Tulsa Public Schools Leaders ‘Fully Committed’ Amidst Challenges Of COVID-19

For the first time since the start of the fall semester, Tulsa school leaders gave an update on the district's virtual learning plan, and said things are going smoothly so far.

The Tulsa Public School district started the school year last week. They're in their virtual-learning phase for the first nine weeks of the fall semester.

Superintendent Deborah Gist said all TPS schools had back to school events before starting, such as virtual back-to-school bashes, drive-thru equipment pick-ups and socially distanced meet-your-teacher events.

Gist said there were 14,000 Chromebooks sent out to schools last week. That adds to the 21,000 Chromebooks that were distributed in the spring for virtual classes.

Gist also said 10,000 WiFi hotspots were delivered to schools last week. That's part of their push to get more of Tulsa's families in need connected to the internet.

"I do want to say we can't and won't diminish the challenges that all of this brings our children and their families, and our team members," Gist said. "This is a difficult time for many reasons and we're all doing this for the first time."

Gist said they're fully committed to being back-in-person as soon as they can safely do so.