COVID-19 Info

January 14, 2022

Dear Bentley Families,

Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) released new COVID-19 guidance today, which is aligned to the recommendations of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Because we universally mask in Bentley, if a person is exposed in a low-risk school setting, no contact tracing is required. Low-risk settings include most in-school contacts such as classrooms, buses, and most extra-curricular activities. In other words, exposure in a low-risk setting will not require quarantining or antigen testing.

If a person is exposed in a higher-risk school setting, we will contact trace. Higher risk is an unmasked situation such as unmasked in sports, unmasked in band, unmasked in choir, unmasked at lunch, etc. It also includes household contacts of a positive case (example: a parent is positive). These students may continue to attend school if they: have no symptoms, wear a mask in all activities except lunch, and obtain three negative antigen tests at school within the first 7 days after exposure.

Per GCHD public health emergency order on January 13, 2022: "It has been documented that when prevention strategies such as masking, distancing, increased ventilation, and handwashing are applied consistently in the school classroom and bus settings, the school-associated transmission of COVID-19 is significantly reduced. It has also been found that testing can be used to preserve in-person learning days for students."

And GCHD “encourages schools to prioritize in-person instruction while implementing available preventive measures to reduce transmission.” Thus, we plan to continue with in-person instruction unless otherwise unable to do so.

Please contact your child’s principal with any questions.

Respectfully,

Dr. Kristy Spann, Superintendent

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UPDATED GCHD GUIDANCE.