Ponca City SuperintendentShelley Arrott said State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister met with public school superintendents this week and told them she intends to take the mask mandate in schools before the Oklahoma State Board of Education during a meeting next Thursday.

Arrott said this mandate will be based on the multitiered color-coded system that tracks the path of the virus.

“She didn’t say this but I think she’s referring to the COVID-19 alert system recently rolled out by the Oklahoma State Department of Health that indicates the risk of your county,” said Arrott. “She told us it will look different for every student at every school district depending on the spread and risk within the county.”

“We didn’t receive any specifics so I’m assuming we will hear next week after the state board meeting is held,” said Arrott.

“We told parents before that we were requesting students had a face covering and there would be specific zones. Now, students have to have face mask coverings at schools,” said Arrott. “With that said she did say that maybe some of our youngest learners could be exempt. She also said some of our students with health issues that cannot wear a mask could be as well.”

“Our number one priority is to make sure students, staff and community members are safe. We will comply with whatever mandates are put before us,” said Arrott.

“Last night I ordered neck gaiters for every public school student in this district. We will provide one for every student, free of charge. This is one round piece and will fit over a student’s head. It is made from dry-fit material so it dries quickly. They will hang on their neck so if a student goes into a mask zone all they have to do is pull it up or put it back down when it’s not in use.”

Additional neck gaiters will be for sale on Tuesday.

Arrott said she also wanted to remind parents to set the tone with their children when wearing a mask.

“The tone you set with your children will impact their attitude,” she said. “Be positive on why they need to wear a mask. Practice with them. Have them wear it for 20 minutes and then go without it for awhile. Your attitude will be conveyed to your own children.”

Arrott also noted that the individual site instructional videos that were scheduled to be releasedon the district’s website on Tuesday are not available online.

“We wanted to roll them out early because so many of you are interested in what each individual site is going to do. Watch the ones that pertain to you and it will help when deciding what option you want your children to follow this fall,” she said.

Arrott is speaking about the three school options parents can chose from this fall. The first is traditional learning, the second is a mix of online curriculum but participating in extracurricular activities for grades 6-12 and the third option is totally online instruction.

The president of the Oklahoma Education Association called Thursday for mask requirements and other safety measures in schools, warning that teachers will otherwise not return to classrooms for inperson teaching.

In addition to requiring and providing masks, the state must provide personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers, building cleaning supplies, touchless thermometers, and guidance on when schools should shut down in the event of a coronavirus outbreak or teachers are unwilling to return, said OEA President Alicia Priest.