Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) Schools statewide are closed for the rest of the semester as part of an emergency order issued by Governor Tony Evers last week due to COVID-19. The Safer at Home order was extended to May 26.
The decision has left school districts to come up with a plan to properly honor its graduating seniors while being mindful of the evolving recommendations and uncertainties regarding the coronavirus.
The School District of Marshfield is working to reschedule the graduation ceremony and other end-of-year events, decisions which have yet to be finalized, according to an update by Superintendent Ryan Christianson. The district is aiming to move the 2020 graduation ceremony, along with prom, to August but will not be setting a date anytime soon.
“While the school district is hopeful about the tentative placement of events such as prom and graduation in August, specific dates will not be finalized in the near future and it remains uncertain when the school district will be able to make a final determination about the status of these events,” Christianson stated in an email to OnFocus.
In the meantime, the school district has filed with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction following a public hearing and board meeting on April 8 to waive hour requirements for instruction for the 2019-20 school year, so the semester will end on June 5 as planned. The DPI announced in March that it would grant these waivers made by requesting districts and would work to expedite the process.
In an update, the district also stated that it intended to use a pass/incomplete system of grading at the high school level for the second semester instead of letter grades, and is beginning to plan an online summer school program.
Author: News Desk
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