Superintendent Arrott Declares Distance Learning Day for All
Mike Seals - September 8, 2020 11:15 pm
PCPS Superintendent Shelley Arrott has issued the following letter:
September 8, 2020
PCPS Families:
Monday, September 14, will be a Distance Learning Day for ALL students. Students will not physically come to school but will participate in a virtual learning day, which will count as an instructional day. It is a required day of learning and attendance will be taken. The day will give all students the opportunity to practice Distance Learning in the event a student is isolated, quarantined, or if there is partial or total, temporary school closure due to the spread of COVID-19.
The following is the process for the Distance Learning Day on September 14:
1. All secondary students will take their devices home as always on Friday, September 11. The oldest child at each elementary school will check out a Chromebook for elementary students in the family to utilize on the Distance Learning Day. Washington PreK students, who do not have a device at home, will have an iPad checked out to them by Friday, September 11. All elementary Chromebooks and PreK iPads will be returned to school on Tuesday, September 15.
2. If a family does not have access to Internet, a hot spot will be distributed to the parents of the oldest student in each family to allow PCPS students in the family to use for Internet access on the Distance Learning Day. Families who already have a district hot spot due to a current quarantine or a sibling attending Ponca City Virtual Academy will not be provided another hot spot. Hot spot distribution is based on the Internet Access Survey parents completed during Registration. Parents of students checking out a hot spot will sign a PCPS Hot Spot Agreement and the hot spot used for the Distance Learning Day will be returned Tuesday, September 15. Principals will communicate to parents the process for collecting hot spots.
3. All teachers will record a review lesson and review assignments will be provided through Google Classroom. Students are required to log in and complete the assignment to be counted present for the day. All teachers will communicate expectations to parents and students through their regular form of communication such as Remind, Class DOJO, or class Facebook pages.
4. PCPS teachers will be available for support from 8:00 AM-11:00 AM on September 14 through Google Classroom, Zoom, email, or any other mode of regular classroom communication.
5. Students may log in and complete the assignments at any time throughout the day on September 14 but must do so by midnight on September 14 to be counted present. However, if students need support, teachers will be available from 8:00 AM-11:00 AM that day. It is recommended students log in and access instruction and assignments at that time if it is the first time for a student to participate in virtual Distance Learning.
6. Regular competitive activities will still occur that day. Coaches and sponsors will communicate specific information.
During this global pandemic, it is critical students know how to access instruction and submit assignments due to the likelihood of intermittent absences or closures requiring Distance Learning.
With the final quarter closure of last spring, Oklahoma districts provided Continuous Learning to keep students thinking and reviewing standards, but participation was not required since many did not have access to Internet and parents and teachers had no time to prepare. Since that time, we have had time to prepare and anticipate the need for Distance Learning; therefore, participation is required.
Meals will be provided to students on September 14 through a similar process we used during closure last spring.
The process follows:
- Feeding Site Locations
- Sr. High: 7th Street, north of Overbrook – drivers collecting lunches will pull into the bus inlet just east of the Anderson Building.
- Union Elementary
- Garfield Elementary
- West Middle School
- White Eagle: The same delivery location will be arranged by PCPS.
- Meal pick-up time will be 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Breakfast and lunch meals, with milk offering, will be available.
The Distance Learning Practice Days built into our calendar allow our students to be effectively prepared in the event they are required to learn virtually. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time. Please feel free to call me with any questions @ 580-767-8000.
Sincerely,
Shelley Arrott Superintendent, Ponca City Public Schools
The original letter can be found at the link below:
