Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Dear Saginaw County Students, Parents/Guardians, and Residents,

It’s the end of June and no one is more excited about students returning to school in the fall than your school leaders. The hallways are much too quiet as the ringing of student laughter and chatter left the buildings in March when Governor Whitmer closed face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the school year.

Immediately, district teams worked to put plans in place to provide a continuous learning experience for our students while they were at home. During this closure, educators were very creative in connecting with students and their families. Successes were experienced. However, we are truly hoping that the school doors open again this fall for children to come back and meet their classmates, their teachers, and begin creating new connections and memories for the 2020-2021 school year.

It is with great anticipation that districts look forward to the Governor’s Return to School Road Map being released today, June 30, 2020. Educators from across Saginaw County are meeting to begin planning to recover and reinvent our children’s educational experience. The work has already begun and is going to continue through July. As districts, we are planning to announce details for the opening of school together as a group. You can anticipate a formal countywide announcement towards the end of July/beginning of August. Meanwhile know that educators from across the county commit to studying the Roadmap and pledge to reopen under safe conditions.

Districts will work to engage families through surveys to assist in the development of our reopening plans. The connections made with families during the COVID-19 pandemic might just be the best result of this extended closure. Also, on July 16th, the Saginaw ISD is hosting a Facebook Live Event to discuss the pending changes for fall 2020. The event is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

The Saginaw Intermediate School District is proud to lead our county along with the local school districts as they serve 27,000 students. As we plan forward during the next couple of weeks to reopen schools in fall 2020, we hope you find time to enjoy these beautiful Michigan summer days.

With deep respect,

Dave Bush, Superintendent

Birch Run Area Schools Mark Whelton, Superintendent

Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District

Rachel Snell, Superintendent

Carrollton Public Schools

Michael McGough, Superintendent

Chesaning Union Schools

Adele Martin, Superintendent

Frankenmuth School District

Matt Cairy, Superintendent

Freeland Community School District

Donald Killingbeck, Superintendent

Hemlock Public School District

Gwen Glazier, Superintendent

Merrill Community Schools

Ramont Roberts, Ph.D., Superintendent

School District of the City of Saginaw

Bruce Martin, Superintendent

Saginaw Township Community Schools

Michael Decker, Superintendent

St. Charles Community Schools

Mat McRae, Superintendent

Swan Valley School District Jeff Collier, Superintendent

Saginaw Intermediate School District

Kathy Stewart, Ph.D., Retired Superintendent

Saginaw Intermediate School District