GBAPS Forward FAQ
If a staff member or student test positive for COVID-19, will parents be informed?
While privacy laws keep us from sharing each of these cases with you, if your student/you has been in direct contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or someone whose medical provider diagnosed them with a presumed case of COVID-19, you will be contacted by school/District and the Brown County Health Department.
In a school/classroom setting, direct contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the affected individual for more than 15 minutes (cumulative minutes with a face covering) and/or having physical contact (hug, kiss, handshake, etc.) with the individual. You will be notified by the Brown County Health Department with information regarding whether or not you/your child will need to quarantine and to monitor symptoms.
What steps is the District taking to mitigate the spread of COVID-19?
The District will be following guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services, Brown County Health Department, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and our local medical community. Efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 include: frequent hand washing throughout the day, required face coverings, physical distancing, physical barriers (sneeze shields), symptom checks, additional cleaning, and requesting staff and students to stay home if they are experiencing and COVID-19 symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing OR two (2) of the following symptoms: fever >100.4, headache, chills, muscle pain, loss of taste/smell, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Are there or will there be metrics at the individual school level (e.g., number of confirmed positive cases for students within a specific school) that would trigger an individual school (rather than county/state metrics that would apply to the entire district) to transition to all virtual learning? If so, what are those metrics and how will data/trends at the individual school level be communicated to teachers/parents/students?
The District will be using Brown County and State data. While the Department of Public Health and Human Services maps do provide information according to census tracks and allow the District to look closely at where the positive cases are within the District boundaries, this information would only be useful if all students attended their neighborhood school, which is not the case in the District.
Will students be able to take classes in person or online with education partners (like NWTC)?
As of 8-3-20 we know that based on the course, colleges will be offering virtual, blended, or in person options. We are encouraging students to continue their academic programs by signing up for these courses.
For families who choose to home school their children, what is the process to enroll them in up to two classes through the District?
The process for requesting to attend up to two courses in the District for non-public school students is described in Board of Education Policy 423 and Rule 423. The parent or guardian must submit the completed application form no earlier than six (6) weeks before the date the course is scheduled to start and no later than one (1) week before the date the course is scheduled to start. Applications submitted less than one week before the date the course is scheduled to start will be denied as untimely, except in a situation (e.g., a change in residency) where the student first became eligible to submit an application after the deadline had passed, in which case such an application will be processed up to two weeks into the start of any term.
If parents choose to leave GBAPSD to homeschool or to attend a school outside of the District for the 2020-2021 school year, will their positions at one of the District’s choice schools or charter schools be held for the 2021-22 school year?
No. If parents choose to homeschool or enroll into another school (whether it be to attend a private school, their resident district if they were open enrolled into GBAPSD or whether they open enroll out of GBAPSD to a non-resident district) their spot in the non-attendance area, choice school (e.g., Aldo, Da Vinci) or charter school will not be held for them for the 2021-2022 school year.
If a student chooses to return to GBAPSD for 2021-2022 and they want to attend a school other than their GBAPSD attendance area school, they will need to apply either through Intra-District Transfer (if they are a GBAPSD resident student) or Open Enrollment (if they are a non-resident student) to attend the non-attendance area or choice school or charter school. The District will not be holding spots for students at non-attendance area or choice schools or charter schools.
However, if the student chooses to attend the all virtual model in the District for 2020-2021, the student will be allowed to return to the non-attendance area or choice school or charter school for 2021-2022.
Face Coverings
Will my child be required to wear a face covering?
Yes, students of all ages will be required to wear face coverings while being transported to school (whether that is on a school bus, metro bus or District van), and while in the school buildings.
What is required for an item to be considered a face covering?
Staff and students are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings that can be washed daily. The face covering must cover the individual's nose and chin and fit closely to the sides of the face. Each staff member and student will be provided with two (2) face coverings. If students arrive at school without a face covering, they will be provided with a disposable face covering. Clear face shields are allowed as long as the individual is also wearing a face covering over their nose and mouth.
Can the District legally require students to wear face coverings?
Yes. The Green Bay City’s Ordinance requires face coverings for everyone ages 5 and older in public places (which would include public schools/public transportation). The District is also legally allowed to require face coverings, no different than the District is able to have a dress code policy.
What if my child has a disability (such as Deaf or Hard of Hearing)?
The District will have limited exceptions that include medical conditions and disabilities.
Will face coverings be required to be worn during physical education or recess?
No. Recess and physical education classes will be held outside as much as possible, and students will be encouraged to physically distance.
Off-Site/Virtual
If we choose to enroll our child(ren) in off-site/virtual model, and our child is open-enrolled or intra-district transferred into a school (JDAL, NEW Innovation, Leonardo da Vinci, Oak Learning, Aldo) do we lose our place in the school?
No. Students who are enrolled in the off-site/virtual model will continue to be enrolled in their school.
If we choose to enroll our child(ren) in the off-site/virtual model for the start of school, and COVID-19 cases dramatically decline, are we able to have our child(ren) attend their District school in-person?
Yes. For smooth transitions, the District will provide an opportunity for parents to switch from off-site/virtual, to in-person at each quarter/trimester period during the school year. Please view the
school calendar for those dates.
Blended Learning Model
Is the district doing anything to keep children in one house on the same schedule to allow parents to work?
Yes. In the blended model, the District will use a feature in Infinite Campus to create cohorts by course schedules and siblings in the same household.
Updated 8/4/20 at 1:20 p.m.