Martin Public Schools have shut down entirely until Monday, Jan. 4, according to an announcement today by Supt. Brooke Ballee-Stone.
The superintendent said today, “Due to the number of staff in grades pre-K through fifth grades who have tested positive and/or are on quarantine of isolation for Covid-109-related reasons and lack substitutes, Brandon Elementary School students are immediately moving to holiday break at the end of the day today (Wednesday)…
“The in-person return date for all pre-K through 12th grade students will be Monday, Jan. 4, for a full day of school.”
Martin for much of the fall had been using a full in-person five days per week model for attending classes, but on Nov. 18 the state health department issued a “pause to save lives” directive mandating that all high schools shut down until Dec. 9. That order since has been extended to Dec. 21.
Martin last week decided to add students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades to the “pause” guidelines.
The number of Covid-19 virus deaths since March in Allegan County increased by one from 46 to 47 since Monday, according to the Allegan County Health Department.
The death toll was very low in the county between March, when the pandemic began, to September, with only six, but 41 more have perished this past fall and this month.
The number of cases of the Coronavirus in Allegan County is at 5,184 as of Wednesday, with 134 hospitalizations and 3,151 regarded as being recovered.
Local schools are still operating on a health department grade of “D,” which is one step above having to resort to all virtual instruction. Hopkins and Wayland are operating on a hybrid system, with half of the students attending in person Mondays and Thursdays and the other half Tuesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays are reserved for all on-line and interventions.