Re-entry Plan 2020-21
Return to Learning Goals
Sept. 1: We reopened our doors for the 2020-21 school year, with the safety of our students and staff continuing to be our top priority. Our North Lakeland School leadership team collaborates weekly with staff members, state/local health officials, Lakeland area schools, and other key contacts to address the current situation and update our reopening plan as needed.
Our goal of being back in school 5 days per week beginning September 1, 2020 has been met; however, we understand that flexibility will be necessary as the recommendations surrounding containing the spread of COVID-19 may change frequently. Based on this need for flexibility, we have outlined three learning scenarios:
- Option 1: In-person 5 days per week with safety guidelines in place (priority)
- Option 2: Combination of in-person and home learning
- Option 3: Home learning instruction with teaching staff in-school if possible
View our current reopening plan working-document (revised 12-10-20) for more information on our specific goals, factors influencing our decisions, safety protocols, and next steps. A simplified overview (revised 11-10-20) can also be viewed.
Timeline & Key Dates
We will communicate updates to our school plan here, in addition to sending periodic family communication via email. As of today, and as described in our reopening plan, our current, board-approved 2020-21 calendar (revised 12-15-20) outlines our school year. |
Facility Use
Our facilities continue to remain closed to the community at this time. Should it be determined safe to open our facilities to community use once again, we will share our guidelines on this webpage.
Cleaning Procedures
North Lakeland School has a routine cleaning regimen in place to help reduce the spread of germs and communicable disease. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfection, we are increasing the cleaning of high-touch areas and hard and soft surface items throughout the day. We will follow guidelines established/recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our local and state health departments.
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We are ONE Team!
We all play a role in not just helping reduce the spread of communicable disease, but also supporting one another through these unique times. We are asking our students, staff and families to encourage our district/school-wide behaviors of being safe, respectful, responsible, and kind as we move forward together during these unprecedented times. Additionally, we ask that everyone continues to practice regular preventive actions (see flyer in English, Spanish, Hmong and Mandarin Chinese) including:
- Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Make sure to wash your fingertips. This is especially important after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing into your hands, and before preparing or consuming food.
- Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
- As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
- If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Families should have a plan in place for keeping your child home, picking up your child if they are sent home sick, and if schools are closed.
Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus at the CDC website. Those at highest risk for Coronavirus complications are older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems or heart, lung and kidney disease. See how Coronavirus is spread. It can take two to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after initial exposure to the virus; the average is about five days.
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In addition to practicing the recommendations listed above, we are balancing broad safety/health-related measures we can take as a district with individual expectations for those students and staff members in the school building(s). This is an on-going discussion and will be further outlined in our reopening plan as details are finalized.
Student and Staff Expectations
We continue to work closely with our local health officials and review state and national guidelines to determine the steps needed relating to bus, classroom, and open area safety protocols for students and staff.
Additional Staff Expectations
As part of our in-service days prior to our reopening, staff received training on cleaning protocols, tools for teaching in the classroom and remotely, professional development, and other items related to COVID-19 and reopening.
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If your student displays any of the symptoms outlined by the CDC, do not send your student to school or any school-related activities. Contact the school at 715-543-8417 ext. 0 to report the symptoms and absence. Seek care for your student by reaching out to your local clinic or emergency facility, and follow your county COVID-19 recommendations/guidelines.
District families will be notified of positive cases within the district by a joint effort between the district and Vilas County Health Department. Specifics will not be communicated to the community per privacy laws. Vilas County will be communicating with close contacts of a positive case in need of quarantine. The District will follow Vilas County Health Department protocol for response to positive cases in our schools.
This will be a joint decision and Vilas County Health Department. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. If the safety of our students and staff requires us to move to home learning, we are committed to providing consistent, engaging and effective home learning so that students continue to progress academically, no matter where they are or how they are learning.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers' current emergency order is in effect until January 19, 2021; however, North Lakeland's School Board passed a motion at its November 2020 board meeting to include the current NLS face covering mandate in the NLS Covid-19 protocol already in place. This means that face coverings are required at NLS until further notice.
If you don’t feel comfortable sending your child to school during this unique time, we are offering two alternatives:
? Home Learning Plan - Student uses North Lakeland curriculum and instruction is parent-led at home. NLS teachers will support the parent. More details will be released in the near future.
? Virtual Learning - We will utilize Wisconsin Virtual School (WVS) as the primary source of learning. WVS provides the curriculum and teacher but your child remains enrolled as a student of North Lakeland and can participate in North Lakeland opportunities if you choose. There is a commitment of at least a semester for this option.
Contact Mr. Jelinski for more information.
View informational flyers from the Vilas County Health Department regarding school reopenings, sports and teams, and businesses. For more information, contact the VCHD.
This decision-making tree was provided by the Vilas County Health Department to help us determine the best course of action.
This document, provided by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, details the necessary course of action.
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We appreciate your patience with this fluid situation, and we will continue to update you. Please rest assured that we will continue to put the safety of our students and staff as our first priority. If you have any questions, reach out to:
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