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SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — Uncertainty continues in the wake of class cancellations amid COVID-19 concerns. Schools were mandated to shut down in-person classes as of March 16. The mandate came with an original end date of April 5, but has since been extended by the state of Michigan to April 13.

Local schools, parents and teachers, lacking an official statement at this time, reacted cautiously to comments Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made Friday during an interview with WWJ Newsradio. During the interview, Whitmer said that it was “very unlikely” that schools would reopen to resume regular classes for the current school year. With distance learning in full swing, schools continue to adapt to the new educational challenges set forth by social distancing guidelines.

On Friday, Jeremy Witt, a representative for Niles Community Schools, reacted.

“At present, the only official directive we have received from the governor is that schools will be closed through April 13,” Witt said. “We are working with other area superintendents, as well as Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, to pursue additional information and next steps from the state.”

Without full clarity of what is to come, Niles Community Schools continues to work to keep students and families
updated.

“We hope to have clear direction soon, including what continued school closures would mean for our students and family,” he said.

Brandywine Community Schools’ superintendent Karen Weimer is also working with the official communications from Gov. Whitmer’s office.

“Our last communication to parents was that we would be returning on April 14,” Weimer said. While the schools have not reacted to Whitmer’s comments, they are working to plan ahead just in case.

“We all know that could be a possibility,” Weimer said. “We are planning ahead. We just don’t know what that ‘ahead’ is going to be. We certainly will be prepared for it if it does happen, though it might take us a couple of days to get it ready if it does.”

Parents like Nicole Westgate are preparing as best they can for continued school closures.

“I’m fully expecting schools to be closed for the rest of the year,” Westgate said.

Westgate has three daughters, the oldest of which is homeschooled full time. She also has a sixth-grade daughter at Brandywine Middle/High School and a second-grade daughter at Merritt Elementary School.

As she adapts to each daughter’s schooling, Westgate gives each child individual attention with their schoolwork. They take a break and play games like Scrabble to continue learning, but to also have some fun as well.

Their teachers have been working through a Facebook page, Zoom calls and phone calls to stay in touch with their students and provide extra support through their at-home lessons.

“I am prepared for it,” Westgate said of potential on-going closures.

She looks to the school system and the governor for guidance.

“I haven’t decided if I will give them a longer summer break or if I will look online for a program to fill in until June,” she said. “I know some schools have developed an eLearning program. I will have to see what Brandywine schools say before I make a concrete decision.”

Another parent of a fourth grader at Brandywine Elementary and a kindergartener at Merritt Elementary, Melissa Jones, has faced challenges with the adaptations. Her youngest is especially missing her teacher and friends while schools are closed. Missing milestones — like bringing cupcakes to class for birthdays and not seeing friends in Girl Scouts — also poses a challenge.

“My oldest [child] has classes and schoolwork online,” Jones said. “Both [children] got sent home with packets of schoolwork, but the internet has only half worked, which makes it hard for them to get online and do anything.”

Jones has been working with her internet provider to get better internet access, but the struggle has led to hiccups in the transition.

Jones worried about the continuation of her children’s education if the school closures continue.

“I’m just wondering what they are going to do, if all the kids are going to be held back or move to the next grade,” she said. “The kids have missed out on so much already, being off.”

With uncertainty on the horizon for grade school classes, local colleges have also worked to adapt their
classrooms.

Nicholas Brittin, foreign language and communications department chair and faculty at Lake Michigan College, already had online classes put together to be taught for the semester. Half of his classes were still taught face to face, however.

“Assignments were already being posted and submitted online,” Brittin said. “Then we would come to class to discuss and for lectures. So, we are missing that.”

Brittin had sent out instructions, just in case schools got shut down, prior to the college campus closing.

“It’s been a huge push at Lake Michigan College, and in my own career, to utilize these technologies,” he said. “I’m hopeful that this will lead to more technology being used in the classroom moving forward. We can see some of the benefits of it.”

In the meantime, educators, parents and students await further outlines from Gov. Whitmer’s office as they continue to apply precautions put in place by her office and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendations.