If a student is or was in the 10^th grade during the 2019-20 school year and parents anticipate that their 2020 income may be under the $55,000 application limit for the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship due to recent reductions in income, parents may submit an application based on the 2020 estimated income. The application must be submitted prior to the June 30, 2020 deadline on the Oklahoma's Promise Application page. Parents will be required to provide a copy of the 2020 federal tax return when completed to verify that the 2020 income was under $55,000. The application will be held as pending until the tax documentation is received.  Please send any questions to okpromise@osrhe.edu.

Verdigris High School Graduation 2020 will be Saturday, June 20, 2020, at 6 pm at the Verdigris Activity Center located at 26505 S. 4110 Rd., Claremore, OK 74019. As details become available, they will be posted on the Verdigris website.

Letter from the Superintendent with Distance Learning Plan Guidance

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Attached are details regarding distance learning since students and teachers will be working remotely from home the rest of the school year. School buildings will remain closed, but Verdigris is committed to resuming your student’s learning beginning next Monday, April 6. Our intent is to provide a positive academic experience for students without overwhelming parents, and to engage all populations of students, even those who may not have access to the latest technology at home.

During the two weeks set aside by the Oklahoma State Board of Education for planning, Verdigris teachers, staff and administrators developed a distance learning plan for students at all grade levels. I know these experiences cannot replicate those of the day-to-day classroom, yet I am pleased with how the distance learning plan will keep students engaged and allow them to finish the school year with meaningful learning.

Distance Learning begins April 6 and will conclude no later than May 15. The exact last day of school has not yet been determined.

I know this is a different way to end the school year than any of us had ever envisioned. In spite of the many challenges in providing distance learning to all, I hope you will join us in embracing this new way of teaching and learning. This is not going to be a perfect solution, but it’s one I believe will serve us well given these extraordinary times. Please contact your site principal if you have any questions.

United for Education

April 1, 2020,

Dear Verdigris families:

Our administrators, teachers and instructional support staff are working hard to develop a continuous learning plan that will help our students finish the school year strong. As you can imagine, this planning has presented its own set of trials, as most of it has occurred digitally or at a distance so we can protect ourselves just as you are at home. We will meet the challenge, however, because that is what we do as Cardinal’s. Our students deserve a learning plan that will help them grow academically this spring, and that is what we are determined to give them.

The last few weeks have made me even more proud to be the superintendent of Verdigris Public Schools. We had a “wave parade” last week with teachers preparing signs letting student’s know how much they miss and care for them as they drove through neighborhoods.  What was unexpected and touching are the signs that students made for their teachers.  I am also proud of the outpouring of staff and community members willing to volunteer to prepare and handout meals to our students.  All of this has occurred while Verdigris residents and Verdigris Public School employees have also taken the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. There is nothing we cannot accomplish when we work together as a team.

We know you and your child have many questions about what the remainder of the school year will be like. We will post documents in the next few days with details of our Continuous Learning Plan. While this is not how we expected to end the school year, we believe our continuous learning plan will allow us to keep students on track, while also protecting what is most important – their health and well-being.

A change of this magnitude will not occur without bumps in the road; however, with your help, I am confident we can offer the best services possible for our students.

We miss our students a great deal, but we are trying to make the best of the situation for everyone.  Thank you for helping us rise to the challenge.  We could not do it without all of you. 

United for Education

Mike Payne

Superintendent

Grab & Go meals will be available for our students through the end of the school year starting Wednesday, April 1^st. 

• Lunch is served between 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. each day (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) at the Verdigris UE campus parking lot.
• Meals are available for all students in our district in a drive-through style setting.
• The meal for each student includes lunch for two days.
• These meals are complimentary, and there is no charge to the students’ family.

March 25, 2020

Dear Verdigris family:

Today, we learned that Oklahoma students will not return to the classroom for the remainder of the current school year, following a vote by the state Board of Education. Instead, districts, including Verdigris Public Schools, will implement continuous learning plans that will allow students to complete the school year at home. State education and health officials believe this move will help our state fight the spread of COVID-19.

We are sharing this information with you now so you can prepare accordingly for your family. We understand this change is in the best interest of everyone’s health, which is our greatest priority as a district. The state board’s vote also means that all extracurricular activities and special events will be canceled or postponed as well. It is believed, that making these difficult decisions, is simply the right thing to do for students, staff, and our community. 

Verdigris Public Schools is continuing to develop a plan to ensure your child will continue to have opportunities to learn and to grow academically, especially with parental support.  As you can imagine, this is a significant transition for our students and our teachers. Verdigris will spend the next few days planning for this effort and will share details with your family as soon as they are available.

In the next few days we will be posting information on our website, including information about meals. The Verdigris Public School website, will be the primary area to gain information from the District, Site Principals and Teachers.  Administrators, Faculty and Staff may also use the Remind Service to let you know when new information has been posted on the website.  

This is an extraordinary situation, and it has required an extraordinary response.  As soon as we identify our next steps, we will share them with you.

Thank you for your continued support of Verdigris Public Schools. 

United for Education,

Mike Payne

March 24, 2020

Dear Verdigris family:

Yesterday afternoon, state officials announced they will recommend to the state Board of Education that Oklahoma students not return to the classroom for the remainder of the current school year, as our state continues to fight the spread of COVID-19. They will instead recommend a continuous learning plan that will allow students to complete the school year at home. It is important to note that this decision is not final until the state Board of Education meets on Wednesday and votes to approve the recommendation.

We are sharing this information with you in advance, however, so that you can begin to prepare accordingly for your family. We understand this recommendation is in the best interest of everyone’s health, which is our greatest priority as a district. If approved, this also means that all extracurricular activities and special events will be canceled as well.

Verdigris Public Schools is developing a plan to ensure your child will continue to have opportunities to learn and to grow academically, especially with parental support. As you can imagine, this is a significant transition for our students and our teachers. Verdigris Public Schools will spend the next two weeks planning for this effort and will share details with your family as soon as they are available.

For students, it likely will be sad and disappointing to learn that school as they know it will not resume this year. Please give them a safe place to express their feelings and to vent about the changes in their life. For our seniors and their parents, we know it is an especially difficult time. We will do everything possible to ensure their efforts are recognized and celebrated in special and unique ways. This is an unfair situation, but please reassure them that it does not diminish their achievements. In fact, it will become one more example of how they demonstrated their strength as a Verdigris Cardinal.

We will be posting information on our website in the coming days. The site also includes recommendations from the CDC about protecting your health and the health of your loved ones. We ask you to please follow their advice by: (1) washing your hands regularly; (2) staying at home, if you can; and (3) practicing social distancing of at least six feet from others.

This is an unprecedented situation, and it has required an unprecedented response. Verdigris is a community that sticks together in challenging times, and we know this experience will be no different. As soon as we identify our next steps, we will share them with you.

Please stay safe. As always, we appreciate your support of Verdigris Public Schools.

United for Education,

Mike Payne

Superintendent

Verdigris Public Schools
 

Dear Verdigris Parents and Staff:

This afternoon, the state Board of Education voted to close all Oklahoma schools, effective immediately, until at least April 6 in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. This includes Verdigris Public Schools. Additionally, there will be no school activities during this time.

While state officials mandated schools to close for two weeks following spring break, they also encouraged administrators to prepare for the possibility of longer-term closures, if it becomes necessary. At least 35 other states across the country also have made the decision to close schools statewide in the interest of public health. 

Oklahoma schools are not expected to be required to make-up the missed days. At this time, schools have been instructed by the state Department of Education not to provide online, home-based or distance learning for students.

This is an unprecedented situation, and it continues to evolve by the hour. We know this uncertainty can cause anxiety and worry, but we want to assure you that Verdigris Public Schools is doing everything possible to ensure the needs of students and employees will be met during this unique time. We will be closed for classes, but – as a district – we will continue to serve our community, while abiding by the healthy best practices that have been recommended by the CDC. Employees will receive information about their responsibilities during the school closure over the next few days.

We encourage you to comply with what health officials have recommended as well. If you can, please stay home and enjoy family time. If you must go out, please practice social distancing, allowing at least six feet between you and other individuals. If you have questions about COVID-19, please contact your medical professional or the county health department. You also can learn more about how to prevent the illness by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

Communication will be key during the next two weeks. It is our hope that accurate and up-to-date correspondence will combat fear and panic, as well as help you make well-informed decisions for your family. As a district, we will be sending correspondence to you by phone and email. You also can get the latest information by visiting http://www.verdigris.k12.ok.us. There, we will be posting answers to frequently asked questions as soon as they are available, including those about child nutrition services, employee payroll, end-of-year activities and more.

For Verdigris Public Schools, there is nothing more important than the safety and health of our students, staff and community. We want you to be safe, and we appreciate your flexibility and understanding. Verdigris is strong, and we will get through this together.

Sincerely,

Mike Payne

Superintendent 

Below is some good information provided by travel.state.gov

As a first step in planning any trip abroad, check the Travel Advisories for your intended destination. You can see the world at a glance on our color-coded map.

Note that conditions can change rapidly in a country at any time. To receive updated Travel Advisories and Alerts, choose the method that works best for you at travel.state.gov/stayingconnected

For more details and FAQs about our safety and security information, please see travel.state.gov/travelsafely.

The following information should have been sent home with your student on March 10, 2020.

March 9, 2020

Dear Parents and Families,

You have likely seen a lot of recent media attention on the coronavirus (COVID-19). The following information is provided to help prevent the transmission and spread of coronavirus.

The virus, like many other illnesses including the flu, is spread between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) via coughing or sneezing. The same good health habits that prevent other viruses like the flu, also prevent the spread of coronavirus and decrease the risk of getting sick:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, with 60% alcohol, if soap and water are not available.
• Cough into a tissue or your elbow (not your hand), then throw tissue away and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick and stay home when you are sick.
• Keep students home if they are running a temperature or they report not feeling well, appear weak, or ill.
• Consult your healthcare provider if you or your child has health conditions that put you or your child at increased risk.

With Spring Break coming up, we are asking that anyone who travels to China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, Japan or any other Level 2 or 3 country as identified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days before returning to school. This applies to all students, teachers, and other school or district staff. Please contact site or district administration if this occurs.

Additional guidance provided to districts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oklahoma Department of Health on prevention, planning, and how to respond to coronavirus can be found using the links below:

• • cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019/guidance-for-schools.html
• • ok.gov/health2/Coronavirus Guidance for K-12 Schools.pdf

Teachers, staff, custodians, maintenance workers, and administrators are assisting in sanitizing and disinfecting all school areas by spraying and consistently cleaning during school hours, fogging rooms and other areas after school hours, as well as monitoring and promoting good sanitary habits, including washing hands frequently. 

We all have a role to play in keeping students, staff, and families healthy and safe. You can help by staying informed, practicing good hygiene, and staying home or keeping students home if they have been running a fever or are exhibiting signs of a fever or sickness.

We are committed to keeping you informed and working with you to keep our school community safe.

Sincerely,