Fall 2021 FAQ

Monday, August 30th, 2021 (full day)

Instructional mode for Fall 2021 is 5 - day in person learning for grades Y5 - 12, with Gull Lake Virtual Partnership providing virtual instruction for those interested. 

Yes, the Kalamazoo Health and Community Services Department communicated a new order to all county public, charter, parochial and private schools (Kalamazoo County Health Department Emergency Order).  The new order requires Young 5 – 6^th grade indoor mask wearing for all students and adults in those educational settings. This mandate applies to all individuals regardless of vaccination status. 

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• Grades 7th/8th in GLCS remain masks optional as they do not fall under the new mandate, unless in one of the situations listed below.
• The Kalamazoo Health Department communicated a new order to all schools requiring indoor mask wearing for all students and adults in building and program locations serving Young 5 – 6th grade students.
• All students at GLMS will need to wear a mask on the bus
• All students will need to wear a mask in the hallways and in any common spaces or classrooms that 6th grade students are assigned such as courses that have both 6th and 7th grade students or in the gym when 6th and 7th/8th students are in the same space.

Grades 9-12 are masks optional and do not fall under the new mandate

Our team will continue to work with Nurse Megan, the Kalamazoo Health and Community Services Department, and KRESA member school districts to coordinate health and safety information communications and protocols. Local and regional data has been a primary focus of our process throughout the past 15 months. It is the foundation upon which we will continue to build best practices for Health and Safety issues moving forward. We will continue the transparency reporting on positive COVID-19 cases and any necessary contact tracing following Health Department protocols so that you are aware of trends at each building and program level.

Yes, students will be required to wear a mask on the bus.

Gull Lake Community Schools, in partnership with the Kalamazoo Health and Community Services Department, will once again post daily updates starting August 30th on new positive COVID-19 cases on our website for all program and building locations. 

We will continue to quarantine individuals who test positive and those who are close contacts under 3 feet of distance. For contacts between 3 - 6 feet of distance, families will be notified of the exposure. Letters to families will continue to be posted by building and program level so that you can stay updated daily on trends.