Two Ponca City Schools To Move to Distance Learning

Attention PCPS Families:

Due to the high number of absences among teachers and support staff members and the inability to cover with substitutes, Ponca City High School and West Middle School will transition to Distance Learning from Wednesday, January 12 through Friday, January 14.

Shifting these sites to Distance Learning will allow PCPS to reassign substitutes or personnel to provide coverage to other sites. It is our goal to keep in-person learning continuing at all sites unless we have the inability to supervise appropriately.

Google Classroom will be utilized and assignments will be posted each day that West Middle School and Ponca City High School are in Distance Learning, and these two sites will communicate details to parents and students.

Students at Ponca City High School and West Middle School will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, January 18. Monday, January 17 is a pre-scheduled Professional Development Day for PCPS, so NO students will be in school on January 17.

ALL other PCPS school sites, including Wildcat Academy, will remain open this week for in-person learning. If staff absences increase and there are not enough personnel to provide adequate supervision, PCPS may have to transition other sites to Distance Learning. During this time of high spread of Omicron, please keep up-to-date of the latest information from Ponca City Public Schools through the PCPS App, Facebook page, website, and local media outlets.

Ponca City Virtual Academy students will continue with their schedule and will test at the Registration Center.

Lunch and breakfast for the next day for West Middle School and Po-Hi students will be available for drive-thru pick up on the west side of West Middle School and on the Fifth Street side of Ponca City High School from 11:00-12:30 on Wednesday through Friday, January 12-14.

Internet hot spots will be distributed today, Tuesday, January 11, at Po-Hi and West Middle School to those students who do not have internet access.

Activities will continue on a case-by-case basis if staffing is available for those students not affected by COVID. If practices or rehearsals occur at West Middle School or Ponca City High School, they will occur after school hours. Coaches and sponsors will communicate with parents and students. There are several activities scheduled this week, but please keep in mind, they could be canceled because of COVID by PCPS or the other organization.

West Middle School and Ponca City High School will be sanitized thoroughly while students are participating in Distance Learning.

If you have questions, please call your school site because the staff not affected by COVID will be in the building during regular school hours.

We are hopeful this variant will move out as quickly as it moved in. Thank you for your patience and support through these turbulent times.