Tigerton schools plan four days of in-person learning

Kindergarten programs to be shortened or eliminated to limit students in class
By: 
Lee Pulaski
City Editor

Tigerton School District will be holding classes in school four days a week, with Wednesdays being student-free for deep cleaning.

Kelley Strike, the new superintendent, said the school board approved the new plan, which has cleaning staff coming in on Wednesdays and Saturdays to do major cleaning, although basic daily cleaning is also expected to take place. Students will be in school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, unless families opt to pursue virtual learning with the district.

“We have a lot of safety protocols in place such as increase sanitation, social distancing,” Strike said. “I’m adjusting some schedules to limit grade-level cohorts.”

At the elementary level, special classes like art and music will be in the regular classroom instead of students traveling to a specific room for the subject, according to Strike. Meals will also take place in the classroom instead of the cafeteria, she said.

Meals will be split into several periods at the middle and high school levels. Strike said that lunch had previously been at one time for all students.

“We’ve put a lot of social distancing things in place,” Strike said.

One casualty in the district is its 3-year-old kindergarten program. Strike said the need for additional space is requiring the postponement of the program this year. Also, 4-year-old and 5-year-old kindergarten will only be a half-day instead of full to break them into two groups, she said, in order to have fewer kids in a classroom.

“With the younger kids, it’s harder to social distance,” Strike said, noting that 5-year-old kindergarten could be put back to a full day later in the year if health conditions improve.

Families concerned about the coronavirus and the increase in positive cases can opt to enter into virtual learning, where classes are online. Teachers will be able to help those students on Wednesdays if there are any questions or concerns they might have, according to Strike.

Having the in-school students working online Wednesdays will also allow students to be prepared if the pandemic goes south, and the school district must go to all virtual learning like schools statewide did in March.

“If we establish those routines, it should make it smoother if we have to move in and out of virtual learning,” Strike said.

A survey sent out to residents in the district showed that the Tigerton area had an easier time with virtual learning than other rural districts, but there are still some people who live in areas where internet infrastructure is non-existent, according to Strike.

“About 14% had difficulty participating virtually,” Strike said. “Some had a little disruption, but 14% had some real issues. We’re continuing to look into that.”

If Shawano County’s risk level for coronavirus were to drop back to a low or moderate level, Tigerton would look at reestablishing five days of in-school classes, according to Strike. Currently, the county’s level is moderate-high.

“That would open up the use of some spaces,” Strike said.

Like most school districts in the area, Tigerton is still up in the air as far as transportation plans. With more parents planning to drive their children to school and seat spaces on buses becoming fewer, it’s unclear what the district will do once school starts in September.

“We’re going to go with the protocol of one student per seat unless they’re part of a family,” Strike said. “We can’t do a full six feet apart, but we’ll distance as much as possible with that option.”

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com