Cordell Public Schools

VIRTUAL LEARNING – Week of November 30, 2020 to December 4, 2020
Click here to download the notice.

Cordell Community,

As you know our community has been hit hard with COVID this past week. It appears that the spread of the virus is increasing and more and more students and staff members at school are becoming affected.

Cordell School will transition to virtual learning until Monday, December 7, 2020. The rationale behind this virtual period is that those who are currently infected with and those that may become exposed during the Thanksgiving break, will be free of the virus by the 7th allowing us to return to school for the last two weeks before Christmas.

Our community needs to use this time to get well and stay well without further spread of the virus. I know this is an inconvenience for many. I truly believe that our students need to be in school, but I also know that we have to do all we can to stop the spread of this terrible virus.

As a result of this transition there will be no basketball or wrestling practices, scrimmages or games until after December 7th. We feel that if extra curricular activities continue that this will defeat the purpose of moving to a virtual schedule.

Ipads and Chrombooks will be sent home with students tomorrow in preparation for this transition to virtual learning. JH/HS students will need to check emails and be ready to attend classes virtually during their regularly scheduled class times. Elementary students will also need to log in and make sure work is complete. Students will need to log on and complete work in order to be counted present.

I appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this decision. This has been a difficult decision as I know it affects many in our community in an adverse way.

If your child tests positive during this virtual period, we ask that you notify the school so that we can track students and get ready to return on December 7th. Please call 580-832-1000 and leave a message or email brad.overton@cordell.k12.ok.us. Please provide your name, child’s name, and date of positive test.

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Parents/Guardians,

Due to the increase of COVID-19 cases within the Cordell School System as well as the Cordell community, Cordell Public Schools will now implement a mandatory mask policy. The mandatory mask policy will take effect on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Students are asked to bring their own mask. However, if a student does not have a mask, one will be provided.

The Cordell Public Schools 2020-2021 Return to Learn Plan approved by the Cordell Board of Education on August 11, 2020, reflected that Cordell Public Schools would mandate masks according to the changes in the Oklahoma School Safety Protocols’ color-coded COVID-19 alert system. When Washita County moved to Level Orange within the system, Cordell Schools had virtually no COVID-19 cases. Based on the number of cases in the school system at that time, it was determined no protocol changes were needed. However, with the recent increase in cases at the school, it is necessary to comply with the mandatory mask protocol as indicated in Cordell’s Return to Learn Plan Protocol/Procedure table.

As always, we truly appreciate the support from the Cordell community. The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance to us. Thank you for your cooperation.

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Cordell Community,

As many of you know Cordell Schools had one football player test positive for COVID-19 Friday afternoon. Due to this occurrence, our football game with Carnegie was cancelled as well as our game against Apache that was scheduled for Thursday, October 15th. As a result of the quarantined students, the junior high football season is over. The junior high team only had two games left. However, as a result of the quarantine, we do not have enough players to finish the season.

Because of this one positive student, 8 football players are required to quarantine and another 17 students were identified as contacts. Cordell is following both the OSHD and CDC guidelines for contact tracing. A close contact is defined as any individual within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. All contacts who are required to quarantine have been contacted and instructed on how to proceed under the quarantine. If you or your student have not been notified, you will not be required to quarantine. Students are not required to quarantine by simply being in the same classroom, same hallway or by touching a surface that the infected student touched.

My thoughts and prayers are with the infected student and his family. This is a time to support each other. As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We need to continue to be vigilant with our safety practices.

Superintendent
Brad Overton

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Census