TPS discusses reopening plan with parents amid pandemic

TPS discusses reopening plan with parents amid pandemic

HELPING YOU KEEP YOUR KIDSSAFE.

AS PART OF OUR'PROJECT SAFE SCHOOLS'INITIATIVE, WE'RE KEEPING ACLOSE WATCH ON GREEN COUNTRYDISTRICTS AS THEY COME UPWITH THEIR PLANS.

TULSAPUBLIC SCHOOLS HELD THEFIRST OF SEVERAL VIRTUALMEETINGS TONIGHT FORPARENTS.2 WORKS FOR YOU'S KATIEKELEHER IS LIVE NOW WITHWHAT HAPPENED, AND WHAT'SNEXT FOR TULSA STUDENTS.TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARESTILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUTHOW THEY'REGOING TO HOLD SCHOOL THISFALL.

TONIGHT WAS A CHANCEFORPARENTS TO GIVE FEEDBACK ANDASK QUESTIONS.

IT'S CLEAR,SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY.WHAT TO DO ABOUT SCHOOL THISFALL?

ABOUT ONE THOUSANDT-P-S PARENTS JOINEDSUPERINTENDENT DEBORAH GISTAND OTHER STAFF TO DISCUSSTHAT.

T-P-S WENT OVER THEOPENING PLAN SO FAR - BUTNOTHING IS SET IN STONE ASOF NOW.

ONCE A DECISION ISMADE - THERE COULD STILL BECHANGES.DEBORAH GIST,SUPERINTENDENT, TULSA PUBLICSCHOOLS "Even if we're backin person, at any moment wecould have a school thatgoes onto distance learningjust overnight because wefind out about cases thatrequire that." IN A LETTERTO PARENTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT -GIST ALONG WITH THE BOARDPRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT- SAID IF A DECISION WASMADE TODAY - THEY WOULDRECOMMEND SCHOOL NOT BE HELDIN PERSON.

HOWEVER, THEREARE CURRENTLY THREE OPTIONSFOR SCHOOL PLUS THE VIRTUALLEARNING ACADEMY.

THEREWILL EITHER BE IN-PERSONSCHOOL, DISTANCE LEARNING,OR STAGGERED ATTENDANCE.

IFTHERE IS ANY IN-PERSONSCHOOLING, WEDNESDAYS WILLALWAYS BE DISTANCE LEARNINGDAYS.GIST "To be able to keep thelevel of quality up, ourteachers need time to dothat well.

It also gives ustime to do extra support forstudents who have fallenbehind during this time." APOLL BETWEEN PARENTS IN THEMEETING SHOWED A NEAR SPLITBETWEEN 100 PERCENTIN-PERSON AND STAGGERED.

FORTHAT OPTION - STUDENTS WOULDBE SPLIT INTO TWO GROUPSBASED ON LAST NAME.

THEYWOULD GO TO SCHOOL IN-PERSONTWO DAYS A WEEK AND DODISTANCE LEARNING THREE DAYSA WEEK.

ONE OF PARENTS'BIGGEST CONCERNS WITH THISIS SPLITTING UP FAMILIES.BUT - TPS SAYS - THEY WANTTO KEEP HOUSEHOLDS TOGETHER.ANDREA CASTAÑEDA//CHIEFINNOVATION OFFICER, TULSAPUBLIC SCHOOLS "We're notinterested in defining ahousehold for you.

Howeveryou define your household,we want to keep you togetherif that's what makes themost sense for you." PARENTSPOLLED MOSTLY AGREED THATMASKS SHOULD BE REQUIRED.MANY ALSO SAYING THEY WANTSOCIAL DISTANCING IN BUSESAND SCHOOLS - AND WOULD LIKELUNCH IN THE CLASSROOM.DR. GIST SAYS MASKS WILL BEIN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED TOSTART WEARING THEM NOW.ANDREA CASTAÑEDA//CHIEFINNOVATION OFFICER, TULSAPUBLIC SCHOOLS "The morethat families start to getstudents used to them overthe summer, the more theyare introduced in incrementsso that they're not sosurprising, the easier thistransition will be forstudents."THE BOARD WILL VOTE ONAUGUST 3RD TO DECIDE HOWSCHOOL WILL HAPPEN THISYEAR.

FOR LINKS TO THET-P-S OPTIONS, VISIT OURWEBSITE, KJRH DOT COM.

LIVEIN TULSA, KATIE KELEHER, 2WORKS FOR YOU.<00:20:56- 00:21:02