The Manitowoc Board of Education met in a virtual special session on Tuesday to take action on 4-timely items. Superintendent Mark Holzman says that commissioners filled a vacancy on the school board. “Dick Nitsch was one of the candidates. He was a board member who ran previously who has served on our board. He ran and he was the only candidate so the board voted unanimously to accept Mr. Richard Nitsch.” Nitsch will serve-out the term until April 2021.
As for the 2020-21 school year, Holzman explains they’re “mulling three options”…while using CDC, DPI & County Health Department guidelines. “What we’re looking at is, school resumes with some safety protocols but it will be similar to what we’ve always had, where kids will be coming and going.” Holzman continues, “The second option would be that we would have total online and continue like we are now. The third would be some kind of blended educational environment where there is some online and some in-person, based on the ability to observe the spacing that is necessary for small groups.”
The school superintendent emphasized that the decision is going to be a local one and they’ll continue to provide board updates on a monthly basis with a decision likely to be made later in the summer.
Holzman also thanked parents, students, and teachers for the way they’ve handled the COVID-19 remote learning environment since mid-March.
In other notable decisions, the board approved a 3-year extension of the agreement to operate McKinley Academy, a charter school for 50-to-60 students in grades 9-through-12. They also waived the 20-hour community service minimum for seniors to graduate, based on the Safer-at-Home restrictions the past 2 and a half months.
Lincoln High School’s unique outdoor graduation ceremony is currently scheduled for Saturday, July 18th.
As for summer school, the MPSD website reads:
In an effort to maintain safety, all Enrichment course offerings, sports camps, and other unique courses for MPSD Summer School in July have been canceled. We will continue to monitor information provided from the state and county to determine if Elementary Academy (July 20-August 7) and Middle School Transition week (August 10 – 14) will be held face to face. The MPSD Summer School team is investigating online options available to all age levels and a summer school update will be provided weekly right here on our website and social media outlets to relay up to date information.
