Archived Coronavirus Announcements

(12/2/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 12/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:

PI 34 Emergency Rule in Effect

(11/20/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 11/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:
- Special Education Requirements during COVID-19
(9/30/20) The Department of Health Services launched new data designed to help Wisconsinites better understand how Covid-19 is impacting the state. The new data comes in four areas: a) Local Data, b) Mitigation Strategies for Communities (updated by 4 pm every Wednesday), c) Percent Positive, and, d) Cases Among School-Age Children
(9/22/20) Governor Evers Issues New Emergency Order
(9/22/20) Tony Evers extends expiring statewide mask order another 60 days, pushing mandate to Nov. 21
(9/11/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 9/11/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:
- Updated COVID-19 District Flexibility Application
(9/10/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 9/10/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:
- Updates on Face Coverings, Meal Programs, and PPE Request
(9/8/20) US Department of Education Will Not Waive Testing Mandates This Year. On September 3, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos informed states that they should not count on getting the same waivers from federal testing mandates for this school year that they got last spring as the pandemic shut down schools.
(8/25/20) Recording of WASDA/DHS Outbreak Guidance Meeting
(8/24/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 8/24/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:

Regulatory Flexibility Framework Update

(8/19/20) DHS Guidance on COVID-19 Outbreaks in Schools
(8/17/20) Answer to Frequently Asked Question Related to Governor's Order on Face Coverings
On July 30, the Governor issued an order mandating face coverings. Under exceptions, the order reads “vi. While a single individual is giving a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation for an audience, the single speaker may remove the face covering when actively speaking. While the face covering is removed, the speaker must remain at least 6 feet away from all other individuals at all times.”
Question: Does this mean a teacher is NOT required to wear a mask while teaching?
Answer: Yes. This exception includes teachers leading a lesson.
(8/12/20) Mike Thompson has released the following message concerning ESSER and Guidance Updates
(8/7/20) DPI Releases COVID Regulatory Flexibility Application/Information
(8/6/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 8/6/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:
- New Health-Related COVID-19 Resources

(7/7/20) Governor Tony Evers announced the distribution of free face masks and thermometers to public and private schools. If you did not yet order your masks and thermometers, you can still do so. Please see the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) DPI’s earlier communication for information on accessing the form to place your order. The Department of Health Services has created a flyer for families to support the use of facial coverings. Additionally, the document Cloth Face Coverings in Schools provides information for school staff.
(6/30/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 6/30/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:
- COVID-19 School Bus Safety Guidance
(6/23/20) Educators are busy preparing for what comes after the state’s school closure order expires on June 30. Yesterday, the DPI released its comprehensive Forward Education guidance document. District administrators and local health officials met yesterday via zoom to discuss this guidance (here is the link to the recording of the meeting).
(6/22/20) On June 22, 2020, the DPI released guidance for reopening schools for the upcoming fall semester. The document, Education Forward, provides information and resources, including:
(6/18/20) On June 18 the WIAA released Guidance for Summer Activities. The WIAA expects to release additional information (e.g. sport-specific guidelines) in the coming weeks.
(6/16/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 6/15/20 COVID-19 Updates Including:

Mask and Thermometer Allocations to Schools

(5/21/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 5/21/20 COVID-19 Update

(5/15/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 5/15/20 COVID-19 Updates Including

Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision and USDA Waiver Updates

(5/13/20) Supreme Court Strikes Down Safer at Home Order

The state Supreme Court struck down the Evers administration’s latest stay-at-home order, ruling it should’ve been issued as a rule to give lawmakers oversight of the process. GOP lawmakers, who filed the suit, had asked the court for an injunction preventing enforcement of the order, but to stay that to provide time to work out a deal with the administration. But the Court did not provide a stay.

The court ruling does NOT impact the order for schools to remain closed for the rest of this year (June 30).

(4/29/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 4/29/20 COVID-19 Update
(4/20/20) Governor Issues Criteria to Re-Open Wisconsin Economy
(4/16/20) Governor Tony Evers Extends Shelter in Place Order Until May 26
(4/16/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/27/20 COVID-19 Update

Summarizes Act 185-State Response to COVID-19 and provides links to resources including the Chief Council of State School Officers (CCSSO) recommendations for remote learning (attached in link). This document provides free high quality instructional materials aligned to different types of remote learning from packets to virtual instruction.

(4/8/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/27/20 COVID-19 Updates Including
(3/27/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/27/20 COVID-19 Update
(3/26/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/26/20 COVID-19 Updates
(3/24/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/24/20 COVID-19 Updates
(3/23/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/23/20 COVID-19 Updates
(3/23/20) Gov. Evers Issues Stay at Home Order
(3/20/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/20/20 COVID-19 Updates
(3/20/20) DPI Update on Extended School Closures for Students with IEPs
(3/20/20) The US Secretary of Education announced that the Department will grant a waiver to any state that is unable to assess its students because of the ongoing national emergency, providing relief from federally mandated testing requirements for this school year.
(3/19/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/19/20 COVID-19 Updates Including
(3/18/20) The Dos and Don'ts of Distance Learning in a Pandemic, FutureEd
(3/17/20) Gov. Evers Announces Schools Will Remain Closed Through Health Emergency
(3/16/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson 3/16/20 COVID-19 Updates Including

Waivers
Testing
School Meals
Virtual Learning

(3/14/20) K-12 School Closure FAQs from Governor Evers
(3/13/20) Wisconsin Department of Health Services orders all schools to close
(3/13/20) Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson on COVID-19 and Resources
3/13/20) Stanford Taylor Statement on Gov. Evers’ Executive Order
(3/12/20) Press release from Gov. Evers' office about the coronavirus and Public Health Emergency declaration

Ideas for Home Learning

Send books home with students and/or print out articles, poetry, and writing prompts.
Assign a long-term research-based project aligned to multiple standards.
Put together learning packets to review or enhance material already taught.
Assign simple science projects that could be done at home.
Review textbooks and print the supplemental lessons that one often does not have time to do in class.
Use any online resources available to teachers and print assignments to do at home.
Have students write reflection essays about a movie watched or a book read and scaffold the assignment for different age ranges.
If your school district is providing grab-and-go meals or meal delivery, make take-home packets available at the same location or through the same delivery mechanism.