MARQUETTE, MI-- The Marquette Area Public Schools district is doing what it can to help students after Governor Whitmer closed schools for the rest of the academic year. Superintendent Bill Saunders posted the following message on Facebook Tuesday:
Dear MAPS Students, Parents and Guardians,
These are unprecedented and unnerving times. Our first thoughts and priorities are for the safety and wellbeing of all students and families. We hope you're making the best decisions to keep yourselves insulated from the ill effects of this terrible virus. I think I speak for our entire faculty and staff when I say how much we miss our students, daily class activities, traditional ceremonies, and normalcy of everyday school. Unfortunately, it will be awhile before we are all back together.
Thursday, Governor Whitmer issued an executive order cancelling school for the remainder of the year. In this order she also mandated that schools provide on-line learning. MAPS has been planning for the potential of offering on-line learning for some time and will begin a program starting April 15th.
I hope to share a few things we should all keep in mind. First, the program is intended to bring back some normalcy and keep the learning continuum going. It is not intended to fully replace the traditional classroom learning students were accustomed to. That system isn’t possible with the lack of face to face time, personal connections, and communication barriers. Second, we have designed a platform to meet the needs of all students. We understand there will be connectivity issues, device issues, time issues, and other personal factors out of our students' control. Lessons will be disseminated weekly or in some cases for multiple weeks; we’ll provide some taped instruction or recorded live instruction that can be played back later; we’ll give the flexibility to learn at any time and at any pace; we’ll provide homework packets for those without access; and we’ll communicate to students through several mediums. Lastly, as much as we hope everyone will participate, the state has placed no requirement on the individual student to learn.
We feel the efforts of our teachers and classroom aides in building this learning model will prevent students from falling behind or having a learning slide, will fill in learning gaps students may have experienced in our current year, and will build a solid foundation for which to be successful in the upcoming year. Parents, if at all possible, please create a daily or weekly routine for your child in which they set aside time to focus on learning and making connections with school.
I recently sent a School Messenger phone, text and email to parents asking folks to alert their building principal if you lack a device such as a Chromebook, or have no internet or cell reception (ability to access an email or website). We’ll do our best to get families these items if possible. This may depend on the Governor’s Stay Home/Stay Safe order. If it isn’t safe to pass out these items to families in need, we’ll print and mail packets until it is safe to distribute these items. Additionally, the district has installed WiFi access pointing out into the parking lots at each school building. These locations are noted with signage. Feel free to pull up and use the internet to download assignments, view web pages, etc. You need only to sign on as a MAPS Guest.
We’ve had lots of questions regarding school events, locker contents, 3rd quarter grading, etc. I can speak broadly and say, based on the Governor’s order, all events through June 10th are cancelled in the traditional format; some events may happen virtually. If, and when, the Stay Home/Stay Safe order is lifted we’ll reconsider rescheduling events. Again, based on the Governor's order, it is not possible to gather locker contents. This is for your safety and that of our employees. All decisions on grading will come from your building principal. Please reach out to them with questions.
One other side note, I‘d like to thank all our medical health professionals, first responders, firefighters, police, grocery store employees and others working the front lines of this pandemic. I’d also like to highlight the outstanding efforts of MAPS food service employees working to keep our students fed. Lastly, a big shout out to Becky LaBrecque, the MAPS Ed. Foundation, and the many other community members who are dedicating their time and efforts to make masks and shields for our front line medical personnel working to keep us all safe.
I hope to continue communicating weekly with our students and parents as we navigate the remainder of this school year. I’m sure more changes and challenges lie ahead.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Bill Saunders, Superintendent
Marquette Area Public Schools
wsaunders@mapsnet.org
