Cadott School Board; Update allows asymptomatic school contacts to attend

School nurse Jessica Hager spoke to the Cadott School Board, Jan. 10, about a proposed update to the district’s Tiered COVID Protocol Plan, which would allow close school contacts to continue attending, with masking during that time frame strongly encouraged, as long as they are symptom free. The board approved the update later in the meeting, which makes the district’s plan match those of the surrounding districts. Photo by Julia Wolf

By Julia Wolf

Keeping pace with current situations, the tiered COVID protocol plan was updated for the district, during a regular Cadott School Board meeting Jan. 10.

School nurse Jessica Hager says the proposed update follows what other Chippewa County schools have done. The main change would involve not quarantining asymptomatic school contacts.

Hager says they would still do all the contact tracing and notifying close contacts, asking them to monitor for symptoms.

“Unless they are symptomatic, they would still be allowed to come to school,” said Hager.

Hager said she suggests recommending those returning to school, days six through 10, wear a mask and/or if they are determined to be a school contact, wearing a mask for that 10-day period.

She says she spoke to some parents and the parents seemed OK with their child wearing a mask, if it means their student could stay in school. Quarantining is also still an option for families who do not wish to mask.

“They still could keep their kiddo home,” said Hager. “They could still quarantine them. They still would be excused, in regards to attendance purposes.”

Hager says they are continuing to follow guidance for those who are fully vaccinated or had COVID in the past 90 days. Those individuals are still notified if they are a close contact and asked to monitor for symptoms, but are not required to quarantine.

Becca Blanchette, school board member, asked if Hager has heard any feedback from teachers. Hager says she hasn’t heard much, yet, but has heard from school nurses in the Chippewa Falls District, that some teachers were concerned with optional masking for the 10-day period after school contacts, or days six to 10 for other contacts.

Hager says she would like to combat those concerns by strongly encouraging masking for close contacts those days, and if a student can’t, or parents don’t want their student to wear a mask for those days, to use the option to stay home and quarantine.

“I’m hoping that would alleviate some of the concern from staff,” said Hager.

Hager says there have also been other illnesses going around. Board member Cory Lanou asked if Hager has noticed fewer students coming to school coughing or with sniffles, than previous years.

“I would say probably less than normal, not as less as I would like it to be,” said Hager.

In the action portion of the meeting, board members approved the updates, as presented.

The board also voted on open-enrollment limits for the 2022-23 school year, for special education seats. Superintendent Jenny Starck explained any seat limits the district has are voted on every January. Since Cadott is at capacity for special education students, the proposal was for no open enrollment seats for special education students.

Starck says there is an exception if the student has siblings. Melissa Lesik, director of special education, says another exception is, if the student previously attended Cadott by open enrollment and found they are in need of services later.

Members approved the special education seat limits later in the meeting.

The non-renewal of one-year contract staff was also approved. Starck says teachers hired after Aug. 1, are on a oneyear contract, and the non-renewal follows the protocols, stressing the non-renewal is not performance based, but strictly contractual.

“Those positions reopen,” said Starck. “Often, people reapply for them. Often, they are awarded to them.”

The resignation of Sue Roth, food service, and the hire of Kim Burich, food service, were also approved during the meeting.

The school board also moved forward with the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) superintendent evaluation process, following a vote. Training dates for board members will be set at a later date.

When it comes to ease of access for those who would like to contact the board, members agreed to try out listing all board emails on the school webpage, without the need to click through the spam filter.

CMS for Schools manages the Cadott School District webpage. Currently, the page is set up, where those looking for the board member’s email addresses have to click the school board member and check a box saying they are not a robot, before the email is shown. If the person would like all seven board members’ email addresses, they must complete the process seven times.

Starck says the current set-up is CMS’s recommendation, to reduce spam and they do not have an option within their platform to turn it off. However, Nick Kotek, school librarian, made a workaround that displays the board members’ email addresses. “What we don’t want to do, is do it, and then go back and forth,” said Starck.

LaNou says he doesn’t think the spam emails will increase dramatically, since the current filter is not 100 percent.

“The flip side of this, is the current way it is now, you literally have to click 28 times on our website, to get all seven board members’ emails,” said LaNou, adding that seems excessive.

Al Sonnentag, board president, said his concern is they would set themselves up for a lot of walking quorums. LaNou says that is something to be conscious of, which is why they make sure Starck received the email, as well, and let her respond.

“Kind of the same rules we have been following since the beginning,” said LaNou.

Members decided to make the switch, to make reaching out easier for the community.