OHS principal says they are taking COVID-19 seriously

Olney ISD has now closed all schools, which began on Tuesday, March. 17.

Olney High School will begin online courses Monday, March. 23 and for the time being, going to reassess the situation in two weeks time.

This reassessment is not a guarantee that the school will reopen at that set date, but rather listen to what the experts say when the time comes. It is also a possibility that this occurs throughout the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.

“This is obviously a huge disruption but I think it is the right move to take this seriously and to learn from mistakes that places like Italy have made,” says Olney High School Principal Matt Caffey.

Caffey says that they are very fortunate to have Chromebooks and other necessary tools available to all high school students during this time.

On Tuesday, March. 17, there was a staff wide meeting with all administration and teachers. Teachers at the high school are now fully prepared for online instruction, especially with almost a full week of preparation before beginning online classes.

“Even though STAAR exams have been waived, students will still be prepared for AP exams, students that are still taking college entrance exams, students competing for class rank and GPA, they all have a means to progress,” Caffey said.

Principal Caffey remains confident in both teachers’ and students’ abilities to continually progress in each course, as well continuing to learn, regardless of being physically present in the classrooms.

“Learning is still going to happen and it is still going to happen at a very high level,” Caffey added. “It’s never a good time for a pandemic, but I think we are blessed to live in an age that we do to be able to have the tools to still educate students amidst a pandemic.”