Oak Creek Board Of Education Revisits COVID-19 Procedures

OAK CREEK, WI — Students in the Oak Creek-Franklin School District that come into close contact with other students who test positive for COVID-19 will be encouraged to quarantine, but not required. Masks will remain optional for students, but encouraged.

The Oak Creek-Franklin School District Board of Education met Monday to update the COVID-19 mitigation policies in place for the upcoming school year, specifically, to talk about quarantines and contact tracing.

Unvaccinated students that come into close contact will be encouraged to undertake a mitigation procedure, detailed below. Vaccinated students will not be recommended to quarantine, according to the new procedures decided at the meeting. Close contact is defined as coming within 3 feet of an individual without a mask.

Some residents spoke out against the mask policy at the meeting Monday.

A resident who said she was a 20 year resident of Oak Creek, district teacher and parent spoke out against the districts current mask policy.

"We remain dedicated to teaching all of our kids," the resident said in the meeting. "But we need to start this school year with the safety of all students and staff in mind, especially our unvaccinated and medically vulnerable students."

Another resident advocated for keeping masks and quarantine optional.

"My daughter was personally quarantined three times within the matter of months for being a close contact," the woman said. "I should be able to make masking and quarantine decisions in conjunction with my child's doctor."

One woman who identified herself as a mother and a fulltime nurse practitioner spoke in favor of keeping masks and quarantining.

"I've seen the effects of COVID for the past 18 months," she said. "As the delta variant has begun to surge I am fearful for my children."

Students that test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate at home for 10 days. People that have symptoms will be required to stay at home until symptom free for at least 24 hours, according to the procedure.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services as well as the CDC recently updated guidance for K-12 schools. The health agencies recommend everyone in schools to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.

At a previous meeting, the Board decided to make masks optional for summer school. The mask policy was not changed Monday, so masks will remain optional. Buses will still require masks, per federal requirements.

The District will continue to contact trace and update case dashboards. Students that come into close contact with another student that has the virus will be contacted. Close contacts will be encouraged to self monitor after exposure, as well as get tested.

Students that were in close contact will also be contacted by the Oak Creek Health Department.

The Board's recommendations for close contacts in returning to school:

• Self monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
• Get tested on day six or seven after exposure.

Read the Superintendent's report to the Board of Education on masks and quarantining.