Thousands Of TPS Pre-K, Kindergartners Return To In-Person Learning

Thousands of Tulsa Public Schools pre-K and kindergarten students are now learning in person.  

For some Tulsa kids, their first time experiencing school in person is officially in the books. After months of distance learning, thousands of pre-K and kindergarten students were introduced to a new routine outside their homes.  

Savannah Pockrus is a kindergartner in the French immersion program at Eisenhower International School.  

Her mom Sydnee said distance learning has been really difficult for her kids and Savannah could barely contain her excitement Monday morning.   

"She was the first of my three children who was awake, she bounced of bed, ran down the hall, could not wait to get dressed and get ready,” Sydnee said.  

At Eliot Elementary, paw prints painted on the sidewalk serve as a reminder for students to keep their distance during pick up and drop off.  

Pre-K and kindergartners at the Dual Language Academy were welcomed back with signs and balloons. At their desks, students in some classrooms sat with shields between them, but not every school has the same set up.  

Some students are still seeing their teachers through a screen. TPS said about 20% of pre-K and about 25% of kindergarten students opted for either distance learning or the Tulsa Virtual Academy.  

Below is a closer look at the breakdown, provided by TPS: 

Pre-K:

In-person - 79.4%

Distance - 9.2%

Tulsa Virtual Academy - 11.4%

Kindergarten:

In-person - 74.6%

Distance - 11.9%

Tulsa Virtual Academy - 13.5%

Dr. Deborah Gist points to the community for help getting everyone back in the classroom.  

“Schools are incredibly important. We need our students to be in school, in person. And so, our communities ought to be prioritizing our children,” Gist said.  

The district's plan is for students in first through third grade to return next Monday, with a staggered approach for the other grade levels to return later.  

Below is the plan from TPS: 

Students in grades 1-3 will return on Monday, Nov. 16. 

Students in grades 4 and 5 will return on Monday, Nov. 30.  

Students who are in the 6th grade at an elementary school will also return on Monday, Nov. 30. 

For TPS, Wednesdays will serve as distance learning days for everyone going forward.