The Okarche School Board voted Monday night to approve a plan to reopen schools and recommend masks.
But masks won’t be mandated.
Superintendent Josh Sumrall presented a plan to open campuses Thursday, Aug. 13.
Students will have their temperature taken when they arrive at school, and other precautions are expected. Sumrall said he talked to teachers and principals before deciding masks should be up to parents and not school officials.
“In 15 years of being an administrator, I don’t think there has ever been an issue I have tried to decide, staying up at night over. There is no right decision,” Sumrall said. “A mask mandate is the issue.”
School board members approved Sumrall’s reopening plan making masks recommended, but not required.
Sumrall said students are playing contact sports without masks.
“Why are we playing sports? I don’t know how we can say the hallway is not safe but we can go play after school sports.”
Sumrall said Okarche town officials have not mandated masks and he thinks the school should follow the community.
He also said he realizes bigger districts in the area have gone to virtual learning, but Okarche has smaller class sizes and numbers.
Chrome books will be issued to students during the semester, and the plans can change with the pandemic, Sumrall said.
The high schools will not use lockers, and desks will be spaced further apart. Students will be allowed to take backpacks to classes.
At the school board meeting Monday, new officers elected were President Shawn Vogt, Vice-President Heather Nance, Clerk, Craig Baustert, Deputy Clerk, Ryan McIwain and Parliamentarian, Rob Anderson.
Anderson was sworn in after recently winning the election for Position 5 over incumbent Stephanie Jeffrey.
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