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GRPS Says It Will Remain Virtual Until Next Year

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Grand Rapids Public Schools announced today that the district will remain on line for the rest of the fall semester. 

The Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent, Board President and President of the Grand Rapids Education Association issued a joint statement today, regarding the decision to remain 100-percent virtual until the start of the second semester.

Officials say quote: “Since the start of school, we have been monitoring the data and seeking guidance and direction from the state and county health authorities as we prepared for the implementation of our hybrid in-person instruction which was slated to start on October 26.

On Friday, October 16th, the Kent County Health Department issued a public health bulletin announcing that the positivity rate for the county is up 4.5 percent, which is a significant increase from previous weeks.

School officials stated the health department stated that as a county, we’re exceeding 150 cases per million and local hospitals are at capacity with both COVID and non-COVID patients.

In addition, the public health bulletin, the Kent County Health Department included the Michigan Association for Local Public Health’s guidance for school’s which states, “virtual school should be considered for all districts.”

Therefore, School officials therefore say they have decided to continue with 100-percent virtual instruction for the remainder of the first semester until January 4th.

Officials added they want to assure students and families that we will continue to find ways to strengthen and improve the virtual learning experience and the support for all students.

Jennifer is an award winning broadcast news journalist with more than two decades of professional television news experience including the nation's fifth largest news market. She's worked as both news reporter and news anchor for television and radio in markets from Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo all the way to San Francisco, California.