Durant schools delaying start date, requiring masks

DURANT, Okla. (KXII) - Durant Public Schools announced Tuesday the district is delaying the start of the school year.

Students in grades 1 through 12 will start class on Aug. 24, four days later than originally planned. Pre-K and Kindergarten classes will start Aug. 26.

The school district also announced changes to their mask policy, stating masks will be required in certain circumstances.

When the county is in yellow, orange and red alert levels according to Oklahoma’s COVID-19 Alert system, students will be required to wear masks based on grade level.

Students in Pre-K through third grade are required to wear masks in hallways and other common areas but do not have to wear them in the classroom, during naptime, recess or during meals.

Students in fourth grade and above must wear masks at all times except for meals, physical education and recess.

All students will be required to wear masks while on the bus.

The district says to be exempt from wearing a mask, the student must have valid written medical documentation.

As of Tuesday, Bryan County is under the yellow level alert. The state updates alert levels every Friday.