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Dewey Superintendent Vince Vincent said there are policy issues the Board needs to address during a Special Board of Education meeting as schools across Oklahoma move into a virtual environment for the remainder of the school year.

The anticipation is that Board meetings will take place in a virtual format until the Coronavirus crisis fades away. Vincent said several policies regarding teleconferencing regulations, the posting of agendas for those meeting and how the public will participate in them will be reviewed on Friday at noon.

Also during the meeting, discussion and possible action to grant Vincent temporary emergency powers to address the COVID-19 emergency will be weighed. Discussion and possible action granting Vincent authority to place any or all support personnel on Administrative Leave in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis for the purpose of protecting their pay and benefits will take place as well. This authority would be in effect for the duration of the pandemic or until June 30th, 2020, whichever comes first. Any such issued Administrative Leave, if approved, does not relieve the employee of their duties with Dewey Public Schools for Fiscal Year 2020.

Again, the Dewey Public Schools Board of Education will meet to discuss, and possibly adopt, these items on Friday, March 27th, at noon.

Vincent want to encourage students and parents during this time of uncertainty to remain calm. He asks that everyone exercise patience, and that DPS will provide more guidance as to what virtual instruction means for the district in the near futre. Complexities surrounding the situation will be addressed and met.