‘Everything will be back to normal’
As the nation continues to progress with COVID vaccination efforts and the lowering of COVID cases, schools across Oklahoma have begun to release their plans for dealing with schooling for the start of the next school year.
While Cordell Schools spent most of the previous school year in person, schools are required to provide a plan for the upcoming school year to access Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds.
Many things outlined in the ‘Return to Learn’ plan have been implemented throughout the previous school year such as recommendation or proper mask-wearing, recommendation of social distancing, the continuation of CDC guidance, and much more.
This year, however, Superintendent Brad Overton said the school year will look different as he believes many of the things done last year will be able to be relaxed in some capacity.
“I don’t anticipate masks being mandated,” Overton said. “Last year we kept student groups apart as much as possible in areas such as the cafeteria and playground. Un less something changes we will begin this school year without keeping students separate in the cafeteria and playground. Everything will be back to normal.”
After the schools’ mask mandate was lifted last year, many of the students stopped wearing masks, and Overton said that he does not anticipate many students wearing masks, although they will continue to be recommended.
Last year, Cordell Schools quarantined around 500 students, and Overton said that to his knowledge, none of the quarantined students had caught COVID and that he does “not feel that the pandemic spread at school last year.”
The schools plan to continue the cleaning practices that were done last year. The use of “hypochlorous acid will be used for disinfecting and cleaning on surfaces frequently” according to the provided document.
As for virtual learning, while Cordell Schools “will have the availability of virtual learning if it is necessary due to COVID-19” according to the document, the number of students that will be allowed to go fully virtual for the year will change.
“We feel that virtual education was not a good alternative for very many of our students,” Overton said. “Virtual instruction will be available, [but] we will significantly scale back on the number of students that we allow to be fully virtual.”
Overall, Cordell Public Schools plan to continue to follow the CDC’s guidelines for COVID as the year progresses, and said, “it is with utmost importance for Cordell Schools to keep students, faculty, and staff safe.”
Cordell Schools will be holding a meeting on June 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the CPAC center to inform the public of its plans and to receive comments and concerns over the ‘Return to Learn’ plan.
The full document outlining the schools’ plan in dealing with COVID during the next school year is available on the Cordell Public Schools website.
“I am hopeful that we can work together with the community to prepare for a safe school year,” Overton said.