Last Updated on April 17, 2020, 10:51 AM | Published: March 19, 2020
The Putnam City School District released closure guidelines for all employees, students and their families Thursday following the State Board of Education’s order for all public schools to close until April 6.
The state-wide closure is an attempt to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus COVID-19.
The district serves nearly 20,000 students in 27 schools in Northwest Oklahoma City and is currently on spring break.
At home
Students and teachers are now at home marking time without any real knowledge of what will be the length of the crisis.
Jennifer Hill is a journalism and English teacher at Putnam City West. She is staying home with her six-year-old and working on the school’s yearbook during the closure.
She talked to Free Press and asked that we relay a message to Putnam City students.
“It’s easy to feel isolated and alone right now, but please know that your teachers have been thinking of you since we left school on Friday. From PreK to High School, you are most loved,” said Hill in the statement.
The yearbook advisor, who is used to interacting with her yearbook staff and classes, said that it was strange to not see her students.
Full Stop
All classes, after school care, extracurricular activities, sports, professional development workshops, special education services and events also have been canceled by the OkSDE.
Concurrent classes will not be in session at Putnam City Schools and Career Tech classes have been canceled. Students attending a local college for concurrent classes should check with that facility about how to proceed.
At this time, the plan is for schools to reopen on April 6, 2020 but if that changes the district will alert local media and receive information about school closure on the district’s website and through social media.
Meals for students
Cafeteria staff will continue to work through the closing to provide both breakfast and lunch for students free of charge and meals can be picked up curbside at your local school starting March 23rd.
Breakfast times are 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and lunch times are 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Students from Capps can pick up their meals at Central Elementary and Putnam City North can pick up theirs at James L. Dennis Elementary.
Medications
Medications at school can be picked up on March 23, 2020, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the school where the student was attending. The pick-up will be drive-thru only. Parents and guardians will need to show a photo ID complete a form ahead of time.
Questions about the form can be answered by Putnam City Health Services at 405-470-3992.
Those who are sick should not come to the medication pick up but instead call Putnam City Health Services ahead of time to make arrangements.
School days, testing
Even though school is canceled the calendar will not change at this time, and the days missed do not need to be made up.
Issues related to state testing are still being discussed, but updates will be posted on the district website as they become available.
Teachers will continue to be paid during this closure and do not need to input leave time, as this closure was directed by the OkSDE.
Reporter covering the intersection of local politics and Oklahoma families. || Intellectual magpie, and hoarder of datasets. I ❤️ OKC. || When not writing Joey can be found researching light pollution in Oklahoma and visiting Oklahoma schools with her portable planetarium.
