Crosstown and COVID-19
We will update this page as new information is available to share. We will also share information through our Facebook page and through the REMIND texting app. Please be safe and stay healthy--we are all in this together! Below is the latest letter from our executive director, Dr. Debbi Guilfoyle, and after that, we resources for assistance with food, meals, and other things you might need.
Crosstown reopened to our families Monday, June 1. We are SO happy to be back with your kids!
CROSSTOWN LEARNING CENTER, INC. PROTOCOL FOR COVID–19 EXPOSURE:
The Crosstown Board of Directors met on June 30, 2020, and approved the following protocol for the learning center should we receive conformation that an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 has been present in the facility.
• Crosstown will report a positive test for COVID-19 to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and/or the Tulsa Health Department.
• Pending further instructions from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and/or the Tulsa Health Department, Crosstown will close the facility as soon as practicable and remain closed for a period of no less than two weeks..
• During the two-week closure, the Board, in consultation with Crosstown management, will:
o Assess the situation and make further decisions regarding the reopening of the facility.
o Make decisions regarding tuition during the time that we are closed.
• Crosstown will notify families of decisions of the Board regarding reopening and tuition in a timely manner.
We encourage each of you to begin making alternate childcare arrangements for your children should this situation arise.
On behalf of the Crosstown Board of Directors, we thank each of you for your continued support of the Center, your willingness to adhere to all new policies and procedures and your good thoughts as we move through these difficult times. We especially thank you for your support of our staff who are working hard every day to care for your children.
Please know that this protocol has been established to continue to protect you and your families, as well as our staff.
April 29, 2020
Dear Families and Friends: It is my sincerest hope that this finds all of you well and staying so as we continue to deal with this pandemic that has affected all of us.
I wanted to let you know the results of the decisions that the Leadership Team and the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Crosstown have reached so that you can begin to plan accordingly.
Before I begin, I want you to know that there will never be words to thank you for sticking with us; remaining in contact with your classroom teachers and supporting us with your well wishes. This has been an overwhelming experience for everyone, and only by the grace of the good Lord and our friends, we have managed to stay sane! Our staff has done an absolutely amazing job as they have continued to reach out to you, to their kiddos and kept the lines of communication opened. There will be few things that will touch my heart as deeply: Zoom meetings with three-year-olds; curriculum planning for Pre-K kids; and porch visits, to name a few! I have known that those that we call family at Crosstown are truly devoted teachers – this only proves that again and again. Thank you.
And no Executive Director of any organization could ask for and receive better support than I have with our Board of Directors and Crosstown’s Leadership Team. They have been by my side every step of the way, and all of these decisions are the result of many that care so deeply for your families.
Thanks to our board member, Jared Cable, and Darek, we were able to secure a PPP loan to guarantee that our staff was paid throughout this event, and you were not in a position that you had to pay tuition to hold your spots at Crosstown. God is good.
As we all know, Governor Stitt has opened the state as of May 1st, with certain businesses preparing to re-open their doors on that date. The collective leadership team at Crosstown, both staff and board, believe that it is much too early to begin to expose the number of people that would be involved in Crosstown’s reopening at that time. Consequently, we have developed the following schedule to begin the reopening of the Center:
The building will remain closed to families until Monday, June 1st. Hours of operation; new guidelines regarding having your children in care, etc. will be sent to you prior to your bringing your children to the Center. The CDC, OKDHS and the state and local health departments have set incredibly stringent guidelines regarding childcare. We will be sure that you have this information in plenty of time before we begin this summer.
Staff will begin reporting during the month of May as there is new training that will be required for them to care for your children.
Now, for the hard stuff. I believe that the Governor has opened Oklahoma much too soon. I am well aware of the economic impact that this stay-at-home order has put on our state. As you know, Crosstown depends on philanthropic donations to manage to meet our financial responsibilities every year, and I fully understand the impact that the state’s economic system is suffering. But I’m also very aware that the toll on people’s lives has been devastating as well. It is my belief that we will begin to see an upswing in COVID-19 cases as the city begins to open, and I want some time to see what the impact is going to be; how many reported cases we see and what the increase in cases brings to our city. I have reserved the right with the board and the Leadership Team at Crosstown to pull all of this off the table if we see that the opening of our city is causing us to be concerned enough that opening the Center would be a mistake.
Also, please, please begin to make plans for the fall and winter, as the risk of this virus returning is very real, and quite possibly, with even more serious consequences than we have seen this spring. I’m not ready to cross that bridge by any means – but I believe that we all need to be thinking about future issues that may arise.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email me if you have questions. I will certainly keep you apprised of any changes that might occur and know that on behalf of all of us, we send our love and thanks to each of you.
Warmly,
Debbi
ASSISTANCE INFORMATION:
If the help you need isn't listed below, please email Kathryn Black and we will do your best to get your the help you need.
Any questions regarding assistance, you can call 211, the city of Tulsa's helpline, or visit their website.
Tulsa Public Schools is offering free breakfast and lunch for anyone 18 and under who needs it--Grab-n-Go and Mobile Meals. All the info can be found on their website.
If you need food to make your own meals at home, the Food Bank has a way for you to see where food distribution centers are close to your home or work.
Iron Gate Tulsa has several options for families that need help.
Community Service Council also has help available for those who need it.
