Good evening. This is Steve Laundra, superintendent from Sand Creek Community Schools.
As our country strives to defeat the COVID-19 virus, I need to update you on how Sand Creek will be dealing with the closing of Michigan Schools.
For starters, I encourage you to visit our school website for the most up to date information about our school district. The website includes a complete list of cancelled and postponed events. It also includes a fact based Q & A document recently put out by the Lenawee County Superintendents Association. Please take the time to access this important information.
The Sand Creek administration office will be open M-F from 8am-2pm. State COVID-19 recommendations suggest that students, parents and non-essential individuals stay away from their respective school buildings during the next three weeks.
Governor Whitmer’s announcement to close schools through April 5th translates to April 12th for Sand Creek Schools, as April 6-10 is Lenawee County’s Spring Break week. Unless the governor mandates that all school districts return to school on April 6th, our students will not return to school until Monday, April 13th. Neither the governor nor the Michigan Dept. of Education have informed school districts whether the next fifteen school days are going to be made up in June or not. It will likely be a while before this gets decided.
Many Sand Creek teachers took the time today to prepare enrichment assignments and activities for our students in an effort to promote learning during school down time. Although these learning activities were sent home or made assessable to our students, they are not mandatory. That said, we’re encouraging our parents to promote educational related activities in the home and to take advantage of the learning opportunities many of our teachers have provided. March is National Reading Month; what a great 30 day opportunity to read a good book. Unless they are rescheduled, state and national testing begins the scheduled week we return to school. Being brain idle for 30 days before taking important state and national tests is not recommended.
For now, all JH and HS school sports seasons have been suspended through April 5th. That means no practices and no contests until at least April 6th. No exceptions.
In regards to this year’s Senior Trip to California in two weeks, the trip has yet to be cancelled. That stated, today I told our senior trip students that it’s certainly trending towards being cancelled. Our travel agent is in the tedious process of trying contact all the trip vendors involved to see if some or all of these expenses can be reimbursed if we cancel. I anticipate holding another Senior Trip Parent Meeting late next week.
In regards to school food service, Sand Creek Schools will be providing breakfast and lunch for students ages 18 and under on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Food pick-up for this coming Monday is scheduled for 7-9 am in the HS cafeteria and from 4:30-6:30 pm in the elementary cafeteria. Food pick-up times for Wednesday and Friday will be determined and communicated to you next Tuesday. All breakfast and lunches are free for children under the age of 18. We encourage all of you to take advantage of this free food plan.
Thank you in advance for your patience during these trying times. If we all work together, we will defeat the coronavirus and return to our normal lives. Take care, and GO AGGIES!