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Dewey Public Schools

Posted: Jul 10, 2020 12:19 PMUpdated: Jul 10, 2020 2:08 PM

More on Bulldogger Back to School Plan Released

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Garrett Giles

As we look forward to the 2020-2021 school year, Dewey Public Schools recognizes the uncertainties and challenges that are ahead of them.

District committees are working on safety measures, operational policies/procedures and educational needs that deliver their district mission of being student centered, future focused.

In an update recently released by Dewey Superintendent Vince Vincent, he said they hope to share those pieces of their BULLDOGGER BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN the week of July 20th in PART 2. He said all plans continue to evolve and require flexibility from us all as they continue to gain knowledge of COVID-19 and how to mitigate its impact.

However, in today’s PART 1, Superintendent Vincent said he is happy to share information regarding the academic side of their BULLDOGGER BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN. For the 2020-2021 school year, they will offer two basic learning pathways, traditional and 100-percent online. Within the traditional pathway, DPS has included a distance learning pathway that will be utilized as circumstances require. The following is a breakdown of each pathway as it relates to the chart within this communication.

Traditional Pathway - This is their typical educational model that all students will be enrolled in unless intending to enroll in Bulldogger Online School (BOS). This pathway will include new procedures and protocols for the health and safety of students and staff. It will also include the use of a new Learning Management System (LMS) called Schoology by classroom teachers district wide. The purpose of the LMS is to provide a digital desk or hub for all daily lessons and resources. While the LMS will be an asset within the traditional classroom setting, it will also help the district better transition and support the distance learning pathway when necessary.

Distance Learning Pathway - Although there are many unknowns as they approach next school year, they do know that it's necessary to plan for times when students may not be able to attend on-campus classes for undetermined amounts of time. This pathway allows the traditionally enrolled student to continue to receive educational services, as closely related to the traditional pathway as possible, when experiencing health issues or during school closures (For very short term school closures, ES students may be provided a "menu" of learning options until they can safely return to school). You'll notice on the chart below that the arrow graphic indicates that the district’s intent is to provide an in-person school setting as much as possible. As the number of local COVID cases/concerns rise, it may call for a shift to this pathway with teachers using the same software pieces that they utilize daily in the classroom. This pathway affords students to stay on pace with classmates and be fully supported by their classroom teachers.

Bulldogger Online School (BOS) - This pathway is new to Dewey Public Schools and is intended to support students who are concerned about the traditional pathway of instruction and may better serve their educational needs during the global pandemic. This program will be available to K-12th grade students who were enrolled in Dewey Schools last year and/or are residents of the school district. The primary instructional tool will be a content management system called Edgenuity with content covering all Oklahoma Academic Standards. While Dewey Public School teachers will not be actually providing direct instruction in this program, students in BOS will be supported, guided and held accountable for attendance/educational progress by DPS faculty. This pathway also offers optional participation in school sponsored extracurricular activities as long as students attend one course on campus daily throughout the school year. The addition of BOS will include an expansion of our 1:1 Chromebook program to include all students K-12 so that any student that enrolls in this pathway will be provided a take home device.

Superintendent Vincent urges any parents that are interested in Bulldogger Online School to complete the enrollment form below by July 27th. He said it’s understandable that some may desire to gather more information about the BuIldogger Back to School Plan before making a decision on a learning pathway. The district will work to get that information to you as close to Monday, July 20th as possible. However, if you wish to know more about BOS, you are encouraged to reach out to your school principal with any questions or concerns.

Superintendent Vincent thanks you for your support, understanding and confidence in their staff. He asks that you please understand that planning for the school year is continuing.

Many final decisions have yet to be made including the use of facial coverings by students. Superintendent Vincent respectfully asks for continued patience as they attempt to make decisions that gets students and staff back to school safely but that are feasible and practical as well. He said he looks forward to sharing more information with you in mid to late July for the upcoming school year.


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