The Shawnee News-Star
Several school districts in the Pottawatomie County area that originally received limited pandemic relief funds under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) II were awarded additional funding Friday.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) decided to allocate a total of $49 million in federal relief dollars to these and other districts.
The funds are part of the set-aside ESSER II dollars that had been allocated to the OSDE.
“These recipients had received the least amount of federal aid, but like all public school districts throughout our state, are struggling with financial burdens exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Hofmeister. “These additional foundational dollars will help strengthen their ability to meet the many challenges posed by COVID-19.
The Shawnee News-Star
In the aftermath of the winter storm, various schools in Pottawatomie County are assessing significant water damage to their gyms and formulating the next steps to makes repair and reconstruction needed for their athletic facilities.
McLoud Public Schools Superintendent Steve Stanley said the district had a pipe burst in the elementary school gym.
He explained the district has assessed the damage, removed all the water, dried the floor and placed heaters and fans in the gym.
Stanley said while the district is waiting to hear form their insurance adjuster, he feels the wooden floor can be saved.