News

In response to the quickly developing situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic at the national, state and regional level, the City of Whitewater has prioritized its efforts to address the issue at the local level. We have also been in communication with UW-W Chancellor Watson and WUSD Interim Administrator Jim Shaw.

Following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the City has implemented enhanced cleaning procedures across all facilities. City staff members will remain informed as new information becomes available and implement new guidelines as they are released.

City employees and officials have worked to create plans to ensure that all essential City services remain intact regardless of the events that may unfold in the coming days, weeks, and months. The city police and fire departments are innately structured to operate in times of crisis and have planned accordingly to respond to a potential local outbreak. City Utilities are structured and maintained to ensure that redundancies and protections exist to safeguard these vital systems in the event of an emergency.

At this time, all departments are operating under plans established to enable effective service delivery as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds in the our community. All departments will continue to collaborate with county and state agencies and local community partners to update plans as needed.

The City will continue to provide updates on municipal operations via the City website and Facebook page in addition to other social media outlets as appropriate. The City will also work with local news sources, including the Whitewater Banner to supply the community with additional information as it becomes available.

The City is encouraging community members to stay informed regarding COVID-19 and strategies to avoid transmission or contraction of the disease.

The following sites are recommended for current information regarding COVID-19

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (COVID-19 Page): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
2. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (COVID-19 Page): https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

Sixth graders at Whitewater Middle School are nearing the end of a book unit in which they read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Throughout this unit, students have learned about water conservation and the struggle for clean, accessible water that affects millions of people around the globe.

A message to the community from Jordan Moser, Sixth Grade Language Arts and Mathematics Teacher at Whitewater Middle School:

“As a culminating project, we ask for your assistance in our participation in Water for
South Sudan’s ‘Iron Giraffe Challenge.’ As participants in the ‘Iron Giraffe Challenge,’ we are
raising money for Water for South Sudan and their efforts to bring clean water to areas in need
in South Sudan. If we meet our fundraising goal of $1000, Whitewater Middle School will be
entered into a drawing to win a number of different prizes which include, but are not limited to, a school visit from Salva Dut (the main character of A Long Walk to Water ) and a live video meeting with author, Linda Sue Park.

Please consider donating to this amazing and worthy cause. With your help, we can
improve the quality of life for countless people by helping them access clean water. For more
information on the ‘Iron Giraffe Challenge,’ please visit
https://www.waterforsouthsudan.org/iron-giraffe-challenge .

To donate, please visit our team page at https://www.classy.org/team/284892. In order to qualify for the drawing, all donations must be submitted no later than March 27, 2020. If you have any questions regarding this fundraising effort, please do not hesitate to contact me at jmoser@wwusd.org . Thank you!”

March 12, 2020

Dear Families:

Our number one priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our students and staff. 

In consultation with the Walworth County Health Department, district medical advisor, Dr. Roberta Wedl, school health services team (Fort HealthCare), and the District Leadership Team, our current plan is to keep schools open until spring break (through Friday, March 20). We will continue to assess the situation to determine if closure of the school district is necessary.  At this time, we are not aware of any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the area. 

All field trips and events involving non-Whitewater schools are cancelled starting Saturday, March 14.  We are trying to minimize the potential for the spread of the virus between districts and geographic areas. Of particular concern is the risk associated with traveling to areas that are identified high risk as well as having students and families from these areas traveling to our schools. At this time, after school practices and activities can continue. 

The District is planning for enhanced cleaning procedures utilizing a disinfectant recognized by the CDC to fight COVID-19 to help mitigate risks to students, staff, and community members who use our facilities. 

Students in Grades 6-12 with one-to-one devices should bring them home daily in case the timeline for school closure changes.

Families should be aware of the symptoms of COVID-19 and are encouraged to have their children stay home if symptoms are present:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html.  Students who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Families should notify their school if their children are sick and report symptoms to school staff.

If parents or guardians have medical concerns for the safety of their children, they are encouraged to make a family decision and inform schools if their child is not going to attend school. 

The District will monitor COVID-19 daily and keep families up to date of any changes to the school plan. In addition, we will continue to follow updates from the World Health Organization, CDC, Walworth County Health Department, School Health Services Team (Fort Healthcare), and our district medical advisor, Dr. Roberta Wedl.

Dr. Jim Shaw

District Administrator

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Estimadas Familias:

Nuestra prioridad número uno continúa siendo la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros estudiantes y personal.

En consulta con el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Walworth, la asesora médica del distrito, la Dra. Roberta Wedl, el Equipo de Servicios de Salud Escolar (Fort HealthCare) y el Equipo de Liderazgo del Distrito, nuestro plan actual es mantener las escuelas abiertas hasta las vacaciones de primavera (hasta el viernes 20 de marzo ) Continuaremos evaluando la situación para determinar si es necesario el cierre del distrito escolar. En este momento, no tenemos conocimiento de ningún caso confirmado de COVID-19 en el área.

Todas las excursiones y eventos que involucran escuelas que no son de Whitewater se cancelan a partir del sábado 14 de marzo. Estamos tratando de minimizar la posibilidad de propagación del virus entre distritos y áreas geográficas. De particular preocupación es el riesgo asociado con viajar a áreas que se identifican como de alto riesgo, así como tener estudiantes y familias de estas áreas que viajan a nuestras escuelas. En este momento, las prácticas y actividades después de la escuela pueden continuar.

El Distrito está planeando procedimientos de limpieza mejorados utilizando un desinfectante reconocido por el CDC para combatir COVID-19 para ayudar a mitigar los riesgos para los estudiantes, el personal y los miembros de la comunidad que usan nuestras instalaciones.

Los estudiantes en los grados 6-12 con dispositivos individuales deben traerlos a casa todos los días en caso de que cambie el plazo para el cierre de la escuela.

Las familias deben conocer los síntomas de COVID-19 y se les recomienda que sus hijos se queden en casa si hay síntomas presentes: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html. Se recomienda que los estudiantes que tienen síntomas de enfermedad respiratoria aguda se queden en casa y no vengan a trabajar hasta que estén libres de fiebre (100.4 ° F o más con un termómetro oral), signos de fiebre y cualquier otro síntoma durante al menos 24 horas. , sin el uso de medicamentos para reducir la fiebre u otros medicamentos para alterar los síntomas (por ejemplo, supresores de la tos). Las familias deben notificar a su escuela si sus hijos están enfermos e informar los síntomas al personal de la escuela.

Si los padres o tutores tienen inquietudes médicas por la seguridad de sus hijos, se los alienta a tomar una decisión familiar e informar a las escuelas si su hijo no asistirá a la escuela.

El Distrito supervisará COVID-19 diariamente y mantendrá a las familias al día de cualquier cambio en el plan escolar. Además, continuaremos siguiendo las actualizaciones de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, los CDC, el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Walworth, el Equipo de Servicios de Salud Escolar (Fort Healthcare) y la asesora médica de nuestro distrito, la Dra. Roberta Wedl.

Dr. Jim Shaw

Administrador de Distrito

Facebook Live COVID-19 question-and-answer session

Chancellor Dwight C. Watson and members of the senior leadership team hosted a Facebook Live COVID-19 question-and-answer session on Friday, March 13. You may view the archived Facebook Live event at https://www.facebook.com/uwwhitewater/ Click on videos and then select “University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s video.” Among the items that were discussed: Faculty are being offered training and templates for effective online teaching/learning, there are currently no plans to extend the semester or to cancel/postpone commencement, no refunds are being offered for students for residence hall/meal costs, students are not required to leave the residence halls, laptops are available for students who may not have computer access.

Important message regarding COVID-19 and Spring Break

Dear Warhawks,

The COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread and affect people in Wisconsin, the United States and the rest of the world. Today, Governor Tony Evers declared a public health emergency. This is a rapidly changing situation and we are working in consultation with our local, state and federal health partners to keep our community safe.

I want to emphasize that there are no confirmed cases of the virus on the Whitewater or Rock County campuses. That is why we are taking decisive action now to lessen the risk to our community as much as possible. Given the recent information that some of members of our community have traveled to high-risk locations – and out of an abundance of caution – we are taking the following actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Spring Break

UW-Whitewater will begin Spring Break one week early on Saturday, March 14, and continue the break through Sunday, March 29. That means no classes (in person or online) will be held during this period, which will give our faculty and staff time to prepare for alternative delivery of classes after Spring Break.

Instruction

Beginning Monday, March 30, face-to-face instruction will be suspended, and the campus will move to alternative delivery of classes through at least Friday, April 17. A decision on when and whether in-person instruction will resume will be shared in early April. Students will receive additional information about this transition during Spring Break.

As long as students successfully complete courses, this change in delivery will not impact the path to graduation. Faculty and instructional staff are advised to continue to show flexibility to students around academic assignments, exams or other requirements.

Residence Halls

The residence halls are not closing and will remain open during Spring Break. We recognize that some students may be unable to return to their permanent residence for various reasons and will need to stay in their residence halls. Limited dining choices will be available. Check the Dining Services website for availability.

University Housing will provide additional guidance to students. Residence halls will remain available to these students where necessary, but we expect the majority of hall residents to return home, leaving the residence halls much emptier and making it easier for remaining students to maintain social distance.

Students who live on campus are asked to take essential belongings, academic materials, laptops and medications with them for Spring Break and not return to residence halls following Spring Break through at least April 17. We hope that students will return to their permanent residence and complete their coursework remotely.

Employees

Campus will remain open and all faculty and staff should continue their regular work schedules unless advised otherwise by their dean, director or supervisor. The university will continue daily operations, with some exceptions around travel and events, noted below. Faculty and instructional staff will receive information from the Provost’s Office about the transition to alternative delivery of instruction.

Student employees should consult with their supervisors regarding their hours.

Travel

All university-sponsored travel is cancelled through April 17, with limited exceptions from deans, vice chancellors and the athletic director. 

We strongly advise you to reconsider non-essential personal travel, including travel over Spring Break. Documented cases are growing rapidly both domestically and internationally. You may face a higher risk of infection, significant delays returning, and/or the requirement to self-isolate or self-quarantine upon your return, all of which could significantly impact your professional and personal obligations at great individual expense.

All campus community members should be aware that if you travel, you may be required to self-quarantine for 14 days depending on where you’re traveling to and from, even if you do not exhibit symptoms.

Events

All campus events are canceled beginning Saturday, March 14, through at least Friday, April 17, with limited exceptions from deans, vice chancellors and the athletic director.

Athletic events will be managed following current NCAA/WIAC guidance, which includes spectator-free events.

If you feel sick

If you develop symptoms, stay at home. If symptoms like fever, cough, or difficulty breathing are present, you are advised to contact your health care provider for advice.

Employees should not report to work if they are ill and should use sick leave or contact their supervisor or Human Resources.

Our responsibility to others

While students may not feel like COVID-19 will affect them if they are young or healthy, please remember that you are members of a larger community and could carry it to those with compromised immune systems or to older or higher-risk people. There is no vaccine or protection at this time. We ask everyone to consider the safety and health of our entire community.

The best steps you can take to keep yourself and others healthy include:

• Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
• If water isn’t available, then use hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective.
• Refrain from shaking hands.
• If you cough or sneeze, do so into your elbow or a tissue.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• If you have a fever, please stay home.
• Social distancing: By maintaining a distance of six feet from others when possible, people may limit the spread of the virus.

Your questions and concerns

We know that there are additional questions and concerns that arise as the COVID-19 situation continues to quickly change. Please refer to our COVID-19 website for updates. You can submit questions by calling our COVID-19 hotline at 262-472-1362 or email Covid19info@uww.edu. The phoneline and email will be monitored during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

It is important that we act thoughtfully and responsibly during this time. Our actions will help keep everyone safe with minimal disruption to our university mission as students continue their studies. 

Our Warhawk family is strong, caring and resilient. I appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we navigate this situation. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 worldwide outbreak, and we will act and adapt our plans as appropriate.

Dr. Dwight C. Watson
Chancellor

The following announcement was issued on 3/11/20 by UW-W Marketing & Communications

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was notified by the Walworth County Public Health Department on Wednesday, March 11, that New York state has been identified as a high-risk location for contracting COVID-19 or coronavirus, and that those who have visited the state of New York should voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days to prevent the potential spread of the virus upon their return.

UW-Whitewater’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall on Tuesday evening and the group of 55 people will arrive back on campus today. We are asking that all those on the trip comply with the Walworth County Public Health Department’s suggestion to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Students will be picked up by family members and taken home for the self-quarantine period of time. One student needs housing for three days and that will be provided by the university in an already-established quarantine room. UW-Whitewater will provide for their care.

The faculty who went on that trip will also self-quarantine in their homes. We will be following up with information on continuing the students’ studies.

The health and safety of our campus community is our primary concern and we appreciate the effort and cooperation of our students, faculty and their families in this important matter.

En Fuego Ballet has opened its studio downtown at 174 W. Main Street, offering adult and children’s ballet classes. Adult beginner classes are Tuesday, Thursdays, and Saturday. Participants need no prior dance experience, as in the beginning the focus will be on flexibility. The class is designed to slowly introduce the forms of ballet and barre at the pace of the individual. For children’s classes, there is the opportunity to learn the basics of ballet positions and terms. For beginning classes students will learn simple moves as they begin to advance further into ballet. Ballet II will not be offered until 2021. There is an option to learn tap as well.

The studio also offers Fuego Fusion, a free community dance class on the last Friday of every month.

Jessica Solis Cano, owner of En Fuego, has been dancing for 20 years and went to UW-W for dancing. She said that she is excited to “offer the opportunity for others to learn to dance.” A goal for the company is to be in the Fourth of July parade.

What does “en fuego” mean? Loose translation from Spanish: “on fire” or “performing extremely well.” For their website please click here.

(Portions of this article were reprinted from the Royal Purple of March 9, as the Banner had not received a reply to its inquiry of En Fuego.)