UPDATED: Hilbert High has to suspend in-school classes; sports to continue though

The Brillion News

HILBERT - Parents of Hilbert High School students were notified that the school will be going to virtual teaching as of Tuesday, September 22.

The decision came not because of student illnesses, but because three high school teachers had to quarantine and the district could find no substitute teachers to take over on short notice.

Superintendent Tony Sweere said the high school would go to virtual instruction through Friday, October 2, but the school will continue looking for substitute teachers and would resume in-person classes before October 2 if that is possible.

[BN Photo of Tony Sweere speaking to the Hilbert School Board on Monday evening, just hours after notifying parents that instruction in the High School Only would be conducted in a virtual format for two weeks. >>]

The Hilbert Board of Education met Monday evening, September 21, and voted to:

• Continue requiring everyone on the Hilbert schools campus to wear face coverings through October 26.

• Go ahead with interscholastic athletics despite classes going virtual, unless too many student-athletes have to quarantine to field a team; each sport (football, cross country and volleyball) will be considered separately.

• Set the district's annual meeting for 7 p.m. on October 5.

• Move the high school homecoming week to the week of November 2-7.

Earlier in the day on Monday, September 21, Sweere sent the following message to parents and guardians.

Due to staffing limitations because of COVID-19, our high school students will be transitioning to a virtual format tomorrow, Tuesday, September 22nd. The high school students will remain in the virtual format through October 2nd.

We will return to our current format of in-person learning on Monday, October 5th. The students will be given directions at the end of the school day today about how to access their virtual learning platform and instruction will continue in that format until we return on October 5th.

Again, this is high school students only.

Elementary and Middle School students will remain in their current format of in-person learning.

All high school sport practices are canceled for today. More information to follow on sport practices and activities.

Hilbert High School is scheduled to host Manitowoc Lutheran in a Big East Conference football game on Friday, September 25. The cross country meets on Tuesday and Thursday, September 22 and 24, and the volleyball game on Thursday, September 24, are expected to take place as scheduled.

An expanded/updated story will be featured in the Thursday, September 24, PRINT EDITION of THE BRILLION NEWS, available at convenience stores through the area.