Hopkins Public Schools officials have decided to return to school Monday and continue spring sports practices and games, despite recommendations from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Departmant of Health and Human Services.

The governor and health officials Friday morning asked schools to go to all virtual learning instead of classroom instruction and pause spring spoprts to a two-week period immediately after resumption of most Michigan high schools because of spring break.

Hopkins Superintendent Gary Wood, in a message to parents, today posted, “Earlier today, our Governor and the MDHHS strongly recommended that all high schools in Michigan voluntarily move to remote instruction and that athletics be paused for two weeks. Hopkins Public Schools will not be following this recommendation.

“We are basing this decision on local data indicating that we have not experienced the spread of COVID-19 within our schools. This is always subject to change based on new data indicating community spread, the ability to provide adequate staffing and our local health department’s recommendations.

“As parents, you have the choice to fluidly change your student to remote learning at both the high school and middle school levels. Please communicate any changes to the building principal. You can also help us keep our schools open by closely monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms and following recommended mitigation protocols.”

Whitmer and state health officials did not order closure of high schools and pause of sports practices and games, they asked and left the decision to the local schools.