Monday, Aug. 10, the Chandler school board and administration met to discuss what to expect for this upcoming school year.
Schedule flexibility, masks and district wide changes were discussed.
“We are going to be very fluid with our plans for returning to school,” Chandler Superintendent Melody Toma said. “We are going to be heavily relying on the State Department of Health’s plan and the risk levels.”
The Oklahoma State School Board Association created a color coded map using COVID-19 data from the state Health Department to create guidelines and safety protocols.
The state Health Department calculates a seven day rolling average of new cases to arrive at the cases per 100,000 residents used to determine the color-coded risk level.
Toma said Lincoln County is currently in the Yellow Level at 13.50.
Toma said if Lincoln County reaches Orange Level One, which is 14.39 to 25 cases per 100,000 residents, they will transition into an AB schedule.
Classes will be split into groups, where group A will meet Monday and Wednesday, group B will meet Tuesday and Thursday and everyone will be virtual on Fridays.
If the county increases to Orange Level 2, which is 25 to 50 cases per 100,000 residents, everyone will go to distance learning.
Toma said there is the potential they may have to go to an AB schedule on Monday.
She said it is important for parents to have their Infinite Campus Portal account set up because that is how they will be communicating with parents and guardians regarding schedules every Friday and Sunday.
Also discussed during the meetings was the issue regarding masks.
Toma said they put out a survey regarding masks because they wanted input from parents and guardians.
Out of 471 responses, 50 percent don’t want requirement at all, unless the student or staff chooses to wear one.
24 percent were in favor of students and staff wearing masks only when social distancing isn’t possible.
20 percent were in favor of students and staff required to wear masks for the full eight hours.
Seven percent were in favor of staff wearing a mask for the full eight hours and students only wearing them while in the hallways and in groups.
Toma said they are strongly recommending students to bring masks.
“We want every student to come to school with a mask and be prepared to have to wear it for maybe an hour or sometime during the day,” she said.
Changes were also made on the elementary level at Park Road and East Side.
For starters, the classes will stay in their cohort groups and will not mix.
There will be assigned seating in the cafeteria and prepackaged lunches will be brought to the students instead of them standing in line.
At Park Road, instead of classes rotating, the 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers will rotate.
District wide changes were also discussed, which include restricting visitors, limiting access to buildings, creating seating charts on busses, requiring masks on busses, taking temperatures of teachers and staff everyday and additional cleaning protocols.
“It’s a huge adjustment for everyone,” Toma said. “We’re doing everything we can to follow state guidelines.”
Other actions made by board members include:
Approval of the consent agenda.
Approval of the “agreement to furnish food service” with Wewoka Public Schools Head Start Program for FY21.
Approval of the encumbrance for administrators, certified-contracts, and support employees who have contracts starting in August of 2020.
Approval of the authorization to pay the FY21 allocation of alternative education funds to the local education agency (Stroud Schools) for the alternative education cooperative.
Approval of the contract with the Oklahoma Department of Career-Tech for funding of the Ag Education, Business and Information Technology Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences for school year 2020- 2021.
Approval of the Mentor Teacher Advisory Committee: Pam Anderson mentor for Alexander Reed, Stacy Lee for Debbie LaNoue and Carol Ostwalt mentor for Hannah Gray.
Approval of the Textbook Advisory Committee: Lisa Hart, Gina McVey, Stacy Lee and Kaylee Howard.
Approval of the Medical Exemption Review Committee: Lacy Long, Randy Hedge, Kari Hulsey, Susan Morton, Lorie Hedge and Tracie Campbell.
Approval of the Professional Development Advisory Committee: Bridget Hughey, Lisa Hart, Geoff Metheny and Randy Hedge.
Approval of the Federal Programs Advisory Committee: Melody Toma, Lisa Hart, Bridget Hughey, Kelly Robbins, Jayleen Robertson and Christy Greenfield.
Discussion of compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
Approval of Christon Cummings as Title IX coordinator.
Approval of the policy for “Extracurricular Activities Emergency Medical Services.”
Approval of wrestling equipment as surplus. Approval of the employment of Robbi Lawrence as custodian and Sage Higdon as Title VI tutor.