SJPS Board approves plan to reopen schools
by Jean Martin
On Monday evening the Board of Education for the St. Johns Public Schools approved a plan to reopen schools on Tuesday, September 8. The vote was unanimous. The plan now must be submitted to the Intermediate School District by August 15. The plan will be posted on the school website by August 17.
Superintendent Mark Palmer outlined the plan for the Board. It will include access to both in-class and online instruction. He emphasized that online instruction would be much more robust than the classes which were offered last spring and would be taught by classroom teachers in conjunction with in-person learning.
“It has not been lost on all of us that we have to meet online while we are planning to bring students back to the classrooms.,” Palmer said. He went on to explain that while Michigan regulations limit the number of persons who can meet on one room, the State is now in Phase 4 of the Michigan Safe Schools Return to School Roadmap. In that phase cases, hospitalizations and deaths are clearly declining.. Iin-person instruction is permitted with required safety protocols.
Much thought has already gone into cleaning and sanitizing routines in classrooms and throughout the buildings. The wearing of masks will be required of all students who choose in person learning, and social distancing will be attempted in different ways. In general the students will be kept together in smaller groups as cohorts to avoid interaction with large groups whenever possible.
As in the past students will be using Chromebooks, but each student will be issued his or her own computer and will be the only one in the room using that computer. Online students will be given Chromebooks with a charging cable for use in class. In general online learners will be expected to log in for classroom work at least twice a day. Hot spots in the parking lots of several schools will be made available for families who do not have access or cannot gain access to personal internet accounts.
Parents will be receiving a letter outlining the different plan options and will have until August 16 to declare their choice of instruction modes for the first trimester. Students in the same family need not necessarily chose the same mode. Some may attend in-person classes while others work online.
During a Sunday evening Town Hall Zoom meeting Palmer explained often that there are still many loose ends to tie up and that many details would have to be worked out, often on a building by building basis. “It’s a work in progress,” he concluded.
City residents may be able to defer Summer Taxes
Qualifying St. Johns residents can apply to defer Summer Property Taxes due on August 14, 2020 Until February 14, 2021.
Qualifying primary resident property owners may be able to extend the due date for payment of their summer taxes to the winter tax due date without incurring late charges if an application is filed timely with the City Treasurer’s Office if the total household income does not exceed $40,000 and one of the criteria listed in the application is met. Note: this is an annual application and review process.
If you qualify for the deferment, please fill out the application on the website at Application for Deferment of Summer Taxes and return it to the City of St. Johns Treasurer’s Office. If you have any questions please contact the City Treasurer at 989-224-8944 x232 or kkinde@stjohnsmich.com..
Note that this summer property tax program for qualifying residents is a deferral until February 14, 2021, not an exemption; and there won’t be any interest or penalties charged during that time period. The St. Johns City Commission unanimously adopted this last Monday night at their August 10, 2020 Commission meeting. Hopefully it can help folks who qualify and need some assistance during these trying times.
Project Connect coming to St. Johns August 20
It is that time of year again.
This year Project Connect is going to look different. This year’s Project Connect (back to school event) will be a road tour.
The goal is always to help the community as much as possible, but this year they also need to make sure they do everything they can to keep everyone healthy.
Due to Covid-19 organizers are breaking up the large in-person event into several smaller drive-up events.
The big change for Project Connect this year is that they are asking people to please pre-register for Project Connect. They need as many people who plan to attend to register ahead of time. This is so that they can pre-package the items for participants, know what to purchase, and what to pack to bring to our remote locations.
Please pre-register online or by phone 989-224-0328 or 517-641-5167 to ensure the sites are well-stocked. Registration Required by July 31
Open to All Clinton County Residents – Pick the location that fits your schedule.
St. Johns – Beacon of Hope Thursday, August 20, 9-11 AM
Maple Rapids—Community Ball Field Tuesday, August 18, 6-8 PM
Outdoor Movie Night
On Friday, August 21 St. John’s Lutheran Church will host an Outdoor Movie Night in their parking lot at the corner of Sturgis and S. Business US-27 beginning at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m. there will be live music featuring Silver.
The movie, Overcomer, will begin at 9:30 p.m.
All are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs. Seating will be available on the hard surface of the parking lot. There is no cost, and no reservations are required. Come early to get a good seat.
Concessions will be available including Kona Ice, fresh popcorn, candy and soda.
Limited parking on the West side of the lot; overflow parking in the Kroger parking lot. Park and walk across Sturgis St. to the church parking lot. *Watching the movie from your car is a possibility, but they can’t guarantee good sight lines to the screen.
Community Fund donates to local relief agencies
The St. Johns Area Community Fund thanks everyone who donated to the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help out local groups.
Last week they delivered checks in the amount of $671 to St. Vincent DePaul, Beacon of Hope, The Basic Needs Center, Compassion In Action, and the SJHS Food Pantry. We are all grateful for these organizations right here in St. Johns who do so much to help the people in our community.
What to do when you have a bat in your house
While one can’t argue that bats are beneficial to our ecosystem, they have one big downside: they are one of the most common animals in Michigan to transmit rabies, a disease that is fatal if left untreated. That’s why, when it comes to bats, we are wise to keep our distance.
We encounter bats more often between May and September because that’s when they are more active, searching for food and rearing their young. They would much rather be outside, but sometimes find themselves in our homes.
The only thing worse than finding a bat in your house is getting bitten by one. If a bite occurs; or if a bat is found near a sleeping person, a child, or someone who is mentally impaired or intoxicated; you should:
– Capture the bat in case it needs to be tested.
– Call the Mid-Michigan District Health Department at 989-227-3111 in Clinton County, 989-875-1019 in Gratiot County, or 989-831-3615 in Montcalm County. Communicable Disease nurses at the Health Department will assess your risk and determine if the bat needs to be tested. Please do not bring bats to the health department without calling first.
– Contact your doctor to see if you need treatment.
If a bat is found in the home but poses no threat, it most likely does not need to be tested for rabies. In this situation, you can capture the bat and set it free outside.
Capturing a bat isn’t as difficult as you may think. First, you’ll need to gather a few items: a pair of gloves (leather work gloves are ideal), a small box or coffee can, a piece of cardboard and tape. When the bat lands, approach it slowly. Place the box or coffee can over the bat and slide the cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside. Then, tape the cardboard securely to the container. Keep in mind that in order to be tested, a bat’s head must be kept intact, so hitting it with any type of object, like a tennis racket, is not advised.
Keep bats out of your home by replacing loose soffits, flashings, eaves and siding. Also, cover roof vents with screens, make sure all doors shut tightly with no gaps, and that window screens are not damaged or torn.
Additional steps you can take to keep your family safe:
– Avoid contact with wildlife.
– If a wild animal appears sick, report it to the Department of Natural Resources online at Michigan.gov/eyesinthefield or call 517-336-5030.
– Protect your pets by getting them vaccinated against rabies.
Register now for 2020 Virtual Superhero 5K
Did you know if you register for The Voice for Clinton County’s Children 2020 Virtual Superhero 5K, you will still receive their fabulous 5K t-shirt and a cloth mask?
The event will be held the week of September 20 will your cape be ready?