Please be patient and know that we are working to ensure an accurate, comprehensive, and sustainable plan for our district. It will be issued under the name of the oldest student in the household. Overall, Proposal A is considered a success in achieving some of its initial goals of overhauling the local property tax system and narrowing the gap that exists throughout the state in school funding averages. As previously mentioned, BPS will be sending out the second Student Learning Option Commitment Form covering weeks 11-20 tomorrow. Good afternoon and I hope that this message finds you and your family safe and healthy. Dear Bedford Public Schools Parents/Guardians, BPS remains committed to exhausting our options for providing the best allowable opportunities to celebrate your accomplishments. Posted: March 12, 2020. BPS will meet the challenges set before us regardless of the State of Michigan orders and we have already began reviewing what we can do to ensure the best possible experiences for our students. Dear Bedford Public Schools Parents/Guardians, Avoiding unnecessary exposure of our staff and students to illness. As a staff, we provide a safe learning environment that fosters cooperation and positive self-esteem. The first of these orders signed on October 5, 2020 outlines Statewide Limits to In-person Gatherings and updates Mask Requirements for all Michigan residents (including students in grades K-12). This dashboard by clicking on this dashboard link above. I want to thank you for your patience, understanding, and support as we continue to navigate learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respectfully, I can promise that we will stubbornly (as would any Kicking Mule) fight for every available dollar from any and all potential funds that can better support our students. I am once more forced to apologize for yet another lengthy letter regarding our district. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts and desire to remain in-person, we have always known that the impact of COVID-19 on our community would determine our district’s ability to maintain our current in-person learning program options. Thank you, and I hope that everyone has a safe and mindful holiday weekend. There will be many extended decisions that will need to be made over the next few days and weeks regarding this transition. The second of the MDHHS Emergency Orders relates to district communication and tracking of COVID-19 related data. Updated: August 7, 2020, Dear Bedford Public Schools Parents, Contact: BrownT56@michigan.gov Two days into the new school year, the Riddle Brook School in Bedford has identified its first positive case of COVID-19.>> Download the FREE WMUR app … The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) has provided guidance regarding contact tracing, which defines a “close contact” as “any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient is isolated.” All assemblies and performances in our schools involving participation by the general public are suspended for 3/12/2020 - 3/13/2020. If this is how a school superintendent felt, I can only imagine how the uncertainty must have felt for our thousands of parents within the BPS Community. Please contact your child’s building principal if you have any questions once you have received the survey. These documents will set the parameters that will guide the creation of our district plan and can help families understand how and why we are making decisions. Dr. Carl Shultz Please feel free to share the link with any BPS students that you know may require such service. You may have read it and did not see what you might be wondering about. -- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Mass. CDC: What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) For further information please read the Parent/ Carer guide to transport during COVID-19. In addition to the BPS Food Service Program above, there are several food pantries that are available for assistance. I would like to personally thank all of our students, staff, and families for making the necessary sacrifices needed to make this opportunity possible. Working to the best of our ability to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning in Monroe County. Dispose of wipes in the trash after use. As discussed at last evening’s meeting there are reasons to be hopeful. The dates and times for these available options will be posted on the BPS Website and our social media sites soon. Bedford Public Schools. 3. As you can imagine, COVID-19 and the related Stay Home, Stay Safe orders that have closed much of the state’s economy for the better part of the last sixty days have devastated our economic system. The Return to Learning Task Force included input from students, parents, staff, administration, health care professionals, county health department leaders, and the Board of Education. Please know, at the initial onset of this year’s difficult cold and flu season, BPS began the process of systematically and routinely disinfecting and deep cleaning high traffic areas in each building such as door handles, bathrooms, cafeterias, and classrooms. We understand that while not perfect, we are very pleased with the high percentage of students who continue to be engaged in their learning. Thank you and I wish all of you a safe and hopefully relaxing weekend. The measure places limits on where individuals may travel and also which businesses may continue to operate for a minimum of three weeks. In doing so, BPS students and staff must quarantine whenever they have been deemed as a close contact (exposure within six feet for a total of fifteen minutes to a confirmed positive individual). three enrolled students will require one separate form completion for each). November 15, 2020 The building principal will share information with his/her building families and the district dashboard will be updated. Our MRE Latchkey program will also continue as long as we are able to staff the program adequately. The originally scheduled June 7th Class of 2020 Commencement Ceremony has been rescheduled for Tuesday, July 28th. -- Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve. However, this memo does not speak to the importance of students remaining engaged in their personal learning by practicing their previously learned skills. Bedford Public Schools has worked extremely hard to continue vital services for our community throughout the COVID-19 Crisis. Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools, October 30, 2020 Follow guidance for wearing a face covering and social distancing. As you are aware based on my letter from last week, BPS experienced our first positive case of COVID-19 associated with in-person learning. RETURN TO LEARN GUIDE Many refer to this law as the “blizzard bag” or “backpack” law. State officials and economists presented that shutdown as a result of COVID-19 has dropped state sales and income tax revenues to numbers we have not seen since 1946. However, through flexibility and teamwork we have been able to successfully work out the details of a revised plan that will allow the building to once again be available for students that elect to learn onsite. All Massachusetts public and private K-12 schools will be closed for three weeks, effective March 17 through April 7. BPS Families, If you do not receive any contact, then your child has not been identified as a close contact, but we ask that you please continue to monitor your child’s health for any new symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution, we believe that in order to best support the health and safety of our students and staff, we need to close the building down for two weeks to prevent further potential outbreaks. -- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available. Any close contacts will continue to be notified directly by MCHD. Thank you for your candid feedback over the past five months as it has helped to form our current and future direction through this unparalleled time in education. I look forward to seeing our students on Monday! This requirement does not have any variance for transitioning to online or virtual learning throughout the year based on emergency related cancellations. Our belief is that by following the guidelines provided within the Roadmap, we will be able to keep students, staff, and families safer in our schools and achieve the type of learning outcomes that we’ve consistently achieved. The EO states that “School districts and nonpublic schools must publish information about any cases of a probable or confirmed COVID-19 positive individual present on school property or at a school function during the period of infection.” As shared in last Friday’s Superintendent Update, Bedford Public Schools has already created a comprehensive COVID-19 Dashboard for the purpose of sharing timely and accurate COVID-19 related data within all buildings. My research has found that this virus is absolutely dangerous and can be spread rapidly, however the mass hysteria and rumors surrounding it seems to be equally as dangerous. FREE AND REDUCED SCHOOL MEAL BENEFITS As we progress through these troubling and unprecedented times, we will be working to brainstorm how we can make the remainder of this year special for our students that have earned it no matter what the adjusted calendar ends up being. I will continue to work with Governor Whitmer and our four COVID-19 task forces to ensure we protect our children, our families, and our communities.” Carl Shultz, Ph.D Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools. Bedford Public Schools will now have the opportunity to create and submit a continuity of education plan that will allow the district to continue providing educational services to our families for the remainder of the year. In line with the latest Government guidance, Bedford Borough schools re-opened in September. The MHSAA is suspending all winter sport tournaments indefinitely. 5. The situation involving this health challenge is rapidly changing and we will update you as additional guidance is received. Executive Summary.....3 . As I have stated numerous times this year, 2020-2021 will simply look different than any other year and the lessons that we learn will be a growth opportunity for all of us. Self-care and Mental Health, FOR FAMILIES: I stated at that time that it is the district’s belief that students and staff members are safer within our classrooms and hallways than in any other public location. While this is an unprecedented event for our state, I believe that for the safety of our students and staff, it was needed for our district to be able to move forward. Bedford said he's hoping educational workers will be prioritized in Manitoba's COVID-19 vaccination queue soon. We feel that based on initial feedback, our plan will be ready for initial submission based on the finalized Executive Order by the middle of next week. I also detailed that the district’s current full-virtual model of learning would be once again evaluated at the upcoming January 7, 2021 Board of Education Meeting. The State of Ohio does have a law whereby districts can utilize “web access type learning” whenever emergency cancellations are necessary. If it becomes evident that we will not be able to hold any type of in-person commencement, we would review options for a virtual event. We truly understand the inherent challenges associated with learning remotely and the stresses that it places on families and student learning. -- Process for a COVID-19 Case at School BPS is more than aware of the strain that this transition places on our families. If you are informed that your child has been in close contact (individuals within six feet apart for at least fifteen minutes) with a confirmed positive case, please follow the directions of the MCHD health expert that will be contacting you. March 12, 2020 Prior to the suspension of in-person learning, the district had sent out the student learning program selection survey for 2nd Quarter. Carl Shultz, Ph.D., Bedford Public Schools We have been in close contact with the Monroe County Health Department and the Michigan Department of Education. Monroe County superintendents have met and agree that any change in this schedule would be severely detrimental to our district’s families. As previously stated, BPS students and staff make up a large portion of the Bedford Community and thus our data throughout the pandemic has mirrored one another. Unfortunately, BPS has received additional positive case notifications at SRE today and despite support from the Monroe County Health Department (MCHD), Monroe County Intermediate School District (MCISD), and strong district contact tracing, we are not able to clearly isolate all potential close contacts. The order has additional mandates included that are outside of the K-12 educational setting. I can also share that while it has been on many of our minds over the past two weeks, I did hear Governor Whitmer publicly say this morning for the first time that it is “very unlikely” that Michigan’s K-12 schools would reopen this school year. John Krimmel, Airport Community Schools Please be aware that children who receive their meal under the ‘Universal Infant Free School Meals’ (for children in Year R, 1 and 2) scheme will not receive support whilst schools are closed, unless they are also eligible for income-related free school meals. Carl Shultz, PhD District coaches and program coordinators will be sending out additional information within the next day or two for students and parents. At this point, I can share with you what our district plans look like as of today and provide some potential outlook for our future as we wait for additional guidance from the State of Michigan. During Thursday’s meeting, district leadership will also discuss plans for returning the district to a more traditional schedule of in-person daily learning for all grades K-12. -- Avoid contact with people who are sick. Please make sure that our governor and federal representatives do as well! Thank you and be healthy and safe. If you require information on your children transport arrangements, please contact the Mainstream School Transport Team. Please see our COVID-19 information hub for our health and safety … Some questions we are awaiting more information on before we can answer them. Carl Shultz, Ph.D COVID-19 Information and Advisory page. In order to assist in making an informed decision for each of your individual students, please refer to these two separate, but very much aligned documents, below which provide a great deal of information regarding each option: Survey Link: https://forms.gle/fYHWuxMQvDQDNBc66 In a message to parents on Wednesday, March 4, Hastings-on-Hudson Schools Superintendent Valerie Henning-Piedmonte announced that school buildings will be closed for the rest of the week to sanitize the buildings “out of an abundance of caution.” Schools A total of 552 students learning in-person or in a hybrid plan tested positive from Dec. 17 through Dec. 23, as did 397 school district staffers. While I cannot provide all of the details regarding the upcoming school year, I am pleased to share that Governor Whitmer has released the outline that will guide our educational delivery for the upcoming year and perhaps beyond. Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap FAQ, May 16, 2020 Sandy Kreps, Ida Public Schools May and June combined benefits: $182.40 per eligible student will be loaded on the family's EBT card at a later date yet to be determined. BPS and our students rely a great deal on these local business owners by asking for their constant support throughout the school year for fundraising, donations, and marketing opportunities. School districts must also continue to gather information and create multiple plans in order to flexibly respond in a way that supports the recommendations from national, state, and local health organizations and still maintains high levels of student learning. Bedford Public Schools does not qualify for summer food service grants and has traditionally not been able to provide service throughout the summer months. Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools, December 4, 2020 Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools 734-850-6001 Office. Stay tuned for additional information as we continue to move forward. Updates will be posted at www.mhsaa.com. Bedford Public Schools has been taking extra cleaning measures in order to combat the spread of colds and flu, a practice we will continue as an extra layer of protection as we deal with the threat of this virus. The reduced number of quarantine days will assist district leaders in being able to keep our classrooms and supporting departments adequately staffed. District leadership will re-examine our current plan at the end of this week to determine how we can proceed in the upcoming days, weeks, and potentially months. On November 12, 2020, Bedford Public Schools suspended all in-person learning programs due to the sharp increase in confirmed positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff members. Until Proposal A was enacted, local public school districts were funded primarily through assessing property tax levies on the residents of the communities that they supported. Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools I thank those individuals who have helped in this process. While the district has a currently adopted and fiscally sound budget for the 2019-2020 school year based on original adopted state school aid allocations, this new data, along with recent warnings from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) regarding a potential budget proration for all districts for the remainder of this year, has necessitated the creation of a multi-tiered response to this financial crisis. When information about the spread of COVID-19 began increasing and the likelihood of its continued spread became more apparent, I assembled our district leadership team to address potential areas of impact such as athletics, transportation, custodial/maintenance, health services, and instructional services to name a few. Based on this ongoing review of data, I am pleased to be able to report that the number of weekly-confirmed cases has decreased steadily over the past thirty days in both Monroe County and Bedford Township. If you believe your child is eligible to transport, and you require additional information regarding entitlement to transport or bus services in September, please contact the relevant Transport Team listed below: School Transport Entitlement Team: School.Transport@bedford.gov.uk 01234 276713, Mainstream School Transport Team: Mainstream.Transport@Bedford.gov.uk 01234 276528, SEND Transport Team: Client.Transport@Bedford.gov.uk 01234 276116. Dear Bedford High School Parents/Guardians, The Senior Sendoff Parent Group have started to plan for an alternate event for our seniors and they will announce plans as soon as they are complete. One of these vital services is the continuation of our food service program. This letter is informational only; no further action is required for your student at this time. Bedford Public Schools will share an updated COVID-19 Dashboard graphic at the end of each school day. At this time, we do not have any information regarding if the school year will be extended and are awaiting additional guidance by the State of Michigan. Once you feel that you are ready to compete the Student Learning Option Commitment Form (link below), please click on the Google Form link and submit a form for each individual student within your family (ie. will continue as planned. NBPS updates its COVID-19 case tracker every Tuesday and Friday at 4 … Here are links to the resources they recommend: District leadership will continue to act responsibly to ensure that all possible mitigation strategies are implemented. The only exception to this schedule will be that no service will be provided on Monday, May 25, 2020 in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday. Due to COVID-19, Bedford County schools will not have any students in classrooms as of Thursday. Bedford Public Schools, which also started Sept. 8, reported its first confirmed COVID-19 case Tuesday on social media. The revised guidance, formerly known as the State of Michigan Guidelines for Operating School Safely, is much more concise than the originally adopted MI Safe School Roadmap and places the responsibility to determine safe school operations and transition timelines on local districts and health departments. On Friday, March 20th, I sent an updated Food Service Plan which included the transition from five days per week to three days per week pick-up services to better meet our available resources. Face-to-face instruction will resume on Thursday, November 5, 2020. LEARN MORE. Andrew Shaw, Mason Consolidated Schools Educational staff members have been placed in the Phase 1b Vaccination Group nationally which means that individuals interested in receiving a vaccine could be vaccinated beginning as early as next week across the state (location depends on current/future vaccine stockpiles). The district bond that was passed in November of 2018 has made all of these exciting projects possible. We have so much to be grateful for as a community and this should be a time to celebrate our students and not get down due to events outside of our control. All schools have been advised to encourage children who usually travel to school on public transport to consider cycling or walking as an alternative means of travel, where possible. (Warning, I am about to bore some of you with my background in teaching economics, but this background in school finance and current information is extremely important) In 1994, Michigan voters approved the controversial passing of State Ballot Proposal A, which included a major overhaul of public school funding. Due to the significant increase of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and subsequent quarantining, Bedford Public Schools will be suspending all in-person learning options and transitioning all district classrooms to full-virtual learning programs beginning on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. -- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds Please see the recently released State Executive Order that suspends in-person educational delivery for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Dr. Carl Shultz Unfortunately, the timing of the in-person learning suspension did not allow the requested program changes to be implemented. Finally, the rollout of available COVID-19 vaccines across the nation should further support our efforts. Respectfully, The goal for transitioning from the cohort learning model to this more traditional type model will be to begin at the start of the second semester (February 1, 2021). As a parent, a teacher, and as a superintendent, I know that learning does not take place exclusively inside classrooms. Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools, October 4, 2020 If you, or your students, have questions pertaining to BPS or our current progress in dealing with COVID-19 preparedness, please contact our district administration building directly or follow our official media platforms. STUDENT REGISTRATION The team works continuously to prepare for the evolving and changing situation and will be working to incorporate recommended guidelines in the coming days. Additional benefits will be issued directly to your Bridge Card and can be used in the same way to purchase food items.