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Due to the start of school being delayed for two weeks, Broken Arrow Public Schools will provide free grab-and-go meals for students 18 and under. Meals will include lunch for the day and breakfast for the next morning and will be safely prepared by the district's child nutrition managers. Social distancing will be followed.

When: Aug. 17 - 28, Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Outside of the following locations:

• Liberty Elementary
• Centennial Middle School
• Creekwood Elementary
• Arrowhead Elementary
• Timber Ridge Elementary
• Lynn Wood Elementary
• Oliver Middle School
• Sequoyah Middle School
• Leisure Park Elementary
• Spring Creek Elementary
• Rhoades Elementary
• Johanna Woods – Look for the school bus!
• Indian Springs – Look for the school bus!
• Central Park– Look for the school bus!

Broken Arrow Public Schools is once again teaming up with the Caring Van program to assist in obtaining immunizations to eligible students. A registered nurse will be available during the dates and times listed below to administer free immunizations to students who:

• Are eligible for SoonerCare (Oklahoma Medicaid)
• Are Native American
• Are Uninsured

Please note that if the student does not meet at least ONE of the above criteria, he or she will be referred to a private physician for required immunizations.

A parent/legal guardian must accompany the student. A current copy of your student’s immunization record and the immunization consent form (Spanish version of the consent form) is also required. After receiving the immunizations, a copy of the updated records should be brought to your student’s school site.

The following are the dates, times and locations for when the Oklahoma Caring Van will be available within the district.

Wednesday, Aug. 12

• 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Sequoyah Middle School (2701 S. Elm Place, Broken Arrow)
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Oneta Ridge Middle School (6800 E. Quincy Place, Broken Arrow)

Friday, Aug. 14

• 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Childers Middle School (301 E. Tucson, Broken Arrow)
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Enrollment Center (201 N. Main Street, Broken Arrow)

Pre-K students need to have the following immunizations:

• 4 – DTP/DTaP
• 3 – Polio
• 1 – MMR
• 2 - Hepatitis A
• 3 – Hepatitis B
• 1 – Varicella (Chicken Pox)

Kindergarten students need to have the following immunizations:

• 5 – DTP/DTaP
• 4 – Polio
• 2 – MMR
• 2 - Hepatitis A
• 3 – Hepatitis B
• 1 – Varicella (Chicken Pox)

Seventh grade students:

Seventh grade students are required to receive one Tdap booster for immunizations against tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis. This is a booster to the DTP students received before kindergarten.

The Guide to Immunization Requirements in Oklahoma contains essential immunizations information for the state of Oklahoma.

Since the program began in 1999, thousands of children have received immunizations from registered nurses aboard the Caring Vans. Immunization information is entered in the Oklahoma State Immunization Information System (OSIIS), making vaccine history readily available.

For more information about the Caring Van, please contact Linda Aycock at laycock@baschools.org.

Broken Arrow Public Schools has received a grant for $20,000 from AT&T to purchase weekend meals and snacks to be distributed to students facing food insecurities as a result of COVID-19.

The grant is being provided as part of AT&T’s Aspire grant program. According to the website, AT&T utilizes the program to leverage technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality. More specifically, this grant aims to invest in projects and organizations that address community needs during the pandemic.

“Due to the current national pandemic, more families are experiencing financial hardships and needing assistance,” said Karla Dyess, Associate Superintendent of Instructional Services. “BAPS community partners do an excellent job in supporting previous weekend snack/meal backpacks for students, but with students receiving distance learning and not actually being in their schools since March, the need continues to grow.”

Broken Arrow schools has made nutrition a priority during the pandemic, with the Child Nutrition department distributing more than 180,000 meals at locations across the district between March and June. With the new grant, site principals and counselors will work on identifying students with the greatest needs, and students will receive a bag with healthy snacks on Fridays until the funds are depleted.

“Broken Arrow Public Schools is very thankful for the support of AT&T. BAPS strives to engage our students and community through kindness, compassion and empathy, and this partnership with AT&T supports us in this endeavor,” said Dyess.

More information about Child Nutrition services can be found at www.baschools.org/ChildNutrition.

Broken Arrow Public Schools has decided to push back the start of the 2020-21 academic school year by two weeks to continue monitoring COVID-19 data within our school boundaries, as determined by local and state health departments.

The first day of school is now Sept. 3 for grades K-12 and Sept. 8 for Pre-K. All back-to-school events, such as Meet Your Teacher, will be carried out as planned but with a two-week delay. Should these dates change for any reason, families will be notified as soon as possible.

“As we continue making data-driven decisions, we will utilize the extra two weeks before school starts to focus on protocol, planning and preparation,” Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Janet Vinson said. “During this time, district administrators and staff will receive additional training on proper cleaning and disinfecting techniques; will be able to adjust and plan for a possible staggered schedule or distance learning situation, should the need arise; and to prepare our Virtual Academy for the 5,000+ students who have already enrolled in the program.”

Additionally, the deadline to enroll students in the Virtual Academy has been extended to Aug. 19 by 5 p.m. in an effort to assist more parents and students with the right choice for their academic needs. 

“While I know this has been a difficult time as we head into the new school year, we want to thank our parents and students for being patient as we strive to provide the safest environment for our students and staff,” Vinson said. “We know these changes may pose additional questions or concerns, but please know our team is working around the clock to ensure the best outcome for as many people as possible. Your flexibility and empathy are crucial to everyone’s success.”

Broken Arrow Public Schools works in conjunction with the Oklahoma State Department of Health to determine risk assessment and levels of COVID-19 infection rate, taking into account 7-day rolling averages and daily ZIP code-based data to better serve the public’s safety needs.

 “Our focus on education and development will not be tempered as we strive to find innovative ways to mold and shape our students in these unprecedented times,” Vinson said. “With this being a community and public health issue, we can only be responsible for educating students and keeping staff and students safe. Although we did not create this pandemic, we will do everything possible to mitigate further spread and avoid putting our students and staff in harm’s way.”

Employees should expect to receive a new work schedule from the human resources department within the coming days.

More information will be provided at the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting on Monday at 6 p.m. The meeting will be live streamed via the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/baschools.

FAQs:

What is the difference between distance learning and the Virtual Academy?

Distance learning is temporary and is only used as seen necessary by district leadership. During distance learning, students will use Canvas (our online learning platform), Zoom meetings and other modes of learning provided by their regular classroom teacher. When these students aren’t in distance learning, they are in their school building with their teacher and peers. During distance learning, your child will attend school in-person once it is safe to do so and the district can transition out of distance learning.

Virtual Academy is a semester commitment for secondary students and a trimester commitment for elementary students. Students will complete assignments and practice skills using online courseware created by district adopted vendors and will be assigned to a Virtual Academy teacher. Parents must enroll their student in this option by visiting www.baschools.org/virtualacademy. The deadline has been extended until 5 p.m. on Aug. 19. Those parents who completed the Virtual Academy form online will receive information regarding Virtual curriculum within the coming weeks. Rest assured that your child IS enrolled and that you may not receive a confirmation email. 

What will be the difference between distance learning that students experienced in spring 2020 and distance learning for the 2020-21 school year?

During distance learning in the spring 2020, the Oklahoma State Department of Education provided strict guidance on the type and amount of time allowed for instructional activities. There was an emphasis on maintaining and deepening existing skills and content, while introducing key concepts and skills from fourth quarter curriculum.

For the 2020-21 school year, distance learning will look different should we need to utilize. Teachers will present new content using a variety of methods, while also coordinating instructional activities, assessments and grades. All distance learning experiences will be created by Broken Arrow teachers.

New for the 2020-21 school year, the Broken Arrow Public Schools Virtual Academy is offering 100% virtual instruction to students in grades Pre-K though 12. The deadline to enroll has been extended until Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 5 p.m. View FAQs.

The Virtual Academy (412 S. 9th St.) at Broken Arrow Public Schools is an ideal option for students who want the ability to choose when and where they work on their courses. Visit www.baschools.org/virtualacademy for detailed information. 

The Virtual Academy allows students to enroll in multiple ways:

• Full-time: Students in grades PreK-12 can complete 100 percent of their coursework online.
• Blended Enrollment: Students in grades 6-12 can enroll in the Virtual Academy and still participate in an elective course at their school site, which may include fine arts or athletics. 

Additionally, Pre-AP and AP classes for students in grades 9-12 will be available. A full list of Pre-AP and AP offerings will be available soon.

The Virtual Academy meets graduation requirements and NCAA guidelines for student-athletes. 

Even though most instruction will be virtual, every student is assigned a Broken Arrow Public Schools teacher who will track their progress, help as needed and will be the point of contact between the student and parent. Students will still be required to take state assessments in-person at the Virtual Academy. 

Once a student has enrolled, students in grades 6-12 will be locked into the Virtual Academy for the entire fall semester. The Virtual Academy is a trimester commitment for students in grades Pre-K through 5.

Parents or students interested in this program can complete the online enrollment form.

Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Starr at cstarr@baschools.org or Vonda Buntin at vlbuntin@baschools.org.

What is the difference between the Virtual Academy and Distance Learning that students experienced in spring 2020?

During distance learning in the spring 2020, the Oklahoma State Department of Education provided strict guidance on the type and amount of time allowed for instructional activities. There was an emphasis on maintaining and deepening existing skills and content, while introducing key concepts and skills from fourth quarter curriculum.

Distance learning is facilitated by a student’s teacher(s) and is not optional and will only be utilized as seen necessary by district leadership. Should the district need to utilize distance learning for the upcoming school year, it will look different than it did in spring 2020, and new content will continue to be introduced and facilitated by the student’s teacher(s). 

Students enrolling in the Virtual Academy will have the same academic requirements and expectations as a face-to-face environment but will be required to complete 100% coursework online. Virtual Academy teachers will serve as facilitators and provide instructional support in this environment but will not deliver the majority of instruction. Students will complete assignments and practice skills using online courseware created by district adopted vendors.