OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Merrill Middle and Oshkosh North High schools moved to an all-virtual model on Monday.
District leaders made the call after a COVID-19 outbreak impacted several critical staff members.
“There will be times when the district is notified of a situation such as this one and must quickly and unexpectedly respond by transitioning into scenarios or different learning model,” Oshkosh schools superintendent Dr. Vickie Cartwright said.
As of Monday morning, all Oshkosh students were starting the year on a hybrid learning model.
That changed several hours later kids at Oshkosh North High School and Merrill Middle School.
“The district was notified about the positive COVID cases and the need to quarantine critical staff yesterday afternoon. By 4:30, we were already reaching out to our parents for the two impacted schools,” Cartwright said.
The district isn’t saying how many staff members are impacted.
“There are several key positions that must be staffed in order to safely open our schools in a face-to-face instructional environment,” Cartwright said.
“As a parent, that’s hard. That is so hard. My mind is just, okay now what?” Oshkosh parent Darrell Woebbeking said.
Some parents were frustrated by the news.
Woebbeking feels that virtual learning just isn’t the same.
“It’s more than just learning what’s in the books. They’re learning how to communicate, how to grow with people,” Woebbeking said.
Cartwright hopes the district doesn’t have to flip the switch like this again.
She says it will depend on whether a school can fill in the gaps, if there’s another outbreak.
“Possibly we can have those resources available to us, however some of those resources right now across all communities are at a shortage,” Cartwright said.
Hybrid learning for both schools is expected to take place once required quarantine periods are complete, for the affected staff members.
Students at Merrill Middle and Oshkosh North High School did not start school Tuesday.
Their fully virtual classes begin on Thursday.
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