Milwaukee Public Schools is preparing a program to educate students at home, in event of an H1N1 outbreak this school year.  Administrators are calling it “Sofa School” and started working on the plan after the district was forced to close more than a dozen schools last Spring.

“Literally we had to put something together in days.  All of a sudden we got the notice that we’re going to be closing schools,” says Tom Hanley with the district.

Administrators looked at the Internet, television and radio as possible options to continue educating students in the event of school closures.  While they’re still exploring those options for the future, MPS says it will stick to weekly packets, going with a recommendation by the Department of Education.

Bevan Baker, the Milwaukee Health Commissioner says continuing education comes second to keeping students safe.  But both are vitally important. “This is our Superbowl.  This is our time to rise and do what public health has done for nearly 150 years, to protect the public.”

Five people in Wisconsin have died from the virus since April.

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