Public kindergarten-through-12th-grade schools continue to see new lows in coronavirus infections -- active cases haven't topped 500 since Feb. 18 -- and Arkansas Tech University on Thursday announced plans to host outdoor commencement ceremonies after skipping in-person graduation events since the pandemic began.
"We are pleased to have reached the stage in our pandemic mitigation and recovery that we can plan on resuming commencement in something closer to its traditional form," Robin Bowen, the university's president, said in a statement.
All ceremonies are to take place in Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville rather than indoors as would typically be the case, and multiple events are planned. A ceremony Friday, May 7, will honor 2020 graduates, while three ceremonies for 2021 graduates are set for May 8.
Students of the Arkansas Tech University-Ozark campus will have their commencement on May 6.
The university, in its announcement, stated that it will follow state Department of Health guidelines and the campus's pandemic protocols. Face coverings are currently required in public on campus whenever 6 feet of distancing is not possible. The university's website Thursday reported that there were four active cases of covid-19.
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NEW LOW
At public school districts statewide, the number of active covid-19 cases among students and staff members fell to 375, according to a report Thursday from the state Health Department.
The latest total marks a new low in cases for the spring school term, which began in early January. It's a dip of about 11% compared with the Health Department's previous report, published Monday, which listed 419 active cases among students and staff members in public school districts. The 419 total was the previous low for the spring term.
Active cases remain far below the peak of more than 3,400 active cases in mid-January.
The Bentonville School District topped all others with 32 active cases, followed by the Springdale School District with 27 cases and the Little Rock School District with 21 cases.
COLLEGE
At colleges and universities in the state, active covid-19 cases dipped to 150, according to Thursday's report, a decrease from the 158 active case total listed in Monday's report.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville topped all schools with 42 active cases, an increase from Monday's report when the campus was listed as having 38 active cases.
Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia was listed in Thursday's report as having the next-highest case total with 11 active infections, followed by the University of Central Arkansas in Conway with 10 active cases.