Tulsa Public Schools announces plans that could potentially bring students back by end of Feb.

Dear parents and families,

I am writing to share some important information about potential shifts in our mode of learning.

Over the last month, we have seen our longest sustained decline in Tulsa-area COVID-19 rates since the pandemic began. Based on our current COVID trajectory and subject to board approval, I believe that we can bring all of our students back to in-person learning before the end of February.

We have reached this milestone because Tulsans are following COVID-19 safety guidance. These efforts, coupled with the work we have and will do to keep ourschools as safe as possible, make me feel excited and confident about the possibility of a February return.

I will be recommending to the Board that we replace the April intersession with instructional days, getting us more time with our students and to support their needs.

Getting our students back to in-person learning and keeping them there depends on all of us, and we need every Tulsan to continue doing their part to decrease community spread:

• Keep wearing your masks and monitoring your symptoms.
• Get vaccinated for COVID-19 as soon as you can:
  • If you are a member of the Cherokee, Muscogee Creek, Choctaw, or Osage Nations, you may be eligible for vaccination through tribal health services;
  • If you are a veteran, you may be eligible through the Veterans Administration; and
  • You can also pre-register for vaccination through the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s registration portal at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov.
• Call 918-746-6310 to join our team as a substitute teacher - we will be increasing daily rates for substitute teachers through the end of the year.

We’ve waited a long time for this, Tulsa. Let’s keep moving in the right direction, let’s get our students back into their classrooms with their teachers and peers, and let’s do what it takes to keep them there.

Stay safe, Tulsa.

Deborah A. Gist