Edmond Public Schools kicked off the new academic year this week with a convocation that formally launched Superintendent Josh Delich's second year at the helm and introduced the district's newest campus, Post Oak Elementary. The district is also doubling down on a "Power of Presence" push tied to its year-old cellphone ban, asking staff to keep devices out of students' hands throughout the school day. Post Oak's opening caps years of bond-funded construction driven by rapid growth on Edmond's east side.
According to News 9, Delich said the district is excited about the start of the school year and that Post Oak Elementary will open as a new addition to Edmond Public Schools. Reporter Isabel Contreras noted that the district has spent the past year working on strategic priorities aimed at improving learning experiences, workforce support, and school-level assistance. Delich said the district aims to continue excellence in curriculum, instruction, teaching, and student experience, part of a broader push to provide a better future for everyone in the community.
New Otter Mascot Joins District's 20th Elementary Campus
Post Oak Elementary, located at 2016 N Air Depot Road, is Edmond Public Schools' 20th elementary school and will serve students from Pre-K through fifth grade under the mascot of the Otter, according to Edmond Public Schools. The Edmond Board of Education selected Jenny Williams as the school's founding principal in December 2025. Williams brings 20 years in education, including a decade as principal and assistant principal at Angie Debo Elementary, to the new building near Air Depot and Covell Road.
Back-To-Back Bond Votes Paid For The Campus
Phase I construction of Post Oak Elementary was financed through a $147 million bond package Edmond voters approved in February 2024. Voters returned to the polls in February 2026 and approved a second, two-proposition bond measure worth $140 million with more than 79% approval, according to The Journal Record. That funding covers Phase II work at Post Oak along with construction of a new middle school, and it arrived without raising local property tax rates.
Growth Pressures Come With Nearly 26,000 Students
Edmond Public Schools is Oklahoma's third-largest public school district and the city's largest employer, serving nearly 26,000 students across 30 campuses where more than 100 languages are spoken, per Edmond Public Schools. Delich, who was named the district's 23rd superintendent in April 2025 after a nationwide search, succeeded former superintendent Angela Grunewald, according to Oklahoma City Free Press. That scale helps explain why a single new elementary school has been years in the making.
Cellphone Ban Enters Its Second Year
The district's cellphone policy traces back to Senate Bill 139, which Governor Kevin Stitt signed into law in May 2025, establishing a statewide "bell-to-bell" ban on personal electronic devices during the instructional day beginning with the 2025-26 school year, according to KGOU. Edmond adopted its own Policy FNG in July 2025 to align with that mandate, restricting cellphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds throughout the day and setting escalating penalties that range from same-day device confiscation to a full semester of daily phone check-ins. As that policy heads into its second year, the district's renewed "Power of Presence" messaging is meant to keep staff consistent about enforcing it.
School Zone Driving Law Also In Effect
Motorists face their own new restriction this year: Oklahoma House Bill 2263 took effect in October 2025, making it illegal to use handheld electronic devices in active school zones statewide, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The law adds another layer of enforcement around campuses like Post Oak Elementary as traffic patterns shift with the new building's opening.
Expansion Comes Amid Administrative Cuts
The district's physical growth has coincided with budget tightening elsewhere. In July, reporting from KGOU revealed Edmond Public Schools eliminated at least 10 administrative positions to address an anticipated budget shortfall, a move that triggered nearly $90,000 in cash settlement payouts to administrators whose contracts had recently been renewed. The cuts underscore the balancing act facing Delich as he opens a new school while trimming central-office costs.
Hoodline previously covered firefighters welcoming Delich to Edmond back in January, before his first full school year got underway. As Post Oak Elementary opens and the phone policy heads into year two, district leaders have tied both efforts to four themes they say guide daily work across Edmond's campuses: collaboration, belonging, integrity, and hope.
