GILLETT (NBC 26) — While some Northeast Wisconsin students are once again swapping the classroom for the computer this week, other students have never learned virtually, and probably never will.
“We stayed open, face to face, five days a week, all last year," said Todd Hencsik, Gillett School District Administrator. “We are trying to make everything as normal as possible, you know, to not draw attention to anything if we don't have to, we're trying to make the experiences you know, the best that we can.”
If Omicron continues to spread and district cases spike over the holidays, the school is prepared to limit class size, stagger lunches and add more social distancing if need be.
But requiring masks will be a last resort, and going virtual isn’t even a consideration, said Hencsik.
“I think that data will say that kids learn better in the classroom," he said. "Most kids. It's not a one size fits fits all. I think that's one thing that we've learned through the pandemic.”
On the other side of Northeast Wisconsin, the Southern Door School District has already closed down, in order to give students two weeks off. Masks are usually optional, but following Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, the district imposes mandatory masking for one week after the holidays, said Chris Peterson, school superintendent.
Meanwhile, health officials continue to see rising cases of Omicron, plus the 'Twindemic’ with the flu.
“People just need to recognize that we kind of were lulled a little bit into a false sense of security last year when we just didn't have much of a flu season," said Dr. James Conway, Pediatric Infectious Disease physician. "We've certainly seen schools went back into session and people started traveling.”
Doctors, like Conway, are hoping families take advantage of this time off to get their children vaccinated.
“We're really very nervous about what happens as we get towards Christmas and New Year's with travel and with gatherings," he said. "And I think people really need to understand they need to double down. It's not just about Omicron, it's really about this combination all happening all at once.”
