Latest Posts

El Reno Public Schools Superintendent Craig McVay knows parents and guardians are anxious to hear about the plan to educate the district’s nearly 3,000 students during the COVID-19 outbreak.

However, as of Thursday, McVay and the rest of the district’s leadership team was still waiting on the Oklahoma State Department of Education to release its mandated framework so El Reno could begin formulating a plan.

If you didn’t get a haircut before Thursday, you may be waiting awhile.

Gov. Kevin Stitt issued a state of emergency last week closing businesses considered non-essential. The order went into effect at midnight Wednesday.

On Wednesday, El Reno issued its own state of emergency, updated from an earlier one proclaimed on March 16.

In the local order, adults over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions are ordered to stay home, only going out when absolutely necessary for groceries, gas or work in critical infrastructure jobs.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education reports 61 percent of students across the state qualify for either free or reduced lunches, but that number is closer to 80 percent for El Reno Public Schools.

Due to the higher number, El Reno has opted to keep its current delivery method for meals during the COVID-19 outbreak instead of following OSDE recommendations to limit exposure between schools and students for meals.

While COVID-19 has spread pain to every sector of the nation, it has also helped create rumors that El Reno city officials said need to be put to rest.

Mayor and Acting City Manager Matt White said the city is doing its best to follow federal and state guidelines intended to help keep the public safe and hopefully “bend the curve” of the coronavirus.

Some on social media have claimed “big government” is stepping in to take over daily life. Some have suggested there will soon be the need to have a permit to drive a car. White said this isn’t true.

When Craig McVay was appointed to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Board, he says he knew he was going to make tough decisions that affected the future of athletes.

Never did the El Reno superintendent imagine that in his first year on the board he would have to help make the call that ended the season for thousands of student-athletes across the state – with more than 100 of those being his own.

El Reno Public School buildings will remain closed the remainder of the 2019-20 term due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The district will be following the order of the Oklahoma State Board of Education to shutter all school buildings through the week of May 8-15.

The state board voted 7-0 Wednesday morning to amend its March 16 ruling that closed schools through April 6. The board also voted to waive the state mandated 180 days of in-school instruction.

Canadian County commissioners last week tabled a proposal to help fund a proposed roundabout at SH 66 and Banner Road.

The county’s share, $94,000, would fund the design work on the roundabout, said Commissioner Marc Hader.

“It would get us in the queue to get this done, possibly within this calendar year,” Hader said.

Commissioners David Anderson and Jack Stewart said they did not have enough information about the proposal.