SEE SPECIFIC SCHOOLS (HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL) FOR DISTANCE LEARNING GUIDELINES

APRIL 6th PRE-K ROUNDUP HAS BEEN POSTPONED. ONCE WE HAVE A RESCHEDULED DATE, WE WILL POST IT HERE

Dear Inola Parents: Today, the State Board of Education announced that Oklahoma students will not return to the classroom for the remainder of the current school year. They instead recommended a continuous learning plan beginning April 7th that will allow students to complete the school year at home. This also means that all extracurricular activities and special events will be canceled as well. We do have good news: Inola is developing a plan to ensure your child will continue to have opportunities to learn and to grow academically, especially with parental support. Because we are unable to safely gather together, these lessons and activities will primarily be delivered and communicated online. Next week we will be handing out Chrome Books to all 5th and 6th graders. We will have them available for all 3rd and 4th graders the following week. If you do not have internet access at your house, we are setting up ‘Hot Spots’ on both the High School Student Parking Lot and the main Elementary Parking Lot (you will be able to drive onto the lot with your computer and download the lessons there). We will also be preparing ‘take home packets’ to be picked up if needed. As you can imagine, this is a significant transition for our students and our teachers. We will spend the next two weeks planning for this effort and will share details with your family as soon as they are available. Teachers and support staff members will hear from their principals soon as they gather input regarding the next phase of the school closure. For students, it likely will be sad and disappointing to learn that school as they know it will not resume this year. For our Seniors and their parents, we know it is an especially difficult time. They didn’t know that the last day before Spring Break was actually their last day of High School. 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. We have posted numerous resources on our website, including information about free breakfasts and lunches for students under the age of 18, which will continue Tuesday through Friday. This is an unprecedented situation, and it has required an unprecedented response. We can still take care of Inola’s students, though. This 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. Sincerely, Dr. Kent Holbrook Superintendent

March 19, 2020 Subject: Meals for students during closure due to COVID-19 Beginning next Tuesday, March 24th, Inola Schools will begin serving a daily free breakfast and lunch for everyone 18 years old and younger. We will distribute these from 9:30 am to 10:30 am in a drive-thru fashion at the back of the elementary building. (When you are arriving at the elementary parking lot, take an immediate left and follow that road around to the back.) We will distribute both one (1) breakfast and one (1) lunch at the same time for each student in the car. Current Federal rules require that all children receiving meals must be present in the car to receive the meals. Obviously we have never done anything like this before, so there will be a lot of things to work out. We will adjust quickly – so please be patient as we start this next Tuesday. Again the time will be 9:30 am to 10:30 am – backdoor at elementary cafeteria. Children must be present to receive the meals. Dr. Kent Holbrook

Update from Dr. Holbrook on School Closing March 17, 2020 Dear Parents and Families, The Oklahoma State Board of Education held an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon resulting in a mandate that all public schools in Oklahoma close from March 17 through April 6. This includes all extracurricular activities. Members of the Inola School District administration will meet to plan for continuing to serve our students during this time. We will share information as soon as possible on meal service through our child nutrition program. The Inola School District leadership team is working diligently with top leaders in our state to stay abreast of the most recent developments. As our understanding of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic changes rapidly, it’s important for our community to remain calm and continue to practice preventative measures such as good hand hygiene, staying home when sick, avoiding large crowds and social distancing. The health of our students and staff continues to be our number one priority. If you believe you have been exposed to the coronavirus/COVID-19 and/or have symptoms, immediately self-quarantine and contact the COVID-19 Call Center at (877) 215-8336 or call Rogers County Health Department at (918) 341-3166. Thank you for your help in keeping our community healthy and safe. We will update information as it becomes available. Sincerely, Dr. Kent Holbrook Superintendent

DIRTY SANTA SOCK EXCHANGE AT THE ADMIN OFFICE

Inola freshman Vanessa Mason was one of only two high school students in Green Country chosen to have her work included in Northeastern State University’s Fall 2019 Talon Literary Journal. Her short story is titled “The Last Letter.” Mason has had a passion for writing since age 12 and hopes to one day become a successful author. Her other hobbies are painting and crocheting. The Talon Literary Journal features poetry and prose written by NSU students, faculty, staff and community members. NSU’s publication workshop class and Write Club publish the Talon annually.

IMS OCTOBER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH Front: Payton Marlin, Mailey Pankratz, Terry Spears Back: Gregory Green, Brooklyn Horton, Dakota Russell, Mason Parsons & Piper Sears

2019-2020 IPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR AMANDA THOMPSON WITH PRINCIPAL REBECCA CUTSINGER

2019-2020 SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST https://5il.co/8j0l