Wednesday, July 15, 2020

In the Ann Arbor Public Schools, our top priority remains the health and safety of our students and teachers, staff and leaders, families and community.  We have remained steadfast in this priority of health and safety through all the challenging situations we have faced together in the past, and now throughout this COVID pandemic. This commitment to health and safety comes even before our critical mission of teaching and learning; we will not waiver in holding this priority.

Throughout this spring and summer, members of our team have been working every day, consulting with public health experts for guidance, to plan and prepare in every way possible to have our children and staff with us, in-person in our schools, just as soon as it is advisable to do so. We have also been monitoring the increasing rates of COVID infection closely here at home in Washtenaw County and southeast Michigan, as well as the alarming, dramatically increasing rates in locations across the country.  It is clear now more than ever that we are all connected, and we have learned that this is undoubtedly the case with the devastating spread of COVID-19.

We appreciate all who have reached out over previous weeks to share concerns, ideas, and questions, and we share the worries among our teachers, students, staff and leaders, parents and community members in this current, rapidly-evolving public health crisis. We take these matters and the decisions ahead of us very, very seriously.

As we enter these six weeks in the lead up to school start, 2020, we will continue to work closely with our employee group leaders, students, parents and our Ann Arbor community. We will be in communication so that our students and teachers, parents and staff understand what to anticipate, and have an opportunity to share their feedback and thoughts.

While the times are chaotic and confusing, our critical mission, Every Child, Every Day, remains ever the same. We will make responsible and well-reasoned decisions, we will be guided by health and safety as the utmost priority. We will be anchored by the facts and remain committed to our critical mission of serving our children and students in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.