TROY, Mich. – The Troy School District is switching to remote learning as increased coronavirus spread impacts the community and their teaching staff. All K-12 students in the Troy School District will continue their education virtually only beginning on Monday, November 9. The district already canceled all in-person learning for high school students this week on Tuesday due to the impact of coronavirus spread. Oakland County has specifically struggled with coronavirus spread recently. “... we will evaluate whether the data, trends and public health guidance will necessitate an extended return to virtual learning,” Machesky wrote.

As community spread of COVID-19 increases, so does the number of Michigan schools reversing their decision to bring students back for face-to-face learning. Right now, Oakland County is at a level “E” in community spread -- the highest and least desirable place to be. High school students in the Troy School District have been pulled back less than 30 days after returning to face-to-face learning. Macomb County is also considered at level “E” for community spread of COVID-19. More: With spike in COVID-19 cases, Metro Detroit school districts make decision to go fully remote

DETROIT – Students at Holy Redeemer grade school in Detroit are switching to remote learning for the remainder of October due to increasing COVID-19 cases among students. According to a letter sent to families Monday, Holy Redeemer teachers have already sent out learning schedules for students' remote learning. The school is asking students and families to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or believes they may have been exposed should contact their primary healthcare provider or get tested for the virus. COVID-19 symptoms can develop up to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

OXFORD, Mich. – In-person learning at Oxford Middle School has been canceled for the remainder of the week as a precautionary measure due to rising COVID-19 cases among the community. Officials announced Tuesday that students at Oxford Middle School will switch to remote learning for Oct. 7-9 as the district works with the county health department to confirm positive COVID-19 cases. “Rather than risking potential additional exposures in the interim, we are choosing to temporarily close Oxford Middle School for the remainder of the week. Oxford Middle School students are expected to engage in virtual learning for the remainder of the week. Students can return to school for in-person learning on Tuesday, Oct. 13, following an already-scheduled break on Monday, officials said.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan schools are now required to notify the public about any probable or confirmed cases of COVID-19 within 24 hours under a new emergency order. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) director Robert Gordon issued an emergency order Tuesday that will requires K-12 schools to publicly disclose any probable or confirmed virus cases on their website within 24 hours of learning of the cases. The MDHHS says local health departments will continue to conduct contact tracing and directly communicate with individuals who may have been exposed in addition to the schools' required public notices. Tuesday’s order comes just after the MDHHS issued a new order Monday requiring face masks, restricting gathering sizes and limiting some businesses following the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling against Gov. Monday’s emergency order maintains some of Whitmer’s orders that have been deemed invalid by the state Supreme Court’s decision.

The early and extended closure of school buildings has also heightened the risk of legionella. Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, and it has been detected in several schools near Dayton, Ohio, and in a Pittsburgh suburb. “These things happen with old buildings or buildings that aren’t used often, so, I mean, we trust the experts that they flushed the system,” parent Derek Coatney said. Officials said those guidelines, including testing and flushing water systems, can apply to schools. Hot tubs or spas that have been shut down in gyms could also be a legionella risk.

Cyber security experts are concerned about attacks on Michigan schools ramping up early in the school year, especially with many students learning remotely. Last year, more than 500 schools across the country were hit by ransomware, cyber security experts said. To make matters worse, the attacks usually picked up in the first few weeks of school when students, parents and teachers had their guard down. Security experts told the Local 4 Defenders that ransomware attacks are on the rise, targeting schools and colleges across the nation. All of them need to be on the lookout for cyber attacks.

DETROIT Teachers at Detroit public schools are holding a vote Wednesday that could put a hold on in-person learning, though remote classes could still go on as planned. Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said teachers are voting on whether to give leaders of the Detroit Federation of Teachers the authority to use a possible strike as a bargaining tool. VIEW LIST: Heres what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemicBut the vote could quickly put the brakes on any plans for in-person learning when classes resume. The problem is remote learning isnt feasible for many in the district. Vitti has been a proponent of continuing in-person learning for about 25% of the school population.

DETROIT Teachers at Detroit public schools are calling for a strike vote that could keep them from returning to classrooms for in-person learning. The Detroit Federation of Teachers and the Detroit Public Schools Community District are actively negotiating what the return-to-school plan will look like. VIEW LIST: Heres what Michigan school districts have planned for the fall amid the pandemicBut the strike vote could quickly put the brakes on any plants for in-person learning when classes resume. While negotiations continue with no breakdown during the process, DFT has called for a Wednesday strike vote among its membership. A strike vote is usually called when negotiations have broken down.

You are going to have them probably alone with your kids for several hours, former FBI agent Ned Timmons said. Weve got to see who these people are.With many Michigan schools announcing virtual learning in the fall, some families with financial resources are considering hiring tutors to help their children. They hired a longtime private tutor and former teacher who was out on bond after allegedly soliciting a student for sex. His advice is to do a comprehensive, nationwide background check. A nationwide background check like the ones Timmons referenced can cost between $100-$150 and take two or three days to complete.

DETROIT With most Metro Detroit schools planning at least some remote learning in the fall, theres a major concern about cyber criminals taking advantage. Officials believe Cyber Criminals are looking to target thousands of students learning online in Michigan. FBI agents are already working to get ahead, issuing alerts to help parents, students and districts prepare from a security standpoint. FBI officials are warning schools about an attack involving a virus that holds computer systems hostage until a payoff. The threat could cost schools and students severely if they arent prepared, FBI officials said.

DETROIT School teachers are speaking out against the White Houses push for schools to be fully opened in the fall. There is a growing ground swell of teachers who said they feel bullied into going back into the classroom. As weve reported, almost a third of teachers and parents dont feel safe returning to the classroom under any circumstances that dont include a proven vaccine against COVID-19, reliable antibody testing and mass testing. But eight percent of Michigans teachers surveyed said theyll quit or retire rather than be forced back into the classroom if they dont feel its safe. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos are threatening to withhold funds to any school district that does not deem it safe to reopen fully.

DETROIT School districts in Michigan are facing a likely substitute teacher shortage as some full-time teachers might not want to return to the classroom when schools reopen. Many full-time teachers might not feel comfortable with in-class sessions, which leads to another concern: a shortage of substitute teachers. School officials said they dont even know what resources theyll have to try to attract substitute teachers and fill those holes. Gutman is also the vice president of the Tri-County Alliance, which represents thousands of schools and tens of thousands of students. School districts are working to put together plans for what comes next.