MAPS COVID-19 Information (Coronavirus 2019)

May 14, 2020

Last night the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down most of the State's Safer At Home order, lifting most restrictions Governor Evers planned to keep in place until May 26. While the Safer At Home Order ended effective immediately, this does not mean that Wisconsin has reopened and this order does not apply to schools.

At this time, there have been no decisions changing what school districts are currently doing throughout Wisconsin. 

We will keep you informed as information becomes available.

Dr. John Sample

Superintendent of Schools

Coronavirus Preparedness: What You Need to Know

The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority and we want to reassure our community the Merrill Area Public School District is monitoring the spread of COVID-19 on a daily basis. It is important to note that we have no known cases of coronavirus among our students or staff.

While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted that our region is currently at minimal risk of community transmission of coronavirus, we do feel it is critical to be prepared. We have begun taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and have developed contingency plans so we are ready to respond in the event the illness becomes more widespread. Our goal is to have systems in place that will help prevent the spread of illness, maintain continuity of learning and minimize social disruption and economic losses for our families.

Expert Guidance
All of our actions are based on guidance from the Lincoln County Health Department, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the CDC.

Communicable Diseases Precautions

We are taking additional precautions to limit the spread of illness.

• School buses are being disinfected each day.
• Cafeterias are disinfected after each meal.
• School custodians have been instructed to wipe down commonly touched surfaces with disinfectant multiple times throughout the day.
• Sanitary wipes have been made available for use on iPads.
• Additional supplies of tissues, hand sanitizer, paper towels and soap have been made available.

Good Hygiene Practices

Please remind your students that by practicing good hygiene, they can help prevent the spread of illness

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a sleeve or tissue.
• Dispose of used tissues immediately and wash your hands.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds especially before eating and after going to the bathroom, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
• When soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Avoid close contact or shaking hands with people who are sick.
• Remain at home when you are ill.