Updated on January 21, 2022: COVID313 spoke last week to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti about the Detroit Public School District’s plans for dealing with the recent surge of the omicron variant. Since then, the district has announced that in-school learning will resume on January 31.

Exclusive Interview with DPSCD Superintendent Nikolai Vitti

“There is nothing that hurts me more, honestly, personally and professionally, than not seeing students in school,” said Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public School Community District.

He was speaking at Thursday’s COVID313 virtual town hall about his decision to keep the schools closed for in-person instruction until January 24, which he called “heart-breaking.” He said it was based on a 7-day infection rate in the city of well over 30 percent. The district will base a return to in-person learning when that rate drops below 20 percent, which he said should be no later than Jan. 31. He went on to detail the resources and support the schools are providing families to aid them during this period.

The exclusive interview kicked off the year for the COVID313 town halls, which will now be presented every other Thursday at noon on the DPTV Facebook page.

 

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