NORWAY — Norway-Vulcan Superintendent Louis Steigerwald expressed disappointment Wednesday at state-recommended mitigation strategies aimed at slowing the transmission of the coronavirus.

The Norway-Vulcan Area School Board discussed a news release from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who, along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, prepared community guidelines after announcing the state’s first presumptive cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Steigerwald indicated the release had minimal advice for local school administrations hoping to prevent coronavirus beyond what is already standard practice for illnesses, such as encouraging staff and students to stay home when sick and separating those with symptoms from others until they can go home.

“I’m not happy with the leadership in Lansing on this right now,” Steigerwald said, characterizing the response as “horrible.”

“‘Reduce in-person gatherings and activities, especially for organizations with individuals at risk of severe illness,'” Steigerwald said, reading from the release. “School is a large, in-person gathering on a daily basis.”

Other recommendations included having students eat meals in classrooms instead of school cafeterias and staggering recess and busing schedules to minimize interaction between large numbers of students and staff.

Steigerwald said some contacts in Lansing claimed children were less vulnerable to infection, though he noted both adults and children can carry COVID-19 without exhibiting symptoms and many students were cared for by grandparents who would be at risk of severe illness.

Steigerwald further noted many staff and students also had underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, that could make coronavirus infection more dangerous.

“I met with staff after school today. We’re just trying to prepare as best we can for what may happen,” Steigerwald said, adding he asked teachers to prepare two weeks of lessons for students to complete at home if the school were to close.

“If we were to do that, how is the state going to require us to report attendance? Not known. Will the state give us any forgiveness beyond the six days that we typically get? Not currently known,” Steigerwald said.

The board acknowledged a possible school closure would bring a host of complications for working parents and guardians, in addition to staff and students.

“We all believe that the best place for kids to be to learn in an optimal situation is in school, with their teachers and their peers,” Steigerwald said. “No one thinks this is a real replacement for school, but these are extraordinary times.”

In other business, the board:

— Set curriculum and policy committee meetings for 5 and 5:45 p.m., respectively, Monday; a Norway Knights Athletic Booster Club meeting for 5 p.m. March 31; and a Committee of the Whole meeting for 8 p.m. today and 5 p.m. April 20.