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Contents:
Notifying OSDE of All Virtual/Distance Learning Days
OSDE recognizes that schools are continually adjusting instructional offerings to students as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a reminder, please follow the most recent learning environment and attendance guidance to ensure that OSDE receives notification of all virtual/distance learning days at each site within your district.
Ensuring the data submitted is accurate and reliable allows OSDE to accurately interpret and report these virtual/distance learning days to many different audiences that need that information (e.g., for public reporting associated with American Recovery Plan federal relief funds).
If all students at a site are moved into a virtual or distance learning environment, the easiest way to report this change is to update values in your local student information system. This can be accomplished by changing the Calendar Date Type code to reflect an “Instructional” day with a Calendar Date Type Other code value of ‘03’.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Data Information Systems at studentdatainfo@sde.ok.gov or (405) 521-3020.
With the enactment of Senate Bill 783, the Legislature made comprehensive reforms to Oklahoma’s school transfer laws, namely revising the requirements for accepting and denying student transfers and requiring school districts to set and list enrollment capacities on their websites. These changes, among others, make students eligible to request a transfer to any district in the state, regardless of where they live.
To support schools and parents in understanding the provisions of this new bill, OSDE developed a series of FAQs documents. After gathering feedback since its original publication, OSDE has revised its FAQs for districts by adding over 10 new transfer-related questions and corresponding answers.
View updated Student FAQs for Districts here.
Additional transfer resources can be found on the Student Transfers webpage.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Accreditation at accreditation.division@sde.ok.gov or (405) 521-3335.
 View the OSDE Reporting Requirements Calendar for upcoming deadlines and reporting details.
Districts that received funding from Project 789 Governors Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund or Project 789 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief ESSER Fund have until Feb. 15 to submit mid-year evaluations.
Mid-year evaluations must include the following:
- CARES Reporting Cover Sheet
- CARES Year TWO Mid-Year Budget Narrative (with supporting documentation)
- CARES Year TWO Mid-Year Grant Evaluation
- Approved CARES Budget Change Request Forms, if applicable
Access the above assets via the CARES 789 Toolkit located on the Project 789 webpage.
All funds must be spent by June 30. There will be no carryovers allowed.
Final claims must be submitted in GMS for reimbursement by July 31.
Note: If you have already submitted your evaluation, you should have received an email from Lyric Jackson informing you that it has been approved.
If you have questions, contact Lyric Jackson at lyric.jackson@sde.ok.gov or Shelly Perkins at shelly.perkins@sde.ok.gov.
OSDE and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) are partnering to conduct the 2021-22 statewide kindergarten immunization survey.
The survey measures:
- The percentage of kindergarten students protected against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, and varicella through compliance with school entry vaccination requirements.
- The percentage of students in compliance with Oklahoma’s School Immunization Law through filed exemptions.
Read a joint letter from Supt. Hofmeister and Interim OSDH Commissioner Keith Reed regarding the survey here.
Access the survey here.
Download survey instructions here.
It is preferable that your school nurse or other designated staff member familiar with the review and entry of vaccination records complete this survey. The survey must be completed by March 31.
If you need additional assistance, contact Immunization Services at the Oklahoma State Department of Health at ksurvey@health.ok.gov.
Note: Due to the FCC Form 470 close date scheduled for Feb. 22, this training has been rescheduled for Feb. 16 (previously listed as Feb. 24).
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission Public Utility Division is offering free E-Rate and Oklahoma Universal Service Fund (OUSF) training for schools and libraries. Due to travel concerns associated with COVID-19, the OUSF E-rate training will be held virtually on Feb. 16.
The training will include discussion on the following topics:
- Navigating the OCC/OUSF website
- Eligible service providers
- Overview of affidavit
- Bid reviews and contract concerns
- Preapproval requests
- OUSF funding process
- Form 471 changes
- New rules for Category Two
- Best practices for filing funding applications
- E-Rate program rules and compliance
- Funds for Learning
Staff will also conduct an open question and answer session for participants.
OUSF & E-Rate Training for Schools & Libraries
Feb. 16, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Register here
If you have questions, contact Maura Shortt at maura.shortt@occ.ok.gov.
The Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute (OASI) is the state's premier program for high school students wishing to further their skills in the literary, visual and performing arts. During an intensive two-week residency program, students study with renowned artist-educators in one of eight disciplines: acting, chorus, creative writing, dance, drawing and painting, film and video, orchestra or photography.
All accepted students automatically receive a full scholarship, thereby ensuring that all students can attend regardless of financial means.
Audition deadlines vary by discipline. View audition and interview dates and locations here.
Administrators,
In advance of this school year’s graduation exercises, I strongly encourage your district leadership to examine existing tribal regalia policies in your local communities to ensure their rights are protected. As you know, Oklahoma is officially home to 39 tribal nations—as well as individuals affiliated with many other tribes—that collectively represent a unique cultural foundation in all of our school communities. Our American Indian students value a number of items that pay homage to their cultural heritage.
The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) directs the collaboration of local education agencies and tribal educational representatives “to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of Indian students; to ensure that Indian students gain knowledge and understanding of Native communities…traditions, and cultures; and to ensure that teachers, principals, other school leaders, and other staff who serve Indian students have the ability to provide culturally appropriate and effective instruction and supports to such students” (20 U.S.C.§ 7402).
We must ensure these supports benefit all students. The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) recommends that those districts required to conduct tribal consultation pursuant to ESSA (20 U.S.C. § 7918) reserve time in this year’s consultation to discuss policies in relation to American Indian students wearing eagle feathers and other culturally significant Native regalia to graduation ceremonies and similar events. For districts not required to conduct such consultations, a policy discussion with local tribal leaders and community members is strongly encouraged.
Thank you for your continued work and commitment to students.
Sincerely,
 Joy Hofmeister
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Enclosed: May 8, 2019 letter from Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter
School Counseling: Better Together
National School Counseling Week aims to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors and highlight the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve social, emotional, academic and college and career success.
We encourage school counselors to use National School Counseling Week as a way to advocate for their school counseling program. It is a week dedicated to showing students, caregivers, educators, administrators, school boards, the community and other stakeholders the vital services and supports provided by school counselors.
It is also a week that administrators can show appreciation and support of school counselors. Administrators can show support to their school counselors the week of Feb. 7-11 by:
- Encouraging school staff to write letters of appreciation to the school counselor(s)
- Encouraging teachers to let students write letters of appreciation or draw pictures for the school counselor(s)
- Honoring the school counselor(s) at a school assembly or during morning announcements
- Learning more about the appropriate role of the school counselor
- Learning more about the new Oklahoma Comprehensive School Counseling Framework published in October 2021
- Sharing about the role of the school counselor and the value of your school’s school counselor(s) on your school social media, website and/or newsletters
- Asking the school counselor(s) how they would like to celebrate National School Counseling Week
Thank you for your support of school counseling!
If you have questions about National School Counseling Week or would like to provide praise for your school counselor(s), contact Sarah Kirk at sarah.kirk@sde.ok.gov.
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The Oklahoma State Dept. of Health (OSDH) is offering no-cost PPE for mitigation and response to COVID-19 through a series of distribution events held at the State RSS Warehouse.
Starting tomorrow and occurring every Wednesday after, facilities can collect PPE from the warehouse based on the parameters listed below.
OSDH PPE Distribution Event
Every Wednesday (Until further notice)
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Instructions
Important things to remember when picking up PPE from the state warehouse:
- Remain in your vehicle and OSDH staff will assist you through the entire process.
- Please do NOT enter off Council. If you do, you will be redirected to Rockwell to ensure the safety of staff operating outside.
- When at the check-in station, place your vehicle in park.
- Proof of identification for representing the facility you are receiving product for will be required.
- There are no quantity limits, but all PPE must be transported by the individual picking up product. OSDH will not hold items.
For more information, visit the Oklahoma Emergency PPE Supply website.
If you have questions, contact OSDH at ppeorders@health.ok.gov.
This virtual summit will expand upon OSDE's previous trauma-informed conferences by offering educators practical strategies to collaborate with families and communities for student success. Keynote speaker Heather Forbes will discuss the tools, understanding and resources needed to successfully create a trauma-informed learning environment, whether it is in a single classroom, a school or an entire district.
All registered attendees will receive a link to the keynote before the day of the virtual event.
Trauma Summit: Connecting & Collaborating for Student Success
Feb. 24, 9-11:30 a.m.
Register here
If you have questions, contact Justin Newton at justin.newton@sde.ok.gov or Amanda Jones at amanda.jones@sde.ok.gov.
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