Health Department stresses no Milwaukee public or private schools may hold in-person sessions while in Phase 4

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Health Department has reiterated that no schools — public or private — are permitted to hold in-person sessions in the City of Milwaukee while the city remains in Phase 4 of the "Moving Milwaukee Forward" reopening plan.

Per the Phase 4 order, it states:


The Milwaukee Public School board voted late Thursday night, July 16 to move ahead with a 3-phase reopening plan. The first phase would have all MPS students starting the school year in a virtual setting.

The board voted 7-2 to pass the district’s recommended 2020-21 calendar. Early start schools will begin on August 17, while traditional calendar schools will start on September 1.

The district did not collect Chromebooks after the 2019-20 school year unless kids graduated or left the district. MPS says they will distribute Chromebooks on August 3 during Welcome Week.

In the meeting Thursday night, 92 people called in to testify, another 286 pieces of written testimony.

While some people cried while asking the board to vote for and against the plan, a few families even threatened to leave the district if the schools didn’t open to students. Many parents expressed concern about being about to work if MPS was totally virtual.