School District of Oakfield

Protecting Our Students and Community from Coronavirus

Schools Buildings and Grounds Closed for Remainder of the School Year - Digital Learning Continues

Dear Oakfield School District Families,

As you may know, yesterday Governor Evers directed an extension of the Safer at Home Order, which contains a provision that school buildings and school grounds remain closed through the 2019-20 school year. This includes all extracurricular activities. With this said, I want to update you on some information specific to the School District of Oakfield. 

4K-12 Grade Instruction

We will continue at home distance learning for the remainder of the school year. For those of you who completed the recent technology survey; thank you for your feedback. This survey has helped us plan to both maintain and improve the learning experience for our students.

For students with 504 plans and IEPs

School staff will continue to provide the accommodations and modifications needed to access virtual learning opportunities. Special education services are being delivered in a variety of ways, including virtual instruction and therapies, packets of materials sent home, email and phone communication with parents, virtual conferencing with students, and communication between general and special education teachers. The special education teachers have communicated with each family about how your child will be supported during virtual learning. IEP meetings will continue to be scheduled by phone or online. If you have any questions or concerns about how your child's needs are being met, please contact Holly Rabe, Director of Special Education, at hrabe@oakfield.k12.wi.us.

Problems with Technology

If you are experiencing problems with your technology (Chrome books and ipads) that cannot be addressed by the teacher, please email ithelp@oakfield.k12.wi.us. We also realize that some families are still having a difficult time getting internet access; we have purchased hotspots for these families. Please email your principal if you are still having internet issues.

Meal Pickup

Breakfast and lunch meals are available for any community child 18 yrs & under. Pick-up will run from 9:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays only at the MS/HS Door D. Monday pickup will include breakfast and lunch for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday pickup will include breakfast and lunch for Thursday and Friday.

Summer School

As a district, we will provide some type of summer school this year. Whether that will be virtual or face to face still needs to be determined. We will keep you updated. 

Oakfield Child Care Center

The Oakfield Child Care Center has been closed since the Safer at Home order. Families that use this service will receive a survey that will help us better understand the situation for parents in regards to child care.

End of the Year Procedures

Certainly, you can imagine we are thinking through a myriad of issues like graduation, locker cleanout, etc. As decisions are made on these items you will be promptly notified. 

Communication

We realize the situation has caused strain on everyone (staff, students, parents, community). Please communicate with us your needs as the partnership between school and home is so essential especially during this crisis. I think it's important that we all maintain high expectations for student learning. Students will become frustrated with this different mode of instructional delivery. Please help us hold them accountable for learning. You will be receiving an email from your child's principal with information specific to that building.

I have been impressed at the way all district employees, parents, and community have prioritized safety while maintaining the spirit of a close-knit community. Please do not hesitate to contact any administrator on how we can help you or your student(s) during this difficult time. 

With pride and respect,

Dr. Vance Dalzin

Home WiFi options

Some internet carriers are offering free and/or low cost options that your family may be able to use.

See DPI list of internet offers for families

Spectrum is offering free broadband internet and WiFi access for 60 days to families with K-12 and college students. Charter, which operates Spectrum internet, said they will also waive installation fees for new households. Learn more about the Spectrum offer here or call 844-488-8395. 

Comcast Internet Essentials indicated that they are providing 60 days of free internet to qualifying families. Learn more about the Comcast offer.

When School Resumes

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Please contact your child's school office to report the absence and symptoms. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. Those at highest risk for Coronavirus complications are older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems or heart, lung and kidney disease. See how Coronavirus is spread. It can take two to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after initial exposure to the virus; the average is about five days.

We have no known cases of COVID-19 among students or staff in the Oakfield School District.

We continue to closely monitor the situation with our School Nurses and Fond du Lac County Health Departments, as well as review updates from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Department of Public Instruction and the CDC. Here is the latest information on confirmed cases in Wisconsin - in Dane, Fond Du Lac, Milwaukee, Pierce, Racine, Sheboygan, Waukesha and Winnebago counties. Another 37 WI residents are returning from a cruise where they may have been exposed and will be self-quarantined for 14 days. Nationally, there have been approximately 2,000 confirmed cases and 50 deaths (none in Wisconsin).

What You Can Do and Our Cleaning Measures

The Oakfield School District has a routine cleaning regimen in place to help reduce the spread of germs and communicable disease. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfection, we are increasing the cleaning of high-touch areas and hard and soft surface items throughout the day. We will follow all guidelines of the CDC and our local and state health departments.

• Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Make sure to wash your fingertips. This is especially important after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing into your hands, and before preparing or consuming food.
• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
• If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Families should have a plan in place for keeping your child home, picking up your child if they are sent home sick, and if schools are closed.
   

Travel Restrictions

This is a rapidly evolving situation, with the World Health Organization declaring Coronavirus a pandemic, the President and Governor declaring it a public health emergency and the President issuing a month-long ban effective March 13 on all travel from Europe, including the UK and Ireland, to the U.S.

• Cancel events with over 250 people
• Avoid non-essential domestic travel
• Avoid traveling to areas in the US with sustained community transmission of COVID-19 (currently Washington, New York, and California). See map of US sustained community transmission of COVID-19.
• Self-quarantine for 14 days upon return for anyone who travels to any U.S. states with confirmed community spread of COVID-19.

Many families have travel plans for spring break. If your family is planning to travel to a country with a Level 3 travel health notice, please contact the District Office at (920) 583-4117 before returning to school. The CDC is asking you to self-quarantine for 14 days. Read more about travel on the CDC's website.

We appreciate your patience with this fluid situation and we will continue to update you as needed. Please rest assured that we will continue to put your students’ safety first. If you have any questions, reach out to Vance Dalzin, District Administrator, at (920) 583-4117 or vdalzin@oakfield.k12.wi.us.