MetroFamily Magazine August 2020

MetroFamily Magazine. OKC Family Fun & Resources. Local events calendar.

COVID-19 & the Classroom What returning to school will look like this fall Raising Anti-Racists Crucial conversations to have with your kids

AUGUST 2020

Celebrate Culture Local festivals to honor heritage

34 after-school activity ideas in our annual guide

FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 11 MAC Amphitheater | Starts at Dusk Admission is free, concessions are $1 each. We ask that you practice social distancing.

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CELEBRATE CULTURE

Features 8 Let’s Eat!

40 After-School Activities Guide Explore extracurriculars for all ages and interests

Immunity-boosting snack ideas

Departments 10 Local Family Fun

16 COVID-19 & the Classroom What going back to school will look like this fall 32 Raising Anti-Racists Crucial conversations to have with your kids 8

Celebrate a variety of cultures without leaving the state

22 Real Moms of the Metro Museum officer honors

Indigenous heritage personally and professionally

28 Calendar

On the cover Celebrate Culture page 10 COVID-19 & the Classroom page 16 Raising Anti-Racists page 32 After-School Activities Guide page 40

Top recs for in-person and virtual family fun 38 Super Kids of the Metro

Teen connects foster families, local restaurants

44 Family Mental Wellness Metro students face higher

incidents of Adverse Childhood Experiences

48 Last Look

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

2020

H ave you seen the meme that asks don’t know that anything has more hilariously captured the uncertainty of this season for me. As I’ve talked with representatives from school districts across the metro, our state superintendent and parents and teachers, it’s clear that everyone is doing the very best they can to make difficult decisions. My household is feeling some rising panic at the thought of resorting back to virtual learning (we’re mostly afraid of my lackluster abilities as teacher of three grade levels). And while my kids love school, and desperately need the socialization and mental health boost, we’re also nervous about what groups of kids sharing space, laughter and fun could mean for their physical health. We don’t want to live in fear, but we also want to protect our kids to the best of our ability. Everything feels nebulous. Every move whether we’re buying school uniforms or pajamas for our kids this year?? I feels like it may have consequences I’m not prepared for. The chauffeuring, lunch packing and early morning wake-ups haven’t even commenced and I’m already exhausted. One major lifeline for me has been the reminder from our MetroFamily parent community of the importance of offering grace. To our schools, other parents, our

children and (sometimes most importantly) to ourselves. Amidst this global pandemic, and amidst cries for racial equity to truly be our norm, I have been honored to watch local parents come together to support and affirm each other. My household is feeling some rising panic at the thought of resorting back to virtual learning “ ” Let’s carry that same sentiment into this school year. Let’s remember in discussions that cause us discomfort, whether about mask wearing or white privilege, that all parents want the same thing: the very best for our children. Let’s seek opportunities to understand and uplift each other. We’re better together.

2020

Publisher Sarah Taylor Managing Editor Erin Page Assistant Editor Lindsay Cuomo Contributing Writers Maddie & Kim Bilger

Kristy Blosch George Lang Dr. Tamecca Rogers Contributing Photographer Bridget Pipkin Art Director Stacy Noakes Senior Project Manager Kirsten Holder Director of Events Marissa Raglin Sales Dana Price Laura Beam Office Manager Kathy Alberty

Erin Page Managing Editor

This Month’s Cover Railee, Valery, Audrey and Avery pose in the National Cowboy Museum’s new Liichokoshkomo’ exhibit, wearing regalia crafted in part by August’s Real Mom of the Metro Diana Fields, chief program officer at the museum. Railee, 8, is wearing Otoe style cloth regalia and is an enrolled citizen of the Otoe (Owl Clan) tribe and descendant of the Pawnee, Sac and Fox and Ponca Nations. She is a traditional cloth dancer, artist and basketball player. She is the daughter of Graham and Alicia. Avery, 13, Audrey, 10, and Valery Kitawai, 6, are proud citizens of the Skidi Band of the Pawnee Nation and descendants of the Otoe (Owl Clan) and Cherokee tribes and the children of Arthur and Diana. Avery, wearing traditional southern straight style regalia, is a champion straight dancer and enjoys fishing, hunting, crafting and playing basketball. Audrey, wearing fancy shawl regalia, loves dancing, playing computer games and working on regalia projects with her mother. Valery, wearing jingle dress regalia, enjoys singing and playing with friends and family.

sarah@metrofamilymagazine.com www.metrofamilymagazine.com

MetroFamily Magazine is published monthly. Copyright 2019 by Inprint Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Articles and advertisements in MetroFamily do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Inprint Publishing, Inc. We do not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by MetroFamily does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services, or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature.

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METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020 5

Off the Pages

is going virtual!

Our annual Cover Kids Search begins Aug. 1! We are looking for local kids ages 2 to 12 with big smiles and bright personalities to enter for a chance to star on a held virtually. Enter from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30 by uploading your photo, answering several “about me” questions and submitting a $10 fee. Each family will receive a virtual swag bag with prizes, activities and coupons valued at more than $100! MetroFamily cover in 2021. This year our search will be Readers will vote on their favorite Cover Kids submissions in early

October, and the top five finalists from each age category will undergo a virtual interview. We can’t wait to meet your Cover Kid cuties! Enter today at metrofamilymagazine.com/

coverkidssearch. Thank you to our

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Dental Depot and Foto Arts Photography.

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Lunch packing and dinner prepping made easy Many metro families have been out of the traditional school schedule for five months! In the midst of ordering school supplies, finding masks your kids might actually wear and planning your family’s return to some version of “normal,” it may have dawned on you that lunch-packing, after-school snacking and dinner prepping will return in full force as well. Never fear! We’ve got a plethora of kid-friendly lunch, snack and dinner ideas and recipes at metrofamilymagazine.com/ category/food. Plus, turn to page 8 for a look at immunity- boosting snacks to keep kids healthy and ward off the inevitable back-to-school hangriness.

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Winner Video Talent Contest!

BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTOS PROVIDED AND BY TERA RAE PHOTOGRAPHY .

By popular vote from our readers, Grayson was named the winner of MetroFamily’s first Video Talent Contest, held in May to give metro kids missing talent shows, recitals and competitions an opportunity to shine. Mom Jasmyn says Grayson lives for the opportunity to perform in front of someone (literally anyone),

so he was thrilled to submit his video for the contest. Dressed as his favorite character Woody from the Toy Story series, Grayson sang The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy . We can’t get enough of this cowboy cutie! Watch Grayson’s winning performance at metrofamilymagazine.com/virtual-talent-show-contest.

Grayson , 4 years old Family : Mom Jasmyn, dad Scott and family dog Coco 5 words that best describe Grayson: Witty, inquisitive, hilarious, energetic, imaginative Favorite activities: Grayson enjoys drawing, playing with chalk, watching movies, singing, dancing, riding his bike or scooter and playing with LEGOS or Toy Story characters. Favorite movie: Yes, you guessed it! Grayson loves Toy Story movies. He is also a huge fan of Frozen . Favorite metro hangouts: Grayson and his mom love to ride their bikes, visit the splash pad and cook together. They also enjoy walks at Lake Hefner or Martin Park Nature Center. With his dad, Grayson enjoys playing video games and going to Thunder games. Grayson also loves visiting indoor playgrounds. Fun fact: Grayson’s mom has always joked with family and friends that someday he would probably be on TV or famous for something. One day after walking past the area he was playing in, Jasmyn overheard Grayson say to his invisible audience, “Thanks for watching my video; make sure you push the like button.” She realized Grayson needed his own channel, and he is now on YouTube under Grayson Shenanigans.

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Kid- and Mom-Approved After-School Snacks Boost immunity and curb the hangry!

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BY MADDIE BILGER (AGE 9) AND HER MOM, KIM BILGER

After-school snacks are important at our house because we’re hungry when we get home. If I try to do my homework or play outside before I have a snack I would feel tired and I would run out of energy. I might also be pretty hangry! When I eat a snack right after school, it gives me energy and makes me smarter to do my homework. My mom says a snack after school should be made of healthy choices. She says I should try to have something with protein to keep me feeling full until dinner, and that I should choose snacks that don’t have a lot of sugar because I’m sweet enough already! When I choose snacks like that, I feel like it helps me have more energy and think better. Here are some of my favorite after-school snack ideas: • veggie straws, a cheese stick and an orange • crackers, cheese and bell peppers • yogurt and fruit My younger brother and sister also like: • Clif Zbars® • cheese stick and a fruit leather • yogurt and fruit smoothie • zucchini banana muffins that my mom makes I like to make things in the kitchen so sometimes my mom and I make the After-School Banana Bread from the Magnolia Table cookbook or Energy Bites from a recipe she found on @blessthismessblog. We’ve included the recipes to share! Mom’s Corner Focusing on getting fruits and/or vegetables in at snack times helps get kids to the goal of 2 to 4 cups per day. Nutrients found in fruits and veggies can also boost your immune system, which we could all use right about now! Vitamin C found in oranges, broccoli and bell peppers, vitamin D found in dairy products, vitamin E found in nuts and seeds and zinc found in whole grains make these foods great snack choices. I sneak some ground flaxseed (find it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores) into smoothies and muffins for some added omega-3s in their diets to offer a little boost to their brain and heart health. We keep a small bucket of mom-approved snacks in the laundry room where the kids hang up backpacks for a quick, easy grab on their way in from school or on their way out to an after-school activity. We also keep veggies, fruit, yogurt and cheese on lower shelves in the fridge for easy access (and to limit fridge-climbing endeavors).

MADDIE, CENTER, BROTHER MICAH AND SISTER HALLIE PREP AFTER- SCHOOL SNACKS.

After-School Banana Bread adapted from Magnolia Table cookbook Prep: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45-50 minutes Ingredients: • 8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled • 1 cup packed light brown sugar • 2 large eggs, beaten • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract • 4-5 very ripe bananas, mashed (I like to leave them a little chunky) • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour can sub 1 cup chocolate chips instead!) • 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar, as needed Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick baking spray or line with parchment paper. I have also tried it in a bundt pan and it came out great! 2. In stand mixer or with hand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add the bananas and mix until combined. • 1 tsp baking soda • ½ tsp kosher salt • 1 ½ cup chopped pecans (optional; 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat just until combined. Add the pecans (or chocolate chips, if using) and mix until combined. 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. (I prefer to cook mine about 5 minutes and then sprinkle the sugar on top to give it a little crunch) 5. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let the bread cool slightly in the pan on a rack. Slice and serve warm with butter, if desired. 6. When completely cooled, cover with foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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BEST VOTED SWIM LESSONS Two years in a row!

Energy Bites adapted from @blessthismessblog Ingredients:

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• 1 cup (dry) oats (can substitute gluten- free oats; either old fashioned or quick oats work) • ²/ 3 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (we’re a no on coconut at our house so I use more oats) • ½ cup peanut or almond butter • ½ cup ground flaxseed • ¹/ 3 cup honey • ½ cup mini chocolate chips • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Directions: 1. Add everything to a medium bowl and mix well to combine. 2. Stick the bowl in the fridge and let it chill for about half an hour. This resting time helps to ensure that the energy bites will stick together when rolled. 3. After the chilling time, take a tablespoon of the mixture in your hand and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining oat mixture. If they aren’t sticking together well, add a little more honey or nut butter, stir well and try rolling again. 4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer much longer. You can also sub dried blueberries or raisins for the chocolate chips, and add a dash of cinnamon, or use a combo of mini M&Ms and chocolate chips for a monster cookie taste!

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Editor’s note: Maddie is in the 4th grade at Washington Irving Elementary School. She is big sister to Micah, 7, and Hallie, 4. Kim Bilger, MPH, RD, LD, is a registered dietitian with a passion for helping people optimize their nutritional health. Kim’s husband and kids appreciate her love of baking but not always her love of vegetables.

METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020 9

Food, Culture & Fun Festivals in Oklahoma LOCAL FAMILY FUN BY LINDSAY CUOMO . PHOTOS PROVIDED.

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Cultural festivals (and festival food!) can create a powerful connection to the world around us, near and far. Whether exploring new flavors, music or experiences or reconnecting with old favorites, sweet memories pair well with family fun at some of the best festivals in Oklahoma. Happening throughout the next year, add these festivals to your family calendar to celebrate cultural pride, homegrown crops, local talent and so much more. Editor’s note: Due to COVID-19 precautions, some of the following events may adjust their dates, hours or programming. Please check with each venue directly to verify.

In the Metro Red Earth Festival Shawnee Sept. 5 & 6 Experience unique and varied Native cultures at one of the most comprehensive Native arts events of its type. Enjoy diverse artistry through an art market, dance showcase, storytelling and more. Find all the details at redearth.org. Plus, save the date for the first-ever Red Earth Fall Festival celebrating Indigenous People’s Day on Oct. 17 at Myriad Gardens. The annual Red Earth Parade will lead to this festival with a market and pow wow celebrating Native art and culture. “We Can’t Wait” Block Party NE 23rd & MLK, Oklahoma City Sept. 12 The OKC Martin Luther King Coalition has hosted Oklahoma City’s MLK Jr. Parade for the past 40 years, and the parade is now heralded as the third largest in the United States. The group hosts a variety of additional events and initiatives throughout the year to remember and honor Dr. King’s ideals and contributions and re-pledge a commitment to peace and pursuit of justice. The Coalition invites families to come together Sept. 12 to enjoy music, food and fun. The party begins at 11 a.m. and continues until 7 p.m. Find out more at okcmlkcoalition.org.

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Celebrate the beauty, flavors and talents of Oklahoma’s rich multicultural heritage! Held during Hispanic Heritage Month, this family-friendly festival highlights Latinx art, performers, food and more.

This year’s festivities will be held virtually. Stay tuned for more details at historiccapitolhill.com/fiestas-de-las- americas.

Fiestas de Las Americas Oklahoma City Oct. 3

Greek Festival in OKC 145th & N Penn, Oklahoma City Tentatively Oct. 4-6

Fresh baked pastries and prepared gourmet dishes will whisk you away at the annual Oklahoma City Greek Festival! In October, the families of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church invite the community to enjoy a cultural experience filled with crowd-pleasing favorites. Take a tour of Greek culture as you dine on roasted lamb, spanakopita, gyros, baklava and more. To top it off, families can shop at a Greek market featuring a variety of boutiques and enjoy live music and dancing. Stay up to date at greekfestokc.com.

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India Food Festival hosted by the India Association of Oklahoma (IAOK) Central Park, Moore Oct. 3-11 The India Food Festival underwent significant growth in recent years. This nearly decade-old festival started as a fun gathering for association members, but last year organizers set a new goal: to welcome hundreds of hungry families and serve up traditional dishes with bold flavors that mirror the vibrancy of Indian culture. Highlighting different regions and traditions, attendees can also enjoy live entertainment including Bollywood, classical temple and folk dance performances as well as music and traditional art. The kids’ zone is a popular place for families to hang out. Like many other festivals, this year’s activities are moving to a virtual platform. Stay up-to-date on the festival’s happenings at facebook.com/ IndiaAssociationOfOklahoma.

Iron Thistle Scottish Festival Yukon Oct. 16-18

Celebrate Scottish and Celtic cultures by enjoying musical acts, pipe bands, dancing, traditional food and much more. The fun begins with a fire festival Friday evening and continues all weekend. The kids’ area includes crafts and games, and families can watch the Highland Games, where athletes from across Oklahoma come to compete in Scottish games. Find out more at unitedscotsok.com/iron-thistle-scottish-festival.

Festival of the Arts Bicentennial Park, Oklahoma City April 2021

While visual and performing arts might take center stage at the Festival of the Arts, it doesn’t take Oklahomans long to conjure up memories of their favorite dishes from International Food Row. Local restaurants and chefs show off their skills offering tantalizing dishes, free tastings, demonstrations and more, all showcasing the creativity of culinary art. Local organizations like the Oklahoma Museum of Art’s Moderns pair with local restaurants and food trucks to serve up festival fare that gives back. The teams are working together to benefit community art programs so families can fill up knowing it’s all for a good cause. Tempt your taste buds and see a line-up of food vendors participating in the 2021 Festival of the Arts at artscouncilokc.com/festival-of-the-arts/culinary-arts.

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Statewide Stilwell Strawberry Festival Downtown Stilwell Sept. 19

The town of Stilwell proudly claims the title of Strawberry Capital of the World and they have celebrated the bountiful berry since the 1940s. Usually held in late spring, the Strawberry Festival welcomes more than 30,000 visitors to the bustling small town’s festivities each year. A parade, carnival rides, midway games, car show, rodeo, live music, baking contests and, of course, plenty of fresh, ripe strawberries greet hungry families eager to celebrate the plentiful local harvest. Free, fresh strawberries and ice cream are always

a popular snack. You can even score some champion berries up for auction! This year’s festival looked quite different as organizers with the Stillwell Kiwanis Club have adjusted to safety precautions. They hosted the berry judging and virtual auction as well as the Strawberry Queen pageant this summer and are working to host festival-goers with a day of fun in September. Plan your visit at strawberrycapital.com.

METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020 13

National Indian Taco Championship Main Street, Pawhuska Oct. 3 If you love fry bread and Indian tacos, head to Pawhuska to taste the best traditional tacos around! Held on the first Saturday in October, the annual National Indian Taco Championship challenges locals to put their best recipes to task, with pride and cash prizes on the line. Festival-goers can get in on the fun and help decide which tasty recipe should win the coveted People’s Choice award. In addition to the handcrafted tacos, families can enjoy local bands, Native American dance demonstrations, drum contests, barrel racing and more. Find all the delicious details at pawhuskachamber.com. El Reno Fried Onion Burger Day Main Street, El Reno April 30 & May 1, 2021 The onion burger has been a staple in Oklahoma cuisine since the Great Depression when a savvy restaurant owner added inexpensive shredded onions to plump his burger patties. El Reno celebrates this slice of Americana each May with their Burger Day Festival on Main Street. The celebration is centered on the cooking of the world’s largest fried onion burger! Festival-goers can watch as a 350-pound bun and

250-pound patty are prepared in a 12-foot convection oven and on a 10-foot circular grill that cooks and flips the massive burger. Continue your culinary journey with a diverse lineup of food trucks and vendors serving up everything from Indian tacos to chocolate- covered bacon while listening to a variety of local and regional bands. The festival kicks off Friday evening and continues all day Saturday. Visit elrenoburgerday.com for details.

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Chandler Ice Cream Festival Tilghman Park, Chandler June 2021

Nothing says summertime more than a cool, creamy scoop of ice cream. The town of Chandler has dedicated an entire day to ice cream in honor of the area Hiland Dairy plant. Dairy lovers can trek from booth to booth, sampling prize- winning homemade ice cream from the annual festival competition. Afterward, families can ride carnival rides and listen to live music from local talent. Kids can get their faces painted and hang out with clowns creating balloon animals. Get the scoop on details at chandlerareachamberok.com/ events. McLoud Blackberry Festival McLoud July 2021 Celebrated early in July, McLoud Blackberry Festival is one of the oldest festivals in the state. Originally a town picnic, residents gather to celebrate the annual blackberry harvest. Today, the festival features all kinds of blackberry-themed items including fresh blackberries, cobbler, sodas and teas. Top it all off with live music, a parade, royalty pageant and fireworks. Kids can

enjoy a carnival with old-fashioned games like sack races and turtle races. If you’re up to the challenge, sign up to see if you can become the next cobbler gobbler champion or enter your own blackberry creation in a baking contest. Find more tasty details at mccloudchamber.com/index.html.

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Pandemic School Classroom realities for the coming year

BY ERIN PAGE

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Editor’s note: Though the information here was accurate as of publication, metro school plans and the COVID-19 pandemic are rapidly changing and evolving. Check with individual school districts or visit metrofamilymagazine.com/back-to-school-covid19 for the most up-to-date information. The question never far from parent — or student — minds right now is: what will returning to school look like this fall? With the COVID-19 pandemic still running rampant and cases increasing in our state, school districts around the metro are planning for contingencies upon contingencies, hoping both to give kids who haven’t been in the classroom since March a sense of normalcy and limit exposure to the virus as much as possible.

Earlier this summer, the Oklahoma State Department of Education released a 74-page document called Return to Learn: A Framework for Reopening Schools to provide guidelines for public school districts around the state. Built around four categories — School Operations, Academic & Growth, Whole Child & Family Supports and School Personnel — checklists of actions accompany each section for districts to consider. Upon its release, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister underscored that each district will determine how to ensure the safety of its students, staff and families based on the extent to which COVID-19 is impacting their local community and what recommendations are feasible and practical to implement. In late July, the OSDE board met again to vote on additional safety requirements for schools across Oklahoma, including a mandate for all public school students and staff to wear masks in counties where community spread is occurring as designated by a color-coded map of COVID-19 risk levels. The measure failed to garner enough votes to make the protocols required, meaning it will be up to each district to determine whether to follow the department’s recommendations. Hofmeister announced her disappointment in the failed vote as she believes required protocols could ensure a safer environment for all in the school community and urged districts to “do the right thing” in regards to masking and social distance standards. Districts around the metro began to release return to school plans in July, guided by task forces composed of teachers, parents, administrators and students. Many of the initially-released plans have already been updated based on parent feedback and the ever-changing nature of the virus.

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that work for each of its students and families, with McDaniel noting that some students do better moving at their own pace while others are seeking a more synchronous approach of achieving together. “In-person or virtual, either way you go, there is some risk involved with the health and safety of our students,” said McDaniel. “We feel an all-virtual model is the safest option for right now.” If and when traditional OKCPS students can move to in-person learning, if a single student needs to be quarantined at home or out of school for a short stint, that student can also transition to a blended learning option, learning remotely through their typical classroom teacher via classroom technology. Keystone Adventure School and Farm , an accredited private preschool and elementary school in Edmond, will also begin the school year virtually but will provide small-group opportunities for students to learn outdoors. Students will spend mornings online and several afternoons each week students will enjoy one-hour visits to campus for outdoor projects, PE, art or caring for the farm animals. “Because we attend to whole-child safety — social, emotional and physical — we knew that even in a virtual model, we had to find ways for kids to be safe and still be together,” said John Duhon, Keystone co-founder and co-director. Health and safety measures Upon returning to in-person learning, Yukon students will be encouraged to wear face coverings, and no visitors will be allowed to enter school sites unless deemed necessary by district protocol. Student transitions will reflect safest practices for each site, including divided hallways, staggered passing periods, a one-way traffic flow and desk arrangement in classrooms. The meal service program will be a combination of in-school serving and grab-and-go offerings. Mid-Del , Deer Creek , Norman and El Reno Public Schools will require face coverings for staff and students. Norman, which has delayed the start of school for all students to Aug. 24, will remain in virtual-only learning mode until there is sustainable decline in COVID-19 cases over a period of time. NPS is working on plans to phase students back in to district buildings when deemed safe, at which point all students will participate in wellness screenings twice per day, and teachers, administrators and staff will be screened each day. NPS will enact a flexible attendance policy this year, and to decrease students in the cafeterias, mealtimes may be staggered or students may follow a rotating schedule that allows them to eat in the cafeteria, the classroom or outdoors when weather permits. Trinity School , a metro private school with a focus on serving students with learning differences, will issue masks to all students, though only students in grades 9 through 12 will be required to wear them. Trinity will check temperatures of students each morning, and all visitors will be required to wear a mask. “In-person or virtual, either way you go, there is some risk involved with the health and safety of our students.” Dr. Sean McDaniel, OKCPS superintendent

Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel said that his district, like all others, released plans based on current circumstances but that the school system will be constantly reevaluating and adapting as needed. That initial statement has already proven true as the district has pivoted from originally-released plans, pushing back the school start date and announcing all students will begin the year virtually, with a few exceptions. Parents and administrators alike are endeavoring to keep up with changing plans and make the best decisions about how kids will attend school this year. “We do not need to be ruled by fear,” advises Hofmeister. “We want to provide as much flexibility as we can. We [need to] be nimble and flexible and willing to understand that we may start school one way and will communicate to parents and faculty when it’s time to adjust.” We take a look at key considerations in several metro public and private schools. Learning options Edmond Public Schools will offer students the options of learning in the traditional classroom environment, with added restrictions depending on the current state of the virus, or virtually. In a July 28 board meeting, the district voted to begin the school year with a blended, or A/B, model plan for traditional classroom students. In this scenario, students will only attend school in person on assigned days, receiving in-person learning two days a week and virtual learning three days per week to lessen the number of students in school buildings at a time and allow for social distancing. Deer Creek and Mid-Del Public Schools will also employ a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning for the start of the school year. Students electing to learn entirely virtually will attend Edmond Virtual with assigned certified teachers who monitor their work and grade assignments. EPS also elected to delay the start of school for all students until Aug. 20 to allow additional training time for staff. After a July 21 board meeting, OKCPS announced that the original Aug. 10 start date will be pushed back to Aug. 31 and all students will learn virtually for the first nine weeks. Putnam City , Western Heights , Norman and Yukon Public Schools have also opted for all- virtual learning for the start of fall classes. In OKCPS, parent and teacher surveys, as well as guidance from health officials, drove the decision. Students will have the choice of learning virtually through the traditional learning plan, which is teacher-driven and provides ongoing interaction between teachers and students in a small group online classroom setting, or the e3 online learning plan, which allows students to work at their own pace with access to a teacher as a mentor. The traditional learning plan will be reevaluated halfway through the first nine weeks to determine whether to continue virtual learning or transition to in-person learning. It is likely that students would initially return to in-person learning via an A/B model and then move to a traditional 5-day schedule when deemed safe. The second, all-virtual option requires a nine weeks commitment for preK through 5th grade and a semester commitment for 6th through 12th grade students. Prior to July’s spike in COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma, Deputy Superintendent Jason Brown said up to one third of OKCPS students indicated interest in the e3 virtual learning option for the upcoming year. The administration team has sought to provide learning options

METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020 17

Keystone has implemented new safety protocols, including touch-less faucets and soap dispensers, daily wellness checks and staggered pick-ups and drop-offs. When indoors, all students will wear face coverings, sun hat face shields for the younger students and masks for the older. The entire school will have a space theme in an effort to help acclimate students to the face coverings. “Our space theme provides a connection for our ‘space cadets’ to wear ‘space helmets’ and ‘atmosphere masks,’” said Jenny Dunning, Key- stone co-founder and co-director. “Infusing lots of fun and redirection is just one of the ways we will attend to their emotional safety.” Masks will be required for EPS students in grades 1 through 12, with preK and kindergarten students required to wear them in the hallways at all times. EPS will take student temperatures every day and teachers will be trained in recognizing potential COVID-19 symptoms. Superintendent Bret Towne said medical technicians will be assigned “Students will have exposure to digital learning on a daily basis, so if we have to go from brick to click overnight, closing a classroom or entire school, they will have had that practice.” Cara Jernigan, EPS executive director of elementary education

to each EPS school site to assist in symptom monitoring. The A/B learning model will allow for more effective social distancing. “Teachers are arranging students’ learning environments where all students are facing the same direction, avoiding small groups and keeping same classes together without a lot of back and forth,” said Cara Jernigan, executive director of elementary education for EPS. Preparing for distance learning Hofmeister says it’s not a matter of if Oklahoma students and teachers will revert to distance learning, but when. Many districts that are planning to begin the school year in person are also building online learning into their traditional classroom schedules so students and teachers can more seamlessly shift to it when the need arises. “Students will have exposure to digital learning on a daily basis, so if we have to go from brick to click overnight, closing a classroom or entire school, they will have had that practice,” said Jernigan. Distance learning will focus on continued learning rather than just maintenance of skills already learned as most students experienced in the spring. One major challenge of distance learning is that not every student has access to virtual education at home. Hofmeister says she will not rest until all students in our state have access. “We have to solve this once and for all,” said Hofmeister. “This is part of a strong, vibrant, competitive public education and should be the right of every child.” The Department of Education will provide 50,000 hotspots to students who need them, free of charge. Reduced monthly subscription rates can be covered by emergency relief funds.

18 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020

OKCPS will provide devices to all students. Assistant Superintendent of Academics Tracy Skinner says about one third of OKCPS students will require a hotspot, which the district plans to provide. Trinity, which provided devices for each student even ahead of the pandemic, experienced a fairly smooth transition to distance learning earlier this year, which included teachers providing live virtual instruction. Lisa Schade, chief operating officer, says the pandemic reiterated the school’s focus on meeting individual students where they are, academically and developmentally, in their learning. “Our faculty and staff are better prepared to teach on-site and pivot to online for the entire class or for an individual student if necessary,” said Schade. “They have become more comfortable with a flexible teaching platform. They expect change but know that our students will be successful no matter what comes their way.” Getting kids caught up Another key component both the Department of Education and teachers around the state have focused on this summer is wrapping the unfinished learning and missed skills from the spring into curriculum this fall. Hofmeister says teachers will embed unfinished learning into grade-appropriate curriculum. “We don’t want students to feel the stress of trying to pack in too much,” said Hofmeister. “We’re providing teachers with scaffolding, ways to design lesson plans to meet kids where they are and close those gaps.”

Jernigan explains EPS’s strategy as “spiraling in” missed skills, realigning curriculum and rewriting the curriculum calendar so teachers can take a cyclical approach that touches on missed skills but also keeps students moving forward. After researching approaches used by classrooms affected by Hurricane Katrina, EPS realized that going back to missed skills meant students were always behind. With the cyclical approach, students will learn both missed skills and grade-level skills at the same time. Skinner says OKCPS curriculum coordinators have created a strategic planning guide based on essential standards they know students in each grade must master. Teachers will target the skills they already know will be deficits for students based on where the in-person school year ended in the spring. OKCPS will also be using their content management system for virtual learning to assess and remediate missed skills. “We don’t want students to feel the stress of trying to pack in too much. We’re providing teachers with scaffolding, ways to design lesson plans to meet kids where they are and close those gaps.” Joy Hofmeister, state superintendent of public instruction

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Addressing mental health needs

we respond to situations, the children around us feed off that. Although we may be fearful of uncertainties, if we model patience and calmness to children, they are resilient and they will foster what we are modeling.” Schade adds that honest conversations about the need to be flexible can help prepare students for the potential of changing their learning environments. “We’ve asked [parents] to help their children understand that even though they will return to school in the fall, there will most likely be adaptations to online, live learning platforms at some point,” said Schade. Hofmeister encourages parents to equip children with the mindset of being courteous and thinking of others. Extending grace and patience will be key factors for students and parents alike this school year, particularly as school administrators strive to make the best possible decisions for their communities and teachers are faced with new challenges. “We are not going to get every answer correct for every scenario and we are not going to plan perfectly for this,” said Jernigan. “There will be decisions made that parents aren’t always going to like. Having grace and telling teachers ‘thank you’ will be really important.”

“For students with learning differences, change can be especially difficult,” said Schade. McDaniel says assessing students’ mental, social and emotional health will be a priority, whether students are learning in person or virtually. OKCPS has added counselors and nurses at every school, in addition to a handful of social workers. Embrace OKC, a new collaborative initiative that has developed a comprehensive, district- wide mental health action plan to address challenges OKCPS students and families are facing, will help provide preventative education and treatment as needed. “We will have all eyes on our kids from a mental health standpoint as well as an academic standpoint,” said McDaniel. Preparing students and supporting teachers Jernigan encourages parents to have candid conversations with students to explain that school may not look the same this fall but that teachers are still going to make learning fun and help them to grow. “It’s important to remember ‘my state dictates your state,’” said Jernigan. “However

Families across Oklahoma are experiencing increased stress, in part because, as Hofmeis- ter points out, the unemployment rate has ris- en from four to 13 percent during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. That stress extends to children in the home, and it can be impossible for children to learn when they are worried. Hofmeister says the Department of Education is offering mental health training as well as grants based on five priority areas for Oklahoma schools to focus on, including meeting students’ mental health needs. In some of its elementary schools, Edmond Public Schools has already employed Conscious Discipline, trauma-informed, evidence-based, social-emotional classroom management and learning strategies. All elementary schools will make use of these strategies this year, which include teaching and establishing emotional regulations for students. Trinity’s school counselor provided guidelines to families to help them understand how to talk with children about their fears and uncertainties.

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FIELDS’ DAUGHTER AUDREY IS A FANCY SHAWL DANCER AND ENJOYS CREATING REGALIA WITH HER MOM.

Commitment to Culture: Diana Fields’ story

“It was all part of my upbringing,” said Fields of her childhood in Maryland and Washington, D.C. where she was surrounded by varied cultures. “It has contributed to the way I am as a person and how I identify.” Fields’ appreciation for and curiosity about all cultures, along with dynamic institutional knowledge of presenting varied cultures as approachable to all audiences, were paramount as she led the creation of Liichokoshkomo’ at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in her role as chief program officer. The new exhibit, whose name means “Let’s play!” in Chickasaw, provides hands-on learning for kids and families about the American West, including the personal perspective of Indigenous cultures. From measuring what they can haul West in a covered wagon to exploring various Indigenous homes, the immersive experience seeks to showcase the variety of cultures that shaped history.

“You see themes represented there of diversity, inclusion and being invested in the community,” said Fields. “Diversity throughout the institution is a main focus, sharing all of these rich stories so everyone who visits can see themselves in the museum.” That authentic representation of a convergence of diverse cultures is paramount to Fields both professionally and personally. Fields’ children, who range in age from 6 to 15, honor their Pawnee heritage through their father’s ancestry in their daily lives. She says Liichokoshkomo’ captures how today’s Indigenous kids like theirs are often living in both traditional and contemporary worlds, bringing cultural context into life today. “My kids are dancers, we go to ceremonies, we teach them to be prayerful and teach them cultural ways,” said Fields. “Traditions may have begun in the past, but they are still going on today, very much alive, and being able to share that is important and valuable.”

Diana Fields grew up in a multi- racial family that was loud and proud about their heritage, including Scottish, Eastern Band of Cherokee and African American roots. And now she and husband Arthur, an enrolled Pawnee and Otoe tribal descendent, are raising their five children in the same way.

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Eager to learn While pursuing a degree in art history and archeology from the University of Maryland College Park, Fields landed her first job with the Smithsonian in the National Museum of Natural History’s gift store. “I was so excited as a college student, thinking, ‘I am so big time,’” laughs Fields. “I was truly walking on air when I landed that first job.” Fields calls that experience the beginning of her education in how museums function. It was also where she met her Oklahoma-born husband-to-be. Within a few months, Fields transferred to the National Museum of the American Indian, where she began working with Indigenous artists and became an Indigenous representative for the visitor services staff. She gained experience across a variety of museum departments and met and learned about Indigenous communities from all over the world. “The first time I worked with people coming in and asking questions about the culture, I realized there was a view that we existed only in the past,” said Fields of a common stereotype facing Indigenous people. “This was an opportunity to engage with the public and transform myths and misconceptions.”

Falling in love with Oklahoma With the same familial commitment to honoring his heritage, Arthur was deeply missing the wide-open spaces of his Oklahoma home. The couple decided to move back the Sooner State where Fields worked for Indian Health Services. They returned briefly to Maryland, where Fields engaged in grant work that would become very valuable as they came back to Oklahoma. In 2010, Fields traveled to Oklahoma City for a development position interview with the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. She was immediately struck by the Smithsonian-quality institution, from the collections to the level of knowledge of the staff. She also remembered the anecdotal experiences she loved about Oklahoma. “I remember the first time I arrived someone held the door for me and that was almost shocking,” recalls Fields. “People are more hospitable here and it was better for the family we were starting. I fell in love with Oklahoma.” Fields has spent the past 10 years at the National Cowboy Museum working in both the development and education departments. She’s also worked closely with the Annie Oakley Society, where the idea and capital

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METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020 23

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