The Shawano Leader

Shawano School District, Gresham School going virtual

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 10:46am

The Shawano School District will close classrooms and go 100% virtual for at least two weeks starting Tuesday due to the county’s surge in COVID-19 cases over the past week.

Hillcrest Primary School will close immediately for the rest of this week, due to the inability to provide staff coverage for the school, Superintendent Randi Anderson said in a letter to district parents.

Other Shawano schools will finish out the week.

There will be no school Monday while district staff converts their instruction to delivering it virtually starting on Tuesday.

Miles of Art canceled for 2020

Published by admin on Fri, 09/25/2020 - 10:21am

A statement on the Miles of Art Facebook page reads, "The 2020 Miles of Art Studio Tour is cancelled.  The Covid-19 burden in our area is growing quickly, at this time, and we want to keep our community (that's you!) and our artists as safe as possible. 
We hope to see you in 2021 and we thank you for all of your support."

Stockbridge-Munsee issues new COVID-19 health order

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 2:14pm

The Stockbridge-Munsee Community issued a new health order Tuesday due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases that mandates face masks, social distancing, curfew and limits on gatherings.

The order is in effect until Nov. 30.

“The Stockbridge-Munsee Tribal Council recognizes this tribal community is also seeing a surge in positive COVID-19 infections like surrounding areas are experiencing,” Tribal President Shannon Holsey said in a statement.

Evers extends mask mandate, declares new emergency

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 6:38am

Gov. Tony Evers Tuesday declared a new public health emergency in Wisconsin due to recent surge in COVID-19 cases among young people and issued a new mask mandate effective immediately.

The previous mandate was set to expire Sept. 28. The new order extends that until at least Nov. 21.

In Shawano County, confirmed cases of the coronavirus jumped by 220 over the course of a week, from 410 on Sept. 15 to 630 on Sept. 22, with 100 new cases reported over the course of the weekend.

Menominee County cases rose to 59 on Sept. 22 from 36 on Sept. 15.

Red sky at night

Published by admin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 7:15pm

Red sky at night, the saying goes, sailors’ delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. It is not sure if this old weather verse took into account the amount of smoke that western fires can put into the atmosphere. The red sun filled the sky over East Green Bay Street in Shawano on Tuesday.

Carol Ryczek | NEW Media

Proposed referendum would keep tax rate flat

Published by admin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 2:09pm

The Clintonville School District will ask voters in November to approve a $37 million referendum to upgrade its schools, shuffle them around and potentially save some money in the future.

Schools to utilize job center for online learners

Published by admin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 1:57pm

The Shawano School District could be utilizing a portion of the Fellman Center that once housed the Shawano County Job Center for students who need help during virtual learning days.

The idea was presented Monday to the Shawano School Board, but final approval will need to come from district residents themselves at next week’s annual meeting — a requirement when the district enters into a lease agreement with another entity for a building not owned by the district.

Summer school in COVID-19 produces mixed results

Published by admin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 1:54pm

The Shawano School District’s summer school program was successful in spite of barriers caused by the coronavirus pandemic, coordinator Rod Watson reported to the school board Monday.

“The summer school 2020 experience was a new one for everybody,” Watson said. “We ran four different COVID(-19) responses to summer school this year.”

The district had planned its traditional curriculum with in-person classes prior to the state closing down all schools in March, Watson said, which required officials to revamp and figure out which classes could be offered virtually.

School board votes 7-1 to approve code of conduct

Published by andynewsengin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 1:53pm

The Shawano School Board voted 7-1 Monday with little discussion on a policy establishing a code of conduct for board members, with board member Mart Grams casting the lone vote against it.

Administrative coordinator takes new job

Published by admin on Tue, 09/22/2020 - 10:25am

Shawano County Administrative Coordinator Brent Miller will be leaving the county next month to take a job in Sauk County.

Miller was officially hired Sept. 15 as Sauk County’s first county administrator after the Sauk County Board unanimously approved his contract. His last day in Shawano County will be Oct. 16.

Miller, who has been in his post in Shawano County since December 2014, said he has been happy here and had not been looking for a new job.

He was approached by recruiters looking for candidates for the Sauk County position.