School board approves virtual learning plan

The Shawano School Board voted 7-1 Jan. 6 on a plan to initiate virtual learning plans if there are too many staff members absent to allow for classrooms to be monitored and taught, with a note from administrators that they hope they never have to use it.

However, it’s questionable if it will never be implemented, as the district had 35 staff members absent the day before, with 13 positions that could not be filled with substitute teachers. Positive COVID test numbers have spiked ever since school returned to session earlier in the week.

Going to virtual would only apply to grades 6-12, according to Kurt Krizan, personalized learning director, while kindergarten though fifth grade would remain with at-person learning. If the decision was made to pull the trigger on virtual learning, it would only be for a five-day period, Krizan said, with the first day being what he called an “asynchronous day” where students would be learning on their own while the available staff prepare to shift to the online format.

He noted that this measure is only precautionary, and the district is not planning to implement virtual learning right away, even though nearby schools in Green Bay have had to implement similar measures.

“This is a conversation about what is best for students as far as learning,” Krizan said. “We know that a shift to virtual learning is our absolute last resort, and we know that, with the way our numbers have spiked post-winter break and how we’re seeing an increase in both student and teacher positive cases in our district, we need to have a plan if we need to pivot.”

If the district moves to virtual learning, officials would alert families by noon the day before about the change. Meal pickup would be reinitiated during that time, Krizan said, and co-curricular activities would still take place.

“We know that the benefits of our students being in front of our teachers every single day, and that’s our number one priority,” Krizan said. “If we don’t have the staff to put in front of our students, we have to have a plan we can transition to.”

Superintendent Randi Anderson noted that the district will be implementing the new Centers for Disease Control guidelines that allow for quarantining for five days instead of 10 days or longer. She gave the caveat that the shorter period would only apply to students who have received the two initial shots and adults who have had the two shots plus the booster.

“That will be able to help us get our staff back in quicker,” Anderson said. “That should hopefully eliminate the need to go virtual, but much like a snow day, I have to have a plan if I don’t have staff.”

Board member James Davel expressed concern about going to virtual learning, noting the issues that staff members have had making the transition to utilizing Apple computers and equipment in the classroom to provide learning. He suggested a “tactical pause” instead, closing the schools for that five-day period and pushing back the end of the school year if need be.

“I’m not a big fan of the virtual, and I think we all saw the (test) scores (for the 2020-21 school year),” Davel said. “I’m kind of curious if there was any kind of discussion.”

Anderson said that administrators would consider it.

Davel also questioned if students would be able to utilize the technology, given the transition problems. Krizan noted that email is available if the students or staff can’t work in tandem with the live online tools.

During the board meeting, which was held virtually, there were some issues with some board members unable to communicate, prompting board member Mart Grams, the only one to vote against the virtual learning plan, to say: “This is why we can’t go virtual.”

Board member Jamie Beyer had worries about the impact on special education students by being out of the classroom for five days and suggested having those students attend, even if other students are in virtual mode. However, Krizan suggested that staff would be able to check in remotely on special education students.

“If we do end up going this route, the communication to the families and to the students is going to be critical so that everybody’s on the same page,” Beyer said.

Krizan noted the Shawano district is giving longer notification than other school districts.

“I don’t want to call out any districts, but there are some that are calling at 9 p.m. the night before,” Krizan said. “I’m happy that we can give another nine hours from some of those districts.”

Board member Chris Gull said he wanted to make sure there was a time limit on how long the schools would be in virtual, even though administrators said the plan was only for a five-day period, unless there were extended issues with staff being out. Gull recalled how the district went into virtual mode in September 2020 and stayed that way for more than three months before reinitiating in-person learning for the second semester.

Gull also claimed the issue was not a result of COVID-19 spreading through the schools, noting the spike in cases came once the holiday break was over.

“This was not a sickness problem by the school,” Gull said. “This was a sickness problem created by what happened on break and how people conducted their lives on break.”

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com