Plus a statement from the district

Media release

 In accordance with its safety protocols Stillwater Public Schools has cancelled all athletic and extracurricular events from September 13-19. 

Payne County is currently designated in the Red Level based on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s School Safety Protocols with an average of 58.17 daily new cases per 100,000 people. Health officials have indicated much concern about the spread of coronavirus in the Stillwater community and recommend the community continue to make efforts to bring infection rates down to allow for safe participation in athletics and extracurricular activities. 

Stillwater Athletics will work to reschedule district games, but some non-district games, including the football game against Bixby, are not likely to be rescheduled. 

At statement from the district:

“Stillwater Public Schools did not take the decision to cancel athletic and extracurricular events for this week lightly. 

When our county received a “red” designation this week, SPS implemented its COVID-19 Athletic and Extracurricular Activity Safety Protocols, which called for a cancellation of all activities to help slow the spread of COVID-19 within our community, as recommended by the Oklahoma Department of Education School Safety Protocols.

Stillwater is consistently showing one of the nation’s highest rates of spread and high positivity levels from testing. We ask that the people, businesses, and other organizations in Stillwater work to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community so that in-person extracurricular activities and instruction may resume for the children of Stillwater.

We know our students want to play and learn together, and we desperately want that for them as well.”