Protecting Our Students and Community from Coronavirus

Schools Closed until further notice.

Dear Mercer families, 

The health and safety of our students and staff are always our number one priority. We are closing our school buildings in order to help contain the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus in Wisconsin. We know that keeping children at home may cause difficulties for your children and families as you juggle work, child care and other challenges, and our staff are committed to doing everything we can to help make this as positive an experience as possible for your children.

Gov. Tony Evers on March 13, 2020 ordered the closure of all K-12 Wisconsin schools, public and private, from Wednesday, March 18 to April 5, as part of the state's efforts to respond to and contain COVID-19. The announcement affects almost 855,000 students in more than 400 districts across the state - and adds Wisconsin to a growing list of states to close schools. On March 17 he extended the closure to be indefinite until the health crisis is over. 

“Kids and families across Wisconsin often depend on our schools to access food and care," Evers said. "We are going to continue working to do everything we can to ensure kids and families have the resources and support they need while schools are closed.”

Mercer will be closed from March 16 until further notice. All after-school activities and athletics, including practices, also will be canceled as well.

School Meals

The district will provide meals to all students in a grab-and-go format delivered by bus Monday-Friday beginning at 8 am. The bus route will be determined once we know who all would like delivery. Please contact the office immediately if you would like to have meals delivered for your children.

Digital Learning

The district will work to ensure virtual learning continues for students. Students in grades 4-12 should log in to morning announcements via Zoom each day at 9 am. Parents are welcome to join us for announcements and may use the same Zoom link. Zoom link to morning announcements

Home WiFi options

Some internet carriers are offering free and/or low cost options that your family may be able to use.

See DPI list of internet offers for families

Spectrum is offering free broadband internet and WiFi access for 60 days to families with K-12 and college students. Charter, which operates Spectrum internet, said they will also waive installation fees for new households. Learn more about the Spectrum offer here or call 844-488-8395. 

Comcast Internet Essentials indicated that they are providing 60 days of free internet to qualifying families. Learn more about the Comcast offer.

Additionally, there are a limited number of mobile WiFi hotspots available through the school. Please contact the school office if you are interested in using a mobile hotspot.

Special Education

For students with Special Education needs, please contact our Special Education/Pupil Services Director Deidre Wells by email.

When School Resumes

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Please contact the school 715-476-2154 to report the absence and symptoms. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website. Those at the highest risk for Coronavirus complications are older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems or heart, lung, and kidney disease. See how Coronavirus is spread. It can take two to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after initial exposure to the virus; the average is about five days.

We have no known cases of COVID-19 among students or staff in Mercer School District.

We continue to closely monitor the situation with our School Nurses and Iron County Health Department, as well as review updates from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Department of Public Instruction and the CDC. Here is the latest information on confirmed cases in Wisconsin - in Dane, Fond Du Lac, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Pierce, Racine, Sheboygan, Waukesha, Winnebago and Wood counties. Another 37 WI residents returned March 16 from a cruise where they may have been exposed and will be self-quarantined for 14 days. 
 

What You Can Do and Our Cleaning Measures

Mercer School has a routine cleaning regimen in place to help reduce the spread of germs and communicable diseases. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfection, we are increasing the cleaning of high-touch areas and hard and soft surface items throughout the day. We will follow all the guidelines of the CDC and our local and state health departments.

• Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Make sure to wash your fingertips. This is especially important after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing into your hands, and before preparing or consuming food.
• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Families should have a plan in place for keeping your child home, picking up your child if they are sent home sick, and if schools are closed.
   

Travel Restrictions

This is a rapidly evolving situation, with the World Health Organization declaring Coronavirus a pandemic, the President and Governor declaring it a public health emergency and the President issuing a month-long ban effective March 13 on all travel from Europe, including the UK and Ireland, to the U.S.

• Cancel events with over 10 people
• Avoid non-essential domestic travel
• Avoid traveling to areas in the US with sustained community transmission of COVID-19 (currently Washington, New York, and California). See map of US sustained community transmission of COVID-19.
• Self-quarantine for 14 days upon return for anyone who travels to any U.S. states with confirmed community spread of COVID-19.

Many families had travel plans for spring break. If your family traveled to a country with a Level 2 or 3 travel health notice, or a state with community spread the CDC is asking you to self-quarantine for 14 days. Read more about trave21l on the CDC's website.

We appreciate your patience with this fluid situation and we will continue to update you as needed. Please rest assured that we will continue to put your students’ safety first. If you have any questions, reach out to the school at 715-476-2154.

COVID travel
Self Isolation Protocol