It’s not over yet

McAdoo

As we navigated through the 2020-21 school year with great success, we understand that there is still much to be accomplished as we prepare for the 2021-22 school year and beyond.”

superintendent Dr. Sheli McAdoo

There are no crystal balls in use at Purcell Public Schools where administrators drafted the district’s Safe Return to Learn Plan.

Built into the plan for 2021-24 are five continuing review and public input periods set aside for public input as the district finds its way out of the threat posed by COVID-19.

The first of those was in June.

Subsequent periods will be December 2021, June 2022, December 2022 and June 2023.

“As we navigated through the 2020-21 school year with great success, we understand that there is still much to be accomplished as we prepare for the 2021-22 school year and beyond,” superintendent Dr. Sheli McAdoo wrote in the plan’s introductory letter.

McAdoo pledged to “rely on research and support from the Centers for Disease Control, Oklahoma State Department of Health and Oklahoma State Department of Education, as well as our community.”

McAdoo identified three parts to the Safe Return to Learn Plan – stakeholder input, safe conditions for all students and staff and continuing review and input.

There are nine parts to safe conditions for all students and staff.

Masking regulations top the list.

Although fully vaccinated adults and students age 12 and older are exempt from the mask requirement, the plan calls for following the state health department’s COVID-19 alert system for mask recommendations.

In green counties, masks aren’t required. In yellow, they are recommended, but not required. In orange counties, masks are strongly recommended, but not required except in areas where students congregate and can’t socially distance, like school buses.

Under a red alert, masks are mandatory at all times except for eating or during recess or physical activity.

At present, the vaccines haven’t received CDC approval for children younger than 12 years.

Other steps call for maintaining six feet distance, possibly reducing building capacity, staggering recess, use of hand sanitizer, hand washing, utilizing deep cleaning protocols.