Some Tulsa Area School Districts Shift To Distance Amid Need For Substitutes
Due to the lack of substitute teachers, some Green Country school districts have shifted to distance learning this week. We need our kids in school and learning and when we have teachers out for quarantine or just regular illnesses, we can t run the building without those great adults, said Broken Arrow Associate Superintendent of Instructional Services Karla Dyess.
Broken Arrow shifted its entire district online, while Union Public Schools moved its high school students to distance learning because of absences.
Some districts are getting creative to help keep kids in the classroom, by using principals, secretaries, and even superintendents to fill gaps right now created by teachers who need to quarantine.
Owasso coach Casey Stelzer continues to encourage his athletes to just keep swimming.
For the first time in months, Owasso’s swim team can practice in its own pool. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed renovations at the Claremore Recreation Center last March but those renovations have been completed. Stick with it. Hard work, hard work, hard work will persevere,” Stelzer said.
The team said the end of last season through start of this one was a challenge. Seniors like Olivia Ross said adversity was a welcome test and a tool Ross uses both in and out of the water. It became less about the season and more about, ‘I wanna be together as a team and I wanna do something that we love,’” Ross said. “Swimming is something we love, so we just wanted to do that. The time clock doesn t lie. The work that we put into this pool shows up on the time clock.
Union Public Schools Transitions High School Students To Distance Learning Due To COVID-19
Union Public Schools has announced it is shifting grades 9-12 to distance learning starting Thursday with an expected return to in-person learning on Feb. 8.
This decision comes as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in those older grades. District-wide Union’s website said they have over 1,400 students and teachers in isolation or quarantine at this time.
Union Public School’s Superintendent Kirt Hartzler said in a statement that the shift is the best decision they could make right now.
“Due to significant teacher absences at the secondary level, we’ve reached the point where we do not have enough substitutes available to adequately cover classrooms at these grade levels,” said Hartzler. “As a result, we will shift to distance learning for grades 9-12 beginning tomorrow, with students returning to school on Feb. 8.”
Union High Schools To Switch To Distance Learning
Union Public Schools will switch 9-12th grade students to distance learning on Thursday, January 28th.
According to the UPS, students at Union High School, Union Freshman Academy, and Alternative Education will remain in distance learning through next week, returning to in-person school on Monday, Feb. 8.
“Due to significant teacher absences at the secondary level, we’ve reached the point where we do not have enough substitutes available to adequately cover classrooms at these grade levels,” said Superintendent Kirt Hartzler. “As a result, we will shift to distance learning for grades 9-12 beginning tomorrow, with students returning to school on Feb. 8,” said UPS in a public statement.
Tulsa Community College’s early college program is growing by two districts.
TCC has announced EDGE, which stands for “Earn a Degree, Graduate Early,” will be offered in Broken Arrow as well as Tulsa public schools in the fall. Eighth graders apply now for the program, in which students take college classes starting in 10th grade and earn an associate’s degree by the time they graduate from high school. And then, by the time they’re done with high school, they’re already half finished with college and they can transfer to one of our university partner schools and complete their bachelor degree. And we are just so excited to develop a vehicle that provides that kind of financial mobility and changing the trajectory of a family, said TCC President Leigh Goodson.