East Lansing Public Schools welcomes students back to the classroom

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The East Lansing School district is screening, testing, and keeping parents and visitors out of its buildings as students return to the classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In-person classes for preschool and elementary students started February 22. Middle and high school students returned March 1. Many students have chosen to continue with remote instruction through the end of the school year. They’ll get a second chance to opt-in in to in-person classes after Spring Break.

The district has enacted a safety plan to prevent Covid-19 cases in its buildings. It includes daily screenings for students and staff before they come to school. Staff members are not required to be vaccinated for Covid-19, but many are already fully vaccinated.

Starting March 8, the district will offer voluntary Covid-19 antigen testing for staff at the high school. Students will have access to the free testing starting March 15. The rapid tests will be conducted every Tuesday and Thursday before the start of the school day at 11:00 a.m. Results are back in roughly 15 minutes. The program is identical to the one conducted on student-athletes and coaches who completed their fall seasons in January.

Along with testing and screening, the district is keeping parents and visitors from entering school buildings. Students must be picked up outside.

The school district is offering a transition resource for elementary families developed by the Mental Health Advisory Board. Superintendent Dori Leyko has been proactive getting information out to families during the pandemic. Along with frequent updates on the district website, there’s a Covid-19 Dashboard linking parents and students to a variety of resources and updates including changes to the meal program.