El Reno Public Schools has a plan for the remainder of the school year.

COVID-19 has caused schools across the country to improvise within new and strange territories.

In El Reno, school will end on May 8, but until then students and teachers will continue their work at home through computer lessons and printed packets. Superintendent Craig McVay said the process has to account for numerous factors, summarized by a few big questions - What lessons will homebound students be using? What about the students who don’t have Internet? What will the faculty and employees be doing?

After the statewide cancellation of schools, one of El Reno’s first major decisions was made on March 13. Grades were frozen for all high school students, meaning that whatever they do for the rest of the year will not bring their current grades down. However, they can bring their grades up by completing assigned work.

At a school board meeting on April 1, the decision was made to end the school year early. The meeting also saw McVay declare all employees of the school system essential, which is a necessary classification for them to continue getting paid.

Employees such as janitors and office workers will stay on-call, sometimes going back into the school buildings to clean or organize. However, McVay said that for the most part, work will be done from home. Office hours will be the same as usual.

As for the students, the classwork will be similar for each grade, albeit with different lessons and levels. Most classes will mix paperwork with various computer learning programs including Plato, I-Excel and others.

If wireless Internet isn’t available at home, students can connect to each school’s Wi-Fi while parked outside the buildings. Law enforcement will patrol the school sites and keep an eye on students who may be using the connection.

McVay said the administration did consider paying for hot spots, various places in town set up for free Internet. However, the superintendent was told it would cost $46,000 for 100 Internet locations.

As school was progressing before the pandemic, students had access to Chromebooks or Apple devices inside the buildings. McVay said the technology can’t be loaned out for home use.

Students who don’t have Internet-capable devices of their own will work on paper packets only. Parents will pick up these packets every Monday morning from boxes placed outside the schools.

Though no student’s grades can go down, McVay said students, especially those with lower grades, should use these lessons as an opportunity to do better and raise their final scores.

McVay said the lessons are designed to be fun for the students, and they will include various outdoor and indoor activities. Regular schoolwork will be done as well, but grading will be more relaxed.

“It will be based on enrichment and participation in activities. The lessons will cover Oklahoma standards. Lots of writing, reading, journaling - what did you read and what can you tell Mom and Dad about it?”

McVay said the grading system for the rest of the year will be “very” different. He realizes that despite the pandemic, some students may care more about playing in the warm weather than doing their work. But he asks that parents encourage their kids to complete their assignments nonetheless.

McVay said he expects parents to be involved with their children’s education. And though all the online and paper lessons were decided upon for optimal learning, he said these plans will never adequately replace the value of teacher-student connection.

“Education is more about connecting and engaging than just delivering lessons,” he said.

Teachers will still be involved with each student. McVay said the faculty will stay in touch with the kids and parents through phone calls, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Facebook and other apps. The teachers will still create the lesson plans for the most part, translating their personal curriculums into the computer and packet work.

If any of the high school students neglect contact and stop turning in their work, their teachers will reach out to them. According to McVay, in some ways the process won’t be much different from what the students are used to. Even at home, the concern and the engagement will still be present, and McVay said those are the most important elements of all.

“The teachers are going to be engaged with the kids. Our expectation of the teachers is the same as if they were in the building.”

McVay said there will always be students who only do their work because they fear punishment or disapproval.

“Every teacher dreams of a day when they can teach their students with no strings attached.”

Regarding high school graduation, McVay said the seniors want it to be postponed. A final decision has yet to be made.

The administration will make further decisions at a formal meeting on April 13.