North Michigan News

Republican Sen. Wayne Schmidt is one of 25 people picked to find a way for Michigan's students to get back to learning in a traditional classroom safely come fall.  

Schmidt will be part of a team tasked with helping schools return to a new normal in the wake of a global health crisis and announced his appointment earlier this month in a post on his State Senator Way Schmidt website. 

"They have shown their ingenuity and worked hard to ensure students and parents have the resources they need to continue educating students in the face of this pandemic," he said in the press release.

The COVID-19 Return to Learn Advisory Council is made up of people with a variety of backgrounds and include educators, parents, students and legislators. It was made official when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order forming the council last month. 

Their mission is to make sure students stay safe and healthy as Michigan continues to cope with the coronavirus crisis. The group is responsible for pointing out areas that need to be addressed as Michigan works towards reopening schools forced to close in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. They'll also develop ideas for safely returning to school for the 2020-2021 school year and present those recommendations to the COVID-19 Task Force on Education.

Schmidt said he's honored to be a part of it, according to the press release. He also said he's proud of the work educators and other school staff members did to help students keep learning. He believed their efforts during the pandemic minimized disruptions in eduction for their students. 

"Our students deserve the best education we are able to provide," he said in the press release on his website. "I am committed to working with other members of the council and the governor to ensure a smooth-as-possible transition as we seek to return to some level of normalcy."