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The Wausau School Board is heaving a special meeting now ahead of the meeting at 6 p.m. to discuss returning secondary school students to in-person instruction. I'll be updating this thread here.
"We know many of our students are struggling academically," said the Director of Secondary Education. "It's not just students who are earning failing grades but all of our students have been affected by the structures of school this year."
Board President @TriciaforWI said the county health department and the Department of Public Instruction maintain their recommendation that all students and staff should remain 6-feet apart, though the district can't guarantee that distance.
Director of Pupil Services Angela Lloyd said they except student quarantines to go up if in-person instruction resumes but that the district is prepared. She said they have hired health aides for every building with CARES Act funding who are ready to do contact tracing.
"Whatever decision is made tonight will not magically correct all the concerns we have," Rauscher said.
"We talk about choice," Rauscher said. She was met with applause from meeting attendees after stating the district wants provide virtual students the choice of being in-person.
"Our families who have chosen 100% virtual have had that choice."
"Our families who have chosen 100% virtual have had that choice."
Board Member Jane Rusch said bringing kids back to school is dependent on the community's prevention behavior: social distancing and masking.
"None of those things are happening here," Rusch said.
"None of those things are happening here," Rusch said.
"We have to take this more seriously," Rusch said. I know everyone has COVID fatigue. I want to bring kids back to school. (But) this is a deadly disease that has long lasting effects."
Rusch is in a back and forth with Board Treasurer Lance Trollop, which sums up this entire debate. See below:
Rusch thinks this plan should be halted until all teachers have been vaccinated.
"Parents can decide for their own kids," Trollop said. "We have the option of virtual. And for the staff who don't have that choice, it's important we maintain six feet of distance for the staff."
"Parents can decide for their own kids," Trollop said. "We have the option of virtual. And for the staff who don't have that choice, it's important we maintain six feet of distance for the staff."
. @TriciaforWI said the reason they're taking this on now is because of the amount of failing grades. She asked Lloyd how this will change that.
"I'm even that worried about their performance anymore," Lloyd said. "I'm worried about our kids and their safety."
"I'm even that worried about their performance anymore," Lloyd said. "I'm worried about our kids and their safety."
"How do I put this into a measurable thing to show you, how significantly our kids are struggling with mental health right now," Lloyd said. "There's so much more to this now than just COVID."
"Their mental health is in such dire straights right now. It is going to take us a decade or longer to get some of these kids back to baseline," Lloyd said. "It's no longer about performance and grades."
Wausau teaching staff have not been able to get vaccinated so far. March 1 is the apparent start date, according to the district's Director of Human Resources Tabatha Gundrum.
The district plans to set up clinics for the 1400 staff members.
The district plans to set up clinics for the 1400 staff members.
"We have a game plan," Gundrum said. "We're ready as soon as we get the word go."
Board Member Lee Webster said this is "probably the hardest decision anyone on this board has ever had to make." He's been on the board for over six years.
He said it all comes down to which risks they decide to take.
"No one is going to be 100% right and we're going to have to live with whatever decision we make," Webster said. "I want everyone to think about that."
"No one is going to be 100% right and we're going to have to live with whatever decision we make," Webster said. "I want everyone to think about that."
Webster added it's inappropriate for the audience or board members to interrupt or applaud a decision.
I'm about 10 minutes behind in this meeting, just so everyone is aware. They're covering A LOT of ground here, getting to questions/information they've put off for the past few weeks.
Gundrum says the amount of time it will take to vaccinate staff will depend on allocation.
"We don't have enough vaccines for the request volume right now so it could take, I'm guessing a month, maybe, to get everyone through their first round," she said.
"We don't have enough vaccines for the request volume right now so it could take, I'm guessing a month, maybe, to get everyone through their first round," she said.
The district is working with @AspirusHealth which is distributing the Moderna vaccine. The Moderna vaccine's second dose comes four weeks after the first. This is important for the timeline of reopening.
About 20% of vaccine recipients are experiencing some reaction to it, according to Aspirus. This could impact if staff will be able to teach during that vaccination period.
The district is not mandating that staff get the vaccine but "highly encouraging them to do so," Gundrum said.
In a survey, 80% of staff said they couldn't assure their classrooms maintained six feet of social distance. @TriciaforWI said they need to listen to all sides, not "just the most vocal side."
Board Member Pat McKee said parents who want their students back in-person know the risks.
"We've beat this horse to death," he said. "This is ridiculous. For some people, there is no amount of data that is ever going to be satisfactory to make a decision, so...
"We've beat this horse to death," he said. "This is ridiculous. For some people, there is no amount of data that is ever going to be satisfactory to make a decision, so...
... let's stop pretending that it is.
We know the benefits and we know the risks. We either step up and make it happen or kick the can down the road some more."
We know the benefits and we know the risks. We either step up and make it happen or kick the can down the road some more."
The Board is in the process of amending the recommended resolution, which suggests secondary students return to in-person instruction 4 days a week starting March 1. Some want to move that date later, others earlier.
James Bouché offered an amendment suggesting that March 1 start date be moved up to Feb. 22. The amendment was voted down 5-3.
The last vote was voted down 6-3****
. @klo1622 suggested extending the recommendation to March 15. It was also voted down 6-3.
. @klo1622 suggested extending the recommendation to March 15. It was also voted down 6-3.
BREAKING: The school board passes the administration's recommended motion, bringing in-person instruction for secondary school back on March 1. The motion passed 5-4.
