Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has announced a statewide closure of all schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, and parents are scrambling.
"We started our day out by using our white board," said Elmbrook parent Sarah Wynia-Smith. She has a kindergartner and second grader, and she's trying to keep her kids' days as normal as possible.
Elmbrook School District announced it would move to virtual learning.
"We’re including recess, and we’re including lunch and gym, and free choice time," Wynia-Smith said.
She and her husband are scientists and can be flexible with their schedules.
That's not the case for many families, including Michelle Frerinks.
"Immediate panic," Freriks said. She has three students in the Elmbrook system. "Trying to figure out where I could put them, if I have anyone to watch them, our parents all still work full time and live out of state."
Freriks is setting up a babysitting co-op so families can switch off taking care of kids for the day. That way she says parents can be more productive as they work from home.
The superintendent at Shorewood School District wrote in a letter that the district doesn't believe they can provide virtual learning that meets state requirements at this time, and they're working to get instruction to students. Students who rely on lunches can pick them up at Shorewood High School, the letter says.
"I think more information will be coming out," said Shorewood parent Gary Cooper. "But all we know is that school is going to be stopped for four weeks."
Many families will go through a tough time overhauling their schedules, and Wynia-Smith says—as a scientist and as a parent—schools made the right move.
"The less mixing and the more social distancing that we can do, the better for everybody in society," Wynia-Smith said.