PPS provides information regarding recent Michigan Supreme Court Ruling

The following text is from an email sent to parents by Portland Public School Superintendent on 10/4/20.

On Friday the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on the legality of the Executive Orders issued in our State since April 30th.  This ruling will no doubt have an impact on how the State handles its response to COVID-19.  How it actually impacts all of us, including PPS, is still under intense debate.  I have been in contact with the Ionia County Health Department over the weekend to discuss guidance from them on how to move forward.  We have been advised by the ICHD to keep all of our current protocols in place, including the requirements for students to wear masks K-12, until further guidance is issued by the State.  We will follow this guidance.

As a district we need to stay focused on the health and well being of our students and staff.  Any decision made that moves too quickly in either direction will result in an unsafe situation.  We need time to develop protocols that work in our schools.  This ruling doesn't change the process that we have been using since March to develop and implement plans for safely educating students.  Our staff spends hours, if not days and weeks, working through the smallest details of our plans.  That process is important and rushing it is not advised.  We will be inundated this week with all kinds of information from our attorneys, the Governor's office, legislators, ICHD, MDHHS, and many other State and local organizations.  We will develop our plans to move forward once a clear picture is presented on how the State will move forward after this ruling.  When doing so we will continue with the same diligence and focus that we have had all along so that we can provide both a safe in-person and virtual experience for all students.   

Thank you all again for your support and working with us through all of this. The COVID-19 response has become extremely political.  The district does not and should not get involved in the middle of a political argument.  Our job is to educate students safely and that is exactly what will be our focus. Will Heath

Superintendent

Portland Public Schools