To the Board:

We, a group of teachers, staff, and parents, noting the high number of absences of teachers and students resulting from the Omicron surge; responding to the statements of community hospitals warning of reaching a “breaking point” and reports suggesting that the peak of this wave “has not yet been reached and cases will continue to climb”; and recognizing that many members of our community are still unvaccinated and therefore in imminent danger, are asking the district to see reason. The following measures must be taken in order for us to feel safe in our schools. These demands are in the best interests of staff, students, and are made with consideration for the larger community: 

1. A pause for in-person learning until the Omicron wave has passed - estimated in mid-February. The MDE accepts virtual days as counting for school days. This is for mental health and to more consistently reach students - some of whom may be able to tune into a virtual meeting but cannot come in person - as well as to relieve an overwhelmed and exhausted staff.
2. Free weekly, ideally biweekly,  testing for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, while in-person. Asymptomatic people can be a danger to staff and students. We need to get ahead of the virus. Only constant monitoring via weekly free testing for all will accomplish this, akin to Detroit’s plan.
3. Continue to provide and mandate appropriate PPE. All students and staff should be equipped with a supply of Surgical Masks or N95 masks, as anything less is not effective, as well as constant replenishing of supplies like hand sanitizer, wipes, etc.
4. Create a new attendance code to distinguish between a positive case from community spread confirmed out of school vs. a positive case that was likely in the classroom. This reduces confusion for teachers and other staff and helps staff understand where their students went.
5. COVID Sick Bank - Teachers and other staff need to not be forced to use personal days for a societal failure to adequately deal with the pandemic.
6. Teachers should not be pressured to return to work until they are ready.  They need to be clear of symptoms and feeling well to return - and/or test negative.
7. Inform Close Contacts of their status - it is more panic-inducing  not to know if you were a close contact than it is to know.

We hope that the district implements these policies as soon as possible to keep all of us safely in-person.