Muskogee, Other Green Country School Districts Transition To Distance Learning

Several Green Country school districts are moving to virtual learning on Monday due to COVID-19 concerns.

Muskogee Public Schools was one of the latest schools to announce their decision to go virtual last Thursday.

Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall said the upcoming holidays and the flu season were factors in the decision to go virtual. The biggest reason, Mendenhall said, was the student body's high quarantine numbers in November alone.

"We had the highest numbers, more than October combined,” Mendenhall said. “Either people contracted COVID or they had contact traced which meant that we had a total of 15 to 16 percent out and it became operationally almost impossible to really conduct school every day.”

Mendenhall believes students have been contracting COVID-19 outside of school. He feels the odds have been stacked against them due to the city of Muskogee not having a mask mandate.

"Most of our cases that we are seeing happen on Mondays happen on Fridays,” Mendenhall said. “So that tells me a little bit about on Monday. There must’ve been some weekends that people are either at social gatherings or places where not a lot of people are wearing masks.”

Mendendall said teachers will conduct lessons from their classrooms using the Google Meet program.

Carie Singleton has two sons in fourth and 10th grade. She trusts the district's decision. 

"Muskogee Public Schools has been doing a great job since the beginning of it,” Singleton said. “I know that not everyone has the flexibility of working from home, but I do feel like if we don't take action, it’s just going to keep going on."

Muskogee will go to distance learning through Dec. 7.

Related: List Of Northeastern Okla. School Districts Returning To Virtual Learning Due To Rise In COVID Cases