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The Dewey Public Schools Board of Education approved several new and revised policies this week for the upcoming school year, including emergency leave, alternative learning, online instruction and attendance.

Superintendent Vince Vincent said the attendance policy has language in it that explains what attendance means for virtual and traditional learners. He said the attendance policies come into play when they are talking about laws that were passed or State Board of Education regulations that have recently been imposed, like with chronic absenteeism.

Vincent said school districts must declare whether or not a student gets to be medically exempt. Once a medical exemption is approved by the District, Vincent said there are opportunities for a student’s absence to not count as chronic absenteeism. The revised policy helps the Exemption Committee should look for when possibly granting medical exemptions to students.

A temporary, one-year emergency leave policy to employ for the District’s staff to meet the issues surrounding COVID-19 was brought forward by Superintendent Vincent as well that the Board approved. In light of trying to find ways to account and support their employees that have to be in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19, Superintendent Vincent said they needed a policy to show their support to staff that have no choice but to be away from campus.

Typically under Dewey Public Schools' emergency leave policy, Superintendent Vincent said everyone is issued at least two emergency days. More emergency days are available upon meeting certain criteria that have affected an employee (i.e. natural disaster).

All previous emergency leave policies will remain in place with the addition of the temporary emergency leave policy that protects teachers from COVID-19. Superintendent Vincent said staff members will continue to receive all pay, all benefits, and paid leave.

Couple this policy revision with the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act, which provides full-time employees with up to 80-hours of leave that does not count against their employers leave as well, and the teachers have at least 20 days of leave that does not count against the District's leave. Superintendent Vincent said they hope no one has to experience isolation or quarantine, but these measures should protect them if COVID-19 affects their lives.

Teachers cannot take leave unless it is approved by a supervisor. Superintendent Vincent said this is to help them prevent abuse of the policy. He said they are hoping for honest reporting if someone tests positive for COVID-19 or if someone comes in contact with someone with COVID-19.

DPS is doing what it can to provide a work from home procedure. Superintendent Vincent said they believe they have the functionality to have teachers remote into their classroom if they have to self-isolate while they have a substitute teacher in their classroom. He said they believe a teacher can create lessons for remote instruction and they can stay after class so students can talk them if needed. This may prevent teachers from having to take a day or days for emergency leave.

A new policy that was approved by the Dewey Public School Board of Education this week was the school district screening protocol. Superintendent Vincent said this shows that they will have a process for screening visitors before they enter any District facility. This policy is new due to COVID-19.

The online instruction policy was revised to meet the areas of the newly instituted online educational opportunities that are being brought forward across the State of Oklahoma. Superintendent Vincent said there is language in the revised policy that talks about what the District should do when it comes to providing online instruction. He said it will be available to all students. The policy also says that the District will be responsible to provide the needs necessary for students to participate in online instruction should the District need to move to online instruction for any reason. This is to provide equity and opportunity so no student is left behind.