By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

State Representative Hank Vaupel held online office hours that included community questions and answers on the upcoming school year with a pair of Livingston County superintendents.

Education was the topic of July’s Zoom meeting with the public hosted by the Fowlerville Republican. Vaupel was joined by Livingston Educational Service Agency (LESA) Superintendent Mike Hubert, and Howell Public Schools Superintendent Erin MacGregor. The pair shared insights on their preparations for the rapidly approaching new school year and how their plans to ensure student and staff safety are coming along.

One requirement for in-person learning from the governor’s roadmap is the requirement for desks in secondary schools to be cleaned and disinfected in-between each period. One resident asked how a teacher was expected to do this while still having time for a break or other responsibilities during that time. Hubert said this was a good question and an example of the frustrations they run into when trying to create a plan that is created sometimes more on a scientific philosophy than what is the reality within the school system. He said you can’t have hundreds of custodians coming in for 5 minutes to disinfect, and so the logical part is to turn to the teachers. But he then recognized the difficulties that poses in getting them a break or time to help students. Hubert said that right now there isn’t a clear answer, but they still face it as an expectation to occur.

Another question was posed about the lack of social distancing required in the governor’s roadmap which would be contrary to directives from the CDC. MacGregor speculated that the governor’s advisory council understood the challenges that would pose with the numbers of students in classrooms and set their focus on other risk mitigation strategies.

One of the requirements in phase 4 is the use of facial coverings. During the event, one resident asked if students will be given an opportunity to remove them at points during the day, as it can be uncomfortable wearing a mask for hours on end. Hubert said there are options, but admitted they were pretty limited. If students and staff can’t medically tolerate them, there will be exceptions. Students may also remove them to eat, or if they are in early childhood classes where they are cohorted together. Hubert recognized it can still get uncomfortable, however, as it can be a long time between when they step on the bus and the mask, and the end of the day.

Despite challenges like these, MacGregor said he thinks the kids need to be back, pointing in part to the mental, social, and emotional well-being benefits there stand to be gained.

Vaupel thanked his guests and the other superintendents in the district for efforts, as in his words, the goalposts keep changing as new information becomes available.