Return to school gets a little clearer

District explains details of plan for in-person and online learning during Q&A for families
By 
MITCH MAERSCH
Ozaukee Press Staff

School will look a bit different next month, but the Cedar Grove-Belgium district is hoping to keep students learning in person during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The district went into greater detail in its plans to reopen during a question-and-answer session last Thursday attended by about 50 people either in person or online. 

Schools plan to open in person while offering an online option as well. Supt. Chad Brakke said the district is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, state Department of Public Instruction and the Sheboygan County Health Department.

Among the new processes is taking students’ temperatures each morning in homeroom. Those with high temperatures will have them taken again with a different thermometer at the office to double check.

For children who are sick, the schools will have places to keep them isolated before they get picked up.

Masks will be worn, per state mandate, but breaks will be given throughout the day, Brakke said. Each student will receive one mask for free with the option to buy more. The district will provide masks to those who can’t afford them.

Students with medical conditions who shouldn’t wear masks will be accommodated through social distancing, Brakke said.

Social distancing will also be used for students who don’t want to wear masks. Brakke said he wants to avoid discipline.

“It would be a conversation with parents. Nobody wants it to get to that point,” he said.

If a student has a high temperature or tests positive for the coronavirus, Brakke said  letters will be sent home just as they do for other infectious diseases, but the district may not go into specifics due to HIPAA.

The health of staff is also paramount, especially if a few teachers in the same grade level get ill, he said.

“That’s when we’re going to struggle,” Brakke said.

Staff will be provided with personal protective equipment.

While the widely coveted Clorox wipes aren’t available, Building and Grounds Director Ben Lukens found a vendor with buckets of the liquid in which wipes can be dipped. Every classroom will have one to allow for wiping down surfaces after each class, Brakke said.

Students will be kept in cohorts as often as possible to limit interaction.

The high school will expand from two to four lunch periods. The middle school plans to have three lunch periods with one group eating in classrooms, Principal Kelly Dzurick said. The elementary school will separate lunch and recess by cohorts.

Physical education will be taught outside as often as possible, and band and choir  director Morgan Ruona has special choir masks and is looking at resources for instruments to prevent the virus’ spread.

Visitors to buildings won’t be allowed, and field trips are canceled to start the year, Brakke said. The band trip to Florida, during spring break, which was postponed this spring due to the coronavirus, hangs in the balance.

“I think that’s something that should be discussed sooner than later,” Brakke said.

For online school, the district has ordered new cameras for classrooms that allow synchronous learning so students may attend class in real time.

Virtual school supply lists will be given in addition to in-person lists. Supplies may be sent home throughout the year to do online labs and other activities, Dzurick said.

If the district is required to limit class sizes beyond its capacity, Brakke said, it will have some students attend school on some days and others on other days.

If the district again goes to online school only, as every district in the state did in spring due to Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer at Home order, school fees would either be rolled into the next year’s lunch fees or families would be reimbursed.

Online school this time would try to follow a class schedule as much as possible.

“We want everyone learning at the same pace,” Brakke said.

“I feel our district is trying to be as realistic as we can to help solve those scenarios,” Dzurick said.

A district survey of families this summer showed that more than 70% preferred in-person school and another 14% preferred a combination of in-person and online classes.

Families are asked to choose either in-person or online learning by Friday, Aug. 14. Switching between the two throughout the year will be allowed in the case of special circumstances.

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Ozaukee Press

Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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