With the start of a new school year two months or less away, superintendents, teachers and other administrators aren’t quite sure what to expect.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is so much uncertainty still looming.
The deaths across Oklahoma attributed to the virus have started declining and overall, so has the number of people testing positive.
Persons testing negative for COVID-19 in Oklahoma far outweigh the positives and that’s encouraging.
However, educators continue to express their concerns not knowing for sure what will happen with the opening of school not that far away.
Meeker School Supt. Jeff Pruitt told his board members in a meeting a couple of weeks ago, “We’re not sure what’s going to happen through July and early August.”
He further explained, “We have three platforms to utilize in teaching the students including traditional learning, blended learning, which we already are doing, and distance learning.”
He believes, “The biggest challenge will be for our elementary students and some of our middle school students with distance learning I think. There’s going to be different routines and things we’re not accustomed to doing,” he predicted.
“We have the three basic modes of education because it’s so fluid,” he added.
Dale School Supt. Charlie Dickinson recently told his board, “Come August, we four, administrators, I, Ky, J.D. and Carren (Cantrell-Milligan), have no idea what it will look like as far as students attending classes.”
Pruitt talked briefly, too, about the 74-page document entitled “Return to Learn,” the State Department of Education distributed recently, noting he had gotten only about half way through it prior to the board meeting.
It appears to be somewhat of a blueprint for educators as they head into the coming school term.
There’s little doubt that in the fall teachers and administrators could face some major challenges as students return to the classroom and athletic activities resume.
As the student athletes and coaches, athletic directors and others were allowed to begin returning to work out, there were some major provisions put in place for all to follow.
It was also emphasized by those in this area that these workouts were voluntary, absolutely not mandatory, and the athletes would not be negatively impacted for non-participation.
The classroom setting is considerably different. It will be interesting to see come August what will take place.
Will students be mandated to attend class at their schools or will they be allowed to attend through distance learning.?
What if later in the fall there is an increase in COVID-19 cases again like many experts seem to think might happen?
This could be a difficult year for educators as they face challenges like they never have seen before and, as Pruitt talked about, going through routines they are not use to doing.
We encourage clear communication between all concerned, strong leadership, flexibility and consistency in implementation of whatever is decided.