School officials share thoughts on COVID-19

With the new school year underway, superintendents gave their thoughts the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the school year.

“We are prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District Superintendent Garrett Rogowski. “Our response will be similar to that of the last school year.”

WBHS’s COVID-19 response includes optional masking, constant cleaning and disinfecting and encouraging recommended vaccinations.

“We are now dealing with higher vaccinated adults,” said Rogowski. “We also have optional masking in place. Some kids are wearing masks, but they are not required.”

WBHS also has a plan in place to offer COVID-19 testing on site, where students, staff and families can go to the schools to be tested.

“I don’t anticipate this to have a high use,” said Rogowski. “It could be used, though, if we have a high spread in the school.”

The Bowler School District is also offering free testing for students and staff.

Bowler superintendent Glenda Butterfield-Boldig said that the free testing was just one of the many mitigation strategies that are in place in the Bowler school district.

Along with the free testing, Butterfield-Boldig said that the Bowler School District will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases using tools put together by the Shawano County Health Department.

“Right now we are in pretty good shape,” said Butterfield-Boldig.

She added that masking is not required, rather recommended and supported.

“The supported aspect is the part that was important to us,” said Butterfield-Boldig. “This is so families knew that if they wanted their children to wear masks, we were able to provide a safe environment to do that.”

Bowler also has protocols in place, like sanitizing stations, eating breakfast in classrooms, social distancing, and signs around the school promoting hand washing and masking.

In terms of quarantines, Butterfield-Boldig said that the board of education recommended to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

With the rise of different COVID-19 variants, Rogowski noted that things will be the same at WBHS.

“With the Delta variant, we are not going to operate and live in fear,” said Rogowski.

Both Butterfield-Boldig and Rogowski said that with masks not being a requirement, some students and staff in both school districts are still wearing masks.

The Bowler School District is also live streaming indoor sporting events, if community members don’t feel comfortable attending the event. These events can be found on the school district’s Facebook page.

Rogowski acknowledged the job that the staff in the Wittenberg-Birnamwood school district has done during the pandemic.

“Our staff has done a great job being flexible with the resources available during this time,” said Rogowski.

Through the first week, both Rogowski and Butterfield-Boldig said that the new school year has been running smoothly.

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com