DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Some parents say their students have struggled with the virtual learning of the past few months. They’re frustrated with the board and district’s decisions on how to help those students, whose grades are now suffering.
Many parents in the Unified De Pere School District tell FOX 11 the last few months have not been easy.
“Both my kids are just struggling. Mentally, socially, just so frustrated, they’re not learning anything just struggling, struggling, struggling.”
Teske is part of an online group with more than 600 parents wanting change.
When a middle or high school student is failing even one class virtually, the district is asking them to report in-person.
“For some it’s just a matter of completing an assignment or a completing a test so we’re making sure it’s completed now rather than the end of the year,” said Superintendent Ben Villarruel.
Villarruel tells FOX 11 in a normal year, this is when they would begin to intervene with failing students.
“We would meet with individuals during their study hall, we would assign them to a particular classroom or staff person.”
However, Teske says parents are concerned about what’s happening behind doors for students who are already struggling with online learning.
“Nobody is helping them, they’re just you know sitting there. I don’t understand what the school board can possibly think. They’ve been failing since March because they’re not getting the education they deserve.”
Teske says the learning environment may not even be safe for COVID-19 precautions.
“There are kids in the cafeteria, the library was full, the auditorium is full, there were kids in the hallway.”
But, Villarruel is confident it is working.
“All in all we’re seeing results,” said Villarruel.
Students in the De Pere School District will return to the class next month.
The School Board approved a plan Monday to return students to in-person learning in January after spending months in an all-virtual setting.
Students in grades 4K-6 will return to in-person learning, five days a week on January 11th. Grades 7-12 will move to a blended model on January 19th and 21st.
