APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Appleton’s school board spent last night getting feedback from parents on the district’s return to school plan.
Right now, Appleton is proposing in-person classes, five days a week for all students in the fourth grade or younger. All other students would be on a hybrid learning model of in-person and virtual.
Uncertainty and concerns about Appleton’s return to the classroom were discussed during a special meeting. Some speakers offering different perspectives
“I’m speaking both as an educator and as well as a parent in the district,” Nicole Dutter said.
As a parent, she’s decided the proposed plan will not work for her kids,
“How does this model predict an environment for students who need it? For these reasons my kids will be all virtual,” said Dutter.
As an educator, she sees flaws in the expectations for students. Especially younger ones.
“They are young and curious and still learning the world around them,” said Dutter, “to expect them to social distance, wear a mask all day and socially distance independently is putting stress on them in addition to the curriculum they are already being expected to engage in.”
Dutter also expressed concerns about staffing.
“Substitute shortages when we were not in a pandemic. How will the ability to properly staff schools to carry out the approved hybrid model and in person plan impact the quality of instruction?”
There were few speakers in favor of having students learning in-person.
Kerry Ahers of Menasha said, “no loss of death is ever acceptable but I want you to put that into perspective of the risk of these kids not going back to school which causes significant harm.”
Most callers at Monday’s meeting preferred a virtual start to the school year, due to data and the difficulties of social distancing in already overcrowded buildings.
Dutter said, “to send our kids back into these already overcrowded spaces is not safe. I care for my students as if they are my own and I feel that the risk is still too high to start they year this way.
The school board’s next meeting is Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
Comments