NORTHEAST, Wis (NBC 26) -- A new study by the CDC has found there is "little evidence" that suggests that schools reopening contributes to the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Tonight, NBC26 caught up with two superintendents from our region who have been open for in-person classes, more or less, all year.
At the Brillion School District, there are about 1,200 students and staff members, most of which are participating in in-person learning five days a week.
"We've been able to make this work because we've really had a commitment among a lot of people to make it work," says Superintendent Dominic Madison.
Madison says right now the district only has one documented active case of COVID-19. At his district's schools, they have implemented several changes in an effort to slow the spread of the virus including staggered lunches for students, spaced out classrooms, mask-wearing, and attempting to limit who students are having contact with.
"It's just limiting the number of people that you're in contact with during the day. It's not easy, it's very hard. It's a very different year."
In Brillion, the district hasn't had to cancel classes once this year because of a COVID-19 related outbreak. And at another smaller northeastern Wisconsin school district, the Gillett School District, there are about 630 students and staff members. The Gillett District Administrator, Todd Hencsik says they have managed to bring students back for in-person learning five days a week this school year, only having two brief shutdowns.
"We've put many procedures in place, so our students can be in-person because we believe that in-person learning is what is best for our students."
Hencsik says all student's desks are six feet apart in their classrooms, hallway traffic is seriously limited, masks are required, and staff members keep tabs on their students to limit their interactions. These are all steps that have contributed to an unusual year, but a year nonetheless whereas of Wednesday, the district has just one documented active case of COVID-19.
"Virtually all of our cases are from outside of school contact," says Hencsik.
