School District of Altoona

Railroader Return-to-School Plan
Fall 2021

*DRAFT*

This plan will be open for public comment at the July 19, 2021 Board of Education Meeting.

From Safer-at-Home to Now

On March 13, 2020 Wisconsin Schools were closed “indefinitely” due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Schools in Wisconsin remained ordered closed until June 30, 2020.  In the fall of 2020, some schools reopened in the state while others kept a virtual learning environment. Schools in Eau Claire County opened with modified schedules to comply with the local public health order. Additionally, Wisconsin schools that were open complied with the State mask mandate. 

As the health of the community improved, the School District of Altoona increased student attendance on April 6, 2021.

The Current State of Health in Eau Claire County

As of July 7, 2021, the below is the summary of Covid-related data for Eau Claire County.

  • 7-Day Average of new cases per day = 1.14 (Eau Claire County)
  • 7-Day Average of new cases per day = .43 (Altoona)
  • Percent of people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine = 51.4% (Eau Claire County)
  • Percent of people who have completed the series of the vaccine = 49.5% (Eau Claire County)
  • Percentage of 12-15 year olds who have received at least one dose of the vaccine = 34.7%  (Eau Claire County)
  • Percentage of 12-15 year olds who have completed the series of the vaccine = 29.7%  (Eau Claire County)
  • Percentage of 16-17 year olds who have received at least one dose of the vaccine = 42.3%  (Eau Claire County)
  • Percentage of 16-17 year olds who have completed the series of the vaccine = 38.8%  (Eau Claire County)

Fall Attendance Plan
The School District of Altoona will be holding in-person learning for K-12 students five days per week. 

100% Virtual Option
The School District of Altoona will provide a 100% virtual option to students in grades 6 through 12. Families who would like this option but have not yet communicated this decision to the district should contact Terri Hanson at thanson@altoona.k12.wi.us ASAP. The deadline to enroll in the 100% virtual program is August 10th. Families who attempt to register after that date may experience a delay in the start date for the program. Students who start the school year in the 100% virtual option may move to the in-person model at the semester point (6th - 8th grade) or trimester point (9th - 12th grade). Students who start the school year in the in-person model may move to virtual at the semester point (6th - 8th grade) or trimester point (9th - 12th grade). 

Universal Health and Safety Measures
In order to reduce the opportunity for the spread of illness and germs, certain health and safety measures will be put in place across the district

  • Access to hand-sanitizing and hand-washing
  • Instruction for hand-washing, covering coughs and sneezes
  • Instruction for at-home screening for symptoms

Masks (or other Cloth Face Coverings)
Student and staff masks are optional in most settings unless local orders change to require them. There might be some environments or activities where masks are expected due to the nature of the activities (eg vocal music classes). Resources on how to appropriately wear and care for a mask will be made available to families.

At-Home Screening for Symptoms
Unvaccinated staff and students are required to screen for symptoms prior to coming to school. Unvaccinated students and staff should stay home if their screening reveals any of the following symptoms that cannot be explained by other causes (such as seasonal allergies). 

A temperature over 100.3 Fahrenheit within the last 48 hours
Cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or sore throat within the last 48 hours
A new loss of taste or smell
Muscle pain or chills
Illness symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, continuous nasal drainage, or rash in the last 48 hours

**All students and staff (vaccinated or not) are recommended to stay home from school when they have a fever.

Exclusion from School of Staff or Students with Symptoms
Unvaccinated staff and students presenting Covid-like symptoms that can’t be explained by another reason will be sent home from school. Staff and students will be recommended for testing if they have respiratory symptoms, new loss of taste or smell, or two or more of the other symptoms. 

Close Contacts 
If an unvaccinated student or staff member is in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes) of a person who is Covid-19 positive, the student or staff member will be sent home for quarantine and will be referred to the Eau Claire County Health Department. 

Length of Quarantine 
Because of the physical size and organization of most school environments, most students or staff members who are quarantined due to being a close contact will need to be excluded from school for the full 14-day period, even if released from quarantine earlier for other environments. 

Altoona Elementary School 4K Program
Our 4K students will have the same type of programming that they had in the past. The only schedule change is that their day off will be on Fridays this year, not Wednesdays as it was last year.  4K students will attend either mornings or afternoons Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Communication about Vaccination
As a service to our families, the School District of Altoona will provide communication about vaccination as information becomes available. Vaccination is a personal choice. The communication is for information purposes and is not intended to promote or discourage vaccination. To learn more about how to access a Covid-19 vaccine, please visit the Eau Claire County Health Department information page. 

Ongoing Review
This plan has been made based on what we understand about Covid-19 and the health of our community at this point in time.  As the health of our community evolves, we will continue to review our plan on a frequent basis. As adjustments need to be made, we will communicate with our families as quickly as we are able. 

Attendance Monitoring
School attendance will be monitored for trends and patterns on a weekly basis. 

Ongoing Communication
Additional district and school-specific information will continue to be shared throughout the school year. 

Our website will be kept up to date with current information: https://www.altoona.k12.wi.us/rails-return

Thank You!

Our community is so much healthier than it was a year ago at this time. We appreciate the opportunity to work together to ensure that we keep our schools healthy and safe! Thank you for your partnership and support. 

Have a Question? Use our: Open Forum.

See also our Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage.