Virus sidelines Marathon schools
30 percent of high school in quarantine
COVID-19 is having a major impact on Marathon Public Schools, school board members were told last week Wednesday.
School district administrator Rick Parks said a combination of 20 staff and students have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of school this fall and, as a result following contract tracing, 30 percent of high school students, 21 percent of elementary school students and 17 percent of Marathon Venture Academy (middle school) students were sent home to quarantine and receive virtual instruction as of the fifth week of the school year.
“This makes all teachers become both classroom and virtual teachers, with extra duties of preparing for students that will be out for an extended period of time,” he said.
Parks said it was increasingly diffi cult for the school to handle high numbers of students who need online learning.
A key issue, he said, is that over half of the district’s school families do not have robust enough computer service to allow streaming video from classroom instruction. Students in these families need, as they did earlier this year, to contact teachers after classes are finished to get assign- ments and learn content.
High school principal David Beranek said the district has 26 “hot spots” to give to families who do not have good broadband service, but that the cost to the district for providing these families with internet service, $1,040 a month, is not inconsiderable.
“We have a big problem of connectivity,” he said.
School board members asked what percentage of sick students and staff would trigger closing a school building.
Parks said the Marathon County Health Department has said that school can continue to stay open as long as the district can properly staff it. “There is no percentage that they are looking at,” he said.
Beranek said some students who opted for virtual education have requested to return to the physical high school. Principal Ryan McCain said students at Marathon Area Elementary School and Marathon Venture Academy have opted both to return to school and to go virtual.
Board member Jodi DeBroux, a parent of school age children, said she did not want district families to repeat their COVID-19 experiences in the spring. She said the district should have 100 “hot spots” to hand out to district families.
Administrator Parks said there were no immediate plans to close school due to COVID-19 but, should that happen, special education students should be allowed to receive services at school for medical reasons.
In other board business:
_ Board members declined to say whether they would “donate” money towards a $3.8 million softball and baseball complex proposed by the Village of Marathon City on land east of Marathon Area Elementary School. Administrator Rick Parks said he’s been in conversation with village administrator Andy Kurtz about a possible donation towards the project.
Board members said they didn’t know how to react to a proposal not yet officially approved by the Marathon City Village Board. “We don’t know anything right now,” said board member Ted Knoeck.
_ Board members hired Amanda Balz as an English Learner teacher aide.
_ High school principal Beranek reported district student enrollment (head count) has increased to 736, 79 more than 10 years ago. The district has 117 open enrollment in students and 55 open enrollment out students,
_ Board members approved paying for 53 students to obtain 129 credits at UW-Platteville and Northcentral Technical College.
_ Administrator Parks shared with board members a schematic from Scherrer Construction, Wausau, for an outdoor classroom at the MAES nature ponds.
_ It was reported that the Marathon Education Foundation has awarded $6,900 in teacher grants to district staff.
_ Board members approved winter coaches. They are as follows: Girls basketball: head coach jeff Schneider, JV coaches Beith Geier and Hannah Schmitt, volunteer coaches Nicole Myszka, Hayley Cramer and Chuck Baldeschwiler, eight grade coaches Tori Seehafer and Keith Varden, seven grade coaches Rob Love and Lynelle Love, sixth grade coach Tony Pojaski and fifth grade coach Whitney Beilke; boys basketball: head coach Adam Jacobson, JV coaches Claude Seubert and Alex Blume, volunteer coaches Phillip Seubert, Todd Stoffel and Chuck Woelfel, eight grade coach Mathhew Haehlke, seventh grade coach Chuck Woelfel, six grade coaches Ron Kunkel and Jon Shuda and fifth grade coach Curt Miller; wrestling: head coach Kraig Underwood, varsity assistant Clint Quaintance, junior high coaches Mitch Franke and Dylan Williamson.
_ It was reported that this year’s solo and ensemble competition will be virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
