wearing.
The “delta variant” is more contagious than the original.
More children are being hospitalized because of Covid, increasingly each passing month.
The present vaccines have been effective in limiting the spread of the virus
56% of Wayne County is vaccinated with one dose, 51% fully vaccinated.
51% of Macomb County is vaccinated with one dose, 48% fully vaccinated.
Grosse Pointe Woods is greater than 80% vaccinated of those eligible.
Grosse Pointe Shores is greater than 65% vaccinated of those eligible.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that children and faculty be masked in school, regardless of vaccination status.
Wearing of masks has greatly reduced the spread of the flu and colds the past year and is effective is reducing the spread of the virus along with distancing when allowed.
While we recognize the great benefits of wearing masks full time at school, we also recognize the great measures our families and community have taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 through vaccinations. There is no doubt the issue of mask wearing has many viewpoints and beliefs. There is also no doubt the medical community has proven the wearing of masks have been a key factor in fighting the spread of COVID-19. In an effort to respect the varying viewpoints and beliefs of our Star families our COVID Leadership Team has created a 2021-22 School Operating Plan that is multi-leveled, with each level designed to adjust to the changing COVID-19 environment.
The 2021-22 COVID-19 Response Plan has 4 Levels. These levels are outlined in the document linked below.
By designing and utilizing these 4 levels, we can effectively adjust our school operations to the COVID environment and any local, state, and federal health department recommendations and requirements.
Our current plan is to start school under our Level 1 protocols. We will be monitoring all COVID-19 related data in our community and the state, moving levels if necessary.
With the varying views of COVID-19 protocols in our Star community, particularly mask wearing, we all share in the common goal of creating a learning environment for our students that is healthy so they can be in school full time. We pray that all Star parents, students and families can respect each other and the need to be flexible and willing to compromise when necessary to meet our goal.
These two weeks before school is the time for everyone to be mindful of our activities so we can ensure a healthy and safe return to school. It is up to all of us to work together to create a safe school environment.
May God bless us and may Our Lady of Lourdes help us.
Monsignor Gary Smetanka, Pastor Mrs. Meghan Carter-Waid, Principal