Please view the following communications related to most recent COVID-19 Guidelines.
Category: COVID-19 Updates
46 – COVID-19 Update – ESSER III LEA PLAN REPORT
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Fund Plan submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is embedded below. The plan was approved at the January 10, 2022 Board meeting.
45 – COVID-19 Update – REVISED Virtual and Concurrent Learning Guidelines
Please click HERE to view the revised virtual and concurrent learning guidelines for the 21-22 school year. Please note, this document is for planning purposes and the district intends to stay in the current model of face to face instruction unless a change to the virtual model is deemed necessary.
44 – COVID-19 Update – 21-22 Return-to-School Planning Information and FAQs
We’re very excited to return to school in a few short weeks! Please view the document linked HERE for information related to the COVID-19 practices taking place as students and staff return to school.
43 – COVID-19 Update – Future Virtual Option – Rural Virtual Academy
June 4, 2021
RE: Future Virtual Option
This past school year the Oconto Falls Public Schools offered a virtual education option for students as an alternative to face-to-face education during the pandemic. The option provided involved students accessing their education through the utilization of Acellus programming. During the course of the year we gathered feedback regarding this option and determined that we would not move forward with Acellus for the 2021-22 school year as a virtual alternative.
On May 10, 2021, a recommendation was made to the Board of Education that we move forward and collaborate with the Rural Virtual Academy (RVA) for situations where an option other than face-to-face education is requested. The Board approved this recommendation, and we are currently collaborating with RVA staff to ensure information is available to those who have an interest in a virtual education option.
Please know that we are moving forward with a plan to have all students back in face-to-face learning environments, with face coverings optional, when we begin the 2021-2022 school year. However, we recognize that, in exceptional circumstances, a parent may want to consider another option. This is a link to the RVA website and will enable you to access information regarding RVA and their virtual programming.
If you are considering RVA, please contact Debbie Woods (920) 848-4471 to be added to our list to receive more information as it becomes available.
Dean R. Hess
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Superintendent
42 – COVID-19 Update – Face Coverings Communication
May 18, 2021
On Monday, May 11, 2021, the Board of Education approved making face coverings optional starting June 4, 2021. This means that we will continue to require face coverings for the remainder of our school year (through June 3, 2021).
Please note that even though our Board has made face coverings optional in the buildings, the TSA and CDC have extended the requirement of face coverings on public transportation through September 13, 2021. Our buses are considered public transportation, therefore if your child will be riding the bus for summer school, athletics, or other activities they will be required to wear a face covering. Please see the following webpages for more information. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/face-masks-public-transportation.html)
As we receive further guidance from the CDC, we will keep you informed as to if/how it may affect our current operational practices. Please note that we appreciate your support as we continue to take actions in what we believe to be the best interest of our students, staff, families, and the communities that we serve.
Dean Hess
41 – COVID-19 Update – Operational Modification Due to Vaccine
To Parents/Guardians:
As the vaccination process continues to create greater opportunities for staff, families, and community members to receive the vaccine, we continue to modify our operational practices. It is important to note that over the past five days we have avoided requiring four staff members to quarantine due to being a close contact because in each instance the staff member was vaccinated. Below is the guidance that we’re following which relates to both adults as well as students 16 years and older:
Adults and students (16 years and older) who have received their COVID-19 vaccinations (2 doses for Pfizer / Moderna or 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson) and who are two weeks beyond receiving their final dose, would not need to quarantine in the case of being a close contact provided they are not exhibiting symptoms.
We are sharing this information so that you as parents, students, and staff members are aware of the benefit of not needing to quarantine if you meet the vaccine requirement listed above and are later identified as a close contact.
If you have further questions please contact your child’s school and leave a message for the school nurse. We will have someone get back to you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Dean R. Hess
Superintendent
40 – COVID 19 Update – January 6 – REVISED Student Quarantine Practice
January 6, 2021
As you may know, CDC revised it’s recommendation to the language below:
Your local public health authorities make the final decisions about how long quarantine should last, based on local conditions and needs. Follow the recommendations of your local public health department if you need to quarantine. Options they will consider include stopping quarantine
- After day 10 without testing
- After day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 7 or later)
After stopping quarantine, you should
- Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
- If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your local public health authority or healthcare provider.
- Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash your hands, avoid crowds, and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
CDC continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus.
However, our District has decided to consider these recommendations and adjust our local practice. Oconto Falls Public Schools decided that we will have asymptomatic students quarantined from school for 10 days (regardless of negative results) and be allowed to return to school on day 11 pending they remain symptom free and remain socially distant from other students and staff.
The return date for participation in athletics and co-curricular activities will not change from that initially indicated. Students may attend practices and observe in a socially distanced manner once they have returned to in-person learning; however, they may not participate until the end of this longer quarantine period.
If you have specific questions, please contact the main office of the school which your student attends.
Dean R Hess
Superintendent of Schools
View original letter sent to families.
39 – COVID-19 Update – December 18 – Return to In-Person Learning (Podcast)
Dean Hess joins the podcast again this week to share more information about how the Board came to a decision regarding the return to in-person learning on January 4 as well as some holiday encouragement.
38 – COVID-19 Update – November 18 – Inclement Weather Update
November 18, 2020
As the winter season approaches, we are providing you with information regarding how we will respond as a school district to inclement weather. This information will include our updated plan and notification process should we need to close or delay the start of the school day.
As you are likely aware, each year we build multiple snow days into our calendar to address situations where school is delayed or closed due to inclement weather. Even though our school district has provided a majority of our students with 1:1 devices (chromebooks) that allow them to access school remotely, we continue to bring a number of our students into school for face-to-face instruction during virtual learning. The reason behind this action is that not all students have a device or access to the internet, and some students have significant educational needs that require face to face assistance during instruction. Given these realities, the Oconto Falls Public Schools will implement snow days similar to how we’ve addressed them in the past. Simply said, a snow day will still be a snow day and students and staff will not be required to attend school. This will avoid situations of a number of students and staff on hazardous roads due to implementing virtual learning as a result of inclement weather.
If the number of snow days becomes excessive, we will consider implementing modified virtual learning days in place of snow days. In this situation, we would communicate this change in snow day procedures ahead of time and share the specifics of how we would provide virtual instruction from home (for both students and staff).
For our parents and guardians, you can see, it is very important that you verify your contact information is correct in the Skyward system and that settings are correct for how you wish to receive school closing information. This is especially important if you have moved or changed your phone number since setting up your skyward account.
In situations where we are experiencing inclement weather, please remember to monitor local news/media outlets as they will be provided with information relative to school delays/closures. We will also contact families through our Skylert system and post this information on our district facebook page. When the situation allows, we will make the determination regarding school closing or delay the night before. However, we often need to drive the roads to determine road conditions and in those circumstances we will make the decision and notify families no later than 6:00 a.m. the day of the closing.
It is important to note that parents/guardians always have the option to keep their children home in situations of inclement weather. In these situations we ask that you call your child’s school to let them know of your decision.
Sincerely,
Dean R. Hess
Superintendent of Schools