Valliant Schools

Attention Athletes and Bus Drivers: PHYSICALS for Athletes and Bus Drivers will be held Tuesday, July 14, at 6:00 pm at the John Paul Scroggins Fieldhouse. Cost will be $10.

Students, Parents and Friends, I wanted to reach out today to give you an update on "where we are," relative to our return to school plans. It seems like every day is a new day, and the information that we are being provided to make decisions is constantly changing. We are doing our best, and our hope is to have some plans in place as early as July 15. Whatever those plans might be, I am fairly certain that they will change before we return to school. But, we will return to school. Last week, the Valliant Board of Education adopted a revised school year calendar. This calendar was worked out jointly by the school administration and the Valliant CTA. The calendar moves the start date for students to August 17. Additionally, the calendar adds "virtual days" on some Friday's during much of the school year. These virtual days will have requirements associated with them, but it will not be a day that is required to be physically at school. More information on virtual days will be released in our upcoming plans. Our school is working with a number of other schools in SE Oklahoma to develop a response plan for how to deal with site and district outbreaks of Covid during the school year. The response plan has had input from State and Regional Health Department personnel and provides schools some uniformity in the decision making process. I know that many of you are anxious about how school might "look" as we move forward. It will certainly be different. Right now, we are finalizing plans for isolating and distancing during the school day, while still maintaining as normal a schedule as possible. There will be differences. Please be patient, as we want to try to resume safely, and to get all our kids back to school. In the meantime, please start working on some routines that will likely be necessary as we return. Check your child's health status each morning, including taking their temperature. Begin making plans for how you would deal with day care, etc., if you or your child were sick, or if you had to be quarantined. This year, it's going to be more important than ever for you to help us, by keeping your child that is sick or not feeling well, at home. If we all work together, we can keep this virus at bay. We will make it, together. Craig Wall, Supt.

Parents, Students and Patrons, Today, June 15, Our coaches and I met to reassess our summertime activities due to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic. Originally, we had decided to adopt the OSSAA recommendations for returning to play through today. While we honestly don’t know the right thing to do, we have decided today that we will allow limited return to play for the next two weeks. While we return to the field/court, we want everyone to realize they we take our students and your safety very seriously. Therefore we will be taking additional precautions to sanitize and avoid contact wherever possible. We will continue to screen all of our athletes for symptoms, contacts, and will monitor their temperature. We will also continue our sanitization protocols. Beginning on Tuesday, June 16, Middle School athletes can begin participating in Summer Pride. Summer Pride for MS begins at 9:00 am. MS Cheer will also begin activities immediately. While everyone has different ideas as to what we should do, we are trying our best to get back to some level of normalcy. We need your help with this. We need you to understand that there are reasons for the procedures we are taking and would hope that you will support us in this effort in athletics and I. Everyday life. Further, we need you to help us by social distancing in the spectator areas, avoid the bleachers, sit further from the field, etc. This is very important as we look forward to returning to school and sports in the fall. The actions we take today may help us get back to normal sooner. Each Coach/Sport will have specific requirements and guidelines as we move forward. It’s a great day to be a Bulldog! Craig Wall

The Valliant Chamber is sponsoring a social distance parade to celebrate all our Valliant graduates of 2020. Forms are available on Facebook and The Valliant Chamber of Commerce. We will line up in the Valliant High School Auditorium parking, at 5:30 pm. The parade will start at 6:30 pm on Friday June 12th 2020

Patrons, Last night during our Valliant Board of Education Meeting, we had problems throughout the meeting with the connectivity of one of our board members. Immediately following the meeting last night, we consulted with Oklahoma State School Board Attorney's for guidance. Following discussions with the Attorney's this morning, more simply, because it is the right thing to do, we have decided to hold an additional meeting, in person, on Thursday, June 11 at 11:00 am to revisit the agenda in its entirety. The meeting will be held in the Library/Media Center. I want to sincerely apologize for this situation. Although we have come to depend on technology throughout this pandemic, we realize that its limitations sometimes expose our own. #weareValliant Craig Wall, Supt.

Valliant Bulldog Football – 2020 – Summer Pride Summer Attendance Policy The health and safety our players is the most important factor in these trying times. We will still follow the social distancing guidelines to make sure we keep all our players as safe as possible. We are trying to make sure we stay on a constant plan to make sure we have a full season in the fall. All summer pride workouts will take place outside on the track and practice field. Players are to come dressed. Please bring your own water or water bottle. Please understand that these measures could change at any time. We all want ALL of our players to be able to compete at their fullest in the fall and these are the things that we need to do to make that happen. We will start at 7:00 sharp and be done by 8:30. -I want everyone to have a great summer and work hard but also enjoy some time off and time away. I will work with you to make this work as long as you communicate with me. -High School Football Players must work out at 7:00 a.m. – if you have a job arrange to start later. Summer Pride Program MONDAY/TUESDAY/THURSDAY 7:00 a.m. – High School Football Players. 8:15a.m. – All other Athletes Dates to Remember June 1– Summer Pride begins June 27- July 5– Weight room closed (Dead Week) July 27-28 – Weight room closed July 30-31Weight room OPEN August 3– Senior meeting 6:00 p.m. August 4– Team meeting 6:00 p.m. August 5-- First Day of School August 10– First day of practice 3:00pm Coach Taylor 918 839 1014

Valliant Bulldog Athletes and Parents, As we begin to look toward returning to play, beginning June 1 and continuing until June 15, the Athletic Department has adopted the recommendations with some modification as presented to the OSSAA Board last week. This will allow conditioning, and some sport specific training to begin. All participation is strictly voluntary due to Covid-19 concerns. There will be NO participation of MS Students until at least June 15. HS Coaches will begin contacting students with their specific plans later this week. This plan is subject to change at any time. The OSSAA Board is scheduled to meet in early June.

Valliant Parents, Students, and Friends, The people that work with me hear me say quite often, “it’s going to be ok.” I generally say that when it’s really important that we stay calm and not over react to a situation while we assess the best course of action. “It’s going to be ok.” Don’t panic, use your head, and we will get through this mess together. We have a little more than two months before school is scheduled to resume. Your principals, directors, and I have met often over the past few weeks to begin making plans for returning in August. Our objective is for our students and teachers to return to school like none of this ever happened. We want our school to be a safe and healthy environment for all our kids and have added plans to sanitize and disinfect more than ever before. We hope you will help us by teaching your children to wash their hands well and often. Unfortunately, social media is filled with misinformation. I encourage you to avoid as much of that as possible. It’s not productive and it in many cases is harmful. Our kids listen to our comments and they need us all to be positive and supportive. You also need to know that as we plan, we always try to take into account the “what if’s” so we can be prepared for whatever the situation might dictate. Your administrators, teachers, and support staff love our kids, and we want to ensure that they have a great school experience next year. In the meantime, let’s not worry about what might happen two months from now. I promise that we will not keep you in the dark as we move forward. We will work with our state and local entities and with other schools in our area to make the best decisions with the information we have. Those decisions will always be based on what is best for your kids and Valliant Schools. It’s a lot more than a hashtag, #weareValliant! Craig Wall, Superintendent

Congratulations to Gina Dansby! Mrs. Dansby has been selected as the 2019-20 Valliant School District Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Dansby will now be eligible to enter the Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year contest which will be named by Supt. Hofmeister later this year.

On Monday, May 11 at 5:00 pm we will be having our monthly Board of Education Meeting by videoconference. The meeting will be available for the public to view on Facebook Live. We hope you will join us as we continue to use methods that will allow our Board Members, Administration, and our community as safe and healthy as possible.

Online enrollment will be open for a limited time. If you have a student or know someone that is thinking about being a Bulldog and attending Valliant School next year, click the link below to start the enrollment process. https://www.teacherease.com/NewFamilyRegistration.aspx?refid=b25fbfe7-9469-4322-a99a-a3cc3a10a922 If your child is already attending Valliant, simply log in to your teacherease account and look for the enrollment link in the top left-hand corner of your screen.

The Valliant Public Schools will be providing "Grab and Go" breakfast and lunch for ANY CHILD 18 and under or anyone with Special Needs 21 and under absolutely free of charge. We will be providing meals at the following locations and time: Valliant School: Drive Thru Bus Lane 8:30-10:00 am Rufe Fire Department: 8:30 -9:00 am Felker Baptist Church: 8:30 -9:00 am The Church in Millerton: 8:30 -9:00 am Pine Creek Fire Department: 8:30 -9:00 am Mt Zion Church of God: 8:30 -9:00 am There will be no need for you to leave your vehicle at any site, meals will be delivered to you. We are taking precautions to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe. If you know of any child that could benefit from this program, please let them know. We want to feed every child. Thank you so much to the volunteers, community and church leaders that help to make this program possible. We encourage everyone that has children that live in our district to take advantage of this program #weareValliant *This institution is an equal opportunity provider*

Congratulations to Gina Dansby, Heather Jones, and Chuck Taylor for being selected Teacher of the Year within their respective buildings for 2019-20. Each of them has done an outstanding job and we are proud they are a part of the Bulldog family. They will now be eligible to be selected as the District Teacher of the Year.

Hey Students! We need your help. Why don’t you reach out to your fellow students and teachers by phone, text, email or other means and share a word of encouragement, support or even just say hello? During this time many of us need to hear from others that are sharing in the isolation. For many kids, school is their place to have positive interaction and are really missing school right now. Your teachers also really miss you. Remember, we are all in this together, and together we will make it through. We love you all! #weareValliant

A very special “Thank You” to the Valliant Chamber of Commerce for providing a special “Easter Surprise” for the Grab and Go Meals today. Meals are available at the regular sites across the district. We want to wish everyone a very Happy Easter from the Child Nutrition Department and Valliant Schools! #weareValliant

In light of the ongoing situation with the Covid-19 virus, the Valliant Board of Education will be conducting a Special Board Meeting by teleconference at 5:00 pm on Monday, April 13, 2020 in lieu of the regular meeting scheduled for the same time. We are taking this measure as a precaution to limit the potential for exposure of our board members and the public. Patrons wishing to watch the proceedings may do so by viewing the meeting via Facebook live. The live stream will be available on the Valliant Public Schools Facebook page.

Students and Parents, This next week our school is going through a fundamental change. “Distance Learning” is a new and challenging format for all of us. It’s especially challenging for those of us who have done traditional school like me, for 35+ years. I have learned a lot about Distance Learning in Oklahoma in the past three weeks. Mainly, that no one really knows the right way, the wrong way, or any way for that matter, to deliver instruction without the kids in close proximity. Even within our own sites, Distance Learning will look very different. Why? Simply put, the kids in Elementary vary a lot from Pre-K to 5th grade. They are completely different than the MS kids who are learning to be more independent as students. And HS kids are focusing on college and careers with many different course requirements and electives. As a result, every grade and site will be getting something a little different whether it focuses on enrichment, specific courses, or projects. Parents, we need your support. Your kids need your support. Some of the materials will focus on enrichment of their previously learned skills, but much of the material and coursework will help your child be prepared for next year. We wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t about the kids. We need you to help when you can, but more importantly encourage them to do the work, and reach out to us for help when they have trouble. Many of our students need these opportunities to improve. Remember, it’s not about us, it’s about your kids and their education. Please help them do all they can. Getting their mind off the world events, even for a few minutes at a time, may be really important going forward. Students and parents, be looking for communications from your school, your teacher, or your principal through the many varied media sources that we have used to notify you throughout the year. Most importantly, we all want you to be healthy and safe. We love you all and we miss you terribly. Use common sense and follow the CDC Guidelines. Stay home when you can. You may save the life of someone close to you. It’s a Great Day to be a Bulldog! Craig Wall, Supt.

Students, Parents, and Friends, As we were suspecting the State Board of Education voted to approve the recommendation of State Supt. Joy Hofmeister to close the schools for the remainder of the year while providing "Distance Learning," beginning April 6. Further, all extracurricular activities and events were cancelled citing the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control Recommendations for group size. We knew on Monday that this would likely happen today. Now, we know for sure, and we ask you to help us make the best of the situation. We can do it. Firstly, we do not know all the answers. We are looking at a mix of methods to best be able to serve your educational needs whether it be handouts, or digital material. We are aware that there are limitations, and will make every effort to accommodate those limitations when we can. We don't know the answers yet. So, please give us an opportunity to take a look at the information the State Department provides this week. We have already started working on a plan, and will communicate it to you as soon as we can do so. We have discussed plans to postpone HS Graduation if necessary. Although it is impossible to predict the future, we will be open to moving to a date that is determined to be safe by the authorities. We want those Seniors to have their day. In the meantime, please be safe. The Covid-19 virus continues to spread in our state and others. You have take every precaution to keep yourself and your family healthy. It is important for us all. Craig Wall, Supt.

Parents and Students, Today in a statewide teleconference, State Supt. Joy Hofmeister notified us that beginning April 6, all schools would be providing educational opportunities through “Distance Learning.” Students will not be returning to the school this year. At Valliant, we started discussing and making plans for what Distance Learning may look like for our students. Over the next two weeks, we will be working with your teachers to plan for delivery and support of student lessons. Furthermore Supt. Hofmeister noted that all extracurricular events and activities would be cancelled for the remainder of the school year. The State Board of Education will meet on Wednesday to vote on her recommendations. This is a challenging time for us all. Right now, we do not have the answers to the “what if’s,” and “what about’s,” but we will always provide you the information that we know in a timely and honest fashion. Covid-19 is not a joke. Please use every precaution to keep yourself and your family safe from infection. The reality of our current situation is saddening, and the announcement that we would not be together again this year is disappointing. But the health of our community and family is paramount. We are Bulldogs! It’s time for us to live up to that mascot and do our part. None of us have ever been through something like this, but we will come through it together. #weareValliant It’s a Great Day to be a Bulldog! Craig Wall

NEW MESSAGE Parents, Students, and Patrons, Thank you to all the workers and volunteers that helped today. We could not do this without you. We are making some small changes for Tuesday based on Monday’s response. We will be relocating from Watermill Church to Dorries Hardware at the same times. Also the Mt Zion Church is now at the site of the Old River Bottom Church. If you know of any child that could benefit from this program, please let them know. We want to feed every child. The Valliant Public Schools will be providing :"Grab and Go" breakfast and lunch for ANY CHILD 18 and under or anyone with Special Needs 21 and under absolutely free of charge. We will be providing meals at the following locations and times: Valliant School - Drive Thru Bus Lane 8:30-10:00 am Rufe Volunteer Fire Department 8:30-9:00 am Felker Baptist Church 8:30-9:00 am The Church in Millerton 8:30-9:00 am Dorries Hardware 8:30-9:00 am Pine Creek Fire Department 8:30-9:00 am Mt.Zion Church of God 8:30-9:00 am There will be no need for you to leave your vehicle at any site, meals will be delivered to you. We are taking precautions to make sure everyone stays healthy and safe. Thank you so much to the volunteers, Community, and Church leaders, that helped to make this program possible. We encourage everyone that has children that live in our district to take advantage of this program. #weareValliant