3/12/2021 Message from McDaniel | Weekly COVID-19 Update
OKCPS Families and Staff,
Spring Break is here! OKCPS will be closed next week from March 15th through 19th. We hope our families and staff enjoy a much needed break to rest and recharge.
Return to Campus Plan
If you missed the update on our Return to Campus plan for the 4th quarter that we shared last night, you can view it here: www.okcps.org/return2021.
Reminders & Supports
ReadOKC Spring Reading Challenge: Students are being challenged to read for at least 20 minutes every day of the break, for a total of 180-minutes. Students can log their minutes using the paper reading log, OR by recording your minutes on Beanstack! There are prizes for students who met the goal and for the top three readers in the district. The ReadOKC Spring Reading Challenge is open to all OKCPS students. Visit our website for details: www.okcps.org/ReadOKC
OKCPS International Travel Guidelines: OKCPS realizes that our families and staff may be traveling outside the United States. OKCPS discourages international travel by our staff members, students and their families based on the current guidance outlined by the CDC. However, if you must travel, please note that the following:
- OKCPS employees and students will not be allowed to return to campus, in any capacity, until they have had a negative test (taken 3-5 days after returning from their trip) and self-quarantine for 7 days, OR until after they have completed the required full 10 day self-quarantine period.
- Employees should report international travel to their immediate supervisor in writing prior to traveling.
- NEW: If you have received two doses of either Pfizer or Moderna and it has been 14-days after your second vaccination you WILL NOT have to be isolated when you return to the United States as long as you don’t have any symptoms. If you have received one dose of Johnson & Johnson and it has been 14-days after your injection you will not have to be isolated when you return to the United States as long as you don’t have any symptoms.
- Families should report travel for students by calling your child’s school. Once you provide the date that you returned home from your trip, the school can tell you when your child is eligible to return to in-person learning.
- Students can and are encouraged to participate in remote learning options during their self-quarantine period. Families should work with your child’s teacher and/or school regarding the remote learning options available.
- For more information on international travel during COVID-19, please review the CDC’s guidelines: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices
COVID-19 Vaccine: We continue to encourage all staff and families who are interested in the vaccine to use www.vaxokc.com or https://vaccinefinder.org/ to find available clinics to receive the vaccine.
Supports: OKCPS remains committed to supporting you in every way possible, even during Spring Break. Below are some resources for families and staff:
- 2-1-1 HeartLine is open 24/7 for help with counseling, rental assistance, food pantries, affordable housing, health resources, child care, after-school programs, caregiver support, financial programs, literacy, and job programs. As always, please call 911 for emergencies.
- If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call 2-1-1 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255) for 24/7 support.
- OKCPS Employee Assistance Program remains available to district staff for emotional support, legal and financial guidance and much more at no cost.
While we are apart over the break, I encourage each of you to please remain vigilant in your own hygiene and safety practices. By working together as a community, our students will be able to continue learning together on campus!
As always, thank you for your continued support of OKCPS. Stay safe, everyone.
Dr. Sean McDaniel
Superintendent
OKCPS Weekly COVID-19 Update
Today, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) indicates that the cases per 100,000 for Oklahoma County are 18.7, as compared to 17.9 last week, keeping Oklahoma County to the OSDE’s Orange 1 Alert Level. Our entire community must remain vigilant and closely follow all safety protocols if we want our students to be able to remain in the classroom.
Each Friday, OKCPS reports the number of active “self-reported” positive COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of individuals who have been asked to isolate due to potential exposure to the virus.
“Close Contact” Exposure refers to the number of cases when a staff member or student was in “close contact” with a person who has tested positive for COVID and has been asked to isolate. “Close contact” as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention occurs when an individual is within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days (or 48 hours) before the infected person’s onset of symptoms.
Self-Reported Positive Cases refers to the number of cases when a staff member or student has notified OKCPS of positive results from a COVID-19 test.
COVID-19 Reporting During Spring Break
For Staff: Staff should continue to report positive test results for COVID-19. There are two ways for employees to report:
- Call (405) 587-CV19* OR
- Submit the Employee COVID-19 Reporting Form
If you call the CV19 line, please leave a message and a member of the Contact Tracing team will return your call to provide information concerning isolation dates and additional resources. It’s important for staff to report a positive case even during the break, because isolation dates could continue into the week after spring break. We also want to be able to provide resources to employees who may need it.
For families: Families should resume reporting positive test results for COVID-19 when we return on Monday, March 22, 2021 by calling their child’s school.