Covid-19 Statement

Update: April 2nd 5:08 PM

Hello,

I wanted to give you another update on what is going on at Cleveland Schools as we continue to navigate this every changing situation. This has been a very unique time for us as we are learning new things as well.  Our instructional teams have been meeting virtually, which is new to many of us. We are looking at new methods of providing instruction and enrichment activities, and while we are excited about these opportunities, we are learning and creating just as we hope your students will be.

Although this is a long list, there is a great deal of valuable information in it.  Please take the time to read the announcement in its entirety. Here is a list of things that I want to make you aware of:

  • We will begin distance learning on Monday, Apr. 6
    • We will post all lessons here on our website.  These lessons should be on the website first thing Monday morning.  We hope that the majority of our students will get their lessons through this method, however we will also attempt to email materials if needed, and parents will have the opportunity to pick up packets at their individual buildings on Mondays from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 pm.  If for some reason your student is unable to receive lessons through one of these methods, please call your respective school to make arrangements. 
      • Lessons will be posted on Mondays.  The materials for week 1 will be posted by this Monday, Apr. 6, and the remainder of the materials for weeks 2 -5 will be posted by the following Monday, Apr. 13.  
      • Lessons will be posted by grade level and/or subject area
    • Individual teachers will help their students with any questions related to the assignments.  We are asking our teachers to try to respond to emails during the day they are received, from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm.  
    • Lessons can be completed over the course of the week and will not require a full day of instruction, as your students experience when they attend school.
    • We realize that students of different ages should have different expectations.  We are following the suggestion from the Oklahoma State Department of Education for the amount of time per day.
      • Pre-K & Kindergarten:  45 minutes a day
      • 1st & 2nd Grade:  1 hour & 10 minutes a day
      • 3rd – 5th Grades:  1 hour & 20 minutes a day
      • 6th – 12th Grades:  3 hours a day
  • Attendance will not be taken each day because students can be learning from anywhere.
  • Parents will not be expected to purchase any supplies or materials to complete assignments. We know the priority is staying at home and practicing social distancing.  
  • If possible, assignments/projects will not be physically delivered to teachers.  We would like this to be done through emailing the assignments back to the teachers.  If this is not possible, assignments may be dropped off in a drop box in front of each school on Mondays.  
  • Grades cannot go down during April and May.  We do not want students to be negatively affected by this interruption in the traditional school year.
    • Learning will always be more important than grades.
    • Teachers will have flexibility to work with students to address any grades this semester.
    • We hope you will work with us as we continue to provide enrichment activities are vitally important to our students.
  • Final semester grades will still be recorded for your students.
    • This is especially important for our high school students who receive high school credit.
      • We don’t want any high school student to be hindered by the closure.
      • We want every graduating senior to have maximum opportunities for moving on to the next phase in their lives.
      • Colleges and post-secondary institutions are all adapting these practices as well.
  • The final day of school will be May 8.
    • Our original calendar says the final day of school will be May 7, but the State Department has mandated that the final day for every school in Oklahoma be between May 8 – May 15.
  • Free meals will continue to be available for our students through the end of the year.
    • We will continue providing a week’s worth of meals at a time each Monday.  Each packet will contain 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches.  
    • We will have drive through locations at Cleveland Middle School, as well as Jay C. Byers Memorial library.  We will also continue to deliver meals to the 29 areas on our bus routes.  
  • Pre-K enrollment for the 2020 – 21 school year has been delayed as we do not want parents to gather in large groups.  
    • We are reorganizing the Pre-K enrollment process and hope to have if finalized by the end of April.  
    • When finalized, we will share this information through our website, facebook page, and our calling system.  
  • All activities and athletic events are cancelled through the end of the year.
  • Cleveland High School graduation is a priority of our families as well as our district.  This is a time to honor our Seniors as they accomplish an important milestone, and we remain committed to accomplishing this.
    • Originally, Cleveland High School graduation was scheduled for May 9 at 7:00 pm.
    • Due to our current restrictions, and the fact that all activities have been cancelled through the end of the year, we realize that graduation as we know it may not be possible. 
    • Our district is committed to honoring our high school seniors even if it means delaying the graduation ceremony, or transitioning to a virtual activity.
    • Although we do not know what the particulars will be, we are gathering ideas of ways to celebrate our 2020 class of graduating seniors, and fully intend to address this in the future.
  • We are aware students, staff, teachers and others have items in our school buildings that they would like to have at home.
    • Right now, safety and health of our students and staff is our first priority.
    • Teachers are being encouraged to not return to school buildings unless absolutely necessary due to health concerns.  They are doing the vast majority of their work from home.
    • When sanctions have been lifted and it is deemed safe, we will devise systematic ways to distribute items to students and parents. 
    • We will also devise systematic ways for you to return items (textbooks, uniforms, etc) that you have at home which belong to the district. 
  • Your school’s principal is participating in many virtual meetings to stay up-to-date regarding safety issues, health items, instructional plans at their school, support of teachers and staff, and many other issues.  If you have questions, reach out by phone or email to your building’s principal and they will give you the information or direct you to the correct place.  

Please know that we are all in this together, and through practicing CDC social distancing recommendations, we will come through this sooner rather than later.  We are here for you during this unprecedented time in our nation.

Although these next five weeks of learning will be challenging and at times difficult, we understand these challenges and will do all that we can to help you work through them.  This enrichment time is for the benefit of your student, and our teachers have worked hard to create lessons that are useful and worthwhile.  

Please take care of yourselves during this time.  Stay safe, wash your hands often, monitor your temperature and practice social distancing.  We are anxious for a time of normalcy to return, but until that time, we are here to help. I am so proud of the work we have done so far, and I am thankful to be a Cleveland Tiger!

Alan Baker
Cleveland Interim Superintendent


Update: March 27th 11:50AM

Beginning this Monday, March 30, Cleveland Schools Food Service will switch to a once a week delivery or pickup schedule.  Children ages 18 and under will receive a package containing 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches to last them the entire week. We will not hand out meals again until the following Monday, Apr. 6.  This was designed to even further minimize the contact between our staff members as well as our staff and the community. We are committed to continue to provide meals for our students and we appreciate your help as we implement this new process.

LINK TO LUNCH PROGRAM PICKUP SCHEDULE

Update: March 25th 8:15PM

Good evening,

I’m sure that many of you have heard, but the Oklahoma State Department of Education voted today for Oklahoma students not to return to the classroom for the reminder of the current school year, as we continue to fight the COVID -19 virus.  With this cancellation, all extracurricular activities and special events are cancelled as well.  

This is certainly difficult news, but news I think most of us were coming to expect.  While I am deeply saddened to deliver this message, I do believe that it is the correct decision.  Adhering to the Shelter in Place order the city made in their proclamation, as well as washing our hands, practicing social distancing, and quarantining ourselves as much as possible are all important factors as we attempt to slow down the spread of this virus.

Here are some updates that I can give:

  • Over the next 10 days, using guidance from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, teachers and administrators will begin developing a Continuous Learning Plan for the last five weeks of the semester.  This plan will allow us to continue providing education and enrichment activities to our students, while they are at home. This plan will begin on Monday, Apr. 6. Further details will be shared next week.  
  • All extra-curricular activities have been canceled through the end of the year.
  • Special events like prom, FFA Banquet and graduation are canceled at this time.  If factors change, it will be our utmost desire to find a way for these events to take place.  I am very hopeful that graduation at least, will be held in some form, at a later time. We certainly haven’t given up on our graduation ceremony, as it is such an important event in the lives of our students and their families, but we will have to wait for the CDC to relax it’s guidelines before it can be planned or rescheduled. 
  • Free meals will continue to be provided to all students 18 and below for the remainder of the school term. We are honored to have the opportunity to continue to provide nourishment for our students.    

Thank you for your support during this unprecedented time.  Please continue to monitor our facebook page and www.clevelandtigers.com for updates. The recommendations from the CDC about protecting your health and the health of your loved ones as well as other resources are available at the bottom of this page. We ask you to please follow their advice by: (1) washing your hands regularly; (2) staying at home, if you can; and (3) practicing social distancing of at least six feet from others. 

Please stay safe.  As always, we appreciate your support of Cleveland Public Schools.  

Alan Baker
Cleveland Interim Superintendent


Update: March 20th 8:13PM

Cleveland Parents and Staff,

Spring break is over and under normal circumstances, we would be gearing up for a return to school on Monday.  Unfortunately, we are currently dealing with unprecedented circumstances. All Oklahoma schools have been closed until at least April 6, and the State School Board is meeting again on Wednesday, March 25 to determine if that closure should be extended. 

As we continue to wait on further guidance, we are also making plans for the well-being of our students.  With this in mind, beginning Monday, March 23, Cleveland Schools will be offering breakfast and lunch to all students under the age of 18 at 29 different locations.  We will travel to these locations and make 15 minute stops, allowing you to bring your children to pick up their meals.

LINK TO LUNCH PROGRAM PICKUP SCHEDULE

According to federal law, children do have to be present to receive the meals.  So please bring them with you to the pick up points.  You do not need to get out of your vehicle, as we will bring the meals to you.

Although we are practicing social distancing and taking every precaution to keep ourselves and those around us safe, we also understand the vital need to feed our students.  We realize that this is a challenging time, so we hope that this will at least ease one concern.  Please go to this blog post for approximate times and locations.  We will continue to keep you updated through our calling system, email and Facebook, and as always continue to monitor this page for the latest information.

Sincerely,

Alan Baker
Cleveland Interim Superintendent


Update: March 16th 9:55PM

A Letter from Interim Superintendent Baker

This afternoon, the state Board of Education voted to close all Oklahoma schools, effective immediately, until at least April 6 in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. This includes Cleveland Public Schools. Additionally, there will be no school activities during this time.

While state officials mandated schools to close for two weeks following spring break, they also encouraged administrators to prepare for the possibility of longer-term closures, if it becomes necessary. Numerous other states throughout the county have taken these same measures.

Oklahoma schools are not expected to be required to make-up the missed days. At this time, schools have been instructed by the state Department of Education not to provide online, home-based or distance learning for students.

This is an unprecedented situation, and it continues to evolve by the hour. We know this uncertainty can cause anxiety and worry, but we want to assure you that Cleveland Public Schools is doing everything possible to ensure the needs of students and employees will be met during this unique time. We will be closed for classes, but – as a district – we will continue to serve our community, while abiding by the healthy best practices that have been recommended by the CDC. Employees will receive information about their responsibilities during the school closure over the next few days.

We encourage you to comply with what health officials have recommended as well. If you can, please stay home and enjoy family time. If you must go out, please practice social distancing, allowing at least six feet between you and other individuals. If you have questions about COVID-19, please contact your medical professional or the county health department. You also can learn more about how to prevent the illness by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

Communication will be key during the next two weeks. It is our hope that accurate and up-to-date correspondence will combat fear and worry, as well as help you make well-informed decisions for your family. As a district, we will be corresponding using this page as well as Facebook, direct email and our calling system. We will be giving updated information about school closure, child nutrition services, end of year activities and more, as soon as information is available.  

For Cleveland Schools, there is nothing more important than the safety and health of our students, staff and community. We want you to be safe, and we appreciate your flexibility and understanding. With everyone’s support, we will get through this together.

Sincerely,

Alan Baker
Cleveland Interim Superintendent


Update: March 16th 4:39PM

The Oklahoma State Department of Education met late this afternoon and made the decision to close all Oklahoma public schools until April 6 in response to the Covid-19 virus. Cleveland Public Schools will be following that guidance and applying this time frame to all academic and extra curricular activities including athletics.

We are aware this creates additional complications for some and while we will be limited in what we can do over the next couple of weeks we are looking into ways we can help.

As we move forward, we will be utilizing this page as well as facebook to communicate updated information as necessary.


March 13th 4:30PM

We are in communication with the State Department of Education and community partners in order to support future decision-making regarding how the District will respond to the COVID-19 virus. We will keep you updated as we receive more information and guidance regarding next steps and continue to evaluate our services as information becomes available and the situation evolves.

We know that families travel regularly and may have plans to travel over Spring Break. With the well-being of our entire community on our minds, please be aware of where you are in relation to COVID-19 hotspots. Conditions change daily and being aware of your surroundings can help prevent the spread of the disease.

At all times, our goal is to preserve the safety, health, and well being of our students and staff. During spring break, our staff will be working hard to clean and sanitize our buildings and buses to assure students return to an environment that meets that goal. We recognize the District, working together with local health agencies and the State Department of Education, has an important role in slowing the spread of diseases and to help ensure students have safe and healthy learning environments.

As always, we encourage you to keep your child at home if they present signs of illness. Stopping transmission of this or any virus through everyday practices is the best way to keep people healthy. The Center for Disease Control recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

● Avoid close contact with people with symptoms of illness such as a fever and cough.
● Stay home when you are sick and at least 24 hours after your symptoms end.
● Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
● Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
● Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
● Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
● If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

We appreciate your diligence in practicing these preventative measures. While no one in the District’s service area has been identified as having COVID-19, we want to be vigilant and proactive, but cautious about heightening concern through our communications.

In the event of an outbreak in our community, we would follow our public health partners’ lead as well as accept guidance from the State Department of Education. Again, we encourage you to keep your child home when classes resume after spring break if they show signs of illness.

Thank you

Links and Resources
What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)pdf
What to do if you are sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Stop the spread of germs – help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses like COVID-19
COVID-19 and children
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 
World Health Organization
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Talking About COVID-19: A Parent Resource 
Parents: 9 Questions You May Have
A Resource For Kids – NPR
CDC Fact Sheet 
The Science Behind Hand washing 
Disinfectants & COVID-19
WebMD Fact Sheet
CPS Pandemic Plan