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4/2/2021 Message from McDaniel | Weekly COVID-19 Update
OKCPS Families and Staff,
Next week is a big week of OKCPS! We are preparing to welcome our students back to campus for in-person learning, the state testing window opens, and OKCPS will officially kick off our 2021-22 enrollment efforts with the launch of Pre-K and new to OKCPS Kindergarten pre-registration!
Families should have received a survey asking about your plans for next school year. Although this is not an “official” part of enrolling your student for 2021-22, your responses will help us prepare for the next school year by indicating your plans for your children. The questions are accessed through the survey link in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Families should respond for each of your children by Friday April 16th. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school or the Student Registration Team at reg@okcps.org.
Return To Campus
On Tuesday, April 6, OKCPS looks forward to welcoming all students (PK-12th grade) back to campus for in-person learning 4 days a week, Tuesday - Friday. Mondays will remain a remote learning day for all students. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our plan for meals, etc below.
Week of April 5, 2021
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All students in grades PK-12th will Return to Campus for in-person learning 4 days a week, Tuesday - Friday.
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Mondays will remain a remote learning day for all students.
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Children in Workplace Program will continue to be available on Mondays only.
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OKCPS Curbside Meal Service will remain in place at all school sites on Mondays only.
NOTE: All students currently enrolled in our e3 Online Learning program will continue to learn virtually for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Families of e3 students can make arrangements with their home school’s front office to pick up meals Tuesday-Friday.
COVID-19 Safety Updates
Our teams have updated our OKCPS Six-Point Safety Plan to ensure a safe learning environment as we prepare for our 4-day Return To Campus. You can find details about district and building protocols here, and our Safety and Health & Wellness teams closely monitor the situation so we are able to make updates as needed.
I do want to remind you that OKCPS has made the decision to continue with all of our existing masks protocols on our campuses. This includes the requirement that masks or face coverings be worn by all students, families, staff and visitors at all times while on all district property, regardless of an individual’s vaccination status. Thank you in advance for your continued cooperation.
Reminders and Support
OKCPS Pre-K and Kindergarten Pre-Registration: Mark your calendars! Registration for Pre-K and New to OKCPS Kindergarten students for the 2021-2022 school year will be from Monday, April 5th through Friday, April 16th. Families of Pre-K and new to OKCPS Kindergarten students should complete the pre-registration form online that will become available on April 5th. If you need assistance, please contact your neighborhood school, if you are unsure of your assigned school, use our school locator tool located at www.okcps.org/locatortool. This is only the pre-registration process for our Pre-K students and new Kindergarten students. Families will be asked to provide the required documentation needed for full registration/enrollment in June or July 2021. Please contact our early childhood department at (405) 587-0116 if you have questions. You can learn more or pre-register by visiting: www.okcps.org/Page/6888
Oklahoma State Academic Testing: Next week also marks the beginning of our state assessment window, so be on the lookout for information from your school on when our 3rd-8th and 11th grade students will be showing off their learning! As always, please make sure your students get plenty of rest and come to school with their devices charged up and ready to go! Nearly all assessments this year will be completed online. We are pleased that the state has suspended any negative consequences from these assessments due to the pandemic, so this really is our students’ time to shine.
Uniforms / Dress Code: Due to current economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, OKCPS District leaders will allow leniency for uniform policy compliance for the 2020-2021 school year. Although families are encouraged to follow the guidelines if at all possible, students will be allowed to wear any solid colored polo shirt, along with khaki, black or navy pants. If you have any questions or concerns regarding school dress code or need assistance, please contact your child’s school. Click here for more information: https://www.okcps.org/Page/3970
Building Access for Staff, Visitors, Volunteers: To help ensure we maintain a safe environment for OKCPS students and staff, we will not allow access for outside guests at our school sites at this time. Parents/Guardians may visit the school’s front office (preferably with an appointment), but we will not allow access of any kind for other visitors such as volunteers, outside speakers, or members of the media at this time. OKCPS families and staff members who have business to take care of at the Clara Luper Center for Educational Services, the Student Support Center at Westwood, or the Operations Center should continue to call to make an appointment before arriving at any of these facilities.
Election Day: Tuesday, April 6th is an election day for our community. To find your polling place or information about the election, visit the OK Voter Portal at: https://okvoterportal.okelections.us/
COVID-19 Vaccine: Next week, April 5-9 is Public Health Week. We are so grateful for our partnership with OCCHD who have been instrumental in providing access to the COVID-19 vaccine to district staff and our community. On Wednesday, April 7th, OCCHD, in partnership with other healthcare providers, is hosting a very large vaccination POD at the OKC Fairgrounds. This POD is for 1st or 2nd dose and will have Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccine available. Sign-ups are open now at www.vaxokc.com.
Supports: OKCPS remains committed to supporting you in every way possible. Below are some resources for families and staff:
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58-STUDY (587-8839) for academic support and 587-HELP (4357) for technical support, and our Student Services Team is also available for emotional support and crisis intervention at 587-0489.
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OKCPS Employee Assistance Program is available to district staff for emotional support, legal and financial guidance and much more at no cost.
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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.
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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 teams will continue to closely monitor the situation. In the meantime, let’s remain vigilant in our hygiene and safety practices so our students can settle into their new schedule and continue to enjoy learning together on campus for the remainder of the year! As always, thank you for your ongoing support of OKCPS. Stay safe, everyone.
Dr. Sean McDaniel
Superintendent
OKCPS Weekly COVID-19 Update
As a reminder, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) recently announced a significant change to the way it reports COVID-19 case data. It no longer publishes daily case information by county, city or zip code. It will still publish a weekly alert map based on county case data but has moved the publication date to Wednesday.
On March 23, OSDH reported that the cases per 100,000 for Oklahoma County were 8.1, which put Oklahoma County in the OSDE’s Yellow Alert Level. The most recent report from March 31st indicates that our cases per 100,000 for Oklahoma County were 8.7, which keeps Oklahoma County to the OSDE’s Yellow Alert Level. We must remain vigilant and closely follow all safety protocols if we want our students to be able to remain in the classroom. The next alert report from the OSDH will be on Wednesday, April 7.
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
Staff
OKCPS employees who work at a school building (with the exception of SNS staff) should report a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to your principal and/or your school’s contact tracer.
OKCPS employees who work at the Clara Luper Center for Educational Services, the Operations Center, Student Support Services at Westwood should report a positive COVID-19 test or exposure by calling the district’s COVID-19 line, (405) 587-CV19. SNS staff members should also use the CV19 line to report a positive COVID-19 test or exposure.
Families
Families should report student positive test results for COVID-19 or exposure to a positive case by calling their child’s school. The school’s designated contact tracer will provide instructions related to isolating and receiving instruction remotely during the isolation period.
Additionally, if a child or staff member is showing any symptoms, is waiting on the result of a COVID-19 test or has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they must stay home and contact their school for guidance. Do not come to campus.