Wauwatosa School Board To Consider In-Person Learning Date Change

WAUWATOSA, WI—The Wauwatosa School Board will consider a proposal from Superintendent Dr. Phillip Ertl for all middle and high school students in phase-into-learning mode to return to 5-day in-person learning starting March 2 instead of April 5.

Elementary students already attend school in-person. March 1st would be a prep day for staff and no school for students in Grades 6-12.

Ertl, in consultation with the Medical/Public Health Advisory Committee, is authorized to shift to exclusively virtual instruction because of worsening metrics in Wauwatosa.

Approval of the School Board is not required for shift to virtual instruction.

On Feb. 2, Sen. Dale Kooyenga, (R-Brookfield) sent a letter encouraging the Wauwatosa School District to move students to entirely in-person learning. Kooyenga says he will advocate to direct state funding to schools that return to in-person learning.

Kooyenga's district includes Brookfield and some parts of Wauwatosa and Milwaukee.
The letter was addressed to Wauwatosa Superintendent Dr. Phillip Ertl and the Wauwatosa School Board.

The Wauwatosa School District responded to Patch with the following statement:

"We will continue to make informed, thoughtful decisions that are in the best interest of our students and staff. Our elementary students currently attend class in-person five days per week, and we look forward to bringing our middle and high school students back to five-day-per-week instruction on April 5, 2021, as determined by the School Board."

The meeting is scheduled for Friday night at 5 p.m.