HANCOCK — The Public School District is planning to return to face-face instruction with beginning of the 2020-21 school year, along with conducting the fall sports preparation and competition schedules.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in response to the Coronavirus outbreak in Michigan closed school buildings on March 16, and on April 30, she announced schools would remain closed to face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.

On May 15, Whitmer’s office announced Executive Order 2020-88, regarding the creation of the Return to Learning Advisory Council, formalizing a process for determining how schools may be able to reopen in the fall. The panel will include parents, students, “frontline educators,” administrators and public health officials. The goal of the council will be to provide the COVID-19 Task Force on Education with recommendations how to safely equitably, and efficiently return to school in the Fall. The panel will be made up of more than 20 members representing K-12 administrators and educators, health experts and community stakeholders.

While Whitmer has not yet approved school districts to start making definite plans for the fall term, many districts, according to the Detroit News, have gone ahead with offering proposals that parents, teachers and students can discuss.

Hancock Superintendent Steve Patchin in an email Monday said his leadership team has received numerous questions from residents on social distancing, use of face masks, how many students allowed on the bus, and what courses will be offered based on budget projections.

“We would love to answer all these questions for you now, but our situation is still changing too quickly,” Patchin said, “noting that the U.P. has moved to Stage 5.”

In addition to planning to return to in-school instruction and fall sports preparation and competition the fall, Patchin said he and his staff are currently reworking the course and elective schedules to support student learning after the long layoff, and to prepare them for SAT/PSAT tests in October, and for college and career opportunities. Plans for new cleaning protocols are also being developed. The protocols, however, will be adapted as learning about the Coronavirus continues to increase.

“The CDC, WHO, and other epidemiologists are learning more about the virus each week,” said Patchin, “changing or modifying guidance to reflect what they have learned.”

Plans are not finalized, however, as the school is waiting for direction from state officials on supplies being secured for the schools to support returning to face-to-face instruction. Lansing, he added, is looking to have a better handle on revenue projection in August.

“We will continue to keep in touch each week on relevant changes as they come in,” Patchin said. “We know circumstances will change, but our leadership and education team’s focus will be to continue to make adjustments to ensure safety all while providing the best education experience possible for our students.”