More Michigan schools are shutting down for the entire week of Thanksgiving, giving staff and families an opportunity to recover from illness, including COVID-19. The decisions come as the state continues to post the worst new case rate in the U.S.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District is closing all schools this coming Monday and Tuesday, effectively extending the district's Thanksgiving break.
Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says he made that decision in the interest of health and safety.
He says it will give custodial staff more time to clean and sanitize school buildings.
Last week, DPSCD announced that it will shift to virtual learning every Friday in December because of rising COVID-19 cases.
The district reported more than 200 COVID cases last week, with confirmed outbreaks in at least seven schools.
Ann Arbor Public Schools announcedlast week that the district would close on Monday and Tuesday, due to "an alarming increase in staff and student COVID-19 cases," and related staffing challenges.
In northern Michigan, Kingsley, Elk Rapids and Kalkaska schools added Monday and Tuesday to the Thanksgiving break. Elk Rapids was conducting over 100 rapid tests for COVID-19 but ran out of supplies. The Kalkaska district says its schools would undergo a "thorough, deep cleaning" during the break.
