Ellsworth Schools considering a ‘pivot’ of plans for education, extra-curriculars, staffing

During World War 2, President Franklin D. Roosevelt invested the American people in the fight for freedom against the Axis powers of Germany, Italy and Japan, whether or not those in question would go overseas. Rationing of food and even commodities like rubber was enacted, with blackout drills for enemy air raids and the saying that, ‘loose lips sink ships.’ Things today may not be as dire, but if life is to go on and the hope of long-term economic recovery, it’s all hands on deck in the fight against COVID-19. As such, and due largely to an increase in the number of cases and their impact on school staffing and student’s ability to learn, many school districts are going virtual. Prescott, River Falls, and Plum City have all experienced it, or are about too. Other area districts and UWRiver Falls are making similar decisions. Ellsworth was due to consider a “change or pivot” from its current learning model at a ZOOM meeting this Wednesday December 2 at 5:30 p.m. Results of the meeting were not available at press time, although a statement put out by the district on its Facebook page shed more light on the issue.

Listed under “New Business,” the Ellsworth Community School Board was set to consider, “action to determine a change/pivot from current learning environment models at all levels and athletic/co-curricular programs” at the meeting, along with “furloughing of staff related to possible changes in the instructional models at various buildings.” A message sent to parents by the Ellsworth district had more to say on the subject.

“As a district, we have experienced a growing shortage of staff due to cases of COVID-19 in our schools and community,” the letter by superintendent Barry Cain says. “In addition to the COVID-19 effects within our schools at this time, we must also take into consideration the rising positivity rates within our local are along with projected spikes in cases related to the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Meanwhile down at the Wisconsin Department of Health, census tract 9605 encompassing Prescott and north of it on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border had registered 8 deaths from a total 342 cases, for a current death rate of 2.34 percent. In census tract 9607 encompassing Ellsworth and the surrounding county heartland, meanwhile, there were five deaths registered from a total of 267 positive cases in the area, a death rate from coronavirus of 1.87 percent. Census tract 1209.01 encompassing River Falls in St. Croix County had registered six known deaths from a total 204 in known positive cases, a rate of 2.94 percent. Deaths registered in Pierce County for census tracts outside the western border and Ellsworth were less than five each. School districts in the area were quick to respond.

Pending future developments, Prescott High School will announced it be virtual as of Thursday December 3 to January 11th. Prescott’s move comes after River Falls earlier announced that virtual learning would take place in the local school district from November 16 thru Friday December 4, while Plum City Area Schools will distance learn through at least December 7 after initially considering coming back November 30. Meanwhile in the Durand-Arkansaw District just east of the county border, the school dashboard listed five active cases at the middle and high school as of Monday, with 6 active cases at Caddie Woodlawn. As a result, 29 of 493 middle and high school students at Durand (5.9 percent) and 41 out of 471 students at Caddie Woodlawn (8.7 percent) were under quarantine, with the virus not recognizing any county boundaries. No closing is listed in the Durand-Arkansaw school district, however, with school case numbers going down. Not so in Pierce County and elsewhere.

“Local health departments throughout the state of Wisconsin are overwhelmed by the number of COVID-19 cases we’re receiving,” a statement at the Pierce County Health Department site stated on Monday. “We may not be able to reach all cases within 24 hours of a positive test. We may not reach out to all close contacts. To help protect the people around you, please refer to the guidance documents in the ‘Isolation and Quarantine Guidance section’ below.” Included under general isolation and quarantine guidelines for those who find themselves positive are the following:

• Stay home (or at some other location approved by public health). Do not go to work, school, or public area.

• Separate yourself from people and animals in your home. Stay in a specific room and if possible, use a separate bathroom.

• Do not share household items like dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, or bedding.

• Postpone all non-essential medical appointments until you are out of isolation.

• Keep a list of people you had contact with when you were sick.

• Wash hands often and practice good hygiene. Clean high touch surfaces every day.

• Wear a face mask or covering if you need to be around other people.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze.

Isolation is considered over when you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using medicine that reduces fevers, along with experiencing an improvement in general symptoms over 24 hours, and at least 10 days have passed since you first had symptoms. COVID-19 can be spread from two days before one experiences their first symptoms until a few days after recovery. A fever and symptom tracking sheet is available for download and printing in pdf form at the health department website, accessible via link through Pierce County Health under “Next Steps: after you are diagnosed with COVID-19,” located in the top left hand side of the COVID-19 information page, also reached via link from the Pierce County homepage at www.co. pierce.wi.us. For those in need of Wi-Fi, access is extended to many library parking lots, among other resources.