Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

The Oklahoma State Department of Education on Thursday approved Saturday classes in case of another surge of coronavirus cases.

The board approved a plan starting in the fall in which Saturday classes will be counted toward minimum attendance requirements, which is currently prohibited by state law.

Bartlesville Superintendent Chuck McCauley addressed that decision on Monday on a virtual platform. He said they do not plan on having school on Saturdays during the upcoming school year.

Health officials have warned of a possible second surge of coronavirus cases and state schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister has said she wants schools to prepare multiple calendars for the fall, in case of another outbreak.

Oklahoma schools canceled in-person classes and moved to distance learning in mid-March as the virus spread in the state. Whether schools start on time in 2020-2021 will be a local decision.

Superintendent McCauley said Bartlesville Public Schools will start as close to their regular start date of Thursday, August 13th as possible. He said they are doing everything they can to order the necessary disinfectant, thermometers, and personal protective equipment they need to make everyone feel safe.

BPS is discussing the possibility of distance learning days earlier in the year, should they have to move into a full-time virtual platform during the 2020-21 school year. Superintendent McCauley said they will update everyone about that plan throughout the summer.

Full time virtual school options will be available to students as well. Superintendent McCauley said they are going to do everything they can to accommodate all kids so they can still be a part of Bartlesville Public Schools. If you have specific questions regarding your child, McCauley advises that you contact the principal at your child's school.

BPS is also prepared for a scenario in which they need to move to full-time distance learning. Superintendent McCauley said they have learned plenty from there virtual learning experiencing in the final quarter of the 2019-2020 school year. He said the biggest leap that they will make will be on the elementary school level.

The Bartlesville Public Schools Board of Education has already approved the purchase of 3,000 new Chromebooks. Superintendent McCauley said they will have a different device for their early childhood learners. The Chromebooks will help BPS address a need they could not quite meet during the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To address the digital divide during distance learning through the pandemic, Superintendent McCauley said they purchased 250 hotspots to help secondary students and instructors alike connect to the internet at home. He said Phillips 66 donated $100,000 through the Bartlesville Regional United Way to Bartlesville Public Schools for the purchase of 250 more hotspots.