TPS Officials Urge Parents To Educate Children About Masks Before Returning To Classes

Some Tulsa Public Schools elementary students are heading back to in-person learning on Monday for the first time since March and with their return, comes some changes.

Tulsa pre-k and kindergarten students are preparing for a return to class on Monday and with that return comes an all-day in-school mask mandate.

Related Story: TPS Reveals Preparations For Students’ Return To In-Person Class

In order to head back safely, TPS students will be required to wear a mask at all times, something that TPS officials know can be difficult to enforce. Officials said they want parents to begin talking to their children now to stress the importance of keeping their masks on but urge parents not to scare their children.

According to officials, they suggest telling children that “all the cool big kids in school are wearing one so they should too” or even try to make it a game.

TPS’s Stephanie Andrews says they will have a few exceptions to the mask rule but not many.

Stephanie Andrews, Executive Director of Student and Family Support Services at TPS said “we will be taking masks off for outside recess time and you obviously can’t wear a mask during cafeteria time, so they won’t wear a mask during cafeteria time.”

Andrews added that if parents have any questions about how to get children adjusted, they should reach out to either the school or the child’s teacher.