MPS Lancaster Public School shifts to virtual learning due to COVID-19 cases

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Board of Directors President Bob Peterson said Monday, Sept. 27, the district is taking sufficient caution shifting Lancaster Elementary to virtual learning after 10 students and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

"We have over 130 some schools," Peterson said. "Having one or two, is, to me, an indication that a lot of our mitigation strategies are being very effective."

Morse Middle School went to virtual learning during September, and has already returned.

The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) said there is only so much MPS can do with the spread of COVID-19 throughout the city.

"Without the fundamental mitigation layer of a masking mandate in the city, we will continue to see transmission," MTEA President Amy Mizialko said.

Grewenow Elementary in Kenosha also switched to virtual learning due to COVID-19 cases Friday, Sept. 24.

The Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN) expects outbreaks to force more shifts toward virtual learning in the fall.

"We just need to be ready to deal with them as they come up, and make sure that we're meeting kids needs the best we can," WPEN Executive Director Heather Dubois Bourenane said.

MPS said the transition to virtual learning is easier now that the infrastructure is in place.

"We have distributed chrome books to virtually all the students, including, also hotspots when they were needed, he have over 10,000 hot spots."

MPS said all schools that go into quarantine for COVID-19 will wait 14 days to return per guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).