OKCPS Families and Staff, 

Today's state reporting indicates that the Covid Alert Level for Oklahoma County has shifted back to Orange Level 1. Our cases per 100,000 are 22.6 compared to 26.2 last week. 

While we hope that numbers continue to trend downward, our consultation with district and state health officials seems to confirm that, as a state, we may be faced with a fluctuation between Orange Alert Level 1 and 2 for the foreseeable future. 

With this information, it becomes clear that while OKCPS had placed some triggers between Orange 1 and Orange 2, moving forward it is more appropriate and consistent to make significant instructional changes at the OSDE Red Alert level. This adjustment allows OKCPS to better align with the guidance provided by the state department of education and our district and state health officials. Perhaps more importantly, it will allow our families and staff the opportunity to make longer term arrangements to support our incremental Return To Campus plan.   

With this in mind, please note that the following items will not be impacted by a shift between the OSDE’s Orange Level 1 and Orange Level 2. Instead, these would only halt if Oklahoma County were to transition into OSDE’s Red Alert Level and/or if we were to see a significant change to some of our other data points: 

• High School athletics and extracurricular activities will resume on Monday, October 5
• 90-minute (optional) curricular and co-curricular afterschool activities will resume on Monday, October 5
• In-person instruction for students with special needs who were in a self-contained classroom will resume Monday, October 19 on a 4 days a week, 4 hours a day schedule (This is the same schedule that was used when these students returned to in-person learning on September 8) 
• All district staff will return to full time schedule of 5 days a week in-person on Monday, October 19, and the OKCPS Children in the Workplace program will also resume on Monday, October 19
• Move forward with our plan to welcome our Alternative Education students at Putnam Heights, Emerson North and Emerson South, back to in-person learning in an A/B setting on Monday, October 19
• Move forward with our plan to welcome our Newcomer students (new to the United States) in grades 5th - 12th back to in-person learning in an A/B setting on Monday, October 26 
• Move forward with our plan to welcome our remaining 1st - 12th grade students back for in-person learning in an A/B setting on Monday, November 9. 

Also, because we returned to the Orange Level 1 this week, OKCPS is still on track to welcome our  Pre-K and Kindergarten students back for in-person learning in an A/B setting on Monday, October 19, which will be our first effort to bring full grade levels back to campus. However, because this will involve several thousand students, please note that we will consider delaying their return if Oklahoma County were to return to Orange Level 2 next week.   

• In the meantime, if Pre-K and Kindergarten families wish to opt into our e3 Online Learning option (instead of returning to in-person learning), they should do so by calling their child’s school to request a schedule change no later than Tuesday, October 6 at 4pm. 

OKCPS COVID Reporting

Each Friday, OKCPS will report the number of “self-reported” positive COVID-19 cases, along with the number of individuals who have been asked to quarantine 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 quarantine. “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 diagnosis.

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.

As we see the number of cases continuing to fluctuate in Oklahoma County, it is important that everyone vigilantly follow the safety protocols outlined by the district and other public health agencies. These measures are in place to protect you and the health and safety of those around you and should be followed at all times. 

As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our priority and we are grateful for your continued flexibility and patience.

I will update you again next Friday. In the meantime, please stay safe, everyone.

Dr. Sean McDaniel

Superintendent