Shorewood COVID Trends Could Mean More In-Person Schooling Soon

SHOREWOOD, WI —Bryan Davis, superintendent of the Shorewood School District, said he had more good news Monday when he updated the village's latest COVID-19 metrics and explained how the current trends soon could lead to more in-person schooling for high school and intermediate school students.

In an update on social media, Davis cited statistics from the Northshore Health Department showing that on Feb. 26 the community case burden level - cases per 100,000 population - was 84, significantly lower than the previous three weeks, which saw case burden levels at 152 (Feb. 5), 114 (Feb. 12) and 114 (Feb. 19).

Meanwhile, the Village of Shorewood had zero new cases in people ages 0-17 for the week of Feb. 12 to Feb. 25, and the test positivity rate was 1.4 percent from Feb. 14 to Feb. 20, well below the goal of 5 percent.

According to Davis, if the community case burden level remains under 100 this week, the district will begin transitioning to a schedule of four days per week in-person instruction at Shorewood High School and Shorewood Intermediate School.

Shorewood High School began hybrid in-person learning on Feb. 22, with students grouped into Cohorts A and B and attending two days of in-person learning per week. Shorewood Intermediate School implemented a similar model a week earlier.

Davis said that if metrics continue to be met, the district is anticipating a Monday April 12 start to four day per week in-person instruction at both schools.

"This will allow us to complete the third-quarter grading period in our current learning model and have a full week after Spring Break to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 cases in Shorewood and in the North Shore," Davis said.

Davis said the four day per week plan would include an asynchronous Wednesday for both SHS and SIS, and that a remote learning option will remain available.

Meanwhile, Davis said district elementary schools remain in their hybrid learning models, but will be transitioning back to full day in-person instruction - five days per week - on Monday March 15. A remote learning option will continue to be available.

Davis also provided a vaccine update about district staff. He said all of the district's Phase 1A and age 65-plus staff members had received or been offered a vaccine. An additional 54 vaccines also have been made available to the elementary school staff, which will be administered throughout this week.

Read more from Shorewood School District Superintendent Bryan Davis here.