Ponca City Public School’s Superintendent Shelley Arrott posted a video to the school’s YouTube channel on Nov. 10 detailing the nature of the distance learning at the high school.

The decision ultimately came down to the data. PCPS keeps track of numbers of cases, close contacts and percentages which are updated on a daily basis. Over a period of less than 36 hours over the period from Saturday, Nov. 7 to Monday, Nov. 9 had seven positive cases in the school resulting in contact tracing.

The number of Po-Hi students out on quarantine on Nov. 10 was around 32%, nearly tripled the ten to 12% that were out the previous week.

“We can manage isolated cases, but can’t manage it while widespread,” said Arrott.

Arrott urges parents to remain vigilant to help stop or slow the spread and encouraged parents and students to wear a mask, social distance when near people outside your home and to wash you hands.

If a student is experiencing any symptoms: fever over 100, persistent cough, shortness of breath, lack of taste and/or smell, do not send them to school. The student should get tested for COVID-19 and should not be sent back to school until the tests come back negative.

In several cases, the school has noticed that students may exhibit symptoms and stay home, then feel better and assume it was a false alarm. But these symptoms will occur again after 24 to 48 hours and then they will come back positive.

“Please keep your kids home if they are exhibiting symptoms,” said Arrott.

Grab and Go Meals will be available to high school students during the distance learning period. Students may pick-up lunch and the following day’s breakfast from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. through Tuesday, Nov. 24. Meals may be picked up at the 5th Street parking lot of Po-Hi as was previously done during the lockdown period last spring.

To help the school plan for the number of meals to prepare, call Tamra Ralston at 580-718-3830 by 3:00 p.m. the prior school day to confirm meals. Both hot meals as well as Grab and Go Meals will be served and phone call confirmation will help the school to meet the needs of students.

Staff who are not quarantined will be in the building during the distance learning period, and they will instruct with zoom and submit assignments with Google Classroom.

“Teachers are ready to serve your children,” said Arrott. “We must stop the spread or we will not have high schoolers in the building anyway.”

Friday Nov. 13 is still going to be a school wide distance learning practice day.

The distance learning period for the high school began Nov. 11 and will conclude Nov. 24. The next day, Nov. 25 will be the start of the Thanksgiving holiday break for the schools and high school students will return to class on Nov. 30.

“Its tough and tedious, but is good for the safety of the students,” said Arrott. “It’ll take all of us working together through the global pandemic.”