KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County School districts are now planning on making scheduling changes due to the rising concern of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Southwest Michigan.
The statement from all 9 county Superintendents read:
“After further deliberation and consultation with the Kalamazoo County Health Officer, all nine superintendents in the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency have agreed to make schedule changes for outdoor activities, to the extent possible, to reduce exposure to EEE. Each school district will announce the specific time and/or date changes once the arrangements have been made. This adjustment of times will continue until there is further guidance from the County Health Officer that the risk of mosquito bites has been greatly reduced or eliminated. Although sports and outdoor activities are an important part of a child’s education, nothing is more important than their health and safety.”
Those 9 districts include:
- Kalamazoo Public Schools
- Climax-Scotts Community Schools
- Comstock Public Schools
- Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
- Gull Lake Community Schools
- Parchment Schools
- Portage Public Schools
- Schoolcraft Community Schools
- Vicksburg Community Schools
The move comes after 7-cases of the deadly mosquito borne virus in Southwest Michigan with 3-deaths in Kalamazoo, Van Buren and Cass counties.
Eight counties are now on the EEE warning list: Cass, Van Buren, Barry, Kalamazoo, Berrien, St. Joseph, Genesee and Lapeer.
Kalamazoo Public School officials sent a letter to parents warning them about the recent outbreak with a list of tips to prevent mosquito bites which can be found here.
Kalamazoo Central High School football game at Loy Norrix High School is being rescheduled for 5 p.m. Friday due to EEE concerns.
We will have updates on what has been rescheduled as they come.
Here is a list of the schedule changes:
Thursday, September 19
- Kalamazoo Central JV soccer at Battle Creek Lakeview originally scheduled for 5:00 p.m. has been cancelled. The varsity game will begin at 5:00 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m.
- Loy Norrix JV soccer at Battle Creek Central originally scheduled for 5:00 p.m. has been cancelled. The varsity game will begin at 5:00 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m.
- Kalamazoo Central freshman football versus Loy Norrix originally scheduled for 4:30 p.m. has been moved to Loy Norrix with the same starting time of 4:30 p.m.
- Kalamazoo Central JV football at home versus St. Joe originally scheduled for 6:30 p.m. has been rescheduled for 5:00 p.m.
No Change – Kalamazoo Central tennis team hosts Plainwell at 4:00 pm
Friday, September 20
- Loy Norrix varsity football versus Kalamazoo Central will be played at 5:00 p.m. instead of 7:00 pm. Loy Norrix is hosting the game.
No Change – Loy Norrix JV Cross Country team travels to Jackson for an invitational. The meet begins at 5:00 p.m.
