Sturgeon Bay’s Sawyer Elementary School has had to temporarily close all four of their 1st grade classrooms, effective immediately and until further notice. It began when a school staff member tested positive for COVID-19, although not feeling ill, that person is now quarantined. Because of that positive case, parents were notified and just one classroom was closed. Door County Public Health worked with the school and after contact tracing they felt it safe to quarantine other staff members who might have possibly been exposed. Sturgeon Bay School Superintendent Dan Tjernagel informed us that after these additional staff members were sidelined there was no longer enough staff to properly and safely continue in-person schooling for all four 1st grade classes. All parents have been notified that their 1st-graders will now be engaged in 100% virtual or remote-learning for possibly the next 2 weeks, or until further notice. This remote-learning will likely involve a mix of paper activities and virtual activities. Tjernagel commented how the staff is very appreciative of the positive and supportive manner in which the parents responded. Sawyer Elementary School will notify the parents when enough staff has returned and in-person schooling of 1st-grade classes may proceed again.
