Greetings Parents, Students, and Community Members,
Ever since the announcement of a COVID-19 vaccine there has been an on-going and somewhat confusing discussion on where and how to receive the vaccine. However, I’m happy to share very positive news regarding our efforts to get our staff vaccinated.
We have built an outstanding relationship with the Wayne County Health Department and continue to work directly with them and Wayne RESA to secure appointments for staff members. On February 1st, the County began notifying select school districts to schedule vaccine appointments for their employees. The District was contacted by the County and it looks very promising that our turn could occur as early as next Thursday and Friday, February 11 and 12. This means that we will plan to make February 11 an asynchronous instructional day across the district. Feb. 12 is already a vacation day for mid-winter break. The more staff that are able to get the vaccine, the safer it will be for our students, staff and community.
The County is the primary source of vaccine distribution for school employees. We know they have a huge task in front of them in their efforts to vaccinate more than 20,000 school employees working in Wayne County. Therefore, we have been in discussions with other healthcare providers to secure vaccines for our staff. Those efforts have been beneficial as almost one thousand vaccines will be given to Dearborn Public School employees by a hospital in the Detroit area. The distribution of these vaccines is also scheduled for next Thursday and Friday.
In addition, we have been encouraging all staff who may be eligible to be vaccinated to pursue any and all options to make an appointment with outside organizations. We have provided staff with a list of resources to aid in their efforts and to date we are aware of almost 400 staff members who have already received the vaccine.
The work of our District Vaccine committee, the incredible work of Wayne County Health, our partnership with a local hospital, and the efforts of individual staff members will very likely result in all 2,700 staff members in the Dearborn Public Schools who want to receive a vaccine having that opportunity by the end of next week.
Looking ahead, our new message is one of continued patience, unwavering perseverance, and never ending hope. We have weathered a great storm for almost a year, and although the winds may have calmed, the sun shining through the clouds, the storm is not over. The vaccine brings great hope to a return to normal and adds one more layer of protection in our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep our community healthy.
Stay safe, be healthy, and remember to Mask Up!
Regards,
Glenn Maleyko, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Dearborn Public Schools