Some parents raise concerns over school day camps offered for Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District

OAK CREEK, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Some Oak Creek parents are raising concerns after the school district announced they would offer ‘school day camp,’ which offers online learning and homework help for elementary and middle school students for a fee.  

On Aug.13, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board voted they’d start the school year online, but have now offered a day camp at schools with a limited number of openings.  

“Seventy-percent of families wanted face-to-face education for their children, they’ve really chosen to ignore that feedback,” said Heather Kosloske, a concerned parent living in Oak Creek.  

Kosloske says it’s unfair kids that can afford to go to day camp get extra help with schooling.  

“So if I have the money, then I can get extra supervised help for my child, but if I don’t, I don’t get that extra help, that’s odd to me,” added Kosloske.  

According to an e-mail sent out to district parents, day camps are $100 a week or $50 for families who qualify. The program limits the amount of students that can participate, 60 for elementary schools and 75 for middle schools. 

“What happens when they have 200 people sign up for it and they only have 60 spots? How are they going to decide who are getting those special spots?” Kosloske asked.  

Ted Kraig, with the Wisconsin Education Association Council, believes the district is trying to solve a legitimate problem.  

“How are you going to work and have, especially smaller kids, stay at home, right? For a lot of people that’s like a major problem that they’re clearly trying to address and I think it’s very legitimate,” said Ted Kraig, Region 7 Director for the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

Kraig says a plus side of the camp is the reduced number of kids.  

“They do envision having a smaller number of kids in these buildings, a typical elementary school has hundreds of kids,” he added.  

WEAC recently graded each school district’s opening plan, the grades developed by educators were based on science and knowledge of public health experts.  

“Are you taking measures so you don’t have mass super spread that not only harms the kids and their families but also the community?” Kraig asked.  

While a number of schools received F’s, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District received a C- grade because they’re going virtual to start the school year.  

“You couldn’t really get a passing grade if you were going to open face-to-face given the level of community spread in the community,” said Kraig.  

The Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District did not return CBS 58’s request for comment.

Registration opens on Thursday, Aug. 20 for the district’s day camps—for more information click here.

To see what grade WEAC gave your school district, click here.