WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — By Monday evening we will have a better idea of what the 2020-’21 academic year will look like for students and teachers in Wausau.
During tonight’s board meeting members will vote on how to move forward with what they’ve dubbed “project relaunch,” which calls for one of three options.
Students will either be in the classroom full time, on a rotating weekly schedule by group, or entirely from home.
The decision will come after more than a dozen workgroups spent weeks this summer studying how the virus has impacted students and teachers. Everything from how busing would work to student’s mental and emotional wellbeing and what requirements for face coverings will look like in the classroom setting was explored.
That data was presented to the board in a 30-slide presentation back in late June. No decision on the matter was made at that time because school leaders wanted to strike a balance between giving teachers and families enough time to prepare for what the year will look like while making a decision based on the best available data.
Many leaders including those on the board and Superintendent Keith Hilts have emphasized that it’s likely the district will utilize all three options at one time or another during the year, especially if a predicted second wave of COVID-19 hits the region.
We already know that some aspects of the school year will not function as normal to start. Last week the WIAA, which oversees high school activities and organizes state championships, pushed back the start of football, soccer, and volleyball practices to September 7th. Other sports that have been deemed “low risk” for COVID-19 transmissions such as cross country and golf will start practice in mid-August.
Monday’s meeting could also bring a final decision on a proposed referendum that would see the district contract the number of elementary schools under its umbrella while expanding others. According to Monday’s agenda, that referendum would call for an extra $3 million from taxpayers.
Due to the current pandemic, the meeting will be conducted virtually through WebEx. Residents can also listen in by calling 1-415-655-0001 and giving the passcode 133 257 0605.
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