COVID-19 Information

Class sizes are naturally reducing in size as a result of the students and families choosing the full-time virtual school option.  

No, children and teachers returning to the school buildings for Phase 2 would not be required to get tested for COVID-19 before the first day of school.  All parents should monitor their children daily for symptoms prior to sending them to school by taking their temperature each day and by asking a series of home screening questions.  Teachers and staff as well are required to monitor themselves daily for symptoms.  Both students and staff should stay home if they feel sick.

Yes, face coverings will still be required of students and staff upon our return to school buildings during Phase 2 even if there is no longer a Wisconsin state order requiring them to be worn.  District administration will work in collaboration with the City of Oak Creek Health Department and our medical advisor to determine if and when face coverings are no longer needed or required.

Students and staff who have been notified of their need to quarantine must stay home for the entire duration of the 14 day quarantine period.  During this time at home, individuals should separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from the local health department.  Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms.

No, if your student receives notification that they are required to quarantine for 14 days, students are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities.  Students who must quarantine are not allowed to leave their house, except to receive medical care. 

Quarantine

Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.

Isolation

Isolation is used to separate people infected with the virus (those who are sick with COVID-19 and those with no symptoms) from people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. In the home, anyone sick or infected should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick room” or area and using a separate bathroom (if available).

We will require staff and students to wear face coverings during the school day when we start in person instruction in Phase II.  This will remain the requirement even after the expiration of the state order on September 28.  Therefore, please send your child to school each day wearing a face covering. A face shield alone is not allowable.  

 

No, if your child tests positive, he/she must remain in isolation at home for 10 days from the date the symptoms first started.  He/she must remain in the home this entire time - no school, no sports, no going to work, etc.  This is the case even if your child does not have any symptoms.

Please inform your child's school as soon as possible after finding out that he/she has tested positive for COVID-19.  The OC Health Department will typically follow-up with the schools to confirm the diagnosis.

The OCFSD does not calculate the disease burden that is reported each Friday on our Phased Reopening Dashboard.  This information and number comes to us from the Epidemiology Team at the Medical College of Wisconsin via a weekly update from the Oak Creek Health Department.  

The Oak Creek Health Department includes new COVID-19 cases in their data updates once the test results are reported to them. Test results are reported to health departments anywhere between 1-10+ days after the test is performed.

The School District Dashboard is the 14-day burden rate calculated by a team of epidemiologists at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). The date they use to identify new cases during the 14-day time period is the date the specimen was collected/test was performed. For this reason, the burden rate the MCW calculates will not be the same as a burden rate that the Health Department shares.

With a unanimous vote, the OCFSD Board of Education recently adopted criteria to be used to determine when we can safely begin returning to in-person instruction.  Based upon this adopted criteria, which includes the current COVID-19 positivity rate and disease burden level for the City of Oak Creek, we will now be starting the school year with temporary, remote teaching and learning with students whose families have chosen the “face to face” option.  As we progress through the next couple of weeks and into September, we will regularly monitor our community COVID-19 data to determine when we can transition into Phase 2 (Hybrid) of our return to school.  

In the event individual classrooms, grade levels, or an entire school are ordered to quarantine or close by the Oak Creek Health Department, daily instruction will temporarily shift to a remote learning structure led by your child’s classroom teacher.  This will entail a blended approach of both self-paced (asynchronous) and real-time (synchronous) instruction and learning opportunities.

In the event individual classrooms, grade levels, or an entire school are ordered to quarantine or close by the Oak Creek Health Department, daily instruction will temporarily shift to a remote learning structure led by your child’s classroom teacher.  This will entail a blended approach of both self-paced (asynchronous) and real-time (synchronous) instruction and learning opportunities.  Grades 4K - 2 will continue to use Seesaw as the remote learning platform while grades 3 - 12 will support remote learning through Google Classroom.  Your child’s temporary remote learning plan will include a teacher provided daily/weekly schedule, recorded lessons, individual/small group live instructional sessions , and office hours to support students/families.

As the district began the initial return to school planning process, the scheduling scenarios outlined in the WI Department of Public Instruction's Education Forward document to promote physical distancing were considered.  These included:  Four-Day Week, Two-Day Rotation, A/B Week Rotation, and Elementary Face-to-Face and Secondary Virtual Learning.

No, a medical excuse or a documented underlying health condition is not needed or necessary in order for a family to consider the full-time virtual educational option.

We have adjusted the plans/options so that families/students can select first semester only for the full-time virtual option.  At the end of the first semester, students/families can choose to return to in person at their assigned school or remain in the virtual option until the end of the school year.  This semester long commitment supports consistency in student learning and maintains appropriate staffing levels across all educational options.

Working with another provider allows the District to temporarily expand our workforce, potentially reducing class sizes across the board, which also allows greater social distancing, more frequent face-covering breaks, etc…  And this partnership allows the District to give a greater percentage of families exactly what they want.

The district is currently developing guidance and plans for situations in which a student may be absent for 3 or more days.  These plans are looking to go beyond just sending work home through creating opportunities for student/teacher interaction and connection to the class to the extent possible.

No, families need to register their children for the full week. Parents may determine the days a child attends based on their family needs.  Space will be held for each child by the week with the intent of keeping consistent cohorts of students and reducing contact with others.  

No, busing is not available for School Day Camp.  Parents will need to provide transportation to and from the program within school day hours unless also registered for ASPIRE/The MIX care for before and after school care.

Yes, high school students can work with their assigned school counselor at the high school to make any needed schedule changes.

Teachers will provide extended learning opportunities for students, similar to in person instruction to meet student’s learning needs.

The district is currently working on setting up a process for providing breakfasts and lunches during the phase of remote teaching and learning.  The USDA waivers that were available during the spring are currently not available, so the process will have modifications to ensure that we are meeting our federal reporting requirements as well as working to meet the needs of our community.

Students will work with their school counselor to choose appropriate electives. Students will still be required to take one semester of physical education in each of their years in MS. Sixth grade students will also receive one semester of Health.  Elective choices will include Foreign language,  music appreciation, art history/appreciation, computer science, and FACS offerings.  We are working to create band opportunities for MS and HS students as needed. 

Yes, families are still required to pay the regular annual school fees.  

Yes, the deadline will be extended. Those students who purchased a parking pass already are good and they will be valid when we return to face-to-face instruction.

Printers could be needed at home; however the district has invested in technology to limit the need for printing. 

We are reviewing new positive tests for each age band (0-9, 10-19, etc.), as well as 14 day % positive test trends and % of hospital beds assigned due to COVID-19.  Will we also review staffing and substitute fill rate and the ability for the City of Oak Creek to accurately and timely complete contact tracing for all positive cases.

Yes, yearbooks will still be handed out at the start of the school year.

Teachers will have weekly office hours to support students and parents. The teachers will have individual schedules with office hours specifically identified.  Students will also be able to meet with their teachers for additional support during office hours as needed. 

Yes, middle school athletics and activities will be offered this fall under the guidance of the WIAA and in coordination with the Oak Creek Health Department.  They will be open to all students.  Girls basketball, girls/boys cross country, cheer, yearbook, and student council will be offered to students.  Families can sign up for these opportunities online and should call East or West Middle School for more information.

Student schedules and teacher assignments are now available in Infinite Campus.  These can be accessed through the Infinite Campus parent portal.

Yes, OCHS students will have the opportunity to practice in WIAA fall sports for the 2020-21 school year.  Low risk sports (boys and girls cross country, girls tennis, girls golf, girls swim and dive) began on August 17, 2020.  Football, boys soccer, boys and girls volleyball will begin on September 7.  A plan to allow students the opportunity to participate in these WIAA sports was done in collaboration with the Oak Creek Health Department, OCFSD administration, the WIAA and other Southeast Conference (SEC) member schools.  The WIAA guidelines for Fall Sports have been addressed with head coaches so that all are in full understanding of the required compliance from each athlete in their program.  Student athlete participation is 100% voluntary.

No, spectators will not be allowed at fall events per the decision of the Southeast Conference (SEC).  Our ultimate goal is to have student-athletes practice, compete, and experience as much of a Fall sports season as possible.  By not having fans at our contests, we increase the likelihood that the spread of COVID-19 will be minimal in each of our communities, and therefore allow our athletes to continue with full participation.   

Elementary families can pick up Chromebooks and iPads at their assigned elementary school on Friday, August 28 from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.  This is only for students who do not currently have a district issued device.  All other students should keep and use the district device issued to them last spring.

Updated 7/22/20 8:15 pm

Cloth face coverings are most essential in times when physical  and social distancing is difficult and assist with minimizing the risk of transmission to both students and staff.  Therefore, the use of cloth face coverings will be one of OCFSD’s most critical prevention measures which allow schools to start safely and stay open.  

As we start the 2020-2021 school year, students and staff will be required to wear cloth face coverings during parts of the school day during which physical distancing presents a challenge.  These times may include:  transitioning in hallways, entry & exit to the school building, accessing other high traffic areas such as the main office, and possibly during instruction in the classroom.  

Information regarding the proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings will be provided to parents and reinforced with students at school.

 

 

Staff are encouraged to bring and use face coverings of their choice.  Face coverings/masks will be provided for any staff member in need.  The district has secured cloth face coverings, disposable surgical masks, plastic face shields, and N95 masks.  These will be distributed as needed and determined necessary for specific positions.

All students are encouraged to bring and use a face covering of their own choice.  Face coverings/masks will be provided for any student who needs one, however.  The district has both disposable surgical masks and cloth face coverings available to any student.

Students in grades 4K - 12 will be required to use a face covering when in school.  Exceptions to the use of face coverings by certain groups of students will be made as recommended by the CDC.

The placement of student desks and tables along with in class instructional groupings of students will be evaluated by classroom teachers in order to maintain physical distance among students to the greatest extent possible.  When adequate distancing between students becomes challenging, masks may be required.

All areas within the school will be disinfected daily following their final use for the day.  This includes desks, tables, bookcases and other hard surfaces within the classroom.  This also includes the surfaces of lockers, lunch tables, drinking fountains, handrails, and door knobs throughout the building.  This will ensure that all learning areas will be ready for school in the morning.

During the course of the school day, custodial staff will focus on disinfecting high touch areas throughout the building.  This will include: door knobs, water fountains, handrails and other locations as determined by the custodian and building staff.  All classrooms will also be equipped with a spray bottle of disinfectant which can be applied throughout the day when students are not present.  Teachers will be trained in the proper use of this disinfectant.

All classrooms will also be equipped with disinfectant supplies which can be applied throughout the day to shared materials and equipment. 

Yes.  Each building's HVAC has been evaluated and proper maintenance performed.  Currently, all are in good working order.

We are moving to adjust our exchange rate of outdoor air from 15% of volume to 30% of volume for the start of the year.  We currently use a double filtration system in many of our facilities which include the use of a MERV-11 filter and are working towards replacing with MERV-13 filters.  It is important to note that the greater the MERV rating, the more difficult the exchange of air given the higher density of the filter.  We are working to optimize both the exchange of fresh air and the filtration system to maximize our response to air quality.

Students who present with symptoms of influenza like illness or COVID-19 during the school day will safely rest in each school’s identified isolated satellite health room while waiting for the arrival of a parent or guardian.  The school principal or designee will contact the student’s parent or guardian to pick up the student as soon as possible.  A pre-identified staff person will stay with the student while awaiting the parent or guardian’s arrival wearing a face covering or surgical mask along with proper eye protection. 

 

Parents should keep students with any symptoms of influenza like illness or COVID-19 home from school and contact their primary care physician regarding a need for COVID-19 testing and/or self-quarantining.  The student should remain at home until symptoms subside. If the child tests positive, the parent or guardian should contact the school principal and the City of Oak Creek Health Department.

 

Parents will be responsible for daily home screening of their students.  This includes reviewing health screening questions each morning prior to sending their child to school.  Students who present with flu-like symptoms during the school day must be picked up by parents as soon as possible.

The district employs two full time school district nurses.  There is an annual training held prior to the start of the school year for health room aides, front office staff, and back-up support staff.  During this training the nurses will reinforce the delegated nursing duties such as medication administration, rescue procedures, first responder training, and well-child protocols.  

No, we will not be taking students’ temperatures at school as a daily health screening measure.  Parents should complete a morning health screening of their children prior to sending them to school for the day.  These questions include:

• Has my child had any signs or symptoms of a fever in the past 24 hours, such as chills, sweats, “feverish” feelings, or had a temperature that is elevated or greater than 100.4F?
• Does my child have any of the following symptoms:  cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, nasal congestion/running nose, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting?

If your child tests positive for COVID-19, he/she should isolate at home for at least 10 days from when symptoms began. If your child is asymptomatic, they should isolate at home for 10 days following the day their test was performed.  Remaining at home and staying away from others (including those within the same household), will help to prevent the spread of infection to others.  Parents should note the start date of the onset of symptoms and continue to monitor symptoms throughout the period of isolation.

Your child must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to in-person instruction.  In addition, 10 days must also have passed since the start of their symptoms.  If your child is asymptomatic, he/she can return to school 10 days following the date their COVID-19 test was performed. Your child’s return to in-person instruction should also be collaboratively determined by school staff, the local health department, and you.

Parents/Guardians will be notified by the City of Oak Creek Health Department if their child has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.  (The Health Department defines close contact as having had fifteen or more cumulative minutes within 6 feet of someone who has tested positive.) This notification will include guidance and information regarding the need to quarantine. More information about the notification process will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

Those students and staff who have had close contact with an individual who has tested positive will receive notification of their need to quarantine.  School and district administration will collaborate with the City of Oak Creek Health Department on a case by case basis in order to facilitate contact tracing. 

If you are notified that your child has had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, your child will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days.  During this time, please monitor your child for the onset of symptoms.  At the end of 14 days, your child may return to in-person instruction if they remained symptom free throughout the duration of the quarantine time period.  During the 14 day period, your child will participate in a remote instructional program with his/her classroom teacher.

The Health Department, together with school and district administration, will make classroom/school quarantine and closing decisions on a case by case basis.

The Oak Creek Health Department considers "close contact" as having been within 6 feet or closer for fifteen or more cumulative minutes with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

You will be contacted/notified if your child was considered to have had close contact (15 cumulative minutes or more within 6 feet) with a classmate who tested positive for COVID-19.

No, the other children in your family will not need to quarantine for 14 days.  Only the child who was identified as having had close contact with someone who tested positive will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days.  The other children can continue to attend school as they did not have close contact with the positive individual.

Yes, addressing the social and emotional needs of all OCFSD students upon our return to school will be critical to re-engaging students in learning and reconnecting them with each other and their teachers.  Supports in this area will focus on:  Relationship and Community Building, Social & Emotional Skill Development, Access to Mental Health Services, and Redevelopment of School Behaviors & Routines.

There will be several measures put in place to maintain the health and safety of students who ride the bus to and from school.  These include:

• All high touch areas of each bus will be disinfected before, between, and following each route.
• Signage will be present on all busses as a visual reminder of ways to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
• Current bus stops will be reviewed and modified or added as needed to limit the number of children at any one bus stop.
• Students will be given assigned seats on all bus routes.
• All bus drivers and riders will be strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings.

Riteway uses substitute drivers as needed.  Much like a school, company management often drive routes as well in the event of absent drivers.  Riteway will coordinate driver coverage.

As with all other potential exposure situations, If you have been notified that your child has been in close contact, the Oak Creek Health Department will provide notification regarding their need to quarantine and the duration of that quarantine.  

Given the number of student riders we have, one student per seat is not feasible.  In order to keep students safe on the bus, all students must wear face masks while on the bus.  The bus company will also be disinfecting high touch areas of the bus between routes.  We continue to work with our local health department and the bus company, Riteway, as we continue to plan for the upcoming school year.

All students will have access to both hot and cold lunch options.  Food will be pre-packaged and all self-serve lines will be eliminated. Logistics for serving and eating lunch will be specific to each level (elementary, middle, and high).  The primary focus of lunch plans will be on physical distancing measures, keeping students with their primary class of students, and ensuring students remain in their assigned lunch location seats.  These practices will assist with reducing transmission of illness and any potential contact tracing activities conducted by the Oak Creek Health Department.   

Class sizes are not being adjusted at this time.  Physical distancing in all areas of the school, including in the classroom, will be a safety priority along with the wearing of face coverings, proper hand washing, and disinfecting and sanitizing practices. 

February 9, 2021 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Yesterday evening, the Board of Education unanimously voted to return all middle and high school students back to school full time. The current elementary five-day-a-week return to school remains the same and continues to provide your youngest students with safe and engaging learning. If you are currently an OC Virtual Family, your child’s educational routine remains the same.  

Beginning Monday, Feb. 15, secondary students will return to school in-person Monday-Friday. We are excited to welcome our students back full-time and while optimistic, we do expect and have planned for some individual and whole-class quarantines. Due to the ever changing nature of this pandemic, it’s also important to be aware the possibility still exists for individual schools to temporarily transition to remote learning due to staffing shortages, or other unforeseen circumstances. We will continue to update our Monitoring Dashboard, which details both staff and student COVID cases and quarantines and will share information as it becomes available. 

In recent weeks, the Board has discussed and reviewed research on Pandemic Resilience (Wood County and the Schools and the Path to Zero report), highlights from the first days of the semester and the District’s current staffing and vaccination models, all with a focus on the timing of Phase III. In addition, we are encouraged by the recent drop in the number of COVID cases in the City of Oak Creek and surrounding communities. As always, the Board and district staff will continue to regularly monitor and discuss our current state as our priority remains safety and our goals remain minimal in-school COVID transmission and continuous operation.      

We understand this is a big change. While it is an exciting step forward, we do know that some of our families might feel uncomfortable coming back to school full-time. For those families, OCFSD is providing two alternative opportunities:

• HyFlex (streaming technology following the in-person schedule), officially continues for one more week at the secondary level. It is scheduled to conclude upon continuous operation at your student’s school for a period of four weeks. However, we will continue to use it for students under quarantine for the foreseeable future.  If you have special circumstances, which may warrant an accommodation, please work with your school’s principal.      

• Enroll in OC Virtual. If you’re interested in entering the program, please contact the District Office at 414-768-5880. 

Thank you for your continued support, partnership and advocacy. We look forward to welcoming your child back to school full time! 

Sincerely,

 

Dan Unertl, Superintendent                              The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District                              District Board of Education

January 12, 2021

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

We are anxiously awaiting and excited at the opportunity to have students back in our facilities and we have been reviewing our plans and protocols from our planned return in the fall.

As part of the continued planning process for a return of face to face for many of our students, we wanted to provide a review of the plan for student transportation to and from school.  In OCFSD, this is a very important piece of the back to school puzzle.  The state of Wisconsin requires districts to transport all students who live two or more miles from their home school or live in the approved district hazardous transportation zone. In our district, this represents several thousand students being transported to school via bus on any given day.  

Our plan is to continue to operate within that framework for the remainder of the year.  However, it is important to note that there will be several measures remaining in place to enhance the safety of our students.

1. Riteway (our contracted bus service provider) will require all drivers to wear facial coverings and we will require all students to wear facial coverings.  Please note that there are instances where an individual may have a medical or other valid reason where wearing a face covering will be waived.  Those instances need to proceed through our Pupil Services teams.
2. Riteway will disinfect all high touch areas of each bus before, between and following each route.
3. Signage will be present in the bus as a visual reminder of ways to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
4. Riteway and the District will review bus stops to help limit the number of children at a bus stop and modify or add stops when appropriate.
5. Students will be assigned seats on the bus.

It is very important that we work to provide the safest travel possible for our students.  Our partners at Riteway and the Oak Creek Health Department have been instrumental in helping us develop this plan.  You can expect additional communication on a variety of topics between now and our return to face to face learning.  

With great enthusiasm for seeing students. 

Andy Chromy                                                               Daniel Unertl 
Chief Business and Finance Officer                         Superintendent        

December 10, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

We know COVID continues to circulate in our community, and will continue to do so.  In working to learn from all that has happened, both here and throughout the area, and in closely examining our local experience based on our own Monitoring Dashboard, the Board has unanimously elected to move forward and bring students back to school, restarting Phase II of our reopening plan.  We will welcome elementary students back into their classrooms on Tuesday, January 19th--after the break, and before the conclusion of the semester--and secondary students on Tuesday, January 26th, the first day of the second semester.  

This means that elementary students will return to school five days a week in their cohort, and secondary students in blue/gray hybrid.  We are optimistic, but expect and plan for some individual and whole-class quarantines, and the possibility still exists for individual schools to temporarily transition to remote learning due to staffing shortages.    

The Board’s discussions at this and prior board meetings have reflected that while many students may be at home, many are likely in settings with different groups of kids or higher-risk neighbors and family members.  The Board talked about what's known about students’ risk of both contracting and transmitting COVID, challenges for families, the experience of other school districts, the dedication of and challenges for our staff, the Center for Disease Control’s recent update to the duration of quarantines, and our District’s experience operating some in-person special education services, extracurriculars, and day camps. 

The Board will continue to regularly monitor and discuss our current state, and when an examination of our experience by the Board demonstrates continued success (meaning that transmission of COVID does not prevent the carrying out of safety measures, or high quality instruction), determine when Phase III (close to normal operations) can be reentered for all our students.    

For families who are uncomfortable coming back to school under these circumstances, you may remain learning remotely for a period of time, in one of two ways: 

• Enroll in OC Virtual.  If you’re interested in entering the program, more information will be forthcoming well-prior to our transition back to Phase II.
   
• OR, remain learning remotely for two weeks at a time using HyFlex (streaming technology following the in-person schedule)--which we use for students under quarantines--until making a more permanent placement decision.  Once we've been able to provide continuous operation at your student’s school for a period of four weeks, HyFlex will end and all students will either be in-person, or enrolled in OC Virtual.  More information will be forthcoming in the coming days as well.  We will share how and when you can let us know if you plan to take advantage of this option.      

If you are currently an OC Virtual Family and plan to continue, you are unaffected by this update.   

Thank you for your continued support, and advocacy.  

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent                                           The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School      Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District                      District Board of Education

November 10, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Last night the Board of Education met for its regularly scheduled Business Meeting.  At that meeting, the Board discussed the continued impact of COVID on our community.  The Board will likely continue to discuss this subject at its regularly scheduled meetings for the foreseeable future.  At this time, the Board has not changed or modified the Phased Reopening Plan they have approved, or the criteria they have put into place; at this time, all schools will continue in a remote format.   

The prevalence of COVID in our community remains a significant concern, particularly in that Oak Creek remains an outlier in the county--I have recently joined in signing a community letter from regional superintendents, please click here if you’d like to read it.  That said, the Board is committed to working creatively and collaboratively to return our students to school as quickly and safely as they can.  In collaboration with the Oak Creek Health Department, the Board has been working to deeply understand the level of risk posed for members of our school community.  We know that COVID continues to circulate, and will continue to do so.  The District will continue to update our Phased Reopening Dashboard--which reflects community disease burden--and Monitoring Dashboard--which reflects our local experience with COVID related quarantines and positive cases.  

At future meetings, in an effort to explore and exhaust available options, the Board will also view and review potential modifications to our Monitoring Dashboard, which could at some point be used to make school-by-school decisions regarding closures--this would be a departure from pivoting the entire District when we experience spikes in community COVID activity.  Additionally, expect the Board to examine, explore, and consider, future potential modifications to the phased reentry plan--initially for elementary students--in a time where we may continue to exceed the Board’s prior adopted community COVID thresholds.  The Board may also discuss options for families who may find any changes unacceptable at this time.  The Board realizes that having these discussions could seem like too much or too little--the Board is working to do all they can, and that requires continued attention.  You can expect continued discussion, problem-solving, and likely, thoughtful modifications during this uncertain time.  

Additionally, while virtual, School Day Camp will continue to be offered for families currently registered in the program.  Openings are filled using a waitlist system. If your family is in need of this service and you have not added your child’s name to your school-specific program waitlist, contact the Youth Programs Department at 768-6166.

Also, If your child is in OC Virtual, for either the semester or the year, you are unaffected by this update, or potential subsequent return modifications.   

Thank you for your continued support, and advocacy.  


Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent                                           The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School  Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District                       District Board of Education

Dear Oak Creek Residents,

This year continues to be a year of firsts for all of us.  And there have been challenges, no doubt, but we all hope and work toward a complete return to as-close-to-normal operations as soon as we can, as safely as we can.  

This year we also built and opened a fully virtual school, Oak Creek-Franklin Virtual, which by total enrollment is now our second-largest school.  The time between March and September has felt like a barn-raising -- an essential and necessary moment, requiring everyone’s help--resulting in a transformed resource, built to help us all move forward into times we are left to only anticipate...but we are together in that anticipation.    

This year, your Oak Creek-Franklin public schools welcomed nearly 6,500 students. We know that the futures of the children in our community depend on all of us -- parents, school district staff, school board members, neighbors, business leaders, community partners, and many others. Our community cares deeply about our children and understands the power of an excellent public education. 
 
As a community, we’ve relied upon one another, and the only way we will both manage and thrive will be to rely upon one another again. I couldn’t be any more proud of our teachers, administrators, support staff, families, and most of all, our students, for working so incredibly hard as we work through the challenges of the 2020-2021 school year, with all the uncertainty that entails.  

I hope you learn a lot more about our great city here in the pages of the Current--I know that I always enjoy reading about the great things happening around town--and am proud to contribute through our school district in keeping Oak Creek a destination community!  

Thank you for your continued support and advocacy.  Go Knights! 

In gratitude,
 
Mr. Daniel D. Unertl, J.D.
Superintendent
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

To our school communities, 

For the last several months, COVID-19 has changed the way we live. From trips to the grocery store, to spending more time at home, to how our children learn, COVID-19 has uprooted our lives, our routines and made life more difficult for many in our communities. As school leaders, we want to take this opportunity to come together and collectively thank you for your ongoing patience, support and input. We know it hasn’t been easy. 

Every day, our teams work diligently to put together plans that meet the academic and social/emotional needs of our students while keeping everyone safe. We have all worked countless hours to make the best decisions for our students and families as we continuously battle with ever changing information. The safety and well-being of our students and staff has always been our top priority. But now, more than ever before, it is at the forefront of our decision making. 

During this crisis, every person plays a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of our communities. Our goal as school leaders is to do whatever we can to ensure a greater likelihood of keeping schools open throughout the entire school year. 

We want nothing more than to bring our students back to school face-to-face full time and commit to doing so when we know it is a safe decision. But, we can’t do it alone. It will take all of us. 

We ​implore our communities to diligently follow health and ​safety guidelines​ set forth by our respective counties. Please, practice social distancing, avoid large group gatherings, wear a face covering and frequently wash your hands. If we all do this, we can get back to normal quicker. 

As we enter the winter season here in Southeast Wisconsin, we know more activities will move indoors as weather limits our ability to be outside. Please approach upcoming community and family events with the utmost caution and care. Our individual actions have large implications and the ability to provide face-to-face instruction relies upon a healthy and safe community.  

Since March, we have worked together to tackle the challenges that have come our way. We’ve had a lot of wins and have celebrated a lot of good. Let’s continue that momentum and all do our part so that we can provide as much face-to-face learning as possible throughout this school year. 

Be safe and stay healthy.

Dr. Eric Gallien
Superintendent 
Racine Unified School District

Dr. Mark Elworthy
Superintendent 
Saint Francis School District

Lisa Elliott
Superintendent
School District of Greenfield

Dr. Judy Mueller
Superintendent
Franklin School District

Dr. Lisa Olson
Superintendent
Whitnall School District

Dr. Tina Owen-Moore
Superintendent
Cudahy School District

Daniel Unertl, J.D. 
Superintendent
Oak Creek-Franklin School District 

Dr. Jeffrey Weiss
Superintendent
School District of South Milwaukee

 

October 15, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

This evening the Oak Creek-Franklin School Board met to discuss the continued impact of COVID-19 on our schools and community.  The most recent Medical College of Wisconsin Epidemiology Team release of the City of Oak Creek’s COVID-19 Disease Burden is 430.  This number reflects a rating of “Critical,” as described in this document provided to our District by the Milwaukee County Regional Health Officers.  After an extended discussion the Board voted to affirm their prior position.  

This means that effective Monday, all instruction will pivot back to remote learning (Phase I) and will continue in this remote format until the Disease Burden falls back below 350, and continues on that downward trend for a subsequent week.  Disease burden fell from its previous high of over 400 in late July to just over 100, and has steadily crept back up in recent weeks.  Minimally, this will take two or three weeks.  All students should engage in remote learning as they had prior to our entry into Phase II on 9/28.  

Tomorrow, Friday the 15th, will be our last day of hybrid instruction for a period of time.  Teachers will ask students to bring home everything they need to engage in remote learning starting Monday the 19th.  Tomorrow, you may receive additional communications from multiple District sources around a variety of topics.  

In a series of unanimous votes throughout the summer, the Board voted to follow “Disease Burden,” as the key data point for determining our current phase of instruction.  In collaboration with the City of Oak Creek Public Health Officer, the Oak Creek-Franklin Board of Education has adopted the criteria referenced above, upon which we rely for moving between the Phases of our Reopening Plan.  And as we’ve shared, each week, the District has been using a Dashboard to summarize the COVID-19 data in our community, and a Monitoring Dashboard which reflects positive cases and quarantines in our schools.

Right now, throughout the Paper Valley and northern Wisconsin--throughout our region, state, and country--we are seeing schools temporarily adjust their format as COVID continues to spread.  We had hoped that our late summer experience reflected that we had experienced our peak in local cases, however, Oak Creek/Franklin is once again seeing COVID cases rise.  We will continue to monitor the data identified on our Dashboard, and methodically move toward Phase II, as the criteria allow.   

If your child is in OC Virtual, for either the semester or the year, you are unaffected by this update.   

 
Thank you for your continued support, and advocacy.  

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent                                The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School 
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District            District Board of Education

October 5, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Today marks our fourth first day of school this year--remote learning opening day, Phase II Blue and Gray, and today’s elementary student return.  All the while, OC Virtual--now our second largest school--running as well.  This year continues to be a year of firsts for all of us.  It has been wonderful to see students in our schools again.  When sending my youngest son into school in days past, with his little spiderman mask--there was a heavy feeling in my heart, but also hope--I’m sure I wasn’t alone in these emotions.  

And in the midst of our return, COVID-19 continues to impact the world and the Oak Creek-Franklin community.  Since the Medical College of Wisconsin Epidemiology Team has started sharing Disease Burden totals with us, we have seen it climb to just over 400 in late summer, down to near 100 a few weeks back, and back up to over 250 in recent days.  Each week, the District has been using a Dashboard to summarize the COVID-19 data identified in our OCFSD Phased Reopening Plan.  

In early summer I wrote, “We also must be cognisant that we could be ordered closed by the Department of Health Services, or the local Health Department, or that individuals or groups of students could be quarantined at home for periods of time.”  This is still the case.  As you can see on our website, we have staff and students in quarantine.  And as COVID-19 continues to circulate, we must expect and plan for quarantines, positive cases, and perhaps even closures, to continue.   

You can expect our School Board to continue to review and evaluate this important information shared by the City of Oak Creek Public Health Officer and the Medical College of Wisconsin throughout the pandemic.  We will continue to monitor the data identified on our Dashboard, and methodically move through the phases as the criteria allow.   

The District will continue to provide communications as we refine plans and move through the different phases--revising them when necessary--collaborate with our partners at the local health department, learn from and respond to our community through the questions you continue to submit through our website, emails, and phone calls, work with neighboring school districts, and closely monitor emerging information. 

Thank you for your continued support, and advocacy.  Go Knights! 

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent              
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District        

September 21, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek- Franklin School District Families,

We are writing today as a follow-up to our September 17, 2020 COVID-19 health protocol communication.  Our planning for Phase 2, which includes in person instruction to some extent for all students, has included regular collaboration and communication with the Oak Creek Health Department and our OCFSD school nurses.  Please review the information below as it explains our school and district processes in response to any positive COVID-19 case among our students or staff.

COVID - 19 POSITIVE STUDENTS AND STAFF  

Students and school staff who test positive for COVID-19 should notify their school principal immediately.  Positive students and staff will be required to self-isolate at home for at least 10 days from the onset of their symptoms.  These individuals will be able to return to school or work only after these 10 days AND once fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications AND with the improvement of their symptoms.  

IDENTIFICATION OF CLOSE CONTACTS

When we learn of a positive case of COVID-19, identifying which students and staff were close contacts with the positive individual will be the important first step.  Regardless of how we learn of a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, we will work together with the Oak Creek Health Department in the contact tracing process to quickly identify any students or staff who may have been exposed.  

The definition of an exposure or close contact in a school setting is the same as in any other community setting, and triggers a specific set of public health recommendations for quarantine, symptom monitoring, and testing.  A student, teacher, or staff person will be considered a close contact of the COVID positive person if they:

• Had direct physical contact with the person (e.g. hug, kiss, or handshake); OR
   
• Were within 6 feet of the person for more than cumulative 15 minutes during the school day.  (This includes single encounters of more than 15 minutes OR multiple encounters within a single day adding up to more than 15 minutes); OR
   
• Had contact with the person’s respiratory secretions (e.g. coughed or sneezed on; contact with a dirty tissue; shared a drinking glass, food, towels, or other personal items).

This definition of close contact applies even if protective measures, such as face coverings, face shields, or physical barriers (e.g. plexiglass, partitions) were used.  While these protective measures reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, it does not eliminate the need to quarantine if the criteria above are met.

QUARANTINE OF CLOSE CONTACTS

One of the most effective measures for stopping transmission in an indoor, shared space, such as a school or classroom, is to identify and quarantine close contacts of those who test positive for COVID-19.  In a school setting, isolation and quarantine are the primary strategies to be used for COVID-19 outbreak prevention.  

As stated above, if your child is identified as a close contact of an individual in the school who has tested positive for COVID-19, you will receive written notification and a phone call communicating your child’s status as a close contact and next steps.  Following both WI Department of Health Services and Oak Creek Health Department guidance, students and staff identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive individual, will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days from the date of last exposure before returning to school or work.  

What does it mean to quarantine? Students required to quarantine for 14 calendar days must:

• Stay at home the entire duration, except for medical care;
• Avoid having visitors to their home;
• Practice frequent and thorough handwashing;
• Stay 6 feet away from others in their household;

Parents/guardians should closely monitor their child for the development of symptoms during their period of quarantine. Please contact your school principal if your child develops symptoms during quarantine so we can provide you with further guidance.

NOTIFICATION TO FAMILIES

Timely communication with families and staff is an important part of our notification process when a positive case of COVID-19 is identified in the school. Parents/Guardians will receive notification from the school/district in the following situations:

1. When a positive case of COVID-19 is identified in the school.
2. If your child has been identified as a close contact of someone in the school who has tested positive for COVID-19; 

MEDICATION DROP OFF - Parents with medication or health related forms for the 2020-2021 school year can begin dropping these off this week at their child’s school between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM.  
 
After reviewing this information, please do not hesitate to call or email me with any questions or concerns you have.   We are here to help and happy to speak with you!

 
Bridget Kotarak
Assistant Superintendent
(414) 768-6850  or b.kotarak@ocfsd.org 

 

September 17, 2020

Dear OCFSD Families, 

As we continue our planning for Phase II and partial in person instruction, the health and safety of our students and staff remains at the forefront of the planning process and our decision-making.  We have appreciated the questions many of you have asked and our ongoing partnership with the Oak Creek Health Department as both have informed and guided our health and safety planning.  

Please carefully review the health protocol information below.  This is PART 1 of our communications to families regarding our health protocols.  The Part 2 family communication will be sent on Monday, September 21 and will include an explanation of quarantine decisions and family notification processes.
 
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) - 
 
Upon our return to partial in person instruction in Phase II, we will continue to require staff and students to wear face coverings during the school day.  This will remain the requirement even after the expiration of the state order which is scheduled, at this time, to end on September 28.  Therefore, please send your child to school each day wearing a face covering. A face shield alone is not allowable. As we head into Phase II, we will continue to closely monitor our district supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  Each school has a supply of cloth face coverings, disposable gloves, and face shields for use by staff and students as needed.  
 
MONITORING STUDENTS’ DAILY HEALTH
 
Daily Home Health Screening - We are asking all parents and guardians to monitor their children daily for illness, including symptoms of COVID-19. Daily health screenings, including temperature checks, will not be done at school.  Therefore, please consider the following questions each morning prior to sending your child to school:

• Has my child had any signs of symptoms of a fever in the past 24 hours, such as chills, sweats,  "feverish" feelings, or had a temperature that is elevated or greater than 100.4?
   
• Does my child have any of the following symptoms:  cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, nasal    congestion, runny nose, body aches, headache, fatigue, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting?

Please keep your child(ren) home if they have any of these symptoms and notify your child’s school of their absence.  School office staff or a school nurse may contact you with some follow-up  questions regarding your child’s absence or to offer further guidance.   
 
 
 
EXCLUSION FROM IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION
 
According to the WI Department of Health Services, symptoms of COVID-19 infection in children may mimic a number of other childhood viral infections.  Because of this, schools are encouraged to use a liberal approach when determining whether to send a child home due to illness.  
 
Any student who displays symptoms during the school day which meet the criteria outlined on either side of the table below will be sent home from school.  Students who present with these symptoms will be treated and monitored in a separate, isolated health room specifically designated for this purpose.  Parents/Guardians will be contacted to pick their child up from school as soon as possible. These students will be asked to remain at home for 10 days and to follow-up with a medical provider for further guidance.
 
Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19

New onset of ONE of the following above BASELINE for your child: Cough Shortness of breath or Difficulty Breathing Loss of Sense of Smell or Taste

At least 2 of the following above BASELINE for your child: Fever of 100.4 or higher  Chills Muscle or Body Aches Diarrhea Nausea or Vomiting Sore Throat Headache Unusual Fatigue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When can my child return to school?  We recognize that returning to school is important to your child.  Your child’s return, however, must be done safely and when they are well enough to come back.  Listed below are the expectations for a student’s return to school after having displayed symptoms of COVID-19.

• If your child is symptomatic but did NOT get tested for COVID-19:
  • Students may return to school AFTER remaining home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began AND they are fever free without medications AND have improved symptoms.
• If your child was symptomatic and tested negative for COVID-19:
  • Students may return to school after being fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications and documentation of negative test results.
• If your child was symptomatic and tested positive for COVID-19:
  • Students may return to school after self-isolating at home for at least 10 days since the first symptoms began AND they are fever free without medications AND have improved symptoms
• If your child was symptomatic and was seen by a medical provider who determined your child’s symptoms are NOT COVID-19 related:
  • Students may return to school once they are symptom and fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications; AND
  • Students must also have an alternative diagnosis from a medical provider.

Once again, a communication on additional health protocols will be sent on Monday, September 21.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions on the information in this letter or on any other areas.  
 
Thank you for your partnership in helping us to keep all students safe and healthy! 
 
Sincerely,
 
Bridget Kotarak
Assistant Superintendent
(414) 768-6850
b.kotarak@ocfsd.org

September 10, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

As a follow-up to the letter that you received yesterday, September 9th, from Superintendent Unertl, I would like to share some logistics and protocol information as students and families prepare for Phase 2 re-entry as part of our Responsible Return to School.

As we work together to welcome back our students into the physical school setting during this phase, we have developed a plan to make this transition as seamless as possible. We are working to balance the number of students who will be in our schools each day. We also understand that some households have children with different last names, so having those children all attend in-person on the same days is important for those families affected. The plan is to have students broken up by alphabet (A-L, M-Z), while accommodating the aforementioned households, into two groups using the colors BLUE and GRAY. Look for group assignments coming out later in the week of September 14th.

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS (4K-5) - Phase 2

The schedule for the first week in Phase 2, September 28th:

Entry Week to Phase 2	BLUE GROUP (A-L)	GRAY GROUP (M-Z)
Monday, September 28	In-Person	Remote - Asynchronous
Tuesday, September 29	Remote - Asynchronous	In-Person
Wednesday, September 30	In-Person	Remote - Asynchronous
Thursday, October 1	Remote - Asynchronous	In-Person
Friday, October 2	NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS	NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The schedule starting the second week of Phase 2, October 5th and continuing until the next phase:

• ALL elementary students will attend in-person five days a week using the updated disinfecting protocols and mitigation measures communicated throughout the summer, including the requirement of wearing a facemask. Other school logistics such as entry and exit protocols as well as lunch schedules and locations are being reviewed and modified to keep students physically distanced as much as possible. Students will be kept in consistent cohorts (classes) of students throughout the school day in order to minimize the number of contacts among students and staff.  Specials like art and music will be conducted in the classroom. More information to follow from your child’s principal the week of September 14th.

 

SECONDARY STUDENTS (6-12) - Phase 2

The schedule starting the first week of Phase 2, September 28th and continuing until the next phase:

Schedule for Phase 2	BLUE GROUP (A-L)	GRAY GROUP (M-Z)
Mondays	In-Person	Remote - Asynchronous
Tuesdays	Remote - Asynchronous	In-Person
Wednesdays	In-Person	Remote - Asynchronous
Thursdays	Remote - Asynchronous	In-Person
Fridays	Remote - Synchronous NO SCHOOL - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2	Remote - Synchronous NO SCHOOL - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

 

SCHOOL START AND END TIME CHANGES

As we plan for students phased in physical re-entry into our schools, with the most safe, effective, and efficient way possible, we have had to make some minor adjustments to our elementary and middle school start and end times to accommodate for additional busing time:

Elementary Schools - Was 8:00 a.m. - 3:05 p.m. NOW 8:05 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.

Middle Schools - Was 8:30 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. NOW 8:40 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.


INFECTION CONTROL & MITIGATION MEASURES

To open and stay open, the District has put in place mitigation measures to limit the spread, and protect students, families and staff.  Please know these plans and protocols may continue to evolve over time.  Many of these processes have been shared already, however, a number are highlighted again below.  
 
Cleaning & Disinfecting
 
Cleaning practices and handwashing/sanitizing continue to be a strong point of emphasis.  As we prepare to return on September 28th, a large area of focus revolves around disinfecting, sanitizing and cleaning our facilities.  Our Buildings & Grounds team uses CDC approved disinfectants to disinfect classrooms and building surfaces at the end of each day.  High touch areas such as door knobs, water fountains, handrails and other key locations will be disinfected throughout each school day.  Hand sanitizing stations will be available for all students as they enter the buildings, in high traffic areas and in each classroom. Classrooms will also be equipped with disinfectant and teachers trained in proper use to use as needed.   

Office & Health Room Management- 

At this time, out of an abundance of caution, the district is not allowing visitors and family members in the schools with the exception of picking up a sick child.  Several adjustments will be made to office and health room management practices in order to reduce congestion and ensure physical distancing in these highly visited school spaces.  Visual cues will be placed in each office and health room to demonstrate and reinforce physical distancing.  Classroom teachers will have access to additional first aid supplies in order to attend to students’ needs directly in the classroom. Clearly defined protocols of when to send ill or injured students to the health room or main office will be communicated to staff.

Students who present with symptoms of influenza like illness or COVID-19 during the school day will rest in each school’s identified isolated satellite health room while waiting for the arrival of a parent or guardian.  The school principal or designee will contact the student’s parent or guardian to pick up the student as soon as possible.  Additional information will be provided to parents about next steps when they pick up their child.

Physical & Social Distancing

School logistics such as entry & exit protocols/expectations, student drop off/pick-up, and lunch schedules & locations are being reviewed and modified to keep students physically distanced as much as possible.  Look for further communication from your child’s principal.

Limiting Infectious Spread

Families will be provided with the criteria for completing health screenings of their child at home as well as guidelines on how to report symptoms and possible exposure. Parents/Guardians will be notified by their child’s school and/or City of Oak Creek Health Department if their child has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.  This notification will include guidance and information regarding the need to quarantine. More information about the notification process will be shared with families in a follow-up communication.

Personal Protective Equipment

At this time, the District is requiring students and staff to wear face coverings.  There will be defined times throughout the course of the day in which staff and students will have a “break” from wearing their mask, i.e. lunch, potential activities in phy ed, recess, etc. Additional protocols for the use of face coverings by both staff and students will continue to be reviewed as we have a physical return to our buildings.  The Oak Creek-Franklin School District has secured significant amounts of face coverings for those who do not have one or forget to bring one.

SCHOOL OPERATIONS 

Transportation 

In partnership with GO Riteway, our contracted bus service provider, OCFSD will implement several measures to enhance the safety of our students during transportation to and from school.  Face coverings will be required for drivers and students.  GO Riteway will disinfect all high touch areas of each bus before, between and following each route. Signage will be present in the bus as a visual reminder of ways to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Bus stops will be reviewed to help limit the number of children at a bus stop and bus stops will be modified or added when appropriate. Students will be assigned seats on the bus.

Food Service

Look for further communication from your child’s principal as to how each school will be putting protective measures in place while still making sure students receive and have their appropriate amount of time for lunch.

Thank you for your continued support, advocacy, and engagement.  Go Knights!  

Sincerely,

Dan Thielen                                                         John Krenek
Assistant Superintendent of Operations       Director of Curriculum and Instruction

 

September 9, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Yesterday afternoon, the Oak Creek-Franklin Board of Education held a Special Meeting, as a result of COVID-19’s continued impact on the Oak Creek-Franklin community and our return to school plans.  The Board continued to review, evaluate and clarify information shared by the City of Oak Creek Public Health Officer.  Ultimately, in two unanimous votes, the Board voted to follow trends in “Percent Positivity,” as persuasive criteria and continue monitoring “Disease Burden,” as binding criteria, and incorporate the latest guidance from the Health Department into our Phased Reopening Plan.  

Each week, the District has been using a Dashboard to summarize the COVID-19 data identified in our OCFSD Phased Reopening Plan.  As our community’s data has improved, we have reached a place where we can begin planning for a specific day to move into Phase II.  Given the Board’s discussion yesterday--and given that our community trends remain within acceptable ranges--Entering Phase II The week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 1st, could reasonably be anticipated.  

In Phase II:    

Elementary Students (4K-5) will have a one week transition into Phase II.  Maintaining cohorts of these students is logistically supportable at a much higher level than at secondary schools.  For the purpose of teaching new routines with fewer students on site, and keeping families on the same schedule, for the first week only, elementary students will follow a schedule mirroring the secondary schedule.  The following week all elementary students will attend in-person five days a week, following all of the necessary mitigation measures outlined in prior communications.  

Secondary Students (6-12) will return to our high school and middle school campuses using a hybrid model of learning which would combine face-to-face instruction with remote learning.  A hybrid model is designed to more safely allow for in-person instruction as it reduces the number of students in the building at any one time.

Phase II is not scheduled to begin for approximately two and half weeks, however, tomorrow you will receive a detailed message regarding the hybrid schedule. We will continue to monitor the data identified on our Dashboard, and methodically move toward Phase II, as the criteria allow.   

Earlier this summer I wrote, “We also must be cognisant that we could be ordered closed by the Department of Health Services, or the local Health Department, or that individuals or groups of students could be quarantined at home for periods of time.”  This is still the case.  We’ve seen other schools throughout the region and country open and shortly thereafter find themselves with a number of staff and students in quarantine.  While COVID-19 continues to circulate, we must expect and plan for quarantines, and perhaps even closures, to continue.      

The District will continue to provide communications as we refine plans and move through the different phases--revising them when necessary--collaborate with our partners at the local health department, learn from and respond to our community through the questions you continue to submit through our website, emails, and phone calls, work with neighboring school districts, and closely monitor emerging information.  

If you chose the 100% Virtual Option, for either the semester or the year, you are unaffected by this update.  
 

Thank you for your continued support, and advocacy.  Go Knights! 

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent                                The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School 
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District            District Board of Education

OAK CREEK HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT            

340 East Puetz Road   Oak Creek, Wisconsin 53154      (414) 768-6108           Fax (414) 908-9631
 

Candis Mongan - Principal
Scott Holler – Athletic/Activities Director        
Jenny St. Germaine- Athletic/Activities Secretary
 

August 25, 2020

Dear Oak Creek High School Families,

In accordance with the Oak Creek Health Department, OCFSD Office administrators, the WIAA, and Southeast Conference (SEC) member schools, Oak Creek High School has developed a plan that will give our student-athletes the best chance to practice and compete in WIAA Fall sports for the 2020-21 school year.  The plan calls for low risk sports (boys and girls cross country, girls tennis, girls golf, girls swim and dive) to begin on Monday, August 17, 2020, and high risk sports (football, boys soccer, boys and girls volleyball) to begin on September 7, 2020.  All student-athlete participation in fall athletics is 100% voluntary.  

The WIAA guidelines for Fall Sports have been addressed individually with each head coach so that they are in full understanding of the required compliance from each athlete within their program.  Last week, I personally attended practices and events for each of our Fall sports that are currently underway and can report that our athletes and coaches are not only following the guidelines set forth, but they are going above and beyond to give themselves and their teammates the best chance to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community.  I could not be more proud of the actions I’ve seen from our students and coaches.  Their leadership and understanding of the critical role they play during these unprecedented times are to be commended.  

In addition to the guidelines set forth by the WIAA, each Fall student-athlete and their guardian has been required to complete a Wellness Form prior to participation in athletics here at Oak Creek High School.  If student-athletes or their family members (along with our coaches and their families) test positive for COVID-19, protocols are in place and we will continue to work closely with the Oak Creek Health Department. 

As many of you have heard, Racine Unified School District will not be participating in the traditional WIAA sports season with the SEC.  Moving forward, our SEC schedule for this Fall will be made up of the following schools: Oak Creek, Franklin, Kenosha Bradford, Kenosha Indian Trail, and Kenosha Tremper.  In our low risk sports, Oak Creek High School will continue to participate in invitationals and non-conference events that are still scheduled, as well as conference events.  In our high risk sports, we agreed as a conference to only compete against other SEC schools.
  
Furthermore, the difficult decision was made by the SEC to not allow spectators at our events this Fall.  This decision was made in accordance with each of our community's health departments.  Our ultimate goal is to have our student-athletes practice, compete, and experience as much of a Fall sports season as possible.  By not having fans at our contests, we increase the likelihood that the spread of COVID-19 will be minimal in each of our communities, and therefore allow our athletes to continue with full participation.  As a parent myself, I know that this decision will be difficult to hear.  I can tell you that I am already working to utilize all of our resources to livestream as many of our competitions as possible.  Further information will be provided as we get closer to competition dates.  

Finally, as teachers return to the building this week, I will be working with our Activity/Club Advisors to determine how and when their clubs will get underway for the 2020-2021 school year.  Several of our clubs, including Student Council, Knights Racing, and our Theatre department have already begun working with students the past few weeks and are following health department guidelines when meeting with students.  We hope that the return of co-curriculars is successful and helps us move closer to in-person instruction for full days with much larger groups of students.    

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please contact me with any questions or concerns.  I am extremely excited that we have the opportunity to offer our education-based, co-curricular programs this Fall. Thank you in advance for your collaboration and helping keep our students actively engaged!  

Sincerely,
Scott Holler
OCHS Athletic/Activities Director

2020 WIAA Return to Fall Sports Considerations

WIAA Covid Clearance Form

2020-21 Southeast Conference Fall Sports Guidelines

Fall 2020 - OCHS Required Wellness Form

 

Hello,

As we head into Phase II on Monday with partial in-person instruction, there may be times in which you or your students are required to quarantine at home due to your or their identification as a close contact of someone outside of school (e.g. spouse, friend, etc.) or in school (e.g. colleague, student) with COVID-19.  When these situations arise, our goals are to ensure consistency in teaching and learning and to maintain routines for all students and staff to the greatest extent possible under the circumstances.  This will be accomplished by having the systems, structures, and expectations in place so that you and your students can participate in remote teaching and learning if this happens.

In circumstances when individual students are required to quarantine at home, we will be using iPads to live stream real-time instruction from your classroom to support students who are at home due to exposure outside of school.  What will this entail at each level?

      Elementary  - While at home, elementary students will be able to join you and their classmates for live math and literacy lessons through the use of the iPad.  Teachers will use this instructional template to post asynchronous Science, Social Studies, and Specials instructional plans as well as links to live, real time Math and Literacy classes.  Templates will be posted in your Google Classroom or Seesaw and live lessons will be recorded and posted for students who cannot join in real time.  

     Middle and High School -  Middle and high school students will join your classes through a Google Meet invitation provided to them by you through Google Classroom so they can attend and participate in classes live in real time.  Classes will be live streamed with the use of the iPad.

Chris Bennin and the Instructional Technology team put together this Live Streaming Instructional Video to demonstrate how a classroom teacher should use the iPad to live stream classes for individual or small groups of students in quarantine.   These written directions for streaming from Google Meet are a great companion to the instructional video.

In circumstances when an entire class, including the teacher, has to quarantine due to exposure, you will instruct from home and all students from the class will learn remotely from home  similar to our current instructional delivery in Phase 1.

This Parent Communication about remote learning during quarantine will be sent to all face to face families on Friday afternoon.  It explains the following:

• What happens if an entire class, including the teacher, has to quarantine due to exposure?

• What if my child is in quarantine for exposure outside of school or is only among a few students needing to quarantine?

As you welcome students back to your in person classroom and plan lessons over the next few weeks, please also review and reference as needed our overview of Phase II Instructional Practices.

Additional guidance on notification of absent students and acquiring iPads as needed will be forthcoming from your principal.

I greatly appreciate you taking the time to thoughtfully read this email and review the resources within!  We know this is a lot to take in ... Therefore, please do not hesitate to reach out to your school principal, Director of Curriculum & Instruction John Krenek, Assistant Superintendent Dan Thielen, or me to discuss your questions.  We are ready to answer your questions and do whatever we can to make it easier for you to do your job at this time.

 

With much appreciation,

Bridget

 

Click the image above to view the Phased Reopening Plan for the Oak Creek-Franklin School District or click here

August 14, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin School District Families,

 

Oak Creek-Franklin School District staff have been working hard throughout the summer to prepare for the 2020-21 school year.  As we now know, the OCFSD Board has voted to implement phases for our face-to-face return.  Given current rates of COVID-19 in our community, we are now starting our year utilizing remote learning. Last spring, the district put a remote learning plan in place with only days’ notice before implementation. We learned a lot, and with the input of families and staff, we made meaningful changes that will provide an enhanced remote learning experience. 

The OCFSD educators will provide a daily schedule with instructional time, office hours for students and parents, synchronous and asynchronous instruction with specified minutes, and implement grade level learning requirements for remote learning. The platforms for instructional delivery are Seesaw (4K-2) and Google Classroom (3-12). For synchronous instruction staff will provide “live” instruction. Students will be able to ask questions, receive support, and collaborate with classmates. Synchronous lessons will be recorded for students to review if they are not able to attend the synchronous lesson. Asynchronous instruction will consist of recorded instruction with learning activities to be completed and submitted to educators. As the school year begins with remote learning, students/families will be using a school district Chromebook K-12 or Ipad for 4K. More information will be coming out next week for device pick up for students/families that need to pick up a Chromebook K-12 or Ipad for 4K. The goal of every educator is to ensure students are supported academically, socially, and emotionally.

The expectation for students is to attend daily synchronous and asynchronous lessons, complete assignments, and follow their teacher’s schedule. If a student is not able to attend a synchronous lesson, they would be able to review the recorded lesson and complete the assignment(s). Asynchronous instruction will also be provided and students will need to complete asynchronous assignments. Student engagement and completion of assignment(s) will be part of the student’s attendance. Attendance is an important measure of student engagement and a predictor of student success. If a student does not attend the synchronous lessons or complete assignments or asynchronous assignments, they will be considered absent, and our staff will follow-up with their absent students. 
 

On behalf of the Oak Creek Franklin School Board and entire school district staff, please know that we remain committed to providing the highest quality education for all students while taking steps to ensure the health and safety of students, staff and families. The school and home partnership has always been an important part of the learning process. During these difficult and challenging times the school and home partnership is critically important for student success.

 

Sincerely,

Dan Thielen

Assistant Superintendent Operations 

John Krenek

Director of Curriculum and Instruction 

Chris Bennin

Director of Instructional Technology 

August 13, 2020

 

Good Evening Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

 

The Oak Creek-Franklin Board of Education just concluded a Special Meeting, scheduled as a result of COVID-19’s changing impact on Oak Creek-Franklin and our return to school plans.  The Board considered new information shared by our District Medical Advisor and the City of Oak Creek Public Health Officer.  The Board voted to adopt criteria for making decisions regarding when the District will open and close our doors.  

Our staff has been working on an in-person return to school and A fully virtual option.  Given the Board’s unanimous vote tonight, If you chose the in-person option, the District will now temporarily pivot to remote learning to begin the year.  There are metrics and phases of return--all requiring additional planning, preparation, and communication.  You can view the entire report here.    

The board’s vote requires that the District use a scorecard, updated weekly, starting tomorrow, to monitor the criteria identified in the attached report.  Improving community data could result in the District successfully reaching phase two with a return as early as the beginning of October.  This is ideal, and what the Board hopes we will experience.    

Earlier this summer I wrote, “We also must be cognisant that we could be ordered closed by the Department of Health Services, or the local Health Department, or that individuals or groups of students could be quarantined at home for periods of time.”  We have seen Oak Creek’s numbers climb since July, and we have recently observed schools in other parts of the country open, then be quickly closed.  No one wants that to happen.  

The Board, in reviewing the metrics likely used to ultimately order us closed, chose to act to both avoid the considerable disruption of a closure order, and help families prepare.  The Board did not make this decision lightly.  Everyone agrees that the schools are the best place to learn.  The Board knows that many families depend on the District for a great deal more than an education.      

If you chose the 100% Virtual Option, you are unaffected unless you would like to choose the Face-to-Face Option (now phased to start in a remote-learning format); in that case, anyone who when participating in the enrollment survey selected “Yes,” to the question:

“Given the fluid nature of the pandemic, in the event that the District had to pivot to remote learning for all students prior to the official start to the 2020/2021 school year, would you change your answer?” will be contacted as soon as possible.    

One of the next messages you receive from the District will be a summary of improvements planned for remote learning.  In preparation for fall, we roughly doubled our professional development for the coming year, tailored it to support remote learning, and opened everything early so teachers could use the summer to begin preparing for quarantines or closures.  We hoped to open on the first day of school, but planned nonetheless.     

Many questions remain, high school and middle school athletics and activities, for one, will continue under the guidance of the WIAA and in coordination with the Oak Creek Health Department.  We will continue to communicate frequently and update our FAQ diligently.    

The Board knows that opening in a remote format--even if this phase only lasts a few weeks--is a hardship for many families.  We will continue to do everything we can to support the unique needs of the nearly 6500 students who depend on us.      

 

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent The Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School 

Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District District Board of Education

July 30, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Please complete one Enrollment Preference Survey for each child enrolled in the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District for the 2020-2021 school year. It is very important parents/guardians complete this survey.

Families who chose a 100% virtual option (now available as a semester-long option, with the ability to continue) will receive a registration form on August 10.

In order to fully prepare to serve our families and account for staffing, this survey will close on August 5th, 2020. To learn more about educational options for the 2020-21 school year, please visit ocfsd.org/parents/options.

 

Sincerely,

Dan Thielen, Assistant Superintendent

John Krenek, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Dan Unertl, Superintendent

 

 

July 24, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District is firmly committed to providing students with a high quality educational program and experience. In this communication, you will find information regarding the educational options available for students and families for the 2020-21 school year. We hope this offers you the information you need to make the best choice for your child and family at this time given the current public health pandemic.

Face-to-Face Instruction & When Necessary, Temporary Remote Learning 

In-Person Instruction at Home School

As of today, OCFSD is planning to offer families the option to return to school in-person, five days a week.  As we would in more typical school years, we will continue to implement a rigorous and robust curricular and instructional program for all students. Due to the school closures last spring and its impact on student learning, along with the potential for additional sudden closures ahead of us, our staff is thoughtfully and intentionally preparing for the start of the school year by ensuring the curriculum and instruction for next year has a clear focus on:

• Grade-level content and rigor;
• Depth of instruction, rather than pace;
• Prioritized content and learning;
• Inclusion of each and every student;
• Identification of and attention to gaps in learning;
• Attention to the social and emotional well being of students;

As important to the instructional program, specific health and safety practices and guidelines will be in place to support student & staff health and safety upon their return to the school building. These include:

• A face covering requirement for students and staff;
• Physical distancing measures at recess, lunch, and in the classroom when possible;
• Infection control & mitigation through thorough disinfection practices;
• Students remaining in cohorts with their peers throughout the day;
• Increased handwashing and placement of hand sanitizing stations;

Detailed information about many of these guidelines have been shared in previous communications and can be found on our district website.   

Temporary, Remote Learning

In the event individual classrooms, grade levels, or an entire school are directed to quarantine or close, daily instruction will temporarily shift to a remote learning experience led by your child’s classroom teacher(s). This will entail a blended approach of both self-paced (asynchronous) and real-time (synchronous) instruction and learning.  Throughout the course of a day or week, your child will have the opportunity to engage in the following types of virtual learning experiences:

• Morning and afternoon check-ins with classroom teachers for students in grades 4K-5; Twice weekly advisory check-ins for students in grades 6-12;
• Live, daily video instruction with whole group and small groups;
• Assignments posted by 4:00 PM the day before to ensure family communication;
• Teachers available for office hours when not in synchronous instruction;
• Parent communication through weekly family office hours and newsletters;
• Individualized video conferencing available with teachers;

Seesaw will be used as the educational platform for grades 4K-2 Seesaw and students in grades 3-12 will access Google Classroom. 

OC Virtual

In response to parents needing a virtual experience for their child due to health conditions and a growing desire among parents for a virtual option, we plan to offer a full-time on-line learning experience for families to consider as well. OC Virtual is designed for families who are interested in a 100% on-line learning experience for the entire 2020-21 school year. OC Virtual will offer independent and predominantly self-paced learning experiences facilitated by teachers who support students as they work toward meeting the grade and/or course requirements. 

Students in 4K-5th grade will be taught by Oak Creek teachers using the grade level Learning Requirements and Board adopted resources. OCFJSD is partnering with a third party, Edmentum, to provide the courseware and Wisconsin licensed teachers for students at the secondary level (grades 6-12). A high degree of parental involvement will be required and  integral to students’ success in OC Virtual at all grade levels.  In this option, parents are committing to providing direct support to students in navigating the online learning systems, monitoring their daily/weekly progress, and finding ways to engage their students in learning. 

Key Features of 4K-5:

• Synchronous (real-time) instruction with Oak Creek Virtual teacher for two hours per day;
• Self-paced instruction supported by videos, reading, and instructional activities;
• Parent involvement required to support work completion & navigating Google Classroom

Key Features of 6 - 12 (Edmentum):

• Self-paced instruction supported by videos, reading, and instructional activities;
• Scheduled synchronous instructional support twice weekly with teacher; 
• Office hours available;
• Immediate feedback on 70% of material & 30% of the material graded by the teacher with feedback

 

Next Steps

• July 28: An informational video, summarizing the various educational options in more detail, will be linked here on our District website.

  • You will also find an updated FAQ and a place to submit additional questions.

• July 30: The District will share a Parent Enrollment Preference Survey with families.

• July 30-August 5:

  • Families will have the opportunity to indicate their educational preference for the 2020-21 school year by filling out the Parent Enrollment Preference Survey. This will allow the District to continue planning to meet the needs of our families. 

  • Families who do not respond will remain enrolled in their home school for an in-person return, with the virtual support, as needed, highlighted above.

• August 10-13:  Registration for OC Virtual will be sent to families who select this option on the Family Enrollment Preference Survey.

Everything outlined above represents our collaborative efforts to meet the needs of all our families. Families are encouraged to consider tentative temporary plans in the event of intermittent school closures or quarantine.  

Please continue to watch for weekly communications from the District regarding: the options outlined above, home health screening, health protocols in our schools, and school specific communications, all leading up to the first day of school. 

Thank you, and Go Knights!   
 

Dan Thielen, Assistant Superintendent 

John Krenek, Director of Curriculum & Instruction

Daniel Unertl, Superintendent 

 

July 22, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

I am writing as a follow up to the communication you received on Monday evening with an important update regarding face coverings and our Responsible Return to School plan.  

In previous communications regarding transportation and other return to school plans, we have shared that students, staff, and bus drivers would be strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when physical distancing is challenging.  We know from our July 6 survey that this is a topic on which we have a full continuum of opinions among parents and our community.   

If we hope to open our school doors, we have to take measures and make decisions that are in the best interest of student and staff safety, some of which may be unpopular.  The director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been widely quoted stating, “Face coverings work,” and that, “It’s our major defense to prevent ourselves from getting this infection.  If all of us would put on a face covering now for the next four weeks to six weeks, I think we could drive this epidemic to the ground in this country.”  

The community of Oak Creek has been identified for rising cases of COVID-19.  We have seen businesses and public spaces throughout the region take similar steps recently.   It would be difficult for our students to ride busses or pass between classes in the sixth biggest high school in Wisconsin, for example, without taking this step together as a district. 

With this said, the District plans to introduce a temporary update to the student dress code and employee handbook to address the use of face coverings.  This will include the following:

• On the bus, drivers and riders will be required to wear a face covering.  
• In school, face coverings will be required at times when physical distancing is not possible.  
• When students and staff are able to physically distance themselves, breaks from face coverings will be allowable and encouraged.
• Exceptions to the use of face coverings by certain groups of students will be made as recommended by the CDC.  These may include our youngest learners and some students with special needs, etc. Staff serving these students will receive the recommended grade and type of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help support these students.  
• Students and staff can bring and wear their own face coverings;  We’ve also secured several thousand additional face coverings to distribute as needed.  

The District will continue to provide frequent communications on a variety of other issues all leading up to the first day of school.  

Thank you for walking alongside us as we plan and prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.  We’re doing our best to respond quickly to the changes rapidly unfolding around us. We will continue to refine plans--revising them when necessary--collaborate with our partners at the local health department, learn from and respond to our community through the questions you continue to submit through our website, work with neighboring school Districts, and closely monitor emerging information.  

Thank you for your continued support.  Go Knights!  

Sincerely,

Daniel Unertl

Superintendent  

 

 

July 20, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

This evening, I had the opportunity to have a thoughtful discussion with our Board of Education previewing our Responsible Return to School plan for fall. We chose to send you this message immediately--not because what follows is divergent from what we have already shared, or plan to share--but because our philosophy all along has been, and continues to be, share consistently, thoughtfully, and timely.  This message is not the final word on fall--we all want certainty, but the one thing I am certain of is that there will be more change.    

Tonight we discussed the surveys and communications to date, as well as the tentative plans we’ve been sharing and messages we are preparing in the days leading up to the first day of the 20/21 school year.  There is new content here, but all along, and today as well, we continue to methodically share pieces of information that we know full-well may need to be revised right up to the first day of school.  

That said, weeks ago, I wrote, “Given the possibility that we could face intermittent closure of our sites or individual quarantines of our kids.  If you can--and we realize may not be possible for everyone--we encourage families to consider tentative temporary plans in the event of intermittent school closures or quarantine.”  That statement remains as true today, as when it was written.  We know that beyond what is covered on the local and national news, our own health department continues to share that cases in our community are growing, and that quarantines have been ordered in both our youth and summer sports programs.  That means that the potential exists for your elementary schooler to be in session, while your high schooler may be home for a period of time, or vice-versa.         

As we prepare to return to school, we continue to plan and prepare as thoughtfully and diligently as we can--responding to the latest information--and rightfully expending a great deal of time and effort on all the different challenges and scenarios we will surely face come September.  What follows is a summary of the Board’s discussion tonight.  Some of this information is redundant from prior messages, some is new, and some previews messages slated for the days to come.        

This letter outlines the areas we are planning for and the decisions being made based upon several resources including: 

• Family & staff feedback surveys:
  • Notes on virtual learning from spring (19-20 families, students & educators)
  • Expectations for fall (20-21 families)
  • Staff survey
• Departments of Public Instruction and Health Services Recommendations
• Guidance from the Oak Creek Health Department
• The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) 

Family & Staff Feedback

Since June, the District has collected feedback and input from families, students and staff through a series of surveys.  Parents/guardians, students and educators were asked to share their input on the virtual learning experience in spring.  Families and staff members provided input through feedback surveys completed earlier this summer.  Please note, as circumstances continue to evolve, we may need to survey stakeholder groups again in the days leading up to the start to school.   

To view a summary of highlights from our surveys, please CLICK HERE. 

Responsible Return to School 2020

The District is planning to return to school in-person, five days a week this fall. Authorities like the American Association of Pediatrics continue to state that, “...all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school,” and should work “...to mitigate, not eliminate, risk of SARS-CoV-2.”   We are also planning for multiple scenarios in the event that the District, a school, grade level, or classroom has to be quarantined--those plan phases are previewed below. 

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMING

100% Face to Face Learning: This fall, OCFSD is planning to return to school in-person, five days a week with safety and disinfection guidelines in place.  We’ve shared a prior message specifically on this topic, linked here.  Additional communications are slated as we approach the fall.       

Temporary Remote Learning: Should we be ordered closed, we will pivot to temporary remote learning for individuals or groups of students, for a limited time.  Tonight we discussed how this experience will be improved from what families and students experienced in the fall, should we have to exercise this format.  Much, if not all, of our annual professional development will focus on temporary remote learning improvement.    

Virtual Learning Program: At this time, OCFSD continues to work on a plan to provide a virtual learning option for students and families with underlying health concerns who will not be returning to our school buildings in fall.  More information on applying for the virtual learning program through OCFSD will be shared by early August.  

INFECTION CONTROL & MITIGATION MEASURES

To open and stay open, the District has put in place mitigation measures to limit the spread, and protect students, families and staff. Please know these plans and protocols may evolve over time.  Many of these processes have been shared already, however, a number are highlighted again below.  

Cleaning & Disinfecting

Cleaning practices and handwashing/sanitizing were respectively the areas our families identified as their highest priorities in our survey from earlier this summer. As we prepare to return in September, a large area of focus revolves around disinfecting, sanitizing and cleaning our facilities. Our Buildings & Grounds team uses CDC approved disinfectants to disinfect classrooms and building surfaces at the end of each day.  High touch areas such as door knobs, water fountains, handrails and other key locations will be disinfected throughout each school day. Hand sanitizing stations will be available in high traffic areas and each classroom will be equipped with disinfectant.  You can view the prior message here.

 

Office & Health Room Management

Several adjustments will be made to office and health room management practices in order to reduce congestion and ensure physical distancing in these highly visited school spaces.  Visual cues will be placed in each office and health room to demonstrate and reinforce physical distancing.  Classroom teachers will have access to additional first aid supplies in order to attend to  students’ needs directly in the classroom.  Clearly defined protocols of when to send ill or injured students to the health room or main office will be communicated to staff.

Students who present with symptoms of influenza like illness or COVID-19 during the school day will  rest in each school’s identified isolated satellite health room while waiting for the arrival of a parent or guardian.  The school principal or designee will contact the student’s parent or guardian to pick up the student as soon as possible.

Physical & Social Distancing

Students will be kept in consistent cohorts (classes) of students throughout the school day in order to minimize the number of contacts among students and staff.  At the elementary level, specials like art and music will be conducted in the classroom. At the secondary level, class schedules will be modified as needed to reduce contacts. Instructional practices and student groupings will be modified and minimized as well when possible. Other school logistics such as entry & exit protocols and lunch schedules & locations are being reviewed and modified to keep students physically distanced as much as possible.

Limiting Infectious Spread

Prior to the start of the school year, families will be provided with the criteria for completing health screenings of their child at home as well as guidelines on how to report symptoms and possible exposure. 

Parents/Guardians will be notified by the City of Oak Creek Health Department if their child has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.  This notification will include guidance and information regarding the need to quarantine. More information about the notification process will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

Personal Protective Equipment

At this time, the District is strongly encouraging students and staff to wear face coverings. However, should conditions change, required face coverings--exempting students explicitly detailed in CDC guidelines--may very well be the norm.  Should this change be made, face coverings may be required during portions of the school day, including passing times, entry/exit into the building, and other high traffic areas. Additional protocols for the use of face coverings by both staff and students will be developed closer to the start of school with additional guidance from health professionals.  Oak Creek-Franklin has secured significant amounts of face coverings for students and staff.

 

SCHOOL OPERATIONS & STUDENT SERVICES

Transportation 

In partnership with GO Riteway, our contracted bus service provider, OCFSD will implement several measures to enhance the safety of our students during transportation to and from school.  Face coverings will be strongly encouraged for drivers and students.  However, as noted above, face coverings may be necessary for both drivers and students. GO Riteway will disinfect all high touch areas of each bus before, between and following each route. Signage will be present in the bus as a visual reminder of ways to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Bus stops will be reviewed to help limit the number of children at a bus stop and bus stops will be modified or added when appropriate. Students will be assigned seats on the bus.

Special Education

No matter what our return to school looks like this fall, all students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) will continue to receive high quality special education services tailored to students’ disability related needs.  Students’ special education teachers and other service providers will work in close collaboration with parents and guardians to ensure that any continuing or new academic, social, emotional or health/safety needs are addressed through the IEP.

Social and Emotional Supports

Addressing the social and emotional needs of all OCFSD students upon our return to school will be critical to re-engaging students in learning and reconnecting them with each other and their teachers.  Supports in this area will focus on:  Relationship and Community Building, Social & Emotional Skill Development, Access to Mental Health Services, and Redevelopment of School Behaviors & Routines.

 

NEXT STEPS

Communication related to our Responsible Return to School plan including a “Frequently Asked Questions” section is available here on our district website.  This web page and the FAQ will continue to be updated. 

The District will continue to provide weekly communications regarding improvements to virtual learning, health protocols in our schools, home health screening, and school specific communications, all leading up to the first day of school.

We will continue to refine plans--revising them when necessary--collaborate with our partners at the local health department, learn from and respond to our community through the questions you continue to submit through our website (above), work with neighboring school Districts, and closely monitor emerging information.  Expect more information next week, if not before.

Thank you for your continued support.  Go Knights!  

Sincerely,

The Oak Creek/Franklin Board of Education
Daniel Unertl, Superintendent

 

July 15, 2020
 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

Planning for safety in our facilities is always a high priority focus for our Buildings and Grounds (B&G) team, and never more so than in the current environment that we are in today.  Our B&G team has been working diligently since the onset of the pandemic and throughout the summer months in planning for our return in September.  Cleaning practices and hand washing/sanitizing were respectively the areas our families identified as their highest priorities in our survey from earlier this summer; we address both of those areas below.  A big portion of this planning revolves around disinfecting, sanitizing and cleaning our facilities.

It is important to know the distinction between these three terms, as they are not interchangeable. 

• Disinfecting, killing all germs 
• Sanitizing, reducing germs to an acceptable level as judged by public health standards
• Cleaning, removing visible dirt, debris and germs 

The B&G department has updated their practices for this upcoming year to put disinfecting as an even higher priority.  Our team uses a CDC approved disinfectant that requires a five minute dwell time on surfaces to kill all organisms.  Dwell time is the time required for the disinfectant to stay liquid on a surface for all germs to be killed.  We allow this disinfecting product to air dry when used.

All areas of our school will be disinfected daily following their final use for the day.  This includes desks, tables, bookcases and other hard surfaces within the classroom.  Furthermore, this includes the surfaces of lockers, lunch tables, drinking fountains, handrails, and door knobs throughout the building.  This will ensure that all learning areas will be ready for school in the morning.  

During the course of the school day, our custodial staff will be focused on disinfecting high touch areas throughout the building.  This will include door knobs, water fountains, handrails and other key locations as determined by the custodian and building staff.  All classrooms will also be equipped with disinfectant that can be applied throughout the day when students are not present.  Teachers will be trained in the proper use of this disinfectant.

Hand sanitizing stations will also be provided throughout highly traveled areas in the building for students to use.  These will be in all classrooms, cafeterias, gyms, libraries and offices.  There will also be hand sanitizing stations in hallways during high student traffic times.  Students are expected to use them prior to school starting, prior to lunch, following lunch and at any other time during the day that they deem necessary.  Students will be taught these new protocols and expectations during the first days of school. Students who are allergic to sanitizer will be allowed to wash their hands at an appropriate location based on their school, whether restroom or in the classroom as available, or use their own sanitizer if more appropriate.

Please know that we are always searching for new and better methods to safeguard our students and staff. As the world changes around us, we will adapt our approach to ensure a safe, secure and comfortable environment in and around all of our locations.

Please continue to watch for weekly communications from the District regarding: home health screening, improvements to virtual learning, health protocols in our schools, and school specific communications, all leading up to the first day of school. 

 

All the best,  

Andy Chromy	Steve Rohde	Daniel Unertl
Chief Business and Finance Officer	Director of Buildings and Grounds	Superintendent

July 8, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

As you are aware, planning for the 2020-21 school year is well under way.  Superintendent Unertl provided a 10,000 foot overall view last week of the planning process, and focused on three scenarios of 100% face to face, hybrid model for short periods, and 100% virtual learning.

As part of the continued planning process for 100% face to face, or the various hybrid models, this week’s focus is on student transportation to and from school.  In OCFSD, this is a very important piece of the back to school puzzle.  The state of Wisconsin requires districts to transport all students who live two or more miles from their home school or live in the approved district hazardous transportation zone. In our district, this represents several thousand students being transported to school via bus on any given day.  We are preparing for more walkers, bikers, and driver drop-offs as well.     

Our plan is to continue to operate within that framework for the upcoming year.  However, it is important to note that there will be several measures put in place to enhance the safety of our students.

1. Riteway (our contracted bus service provider) will strongly encourage all drivers to wear facial coverings and we strongly encourage all students who feel comfortable to wear facial coverings.

2. Riteway will disinfect all high touch areas of each bus before, between and following each route.

3. Signage will be present in the bus as a visual reminder of ways to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

4. Riteway and the District will review bus stops to help limit the number of children at a bus stop and modify or add stops when appropriate.

5. Students will be assigned seats on the bus.

It is important to note that items #2 and #4 above add time to a planned route.  Disinfecting high touch areas will add approximately 3-5 minutes between each tier, and each additional bus stop adds approximately 45 seconds to a route.  Both of these are very important in aiding our students in being safe, but given these adjustments to the timing of routes, school start and end times at the elementary schools and middle schools must be reviewed to ensure that our students are able to arrive at school and be ready to learn for their first period of the day.  Any future changes will be clearly communicated. 

It is very important that we work to provide the safest travel possible for our students.  Our partners at Riteway and the Oak Creek Health Department have been instrumental in helping us develop this plan.

Please look for future weekly communications from the District regarding: cleaning practices, home health screening, improvements to virtual learning, health protocols in our schools, and school specific communications, all leading up to the first day of school. 

We hope you can enjoy these beautiful summer days. 

Andy Chromy		Daniel Unertl
Chief Business and Finance Officer		Superintendent

July 1, 2020

 

Good Afternoon Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

As we look towards fall, our schools may look and feel a little different--great students, caring staff--but still, a little different.  There is not a uniform return to school order in Wisconsin.  Many of you were able to complete the family feedback surveys--notes on virtual learning from spring, and expectations for fall--we’ve sent out in recent weeks.  Your feedback, along with recommendations from the Departments of Public Instruction and Health Services, and guidance from our local health department, are the key elements guiding our planning for a responsible return to school.  Authorities like the American Association of Pediatrics continue to state that, “...all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school,” and should work “...to mitigate, not eliminate, risk of SARS-CoV-2.”    

With all of this in mind, since school ended, OCFSD has been working hard to develop plans for 2020-2021.  We are preparing to open and are working to determine exactly what school will look like and feel like in the fall. We also must be cognizant that we could be ordered closed by the Department of Health Services, or the local Health Department, or that individuals or groups of students could be quarantined at home for periods of time.  Accordingly, we continue working to develop the following three scenarios:

• 100% Face-to-Face Learning: All students in school, safety and disinfection guidelines in place--stay safe to stay open.  

• Hybrid Learning: Should we be ordered closed, pivot to virtual learning for individual or groups of students, for a limited time.    

• 100% Virtual Learning: Schools ordered closed for all students and virtual learning commences immediately.  

Given the possibility that we could face intermittent closure of our sites or individual quarantines of our kids.  If you can--and we realize may not be possible for everyone--we encourage families to consider tentative temporary plans in the event of intermittent school closures or quarantine.   

We appreciate your support, resilience, and patience as we work to further develop our plan(s) for fall.  We will continue to keep you informed.  Broadly, we plan to send something every seven to ten days, even when there may not be anything new to report.  Messages regarding transportation, cleaning practices, home health screening, improvements to virtual learning, health protocols in our schools, school specific communications, and more, will be forthcoming.  

Additionally, approximately four percent of our families indicated that they’d be reluctant to return without a vaccine; a future communication will address this need and request additional information, so we can continue to build a solution for your families as well.      

We hope you all can enjoy some beautiful weather and time with family and friends.      

 

Sincerely,

Dan Unertl, Superintendent

Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

June 10, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Students and Families,

As we wrap up the 2019-2020 school year, we would like to invite you to provide your feedback on your virtual learning experience by completing the Virtual Reflection and Planning Survey. Your valuable feedback will help our school and district leaders understand your experiences and plan for the possibilities of the future.

We recognize that this is an overwhelming time for many of you and appreciate hearing from parents, guardians, students, and educators. Your participation is completely voluntary and your responses are anonymous. The survey will close on Wednesday, June 17 at 5:00 pm. 

Thank you,
The Learning Team

June 9, 2020 

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

This is the time of year when Wisconsinites remember why we love seasons; winter becomes brilliant spring and summer.  The seasons help us remember that change is constant.  We could choose to think of summer as the annual blooming of the orange road cones, or like we did when we were young, when summer seemed to last forever, and the pause between school years held all the possibility and potential of a perfect summer day.    

We have just concluded an unprecedented year.  Our community has proven that we can adapt to all sorts of challenges.  We had to do our collective best, physically apart, but still maintain the community that supports one another.  Thank you to our families for your extraordinary efforts these last few months of distance learning as we changed nearly every aspect of the educational model. I could not be prouder of our community given what we came through this spring.  Our meal program collaboration with the Salvation Army, for example, will be a memory I always carry. 

As a District, we are preparing for the challenges that we will face next year.  Going back to school in fall 2020 may not look like it did in fall 2019.  It is impossible to predict now where we will be in response to the pandemic in the coming months. That puts our school teams in the position of planning and preparing for several different scenarios for fall.  For certain, we will be implementing enhancements in cleaning practices and the addition of personal protective equipment in our typical routines, but we also have to prepare to provide different or staggered phases of in-person instruction and distance learning--just in case. Much like how we moved into virtual learning so quickly, preparing for these new difficult potential scenarios is a daunting task. However, I know that our planning will allow us to be prepared for whatever changes must be faced come fall.   

Obviously, anything other than a typical fall will stretch our families and students.  That said, we will continue working and planning throughout the summer, and families will likely find more communication, in terms of updates or solicitations for input, as we work to finalize our plans for next fall.

Circumstances have not been easy for anyone, but I have found that if I take my young children outside, and watch them play, if I close my eyes for a moment, the world is still here, and Wisconsin summer is as vibrant and beautiful as it was when I was a child.  Fall will come, and we will work tirelessly in preparation.   

In gratitude, and on behalf of our dedicated Board, caring staff, and myself, thank you for your continued support and resilience.

 

Take care, 

Daniel Unertl, J.D.

Superintendent, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District  

June 2, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families, 

Monday, June 8th will be the last meal distribution day for our meal program. We would like to thank The Salvation Army, Taher Leadership, our food service staff, and the countless volunteers who helped prepare and distribute over 90,000 meals during the school closure. Please visit www.ocfsd.org/meals to view pick-up locations, delivery sites, and menu information for Wednesday, June 3, and Monday, June 8.

The WI Department of Instruction has a list of organizations that provide free healthy meals to children throughout the summer. Please visit the Find A Summer Meals Site page of the DPI website to search for local meal sites and dates of operation. This information along with a list of local food pantries is also available on the meal information page of our website (www.ocfsd.org/meals). 

The Oak Creek Salvation Army food pantry continues to serve our community members in need. If you would like to support The Salvation Army’s food pantry in Oak Creek, please donate online through their Virtual Food Drive. All food donations stay local and help people directly in our community. Monetary donations can also be made online. 
 

Thank you,

Andrew Chromy, SFO, CSRM

Chief Business and Finance Officer

June 2, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Families,

As we wrap up a unique 2019-2020 school year, we would like to thank you for assisting your learner with their journey into virtual learning. We appreciate all your effort, time, questions, and mostly, your support!  Below are a few updates regarding school-issued electronic devices.  

School-Issued Electronic Devices
Students in grades 4K - 11 should keep their school-issued electronic devices (Chromebooks, iPads, and hotspots) over the summer. We encourage your student to use their school-issued device to engage in learning throughout the summer months. Students who did not take a school-issued device will have one assigned to them in the fall. If you have moved or are planning to move out of the district over the summer, please call 768-6149 to schedule a time to drop off your student’s school-issued device.

Senior students should return their assigned Chromebook on June 8 or 9. Senior families, please review the email communication sent from the high school on 5/29/20. 

Our IT team will continue to operate the device service center at our district office, 7630 S 10th Street, on Tuesdays from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm and on Thursdays from 12:00 - 4:00 pm throughout the summer. You may also contact IT support at 768-6149 or email helpdesk@ocfsd.org. 

Thank you,
The Learning Team

April 17, 2020 

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

Yesterday afternoon Governor Evers extended the Safer at Home order from April 24 to May 26, or until a superseding order is issued. The order states that public and private K-12 schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year as part of the state’s efforts to respond to and contain the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. 

This means we will not be returning to our school classrooms this school year.  We had been holding out hope that conditions would improve and the Governor would allow us to return...that we could again learn together face-to-face...but it is not to be.  We will continue working to resolve numerous questions related to a variety of recognitions, programs, and events (from locker clean-out to graduation); more communication on these subjects will be forthcoming from District departments and school leaders.     

With the recent announcement, we will continue, as we planned, for virtual learning to continue through the end of the school year.  Our meal program will also continue. 

We are going to continue working as hard as we can to bridge the gap between now and when our students are able to return to classrooms. We do not want to create additional stress and worry for our students and their families in these challenging times.  Like everything else related to this public health crisis, we will remain flexible, work to maintain student engagement, provide opportunities for learning, and ensure our students feel valued and are experiencing success. 

If you need anything, please contact your teacher or your principal, and please know that we all could not be more appreciative of your continued support as we build and refine our virtual learning program while implementing it at the same time.

Additionally, the Oak Creek Health Department has continued to stress that social distancing is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19; the Oak Creek Department of Public Works has posted signs on our playgrounds--given the Governor’s Safer at Home Order--please avoid all school playgrounds and athletic facilities.   

Student Chromebook/device support or repair service remains available at the District Office Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, and will be as long as there are school personnel available.  Students and families can also email helpdesk@ocfsd.org or call 414-768-6149 with any questions regarding their device. 

 

Take care,

Daniel Unertl, J.D.

Superintendent, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District 

March 27, 2020 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

Earlier this week, Governor Evers ordered an extension to the school closures in our state. In keeping with this mandate, the current plan is to keep schools closed until at least Thursday, April 23, but as noted in earlier messages, we are planning as if we have spent our last day in school this year. We will continue to keep you updated.  The closures will continue to affect all District programming. Community food service will remain available.

Some good news…  The work completed over Spring Break was as successful as we could have hoped for in working toward the targets we shared last Friday.  Here are a few brief notes regarding what we continue to work on: 
 

• March 16 - 20th, Extended learning opportunities 4K-12, IT infrastructure build-out, device assignment 6-12. - Complete
• ​March 23rd, 4K-5 device assignment. - Complete
• March 23 - 27th, Spring Break, continued preparation and planning. - Complete
• March 30 - April 3rd, All staff virtual learning training; parent communication and instructions on setting up the communication tool (Seesaw, 4K-5) for virtual learning. 
• April 6 - 9th, 4K-5 continued virtual learning training; finalize parent communication and instructions on setting up the communication tool (Seesaw 4K-5) for virtual learning. 
• April 6, 6-12 virtual learning begins. 
• April 14, or before, virtual learning until the conclusion of the year (or return to traditional school), for all students in grades 4K-12.  

We were able to distribute several hundred devices and wireless hotspots in the last few days, which means that we are still on track to begin virtual learning on April 6 for 6-12 students, and on or before April 14th for 4K-5 students.  

If your family did not pick up a device and needs one, please contact your school directly and they will accommodate you between now and when we plan to start virtual learning.  All our offices continue to be staffed.  

Reminder, we are still planning for Quarter 4 to be conducted entirely in a virtual-learning format.  That means assigned, graded work, designed to continue continuity of essential content. Expect more information on this topic throughout the school closure, likely from the Office of Teaching and Learning and your school’s principal.    

Student Chromebook/device support or repair service will be available at the District Office between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM as long as there are school personnel available.  Students and families can also email helpdesk@ocfsd.org or call 414-768-6149 with any questions regarding their device. Reminder, you can still complete this Service/Request Device form and indicate you need to obtain a hotspot for wifi access or service to your device.  

Additionally, we are typically hosted by our community partners at the City of Oak Creek in council chambers for our Board meetings; we will temporarily move back to our District Office, in order to comply with CDC social distancing guidelines, until further notice.  

One final reminder today, the Department of Public Works has posted signs on our playgrounds--given the Governor’s Safer at Home Order--please avoid all school playgrounds and athletic facilities.  

Take care,

Daniel Unertl, J.D.
Superintendent, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

March 20, 2020 

 

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

With the announcement from Governor Evers that schools are closed indefinitely, we continue to hope for a return to school but are planning as if we have spent our last day in the classroom for the 2019-2020 school year.  This will result in innumerable questions, and we will continue to work through them with your support.  

So much change so quickly is jarring.  We are all facing new challenges; in about a week, we have spoken to families whose homes have become food insecure, who have lost their jobs, or who are working from home for the first time ever...who feel adrift and uncertain about the future.  Our school community wants to support families, not further overwhelm. All that follows, outlines our most earnest attempt to serve. 

Thank you for your help, patience, and understanding during Wednesday, Thursday, and today’s equipment and extended learning material distribution.  Shout-outs on the website, personal messages to various staff members, and positive posts on social media have not gone unnoticed--in fact, that positive outpouring of support has likely kept much of our staff going while we work around the clock and respond to challenges as they surface.  

You have no doubt observed that some of the 421 school districts throughout Wisconsin have pre-existing online school options, and others do not.  We are in a middle-place, where we use Google Classroom, Dojo, and a variety of other platforms, but always driven by face-to-face instruction. Despite the significant challenges we face, we will evolve in spite of the pandemic.  Our transition from a face-to-face learning model, to a virtual model, will not be without challenges.  Earlier this week, we learned that we cannot gather together in groups larger than ten--and there will be more hurdles still.  Throughout this closure, our staff will be working to provide the best continuity of teaching and learning that we are able, and that will mean virtual learning.       

This week we were able to deploy devices for grades 6-12, wireless hotspots, and extended learning materials.  We chose 6-12 first because many of those students have devices 24/7 already, and we would be better able to learn from the flow of a more limited distribution, how to maintain social distancing guidelines.  If you are a 6-12 family and did not pick up a device and need one, please contact your school directly and they will accommodate you.  Distribution has been extremely smooth, so we will move quickly with 4K-5 deployment.  We are also concerned about a further tightening of restrictions on where we can move and gather, as we have seen in other parts of the country. 

On Monday, March 23, we will deploy devices for all students 4K-5 who need them.  If you do not have an electronic device at home for your 4K-5th grade child to utilize, please use your smartphone to request a device, or call your child’s school, or call your child’s school--that way, we will be ready for you.  More details will come directly from your school’s principal.  If you cannot make it on Monday to pick up a device, please contact your child’s school directly at any point between now and when we plan to start virtual learning, and they will work to accommodate you.      

At this moment, and throughout Spring Break, members of our team will work to finalize a plan to provide our staff with the professional development they require, between now and our targeted date to begin virtual learning, on April 6 for 6-12 students, and on or before April 14th for 4K-5 students.  That means that between Spring Break and the scheduled off-days of April 10th and 13th, we will have moved from a face-to-face model, to a virtual model, in 10-14 work/instructional days or less.     

This is our tentative plan to move from a model used in education before this pandemic, to whatever comes after.  There will be errors, omissions, and mistakes--and all of this is predicated upon our workforce remaining healthy.  There are many grade-level specific questions that will need to be answered.  We have had questions about events like prom and graduation, and each will be answered as we move forward--likely through communication from your school’s principal.    

Targets: 

• March 16 - 20th, Extended learning opportunities 4K-12, IT infrastructure build-out, device assignment 6-12.
• March 23rd, 4K-5 large-scale device assignment.
• March 23 - 27th, Spring Break, continued preparation and planning.
• March 30 - April 3rd, All staff virtual learning training; parent communication and instructions on setting up the communication tool (Seesaw, 4K-5) for virtual learning. 
• April 6 - 9th, K4-5 continued virtual learning training; finalize parent communication and instructions on setting up the communication tool (Seesaw 4K-5) for virtual learning. 
• April 6, 6-12 virtual learning begins. 
• April 14, or before, virtual learning until the conclusion of the year (or return to traditional school), for all students in grades 4K-12.  

We are planning for Quarter 4 to be conducted entirely in a virtual-learning format.  That means assigned, graded work, designed to continue continuity of essential content--different than “Extended Learning Materials,” shared this week, which were designed as enrichment, while we geared up to move into a virtual learning model and families planned for this challenging time.   

Every plan we make has been affected by this rapidly developing pandemic; we are providing this communication regarding virtual learning at this juncture to allow for students and families to gain an understanding of what is being built and deployed--but we are certain there will be changes.  Thank you for understanding that we are doing the absolute best we can.      

Earlier this week, we sent communication to families who might lack access to the internet at home.  If you do not have adequate internet access for students to engage with virtual learning, consider using your mobile device to click Spectrum's link to free internet, or complete this Request a Device form and indicate you need to obtain a hotspot for wifi access.  Or you can always call us. Our offices continue to be staffed.   

Student Chromebook/device support or repair service will be available at the District Office between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM as long as there are school personnel available.  Students and families can also email helpdesk@ocfsd.org with any questions regarding their device. 

Take care,

Daniel Unertl, J.D.
Superintendent, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

March 17, 2020

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

As time passes, it will be impossible to know if public service providers overreacted or did too much, but it will be very clear if we under reacted or did too little.  

Since our last family message Sunday, we have seen the recommendations for public gatherings move from 250, to 50, to 10.  In recent days, much of our dedicated staff has worked around the clock, contributing to contingencies and pitching in. We employ nearly a thousand people, and in the days since we closed, we have been inundated with requests from staff to come in anyway, to volunteer in any way possible, to help--we have had school leaders essentially working non-stop since the 9th; one is not generally called to work in education or public health without that wiring.  Our efforts to provide week-day meals to our students, with the help of extraordinary partners like the Salvation Army, expands today to include strategic delivery sites throughout the community--and will continue during spring break, and at least through April 3rd.       

We continue to plan to be out at least until Governor Tony Evers’ tentative return date of April 6th, and perhaps beyond.    

We have seen Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett state, "This is the most serious challenge the world has faced since World War II."  We have learned of the first confirmed case of the virus in Oak Creek from the Health Department. And moments after sharing plans with our staff for a District-wide inservice today, President Donald Trump announced new restrictions on gatherings of people, limiting them to ten.  

Upon learning of the President’s announcement, we immediately canceled our professional development slated for today.  No amount of social distancing could reasonably be expected to be sustained when you bring an entire staff back into a school.  Our professional development model in education largely consists of gathering together. We will now work together on this next challenge: planning without massing our staff or community together.  These are unprecedented times, to say the least.

Our canceled inservice today was designed to facilitate a large scale, rapid deployment of wireless hot-spots, Chromebooks, and general extended learning materials.  However, following the President’s guidance, we will avoid anything that could potentially bring the public together in mass.  

Our Teaching and Learning team in partnership with our Information Technology department has developed a feasible plan to extend learning opportunities to your family.  

4K-5th grade families may pick up materials during the days and times below if you cannot access the materials in the links from your principals.

6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th grade families may pick up a device if needed during the days and times below.  

The materials are designed for extended learning.  No one is required to participate--health, safety, work schedules, childcare--the decisions made in your own household matter most.  

If you choose to come, please plan for a drive-thru style pick up at your child(rens) school(s) as identified below.  We understand a timeframe given may not work for your schedule, in that case, please stop anytime Thursday or Friday that works best for your family.  If you know a neighbor or friend cannot pick up their child’s materials, please feel free to pick it up for them.  

Thursday, March 19th:

• 7:00 am - 11:00 am  Last name beginning with A-M
• 11:00 am - 4:30 pm Last name beginning with N-Z

Friday, March 20th:

• 7:00 am - 11:00 am  Last name beginning with N-Z
• 11:00 am - 4:30 pm Last name beginning with A-M

Your principal will be sending a message today that will include the following information. A map of your school with the pick-up traffic pattern, so we can expedite this process for all families.  The message will also include a link to digital books that are available to your child free of charge. We have put together non-screen time Extended Learning Opportunities for our 4K-5th grade families as well.  A PDF of those 4K-5th grade resources will also be linked in your principal’s message. If you can access these links and digital book resources, there is no need for you to visit an elementary school on Thursday or Friday.  For our 6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th grade families, if you need one, we will be assigning a Chromebook and charger to your student.  The Extended Learning Opportunities for 6-12th grade can be pushed out electronically and will be included in the email from your principal as well.   

For families that do not have access to the internet, we will have hotspots (which allow wifi access) available for check out at the district office Thursday and Friday from 7:00 am - 4:30 pm.  The District Office is located at 7630 S. 10th Street, Oak Creek; you can walk-up, or call 414-768-5886, and we will walk a hotspot out to you.      

Right now, our schools have very limited staff.  Should you need a coat, or a clarinet, medications stored on site, or something else, please call your student’s school, and we will do our best to accommodate you.  PLEASE, if you would like to enter a building for any reason, do it on Wednesday.  

The District will continue to share our most up to date information and most recent family messages on the Coronavirus Information page on our District website.  Please know your school district leaders, local health officials, and community partners are working around the clock in order to take preventive measures to keep our community safe. 

On behalf of our Board and our entire school community, thank you for your continued support.  It is moments like this where the true character of our community is revealed.  

Daniel Unertl, J.D.
Superintendent, Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

March 15, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

On behalf of the entire school district team--our Board, our teachers, everyone--thank you for the overwhelming support in this uncertain time.  We know that there are many unanswered questions, and your understanding has been a powerful testament to the strength of our community.  Last Friday--with the picture rapidly unfolding for the next few weeks in public education--schools throughout Wisconsin announcing closures, our own announcement, followed by the governor’s announcement, which provided an even wider window…  Unprecedented acts to say the least. 

Until the Governor’s announcement, which prescribed a designated window for closure, our District's position was one of measured reaction.  We would wait until our local health authority advised closure, disinfect our schools frequently, provide resources from the CDC, and monitor closely in the interim.  Many districts had hoped we were experiencing a period of rising concern that would ultimately prove to be an exaggeration--and we truly hope that is still the case.  However, now we face a period of closure from today, to the Governor’s tentative return date of April 6th.  We’d hoped that this week, followed by spring break would be enough to allow our District to help combat community spread of Covid-19, and minimize our loss of instructional time.    

In sum, we’re off Monday and at least through spring break. We want to come back March 30, but we might not be able to, so we’re planning to be out at least until the Governor's tentative return date of April 6th.  

First, we face the challenge of feeding our students who depend on the schools for meals. In partnership with the Salvation Army, tentatively, expect the following:

• Lunches will be made available to all community members 18 and under from March 16-20.  All future days will be determined by March 19.  
• Lunches will consist of a bag lunch and beverage and be distributed in drive-up fashion in an effort to adhere to the guidelines of the health department.
• Locations:
  • Forest Ridge (2200 W Drexel Ave)
  • Oak Creek High School (340 E Puetz Rd)
  • Salvation Army (8853 S Howell Ave)
• Times: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Second, this situation is fluid, and we’re learning new information every day.  However, below you’ll read how we will attempt to help facilitate learning, despite these challenges, if closures must extend.  You’ll likely hear a lot about virtual learning, or extended learning opportunities, in the coming days.  Our model here in Oak Creek/Franklin is built around a licensed teacher, with a big heart and a toolbox filled with practices, working directly with your kids--not in virtual reality, but in real-time.  Full fledged virtual academies are entirely different models. Additionally, perhaps a third of our students do not have home access to the internet--and we don’t know how long providers' offers of free, temporary internet will take to deploy.  Delivery for our youngest students, students with special needs, English Language Learners, students experiencing poverty--not to mention child care challenges--will also prove daunting.  

That said, our staff will pull together and treat this challenge like an opportunity.  

• Monday, March 16th, all school administrators and a number of support staff will come together to continue to address extended learning opportunities, should this closure move as far as the governor projects, or further.    
• Tuesday, March 17th, all available teachers will report to school and prepare to deploy extended learning opportunities for students, should we remain closed beyond spring break.  
• Wednesday, March 18th, schools will be open for families or students to stop by and collect any essential belongings or medications stored at school, and potentially check-out devices.  More information to come.        

At this time, we will continue to evaluate circumstances as they unfold.  Perhaps, as we hope, reactions have reached further than necessary, and we can return to school, as originally planned, after our scheduled spring break.  Should further closure be needed, we’ll do what we’ve always done, and work together to build what’s next. Expect additional communication leading up to Wednesday, and as we near the conclusion of spring break, or as circumstances warrant.  

The District will continue to share our most up to date information and most recent family messages on this page of our website.

Please know your school district leaders, local health officials, and community partners are working around the clock in order to take preventive measures to keep our community safe. 

In appreciation for your continued support,

Daniel Unertl, J.D.

Superintendent

Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

 

 

March 13, 2020

 

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families, 

The safety of our students, staff and our community will always be our top priority.  With the support of our local health department and in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District has made the difficult decision to close the week of Monday, March 16.  Spring break will continue as planned from March 23-27, 2020. 

All school district-sponsored activities, athletics, and events are also canceled during this time period.  

Youth Programs, ASPIRE, and School Days Out along with any other programs run through Youth Programs will be canceled starting Saturday, March 14th and following the same timeline as the school district. Watch for further communication updates near the end of spring break.   

The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving and changing, we will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation over spring break and will provide our families with an update near the end of the spring break week. Updates will also be posted on the school district’s coronavirus information webpage. 

If your family is still planning to travel over spring break, please review the CDC’s recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. Please contact your child’s school if you plan to travel to a CDC identified Level 2 or 3 risk area or if you plan to travel to an area in the U.S. with sustained community spread. Should you be unable to connect with your child’s school next week, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Office will be staffed throughout the closure.  Because the list of these areas will likely change, the health department is recommending you be prepared to self-quarantine in home for 14 days following return, if your family plans to travel. Notifying your child’s school of these travel plans may help coordinate case-by-case distance learning supports your student may need in the event of a quarantine.  

We encourage families to practice social distancing and to continue following the preventive measures recommended by the CDC: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can make children and families feel anxious.  We have a list of resources on the District website, including a resource from the National Association of School Psychologists about Talking to Children About COVID-19.

Please know your school district leaders and local health officials are working around the clock to monitor the situation and make sure we are taking the necessary preventive measures to keep our community safe. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

Dan Unertl

Superintendent

Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

 

 

March 6, 2020

 

Dear Oak Creek-Franklin Families and Staff,

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District and the Oak Creek Health Department value the well-being of our students, staff, families, and community. We want you to know that we are working together to monitor the COVID-19, or coronavirus, outbreak in the United States.

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus was first identified during an outbreak in China and has since spread to many other countries, including the United States. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. COVID-19 can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets from sneezing and coughing or between people who are in close contact with one another.

Both the Health Department and the School District have emergency response plans that have been created, tested, and revised over the past several years. We are confident in our ability to implement public health recommendations and respond if COVID-19 affects our community.

The risk for COVID-19 remains low in Wisconsin. Currently, we are seeing normal seasonal cold and flu activity in our community. The best way to stay healthy is to take everyday preventive actions, including

• Getting a flu shot – it is not too late! 
• Washing hands often with soap and water
• Help children learn to wash their hands well
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze with a tissue, sleeve, or your arm
• Stay home if you are feeling sick
• Keep children home from school if they are sick
• Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

You will find additional information, including resources for parents on the School District website. You can also visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website or Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) website for factual and up-to-date information.

The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving and changing, and there is uncertainty involved. We will do our best to keep you up to date as important changes arise. If you have questions, we encourage you to contact the Health Department at (414) 766-7950.

Sincerely,

Darcy DuBois, MPH	Dan Unertl, J.D.
Health Officer	Superintendent
Oak Creek Health Department	Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

 

Monday, June 8th will be the last meal distribution day for our meal program. Please visit www.ocfsd.org/meals for more information, including summer meal sites and local resources. 

 

 

If you have an IEP/504 meeting scheduled. At this juncture, scheduled meetings will continue to take place as normal; with consideration to attendees or participants who may have symptoms of illness.  Contact your student’s case manager. 

Should my family cancel our travel plans for Spring Break?

The CDC provides recommendations on postponing or canceling travel. These are called travel notices and are based on the assessment of the potential health risks involved with traveling to a certain area. A list of destinations with travel notices is available here on the CDC website. A list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers regarding Travel can be also be found here on the CDC website. 

 

Will my child be able to return to school after traveling?

To slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) into the United States, CDC is working with state and local public health partners to implement after-travel health precautions. Depending on your travel history, you will be asked to stay home for a period of 14 days from the time you left an area with widespread or ongoing community spread (Level 3 Travel Health Notice).

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/faqs.html

 

Please contact your child’s school if you plan to travel to a CDC identified Level 2 or 3 risk area or if you plan to travel to an area in the U.S. with sustained community spread. Should you be unable to connect with your child’s school next week, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Office will be staffed throughout the closure.  Because the list of these areas will likely change, the health department is recommending you be prepared to self-quarantine in home for 14 days following return, if your family plans to travel. Notifying your child’s school of these travel plans may help coordinate case-by-case distance learning supports your student may need in the event of a quarantine.  

The District has intensified cleaning practices throughout our buildings and upgraded disinfectants to medical grade products. We continue to encourage students and staff to follow the CDC’s list of key preventative actions, like hand washing, to avoid the spread of disease.

Cleaning District Issued Chromebooks and Laptops at Home:  Please do NOT spray anything directly on the device as this can damage it. If you choose to use a spray, first spray the product on a cloth, then apply. Disinfecting wipes (such as Clorox wipes) work great, but please don't saturate the keyboard with the disinfectant. This information is for at-home cleaning only.  When at school, staff and students should use disinfectant products provided by Buildings & Grounds. 

Public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are stressful times for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can lead to social stigma toward people, places, or things. For example, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate a disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease. Stigma can also occur after a person has been released from COVID-19 quarantine even though they are not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others.

Everyone can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with others in your community.

Please see the list of resources for talking to children about COVID-19 and mental health and coping in the tab below. 

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/related-stigma.html

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (National Association of School Psychologists)

So You Have Questions About Coronavirus (Counselor Keri)

Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Talking With Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 

Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 

Spectrum's link to free internet

We encourage families to practice social distancing and to continue following the the list of prentive actions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

 

 

Visit the CDC Website