Going virtual

More than 170 Purcell Public Schools students will start the 2020-21 school year in a virtual world.

Superintendent Dr. Sheli McAdoo told the school board on Monday that those enrolling in virtual classes included 41 at the high school, 40 at the junior high school, 48 at the intermediate school and 44 at the elementary school.

The first day of school is today (Thursday).

McAdoo also shared what an alternating A/B schedule would look like with students divided alphabetically.

Those with last names starting with A through L would attend classes on site Mondays and Tuesdays, she said.

Students whose last names begin with M through Z would do distance learning on those days.

That schedule would switch on Thursdays and Fridays.

Wednesdays would be designated for deep cleaning the schools and teacher planning.

McAdoo also noted that new cases of COVID-19 in McClain County have trended downward over the past four weeks.

The county was in the orange level with between 14.39 and 25 new cases per 100,000 population.

It is now rated yellow with between 1.43 and 14.38 new cases per 100,000 population.

She added new rankings are published at 11 a.m. on Fridays by the state health department.

McAdoo also told the board that the McClain County Health Department has started contact tracing.

“Everyone has done a great job working under the new normal,” she said of the district’s employees.

New water bottle fillers have been installed in all buildings and neck gaiters for students and staff should arrive on Friday.

The district’s state aid is down $300,000 when compared to last year’s.

The board approved the 2020-21 master contract agreement between themselves and the Purcell Association of Classroom Teachers and also approved revisions to board policies.