Farmington School’s Board to increase in-person learning

Print More

In its first in-person meeting at North Farmington High school on March 9, the Farmington School Board decided to update its current mitigation practices to relax the six feet of social distancing in classrooms to be more in line with updated guidance from the state and the CDC.

The Board also green lighted Superintendent Bobbie Goodrum to make safety mitigations and logistical decisions for the district to allow an increase in-person learning.

The relaxed social distancing will allow students to be two to three feet apart when feasible.

Current Mitigations

When the board has asked the district to increase in-person learning, the district responded that it simply isn’t possible unless the board considers a change to the safety mitigation strategies in place. 

Terri Weems, president of Farmington Public Schools Board of Education, said the district’s current mitigations were based upon many factors. 

“The decision to start elementary at two and a half hours per day and secondary at two days per week was based on the decision to keep small cohorts, maintain high safety mitigation strategies, the desire to allow staff time for planning and a number of different factors.” 

Kelly Coffin, assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Strategic Initiatives, said in-person rates vary by each building — elementary schools under 40%, middle schools and high schools at 50%. 

The district will also continue its layered mitigation throughout its schools, said Coffin.

 Challenges that come with increasing in-person hours 

Interim Superintendent, Dr. Bobbie Goodrum, said, if we do decide to go through with increasing in-person hours and reducing safety mitigations, we risk needing to quarantine students. 

“In districts where they have more in-person, it’s not that more students are testing positive, it’s that the number of students they have to quarantine becomes extraordinarily significant.” 

Goodrum went to say it is a “Herculean” task but doable. 

 “I want you to know that it is going to be on the backs of every single staff in this district,” said Goodrum. “Blood, sweat, and tears.”

Weems said she knows how hard things have been on everyone. 

“I realize the workloads have been tremendous, and the pats on the back have been far and few and between,” said Weems.

Weems also acknowledged the new bill that was signed by Governor Whitmer would send coronavirus aid to schools. However, Weems said it is too soon to know how this bill will affect the district. 

Comments are closed.