Oak Creek-Franklin Students To Head Back to Class in 2021

OAK CREEK, WI—Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District students are heading back to school in the new year.

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education called a special meeting Thursday evening to make a plan to bring students back to school for in-person learning.

The Board considered three options for elementary-aged students. Those options were full in-person, Oak Creek virtual, and HyFlex for people in quarantine. The idea was to offer all three options to students and allow families to determine the best option for them.

Some board members wanted students to return to class on January 11, though some said it was too soon after the holiday break. The Board discussed other dates.

After extensive discussion, the Board decided to bring elementary students back to class on January 19.

Staffing is a major concern for the Superintendent, but the CDC adjustment to quarantine time would be helpful toward addressing staffing, he told the Board. Students could be forced back to virtual learning if there isn’t enough staff to teach.

The medical guidance is to begin the process of opening schools with the youngest students because they have fewer transmission concerns and the biggest challenges with learning online, according to Superintendent Daniel Unertl.

Cleaning and disinfection will continue. The school district’s mask position remains the same, according to Superintendent Unertl.

The Board also approved a hybrid education plan for middle and high school students starting January 26. The goal is to get back to full-time in-person classes as soon as possible. The plan will be assessed every two weeks