By Kevin Zimmerman
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) – Following the orders of Governor Tony Evers, Wisconsin schools, public and private, will be closing no later than this coming Wednesday in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Sheboygan Area School District Superintendent Seth Harvatine said in a letter to parents that classes will be held both Monday and Tuesday this coming week, and that staff has been working on student resources and digital learning plans. Those plans will be communicated to students and parents by Tuesday, March 17th.
Sheboygan Falls Schools, which will also plans classes for Monday and Tuesday, will move all students in grades 1 through 12 to virtual learning Wednesday through Friday next week, and will resume Monday, March 30th following spring break. Classes are projected to resume in-house on April 6th. Meanwhile, effective immediately, ALL after-school curricular activities, day trips, including athletic practice, will be cancelled for the next 30 days, including Recreation Department and Aquatic Center activities.
Plymouth Schools will also close beginning Wednesday, March 18th, and then transition to offsite education. The on-site childcare programs – Mulberry Bush, Berry Branch and Extra Mile – will also be closed as long as the schools remain closed. Also in Plymouth the Spring Musical scheduled for this weekend has been closed to the general public. Instead, Plymouth will follow guidelines that recommend all non-essential gatherings of 250 or more people be cancelled, and allow each member of the cast and crew to bring their family and friends. Refunds for those already holding tickets will be offered next week. In addition, the Plymouth High School National Business Honor Society induction and the Plymouth/Kohler Youth Art Show at the SVA Gallery have been cancelled this weekend.
Howards grove School District Chris Peterson informed the district’s families that schools will be in session Monday and Tuesday. Steps will be taken then so that all students in grades 3-12 have a device to take home for virtual learning, while plans are still in the works for Junior Kindergarten through 2nd grade. Staff-only will meet Wednesday for teacher planning, and remote instruction will begin Thursday the 19th. Parent-Teacher conferences, practices, and all after school activities are cancelled immediately.
The Kohler School District announced that schools will be in session Tuesday, March 17th, but closed from Wednesday, March 18th through April 3rd.
The Oostburg School District will operate on Monday and Tuesday, then close beginning on Wednesday, March 18th. All large group events and student field trips have been cancelled for 30 days.
Random Lake School District Superintendent Mike Trimberger announced that district schools will be open Monday and Tuesday and then close beginning Wednesday the 18th, reopening no sooner than April 6th. Trimberger said that students will spend Monday and Tuesday being prepared for virtual learning. The district also cancelled the Solo and Ensemble Festival scheduled for today (Saturday), which also involves other area school districts.
The Kohler School District announced that schools will be in session Tuesday, March 17th, but closed from Wednesday, March 18th through April 3rd.
The Oostburg School District will operate on Monday and Tuesday, then close beginning on Wednesday, March 18th. All large group events and student field trips have been cancelled for 30 days.
The Cedar Grove-Belgium School District had not posted plans as of Saturday morning, but it is assumed that they will follow protocol and schools will be closed as of Wednesday.
Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District Administrator Ann Buechel Haack, in announcing their decision, released the following statement on the school website:
Alert: Dear Parents, As per my letter I just emailed to you, and which should be arriving in your mailbox tomorrow or Monday, the decision on whether to close school was to follow local or state directives. This decision has now been taken out of our hands and decided by Governor Evers so we will be following his mandate. The Governor’s mandate directed that schools need to be closed by the end of the school day on Wednesday, March 18. To meet this mandate, we WILL have school with students on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. That will give students and staff to discuss the approach instruction will take and also allow them to get all their needed materials together. We will use Thursday and Friday for planning. The first day of “virtual / home instruction” will be Monday, March 23. We will let you know early next week the specifics of how this program will work. Gov. Evers has mandated that schools remain closed until Monday, April 6 — minimally. This means all after-school events are also cancelled, including all sporting practices, concerts, etc. starting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. We are giving notice to families at this earlier time so hopefully they will be able to arrange for child care for their children. We know this is an inconvenience, but please remember it is not of the District’s choice, and also it is being done with the best interest of our students and the entire community in mind. If there are any families who currently use the Child Care center and are unable to make alternate arrangements, they should contact child care director, Diane Schwaller. She will try to help address the needs of families who find themselves in this situation. This will be a learning time for all of us, but with our dedicated and talented staff, we’ll all work hard to meet our students’ needs. Administration and staff have been discussing how this would work should a closing occur—now it’s time for us to move forward on the implementation of our plans. Administration will be meeting on Sunday to begin working out specifics. Your patience and flexibility during this time is appreciated. Stay tuned as more updates will be forthcoming. Sincerely, Ann
