COVID surge closes Glen Lake schools

Nov. 4—GLEN LAKE — Glen Lake Community Schools canceled classes on Thursday and Friday, citing high numbers in school-associated COVID-19 cases and absences.

Glen Lake school officials reported 11 school-associated COVID-19 cases, 10 of which are students and one is staff.

In a statement on the Glen Lake schools website, Superintendent Mark Mattson said the majority of the new COVID cases are in the elementary school.

As of Thursday, Glen Lake's nurses are still working on contact tracing, but the school district currently has more than 60 students and one staff member out for quarantine. Glen Lake Community Schools has fewer than 700 students.

Absences because of quarantine are excused.

Glen Lake's staff and students are required to wear masks under the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department's universal indoor mask mandate. Before this week, the district recorded just seven positive school-associated COVID-19 cases.

In a statement posted to the school district's website, Mattson said he and other administrators "considered the potential for additional COVID cases," after groups from the schools convened during weekend football games and Halloween.

Glen Lake's high school volleyball team did not report any COVID cases and will still compete in the MHSSA Tournament. Thursday and Friday's MHSSA Tournament games were initially going to be held at Glen Lake High School's gymnasium, but will now be held at Traverse City Central High School.

Benzie and Leelanau counties have 302 active cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department's website. The positivity rate in Benzie County is 7.8 percent and the positivity rate in Leelanau County is 10.3 percent.

"The decision to close a school is made by the school district and the health department fully supports Glen Lake in their decision to take [these] prevention measures," said Michelle Klein, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department director of personal health, in a text.

The heightened number of cases in Glen Lake schools is part of an ongoing surge in COVID cases across northern Michigan. In mid-October, Bellaire Public Schools canceled classes for a few days because of a surge in COVID cases as well.

On Monday, Michigan.gov reported 101 new clusters and outbreaks in Michigan schools, including Glen Lake Elementary School and Glen Lake Secondary School. Glen Lake Elementary School reported six cases and Glen Lake Secondary School reported four cases.

Mattson said he is not concerned that this week's school closures will extend Glen Lake's school year. Thursday and Friday will count as snow days for the district, and no remote instruction will be offered.

"We are urging for students and staff to not come to school who may be feeling any sort of COVID-related symptom," Mattson said. "In addition, proper hand washing, physical distance, and time near others remain important precautionary COVID-related measures. Wearing masks appropriately (above the nose and over the mouth) and vaccination status both remain key factors in terms of COVID protocol and contact tracing in schools."

Mattson said students and staff who feel sick should also get tested for COVID-19. He said he is hoping Glen Lake schools can resume on Monday, but he and other school administrators will monitor for additional cases through the weekend.

"We do not plan to be closed at this point, however, if we find ourselves in the position with the need to do so, then we will make that decision," Mattson said. "I am hopeful that numbers and symptoms will subside over this time period, and that anyone who may be feeling any sort of symptoms over the weekend into Monday morning will stay home."