Milwaukee Public Schools Off To A Virtual Start Monday

MILWAUKEE, WI — Without setting foot in a classroom, Milwaukee Public Schools students were back in school on Monday. While the district has plans to reopen its buildings in phases, slowly permitting students back into their desks, the district decided to kick the year off with a virtual start.

In a news conference on Monday marking students' return to learning, Juan Baez, principal at Milwaukee School of Languages, said the district's goals remain unchanged, even though instruction is like never before.

"Our vision for students remains the same," he said. "That is that every student graduates college- and career-ready, bilingual and biliterate — a critical thinker who has a strong sense of self with a multicultural mindset, ready to lead in a global society."

School Superintendent Keith P. Posley echoed Baez's sentiment, calling the day "the start of the road to readiness for the 2020-2021 school year."

Students began Monday with phase one of a three-tiered reopening plan the school has chosen for students. In phase one, students learn online from teachers who offer live, small-group instruction and support for students, he said.

Phase two of the plan allows for hybrid learning: a combination of face-to-face and online instruction; and, phase three depends mainly on face-to-face instruction with a virtual option for students who elect to continue learning virtually.

"Despite the buildings being closed, our school educators and district staff have been working harder than ever to be able to provide a robust educational experience for our students," Posley said.

The superintendent said building operations staff have worked throughout the summer and into phase one of instruction to ensure school buildings are outfitted with personal protective equipment including masks, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, soap and paper towels.

The schools, he said, have also been updated with signage throughout buildings reminding students and staff to practice healthy and safe behavior.

"For the staff who’s working in our building now: We will continue to promote health and safety practices like hand washing with warm water and soap, covering our mouth and nose with masks, H'e said. "Also, using hand sanitizer, practicing physical distancing, disinfecting high-touch areas more frequently, and staying home when we are sick."

Amy Mizialko, president of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA), said the organization is prepared to help students and their families ensure they have reliable internet connectivity, useful devices and support facing difficulties during virtual learning.

"You can always call on MTEA and MPS to make certain that our MPS family has all the support they need whether we are in person, whether we are virtual, no matter what," Mizialko said. "We are one MPS family."

Students can still enroll in MPS at this time, she said.

In closing, Posley said the school is still committed to work on its five priorities for success.

"We will increase academic achievement and accountability; we will improve district and school culture; we will develop our staff; we will ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency, and we will strengthen communication and collaboration with all key stakeholders," he said.