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
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