Sauk Prairie School District to use multiple protocols to determine masking, provides parents with weekly data on website

The Sauk Prairie School District voted to approve a masking rubric that has certain thresholds. District Superintendent Jeff Wright explained the process in an email to parents. He explained the goals: “Our goal remains to keep our schools open to safely serve students. Our hope is to be mask-optional -- but we will temporarily move to mask-required when conditions in a specific classroom or school or COVID activity in the community or county create increased risk. Our decisions will be informed by specific activity at the school level, the Level of Community Transmission in the geographic boundaries of our school district, and the Level of Community Transmission in Sauk County.” Parents can check current covid infection conditions on the district homepage under “Covid updates.” The document explains the district processes and provides explanations and examples. Wright concluded his letter to parents with: “There is no single plan that will make everyone in our community happy. I believe this plan best prepares the district to respond to what is happening in the moment. When COVID activity is low, we will have fewer protocols in place. When COVID activity is high, we will increase those protocols. Sharing these with you will help you better prepare your students for change that will happen this school year as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.” The Covid thresholds, listed in order of importance, are:   School-Based / Site-Based COVID Activity: SPSD Students and Staff Definition: COVID activity monitored at the classroom, grade level, school building, and District level including: ● Weekly report of active cases and close contact numbers per District building ● COVID case activity or COVID-like symptom activity in a classroom, grade level, or school building ● Absence percentages in a classroom, grade level, or school building Action: COVID activity, symptoms, and absence rates will be monitored by school nurses and office staff. Potential protocol changes could be implemented at a moment’s notice should case activity or COVID-like symptoms exist at a level that causes concern.   Level of Community Transmission in Sauk Prairie School District Geographic Boundaries: SPSD Boundary Residents Definition: The total new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days. This metric includes all residents in the geographic boundaries of the Sauk Prairie School District, not just students and staff. Levels set by the CDC: Low, 0-9; Moderate, 10-49; Substantial, 50-99; High, ≥100. Action: The metric is updated every Wednesday. The metric will be monitored by District staff and protocols will be adjusted based on the Level of Community Transmission. When the level is low or moderate, masks will be optional indoors. When the level is substantial or high, masks will be required of all indoors. Masks will always be optional outdoors on District property. Changes to protocols will be determined each Wednesday and will run from Thursday through Wednesday.   Level of Community Transmission in Sauk County: All County Residents Definition: The total new cases in Sauk County per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days. This metric includes all residents in Sauk County. Levels set by the CDC: Low, 0-9; Moderate, 10-49; Substantial, 50-99; High, ≥100. Action: The metric is updated every Wednesday. This metric has the least influence over District protocols. It will be monitored by District staff and protocols will be adjusted when the Level of Community Transmission reaches a level of substantial or high for multiple weeks since Sauk Prairie has historically lagged the county in COVID activity. Any changes to protocols will be determined each Wednesday and will run from Thursday through Wednesday.   These thresholds, as well as updating graphs and explanations, are available on the district website.