Okarche Public Schools have opened for the fall semester.
The classes are in-person, and no masks are required.
The district had 400 students enrolled this week in grades pre-kindergarten to 12th.
Parents have dropped off their children in front of the school with no problems. There have been no issues with traffic and drivers have observed the school crossing zones.
Lights were flashing near the elementary school this week. Police Chief Forrest Smith had his patrol vehicle lights flashing before the bell rang at the elementary school this week. Smith said all has gone smoothly the first few days of the semester.
While some school districts may look to require students to mask up this fall despite a new state law against mandates, Okarche Public Schools will not mandate masks, Superintendent Josh Sumrall said.
School opened for the students in pre-kindergarten to 12th grades on Thursday, Aug. 12. During the first full week of school, there were no cases of COVID-19 reported, Sumrall said.
Okarche has not had any deaths reported this year, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
“There are no cases of students or employees,” Sumrall said Tuesday.
The district had 400 students enrolled Tuesday, Aug. 17.
Recently, Senate Bill 658 was signed into law in Oklahoma to restrict mask mandates by school boards. However, masks were mandated in Oklahoma City Public Schools as the law was challenged. A petition has been filed in Oklahoma County District Court against parts of the law.
Okarche Public Schools went the entire 2020-2021 in-person, five days a week with masks optional.
Students will get their first break for Labor Day Sept. 6. There is no school on Oct. 14-18 for fall break.
Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 24-26. Christmas break is Dec. 20-31, and students return on Jan. 3 for the spring semester.
Spring break is March 14-18 and the last day of school is May 20. High school graduation is scheduled for May 20.
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