Senate Review by Senator Todd Gollihare

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(Oklahoma City) - This week, a historic education funding agreement was unveiled at the state Capitol by leaders of the Senate, House and Governor Kevin Stitt, which will provide $625 million in recurring total investment in public education.

This agreement places $500 million directly into the education funding formula and I believe these investments will be instrumental in helping us attract and keep the best and brightest education professionals in our public schools. That investment will cover teacher pay raises of $3,000 for teachers with zero to four years of experience; $4,000 for teachers with five to nine years of experience; $5,000 for teachers with 10 to 15 years of experience; and $6,000 for teachers with 15 or more years of experience.

The agreement, for the first time ever, includes funding for six weeks of paid maternity leave. Again, we want to provide funding that better supports our professional educators and makes Oklahoma schools more attractive for those considering teaching as a profession.

The agreement also includes putting an additional $10 million into a three-year literacy program to employ a literacy instructional team to support school districts. Reading at grade level is essential for success in school and throughout life.  This is an investment in the future of Oklahoma’s children. The agreement also includes $125 million to the Redbud Fund that largely benefits rural schools that don’t have the same ad valorem tax collections as districts. This package also includes an additional $150 million for a three-year pilot program for school safety and security. This will provide each district with a school resource officer, or security upgrades, depending on what is needed. For each year of the program, each public school district will receive approximately $96,000.

We’ll soon be hearing details on other areas of the state budget. As education makes up the lion’s share of state appropriated dollars, reaching consensus on that clears the way for final announcements on the rest of the budget.

Meanwhile, work continues on legislation and executive nominations. I expect floor votes soon giving final confirmation for John Longacre, of Kellyville and Jay Rotert, of Sand Springs. John is the principal of Crown Auto World, RAM , Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep in Bristow and Taft Motors in Sapulpa, and has been nominated by Governor Stitt to serve a fourth term as chair of the Oklahoma Used Motor Vehicle, Dismantler and Manufactured Housing Commission. Jay is a professional educator and spent 15 years in the classroom at Charles Page High School in Sand Springs.  He’s currently serving as the director of the Sand Springs Virtual Academy and as district state testing coordinator. Jay has been nominated to serve as a member of the State Textbook Committee. It is my pleasure to carry both of these nominations forward.

I also wanted to update you on my legislation naming a section of Highway 66 the Army SPC Ryan J. Grady Memorial Highway. Ryan, formerly of Bristow, was a combat engineer in the Vermont National Guard’s Special Troops Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He was killed after his vehicle was hit in a roadside bombing near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The legislation honoring his life, service and sacrifice is now on its way to the governor for final consideration.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Oklahoma Senate. If you have any questions or concerns about legislation or other issues related to state government, please feel free to contact my office by calling 405-521-5528, or email Todd.Gollihare@oksenate.gov.

Sand Springs School District holds commemorative beam-signing at new 9th Grade Center

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Sand Springs Public Schools officials, along with select members of local government and the Chamber of Commerce gathered at Charles Page High School Friday afternoon for a commemorative beam-signing event.

The high school is currently constructing a new $14.28 million freshman academy and STEM center that will unify grades 9-12 on one campus for the first time in decades. Currently the district’s ninth grade center is located in a century-old building, almost a mile from the high school. More than 75% of students are bused from the current ninth grade center to the high school every day for extracurricular activities and certain classes.

The new wing will be conjoined with the existing building through a central lobby, but will keep younger students separated from the upperclassmen for most of the day. In addition to housing the freshmen, the new building will also provide class space for expanded curriculum.

Construction was originally expected to finish in August of 2020, but is ahead of schedule and officials are currently expecting a July completion date. This year’s class of freshmen will be the last students to walk the halls at Central Ninth Grade Center, which was previously Sand Springs High School up till 1954. The historic building will be continue to be used for administrative purposes.

The Clyde Boyd Middle School 8th Grade Student Council was invited to the beam-signing as the first class of students who will occupy the facility.


Sand Springs Public Schools break ground on new 9th Grade Center and STEM Academy

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Sand Springs Public School District officials gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of the new Ninth Grade Center and STEM Academy Tuesday afternoon.

The new buildings were part of a $33 million bond package approved by voters in March. The construction will allow for the reunification of freshmen with the rest of the Sand Springs high school students at the Charles Page campus. Currently freshmen are in the century-old Sand Springs High School building downtown, which has long outlived its usefulness.

The $14.28 million building will be conjoined with Charles Page through a central lobby, but will keep the younger students separated from the upperclassmen. In recent years the district has had to shuttle more than 75% of freshmen to the high school for daily activities like band, athletics, and other classes.

The new construction will also provide class space for expanded curriculum in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields, as well as a new two-story lobby.

Construction is expected to finish in August of 2020, meaning the district will have one more year at the current Central Ninth Grade Center. CNGC will then be turned into administrative offices for the district.

3rd Annual Cheers & Gears Auto Show set for June 22nd at Charles Page High School

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The Third Annual Cheers & Gears Auto Show will return to the Charles Page High School parking lot Saturday, June 22nd in Sand Springs. The event is hosted by the Sandite Cheer Team as an annual fundraiser.

All makes, models and years of cars, trucks, Rat Rods and Kit Cars can be shown. Registration will be from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. with a $25 fee for each vehicle.

Admission is free for spectators not exhibiting a vehicle. Dash plaques and goody bags will be given to the first 20 entries. All of the entrants will receive a ticket for the door prize drawings. Awards will be presented at 3:00 p.m. The event has something for everyone, including: food trucks, snow cones, drink & candy concessions, live DJ, t-shirts and hourly raffles.

4th year CPHS Varsity Cheer Coach Carrie Schlehuber is ready to welcome back many of the cheerleaders’ favorite cars and their owners, but is also excited to see and hear the new competition. “I remember when I was in school how we wanted to show off our new wheels… and many of us wanted to “sound off” too!”

This year the show has been expanded to over 20 classes including specialty awards with trophies for each. The “Loud & Proud” award will be given to the best sounding car when it revs up its engine. Also “Show Your Colors” trophies will be awarded to the Best Paint jobs for Original and Custom paint. The coveted “Cheer Choice” Award is chosen and presented by the Varsity Cheerleaders. All of the awards are unique handmade trophies designed and created by CPHS Tech Students.

Vendor parking spaces (or booth spaces) are available and also sponsor opportunities. For more show information, contact CPHS Varsity Cheer at cphsvarsitycheer@gmail.com.

For more information about the Cheers & Gears Auto Show, to download entry forms for auto owners, and for sponsorship and vendor opportunities, visit the show web site at https://www.cheersandgearsautoshow.com

Board of Ed recognizes Susan Cox for donating kidney to CPHS cheer coach

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Sand Springs Board of Education member Rusty Gun (left) and Charles Page High School Cheer Coach Carrie Schlehueber (center) present Susan Cox (right) with a Pacesetter Award.

Click here to view full photo gallery.

The Sand Springs Board of Education handed out a handful of awards at their September meeting.

Susan Cox was presented with a Pacesetter Award for donating a kidney to Head Cheer Coach Carrie Schlehueber. Cox is the Director at DaySpring Villa, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking.

Board of Ed member Rusty Gunn described Cox as “someone who is selfless in their life,” even before donating her kidney.

According to Gunn, Cox heard that Schlehueber was in need of a kidney and went in to find out if she was a match without even being asked. “That kidney was always hers,” said Cox. “I was just holding it for her.”

Schlehueber is expected to return to work on October 1st.

The Charles Page High School Student Council was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award for their work prior to the 2018-2019 school year, decorating the hallways and working around the school every day in the week before the year began. The Council consists of Stephanie Ayala, Logan Bateman, Caleb Bundy, Katie Gonzales, Chloe Graves, Savana McCabe, Abigail McGehee, Emily Phifer, and Kristen Taylor.

“When you see these kids that are here tonight, you see that public education works,” said CPHS history/leadership teacher Frank Cooper. “Every one of these kids is a product of public school education and they are competitive, academically motivated, engaged, enthusiastic.”

The Sand Springs Rotary Club was presented with a Sandite Pacesetter Award for helping to provide school supplies to teachers. The Rotary Club also hosted a luncheon recently for new teachers and gave every new teacher $70 worth of gift cards to local restaurants.

Sheila Bright was presented with a Pacesetter Award for offering her facilities at Bright Morning Farm to the school faculty for a conference before the school year began. Not only did Bright provide her facilities for two days free of charge, she also brought in a yoga instructor on day two.

Board of Ed formally approves teacher pay raise schedule, district struggles with recruiting

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The Sand Springs Board of Education formally voted Monday evening to enact a new teacher pay schedule in accordance with House Bill 1023XX. 

In March the Oklahoma legislature approved a historic $447 million tax hike to help fund public school teacher salaries. Salaries for Oklahoma teachers will increase anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000 this school year.

State Representative Jadine Nollan used the opportunity to remind the crowd of the many previous pay raise attempts that failed to pass either the legislature or state ballots. "Tonight, for me, is a very special night," said Nollan. 

The Sand Springs Women’s Chamber was presented with a Pacesetter Award in recognition of a $4,500 donation they made to the district. The Women’s Chamber is dedicated to promoting children’s literacy in Sand Springs.

Charles Page High School sophomore Sean Kuehn was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award for his involvement in the Technology Student Association. TSA is a student-led organization focused on preparing students for the work force. Kuehn previously won the TSA National Championship in Public Speaking at the National Conference in Atlanta.

Gary Watts was presented with a Coin of Excellence for his work in the district. Watts has worked with SSPS since 1990 and was previously Chief Financial Officer for the district.

Student safety was a large topic of conversation. The district will be assigning Student ID badges for grades 6-12 beginning this school year that will be mandatory at all times. “We’re not atypical, most 6A schools do that,” said Superintendent Sherry Durkee.

Durkee says the district is also working with the Sand Springs Police Department to stage an intruder drill at the high school this year. 

The Board approved an Interlocal Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding with the police department to help pay for a school resource officer for the upcoming school year.

"That officer will be on district site during the day, all the time," said Durkee. 

SEE RELATED: City Council approves SSPD Resource Officer for Sand Springs Public Schools

Durkee also addressed the continuing statewide teacher shortage. The passage of HB1023XX is intended to help stem the shortage, but thousands of Oklahoma teachers have already left for neighboring states in recent years.

Prior to the pay raise, Oklahoma teachers were at the bottom of the nation in average pay and some Texas school districts have been openly recruiting Oklahoma teachers with billboards in the Oklahoma City metro area. 

Last week the Oklahoma State Department of Education approved 853 emergency teaching certifications, bringing the total number for 2018-2019 to 1,238. Last year they approved a record 1,975. Emergency certifications last for two years and allow schools to employ instructors who aren't traditionally qualified with a state teaching license. 

"Out district today now employs ten emergency certified teachers," said Durkee. "We've struggled a little bit for the first time with hiring teachers and having staff ready to go in August." Specifically two special education positions have remained open until this week. "I think at this point the district is fully staffed, which is a good thing. I was sweating a little bit up until literally today."

The district is also trying to reestablish some positions that were previously eliminated due to budget constraints, state revenue failures, and funding cuts. "Over the course of the last two years, through attrition, we let go of over fifty positions from administration to maintenance, custodial, and paraprofessionals. We are slowly but surely trying to recapture some of those positions," said Durkee. "This year we will be reinstituting two library media specialists, one teacher at Northwoods, a science teacher at Charles Page High School, and a paraprofessional at ECEC."

"I feel like we've made a turn for the better, but caution is always the best way to move forward."

Sand Springs City Councilman Brian Jackson running for House District 66

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Sand Springs City Councilman Brian Jackson is throwing his hat in the ring for the House District 66 election. The Republican candidate is a thrice-elected councilman and has been awarded an apple by the Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education political action group. 

Education is the cornerstone of Jackson's campaign, an issue which he says is "the purest form of economic development." He points to proper education funding as a solution to fixing both the State economy as well as overcrowded prisons. 

"From the womb to the classroom, that's how I describe my philosophy," says Jackson. "Education gives you options...Incarceration breaks up families, continues the cycle of poverty, and creates a reliance on government."

He says the teacher pay raise included in House Bill 1023xx is just a start and that school funding and salaries need to continue to go up. He is opposed to forced consolidation of school districts.

"I'm a Republican that's not afraid to reinvest in our Oklahoma," says Jackson. "We do that by these taxes. You've done tax breaks here and there with businesses and income tax."

Jackson praises the revenue package passed with House Bill 1010xx and says that he would go a step further by raising gross production tax to 7% on new oil wells. The GPT was raised from 2% to 5% during the latest session. He also wants to look at raising income tax and ending the capital gains tax deduction. 

Jackson is a Charles Page High School graduate from the Class of 2002. His wife, Barbie, is a fifteen year veteran teacher in the Sand Springs Public School District. The two have a daughter, Bella, in the second grade.  He earned his Associate's Degree through the Tulsa Community College West Campus in Sand Springs and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. He has spent the last ten years as Development Manager for Junior Achievement of Oklahoma and has spent nine years on the Sand Springs City Council. 

One of the most important things Jackson wants voters to know is that he plans to be an "open-door legislator." In fact, he plans to remove his office door altogether so that constituents can always access him. 

Jackson plans to vote "Yes" on State Question 788, legalizing medical marijuana. "If there is something out there like marijuana that can change someone's life - I'm for that. I don't want to be hindering anyone. I think it's a moral issue if you're standing in the way of something that could be beneficial."

Regarding tax incentives, Jackson says they're "the nature of the game nowadays." He points to the City of Sand Springs's recruitment of Reasor's and Wal-Mart as evidence of the success of tax incentives. "You have to do your research to make sure on each individual case, if it makes business sense. We really need to evaluate each one to make sure it's providing fruit."

Jackson is hesitant to raise the minimum wage saying that the current rate provides an individual incentive for employees. "You show your employer that you've got drive and skill and passion for that job, you're not going to stay at the minimum. When the government starts intervening in that, that goes directly to the consumer."

Jackson would have voted "No" for the Constitutional Carry bill that was passed by the legislature and vetoed by Governor Mary Fallin. He says that Oklahomans already have the ability to get an open or concealed carry license, and that removing the screening process would create a "Wild West scenario" that could escalate potentially dangerous situations.

He opposes Senate Bill 1140 which allowed for religious adoption agencies to refuse to work with LGBTQ couples. "I'm a person that believes not to discriminate against people. That bill discriminates. We have thousands of children in Oklahoma that are waiting for a loving family."

Jackson previously ran for a House seat in 2006 and for Senate District 37 in 2016 and 2017. Should he win the primary and November general election, he would have to surrender his City Council seat. Jackson just began a three-year term in May of 2018 and the City of Sand Springs would have to have a special election to replace him. 

The Republican Primary will be held on Tuesday, June 26th. Jackson will face incumbent Jadine Nollan and Emily Delozier. If no candidate receives at least 50% of the votes, then the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election on August 28th. The winner will face the Democratic nominee on November 6th. 

House District 66 candidates focus on education at Sand Springs Chamber forum

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Left to right: Jadine Nollan, Angela Graham, Brian Jackson, Emily Delozier. Not pictured: Rusty Rowe.

All five candidates for Oklahoma House District 66 spoke at a forum sponsored by the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce Monday afternoon at the Tulsa Tech Sand Springs campus. 

Three Republicans and two Democrats spoke on issues ranging from infrastructure to mental health, but the focal point of the luncheon was the state of public education funding. 

Democrat Angela Graham is a Pre-K teacher, lifelong Sandite, and Charles Page High School graduate. 

"We have a broken legislature...that has chosen to stop fighting for us," says Graham, who is running on a heavy education platform and hopes to bring raises to Oklahoma teachers and support staff.

Additionally she wants to see all Oklahomans with health insurance, and wants to reduce statewide incarceration particularly among the female population. A big point for Graham is to undo Oklahoma’s “right-to-work” status and strengthen labor unions.

Democrat Rusty Rowe is a former restaurateur, owning and operating Mod's Coffee and Crepes in downtown Tulsa for seven years before closing shop in December of last year. He lives with his wife of ten years and two children in northwest Tulsa. 

"I decided to run because I feel like our current group of legislators have been given opportunities to invest in teachers, students, working class people, and small business owners like myself, and it seems like they often put the needs of their donors before the needs of their people," said Rowe. "I want someone who's listening to the entire district. Not just the Republicans, not just the Democrats - everybody."

"I've been talking to a doctorate of economics...a mayor, city officials, the chief of police, city planners, teachers, school administrators - to make sure that when I say something, it's been researched and I have some teeth to it. I'm not just armchair quarterbacking things."

Current Sand Springs City Councilman and former Senate District 37 candidate Brian Jackson is running as a Republican. Jackson is the Development Manager at Junior Achievement of Eastern Oklahoma and his wife is a public school teacher in Sand Springs. His daughter also attends Sand Springs Public Schools. 

"We need a representative that doesn't give up, that will go against the political parties and remember it's about the people," says Jackson.

Jackson was censured by the Republican Party of Tulsa County during the 2016 Senate race for vowing to support Democratic candidate Lloyd Snow against Republican incumbent Dan Newberry, who Jackson considered to be anti-education. The Oklahoma Republican Party's State Central Committee voted in May to uphold a ban preventing Jackson from accessing the OKGOP Datacenter Program.

Republican Emily Delozier is a fourth generation Sandite with a Bachelor's degree in business from the University of Tulsa and three Associate of the Arts degrees from Tulsa Community College. 

Delozier spoke in opposition of raising taxes, and in favor of consolidating school districts to eliminate administrative overhead and return education dollars to the classroom. 

Incumbent Republican Jadine Nollan is a lifelong Sandite and former Sand Springs Board of Education member. She spoke regarding her past eight years in office and the difficulties the legislature has overcome during her tenure.

"When I was elected in 2011, our country was in a national recession...Oklahoma went into an oil bust...we had pensions that were failing...we had crumbling roads and bridges...we had a worker's compensation system that was one of the most expensive in the nation, we had a capitol building that had been neglected and was unsafe," said Nollan. "We were not tracking any of our tax credits, evaluating them, measuring them, or monitoring them at that point...We had a revenue problem and we were not going to be able to cut our way out of it, though a lot of people still believe that we could."

Nollan pointed to the Oklahoma Incentives Commission, the Energy Stabilization Fund, the Governor's Closing Fund, a revamp of the worker's compensation system, the rainy-day fund, an eight-year plan for transportation, and the Capitol remodel as legislative successes.

According to Nollan, State pension funds are all nearing solvency and the Oklahoma Tax Commission is developing a real-time dashboard to measure and monitor tax credits online. 

Nollan holds a 93% rating from the Research Institute for Economic Development, a 100% rating from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a 50% rating on The Oklahoma Constitution conservative index, a 100% rating from Oklahomans for Life, a 59% rating from the American Conservative Union, a "Pro-Public Education" assessment from Oklahoma Parents and Educators for Public Education, an "F" on the Sierra Club environmental scorecard, and an "A" on the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association scorecard. 

All candidates but Delozier vowed not to sign the Oklahoma Taxpayers United referendum petition overturning a historic revenue bill passed this past legislative session to fund teacher pay raises. If the petition garners 42,000 signatures by July 18, a State Question will appear on the November ballots asking Oklahoma voters to veto the package. 

HB1010xx is expected to raise $447 million in annual revenue by increasing the gross production tax to 5% on all new oil wells, increasing the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, increasing the gasoline tax by three cents, and increasing the diesel tax by six cents. The money is intended to fund pay raises averaging more than $6,000 for Oklahoma public school teachers.

An opinion published by the Oklahoma Attorneys General states that if HB1010xx is overturned, teacher pay raises will remain intact, but the funding mechanism will be removed and legislators will have to find other ways to back the raises. 

Not only has Delozier signed the petition she is also an active member of Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite and has copies of the petition available for signatures. 

"You don't want something that's going to raise the price of all goods," said Delozier. "It's not good for Oklahoma. We still have people trying to get on their feet and get a job. You can't raise the price of hauling everything and not expect to raise the price of everything."

The primary election will be held June 26th with the deadline to request absentee ballots set for June 20th at 5:00 p.m. Early Voting will be the 21st-22nd from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the 23rd from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

Board of Education approves new wrestling and girls' basketball coaches

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The Sand Springs Public School District Board of Education presented more than twenty awards during their Monday night regularly monthly meeting.

Remington Wagner was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award in recognition of her All-Region Cheer Team achievement. Wagner is signed to cheer at Southwestern Christian University next year and will study Kinesiology. 

Colt Savage was presented with a Sandite Spirit Award for his success with the boys' basketball team. Savage concluded his high school career as a four-time All Conference player and was named the 2017-2018 Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year for Region 7. He led his team in scoring for two seasons and averaged 20.58 points per game as a senior. He will play for the University of Central Oklahoma next season. 

Eric Savage was presented with a Pacesetter Award in recognition of his success with the Sandite Basketball Team. Savage wrapped up his fifth season as Head Coach with the first State Tournament appearance for Sand Springs since 1963 and was named the Frontier Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He holds a 65-62 record in Sand Springs and a career record of 370-155. After winning three 5A State Titles at Tulsa Memorial High School, he took over a Sandite program that had only won one game the year before. 

Jeff Cooper was presented with a Pacesetter Award. Cooper was awarded the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association "Friends of Basketball" award and was named the Region 7 Junior High Coach of the Year.

Barbie Jackson was presented with a Pacesetter Award for her work with the Sand Springs Education Association during the last legislative session and teacher walkout. "(Jackson) worked tirelessly to keep everyone informed," said Board member Krista Polanski. "Barbie has a big heart and she puts all of her heart into everything she does."

Shawn Beard, Sherry Durkee, Karen Biggs, Laura Hamilton, Ernie Kothe, Angelia Noel, Nancy Ogle, Sean Parker, Sherry Pearson, Renee Plant, Russell Ragland, Danese Tanner, Stan Trout, Kristin Arnold, Rob Miller, and Greg Morris were all presented with Sandite Coins of Excellence for their work during the teacher walkout. 

Superintendent Sherry Durkee spoke on the difficulty the schools are facing regarding the teacher pay raise package passed by the Oklahoma Legislature during the last session. 

The political action group Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite has filed a veto referendum petition to put House Bill 1010xx to a vote of the people. If the petition garners 41,000 signatures by July 18, Oklahoma voters will decide whether to approve or veto the bill, which provides funding for a $6,100 average pay raise for Oklahoma teachers. 

HB1010xx is expected to raise $447 million in revenue by increasing the gross production tax to 5% on all oil wells, increasing the cigarette tax by $1 per pack, increasing the gasoline tax by three cents, and increasing the diesel tax by six cents. 

If the petition succeeds, the question of whether to approve HB1010xx won't appear on ballots until the November election. With the school year beginning in August, schools are waiting on an Attorney General ruling on whether or not the districts should enact teacher raises for this school year.

If schools enact raises in August and voters reject HB1010xx in November, it would create a massive revenue shortage for districts across the state. Teacher pay raises will cost the Sand Springs district nearly $3 million in the next school year.

In other news:

Charles Page High School will host a new interior design program in partnership with Tulsa Tech during the next school year. 

Superintendent Durkee said she's pleased with the applicant pool the district recently had for several high profile positions. The District recently began accepting applications for Head Girls' Basketball Coach, Head Wrestling Coach, Head Volleyball Coach, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum. 

The Board approved the hiring of new Head Coaches for Wrestling and Girls' Basketball.

Tobey Nightingale will take over the Lady Sandite Basketball team after coaching Hennessey High School to a 9-16 record at the 3A level last season. The Lady Sandites are coming off an 18-8 season and back-to-back State Tournament appearances. 

Jarrod Patterson will take over a Sandite Wrestling program that placed third in the State Tournament in 2018 and won State and Dual State titles in 2017. The Sandites finished last season with a 13-4 dual record and won 25-straight duals over two seasons. 

Ryan Skaggs, owner/operator of Precision Outdoor Services, spoke regarding the bidding process for lawncare services in the school district. According to Skaggs, his company underbid the existing provider by $6,000, but his competitor was allowed to rebid to undercut Precision. Skaggs called on the district to go to a sealed bidding process in the future. 

The district is in the process of implementing "Crisis Go," an emergency system that alerts staff, students, parents, and law enforcement of any potential threat on campus. Durkee expects to have the system fully online by the next school year. 

Assistant Superintendent Rob Miller is in his last month with the Sand Springs district and will be taking over as Superintendent of Bixby Public Schools on June 1st. 

The Charles Page Class of 2018 graduation ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 12th at 7:30 p.m. at the Oral Roberts University Mabee Center.

CPHS Percussion places second at State Championship

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The Charles Page High School Band took second place at Saturday's Winter Guard and Percussion of Oklahoma State Championships in the Scholastic Marching competition.

The Sandites came in runner-up to Edison Preparatory with a total score of 80.45 to Edison's 81.5. Coweta came in runner-up at 79.1.

Clyde Boyd Percussion was the only school to enter the Middle School competition and brought home the first place trophy. 

 

Board of Education meeting focuses on teacher walkout and school closures

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The Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education met in a regular monthly meeting Monday evening and spent most of the session discussing the ongoing Oklahoma teacher walkout.

Superintendent Sherry Durkee discussed HB1010xx, HB3705 and other pieces of legislation from the current session. The Oklahoma legislature recently passed bills generating teacher pay raises averaging $6,100, but failed to satisfy Oklahoma Educators' Association demands for general classroom funding.

A majority of the Sand Springs teaching staff is participating in a statewide walkout at press time and Thursday will mark the fourth day of school closures due to understaffing. Many district employees are lobbying at the Capitol and scores of supporters have been occupying street corners at major intersections in Sand Springs, holding signs in support of the walkout. 

"I think that we have a great set of staff that love kids and are trying really hard to do the right thing and make it better for our kids," said Durkee.

The district has two unused "snow days" left, so students can miss school till Tuesday without having to extend the school year. If the strike lasts past that point, the district may add additional days to the school year, and could add extra time to the school day. Teachers will have to make up each missed day in professional development even after the students are dismissed for the summer, regardless of snow days.

The Board also presented four Sandite Spirit Awards and two Pacesetter Awards.

Mason Turgeon received a Sandite Spirit Award for building a set of wooden stairs for an elementary school ball pit as part of his Eagle Scout project. 

Jacelyn Smith, Juliana Shipman, and Erin Smith received Sandite Spirit Awards for helping a fellow student. The girls noticed one of their classmates' shoes were falling apart so they purchased a brand new pair of shoes from their own money. 

Andrea Bays, Caroline Brown, and Janet Thompson were presented with Pacesetter Awards. The three teachers head up the Charles Page High School Business Professionals of America and helped raise $750 for Sandite Special Olympics at their annual fundraiser.

SSPS Superintendent Durkee addresses teacher walkouts at District Dialogue

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Sand Springs Superintendent Sherry Durkee. (Stock photo).

The Sand Springs Public School District held a District Dialogue Meeting Monday evening at Charles Page High School. Superintendent Sherry Durkee spoke on State funding, school safety, and the looming threat of a teacher walkout during the session.

“We can’t sanction it,” says Durkee. “That’s on the teachers.” She pointed to the current situation in West Virginia where teachers just participated in a nine-day statewide walkout and the potential side effects that such a long break could have on students.

Student activities such as spring athletics, prom, graduation, music programs, testing and more would all be severely affected by an extended school closure. Durkee is also concerned about impoverished students who would lose access to free nutritional lunches. 

According to Durkee, funding solutions proposed for a $5,000 pay raise have failed to consider the number of teaching positions that have already been eliminated in response to budget cuts, and the need to hire more teachers and reduce class sizes once funding stabilizes. Additionally, any salary increase would increase the District's required payout for teacher retirement. According to Chief Financial Officer Greg Morris, that would amount to nearly $290,000 per year. 

"If we end up in a statewide walkout, I'm praying that doesn't happen, that we find resolution before that," said Durkee. "The truth is, it hurts kids." As a teacher, Durkee participated in the 1990 walkout that resulted in the passage of education reform legislation House Bill 1017. That walkout lasted four days.

Durkee said the district would have no choice but to shut down in the even of a walkout due to the lack of available substitutes and an inability to supervise students. The district currently has seven unused snow days that could be used, but a walkout that lasted longer than a week could severely cut into instructional time. 

School shooting threats were also a topic of discussion. Sand Springs and Tulsa Public Schools were both victims of several hoaxes in the weeks following the Florida massacre. Durkee expressed interest in the possibility of implementing student ID badges.

On Monday the Oklahoma Education Association announced plans to release a detailed revenue package and statewide school closure strategy. The OEA will hold a press conference in Oklahoma City Thursday at 1:00 p.m.

SSPS Board of Ed discusses upcoming bond election, new Ninth Grade Center

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Board of Education President Bo Naugle administers the Oath of Office to Rusty Gunn. 

The Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education met in a special meeting Monday, February 20th, to discuss an upcoming bond election, as well as to swear in board member Rusty Gunn.

Gunn, the lead pastor at Church That Matters and chaplain for the Sandite football team, filed unopposed for reelection last year and was sworn in for another three-year term. Gunn was previously the Board President, and was replaced by Bo Naugle. Each year, the Board rotates positions. Jackie Wagnon was elected as Vice President and Krista Polanski was named Deputy Clerk.

The biggest single issue discussed by district officials was a new Ninth Grade Center building, attached to Charles Page High School. The current building was constructed in 1923 in downtown and housed Sand Springs High School until CPHS was constructed in 1959. Of the 420 students who currently attend CNGC, 319 are shuttled to classes at the high school every day.

In addition to the ninth grade center, the district also hopes to add a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) lab. Phase One of the construction would see an expansion made to the existing CPHS lobby with an interior entrance to four new STEM classrooms. The addition would be two stories, but the second floor wouldn't be built out until Phase Two.

In Phase Two, the district would construct the ninth-grade building immediately behind the STEM lab. It would sit flush with the high school, but the two would only be connected through the front lobby. The addition would connect to the STEM building and would build out the second floor for a total of 22 new classrooms and a cafeteria exclusive to the freshmen. Food would be cooked in the primary cafeteria and carted over to the freshman cafeteria. That process is currently utilized at the Sixth Grade Center and Clyde Boyd Middle School.

New administrative offices would also be built, as the district does not plan to consolidate staff from the two schools. More parking would also be created. District Architect and Bond Projects Manager Jeanie Kvach is behind the designs.

Other issues that the district is considering for bond measures include new sound systems for Memorial Stadium, the Sandite Baseball and Softball stadiums, and the Ed Dubie Field House. The baseball program has been asking for new equipment for several years, and the field is severely in need of grading. The wrestling team, which won State and Dual State titles last year, is in need of new mats. The Pratt Elementary teacher's lounge has been operating without water, leaving faculty without a sink or coffee pot. 

All of the bond issues are still in the discussion and planning stages currently, and nothing is finalized. Community input is always encouraged at District Dialogue meetings and Board of Education meetings. The next District Dialogue meeting will be March 5th at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Board of Ed meeting at 7:00 p.m. Both will be held in the Performing Arts Building at the CPHS campus. 

Sand Springs School District considers building new Ninth Grade Center

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One of the oldest buildings in Sand Springs, Central Ninth Grade center could be replaced in the coming years.

The Sand Springs Board of Education held a regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the Charles Page High School Fine Arts Building. The board discussed potential early-out days in the coming school year, an upcoming bond election, and the possibility of moving freshmen to the high school campus.

Superintendent Sherry Durkee is hoping to add several short school days to the upcoming school year to allow for professional development sessions for the staff and teachers. According to Durkee, several districts already have days with late starts or early outs to allow time for teachers to focus on development.

Sand Springs is leaning towards letting students out early as opposed to starting school late because many parents already drop their children off earlier than schools are supposed to open. 

Board member Bo Naugle expressed concern that shorter school days could cause many teachers to have "blow-off" days without real instruction or homework. "Every time we have a short school week, it's a free week. My kids come home and tell me we watched a movie, or we didn't do anything." He also raised the issue of economic hardship in Sand Springs and the difficulty it could put on parents who have to leave work early or pay for additional after-school childcare. 

Board President Rusty Gunn wants to see consistency with the early-out days, such as the first Friday of every month. 

Durkee also discussed the possibility of building a new freshman center on the grounds of the High School. Currently freshmen attend Central Ninth Grade Center in downtown. The building was previously the home of Sand Springs High School prior to the construction of CPHS in 1959. 

If approved, the new facilities would likely be built in phases, says Durkee. "We can't bond out $56 million like some of our neighbors." 

Naugle was reluctant to the idea, saying "we have them separate for a reason." Durkee responded by pointing out that the Sixth Grade Center and Clyde Boyd Middle School buildings are adjacent but have little mixing of students. Additionally, many athletic and fine arts programs combine ninth grade students with upperclassmen, so lots of time is spent busing kids back and forth between the two campuses. 

According to Durkee, the Ninth Grade Center currently needs at least a $7 million remodel to bring it up to code, and further inspections have yet to be completed. The district is tentatively planning on a bond election late next year. 

In other news, the district is almost to $80,000 in fundraising efforts for Project Lead The Way. Durkee hopes to add BioMed 2 and Engineering 2 to Charles Page, as well as a Computer Science program at CNGC. 

The Sand Springs Education Foundation delivered $70,000 in grants to teachers and schools shortly before Thanksgiving. "I had the pleasure of having Montie Box in my car," said Durkee. "He is amazing. He's passionate about children, he was in tears at one point. We need to name something after him, he's just really amazing."

High School History and Leadership teacher Frank Cooper was recently the subject of a Folgers Coffee "Share A Cup" commercial produced by Verge Videos where he was surprised by former students he has impacted over his 25 years of teaching. The video has been viewed more than 25,000 times and led to a Siloam Springs teacher contacting Cooper. The teacher, who is already trained in Project Lead The Way curriculum, reached out to Cooper after hearing about the positive things happening in Sand Springs. She recently accepted an offer from school administrators. 

The board also approved a one-time $350 stipend for all Sand Springs teachers at a cost of approximately $250,000 to the district. 

2 Angels Toy Run honors fallen Sandites and veterans, collects Christmas Presents for Salvation Army

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More than 200 Sandites turned out Saturday to honor two young car crash victims by donating toys to the Salvation Army. (Photo: Scott Emigh). 

Click here to view the full photo gallery.

In October of 2010, two Charles Page High School students were tragically killed in an auto collision that left the community reeling. Hannah Christian and Cassidy Rotramel were only fifteen years old when their vehicle was t-boned. Their driver was reportedly distracted with an electronic device and rolled a stop sign. None of the passengers were wearing seatbelts.

The tragedy was a sobering wake up call for the community on the dangers of distracted driving and the importance of safety precautions. It was also a time of mourning for the popular teens who were both role model students.

The schools were filled with additional counselors in the coming weeks and hundreds of students utilized their services to cry, vent, and search for answers. Classmate and musician Jake Tankersley used his college savings to record a song in their honor and the "See You Soon" single sold thousands of copies to help pay for their funerals.

The close knit Sandite community vowed not to let their deaths be in vain. Hundreds of students signed a pledge to never text and drive. Then, within a few weeks, the 2 Angels Toy Run and scholarship fund was born.

Christian family friend Eddie Baugher envisioned the toy run and Church That Matter has since taken over the event. Each year, hundreds of car and motorcycle enthusiasts turn out for the drive and bring new, unwrapped toys to donate to area charities in time for Christmas. The Church That Matters Holy Smokers serve barbecue and t-shirts are sold to raise money for scholarships. Two $3000 scholarships are given away each year to CPHS students.

Members of the Sand Springs Community Band perform at the 2 Angels Toy Run in honor of Veterans Day.

The event is regularly held on the second Saturday of November, which happened to coincide with Veterans Day in 2017. The Sand Springs Community Band turned out to perform the songs of each branch of the military, and veterans were recognized prior to the ride.

More than a hundred motorcycles and cars turned out with hundreds of donors. The motorcade ran from the Tulsa Community College West Campus to the Keystone Dam then back to Charles Page High School where they turned their toys in to the Salvation Army. Local businesses donated door prizes for a drawing among toy donors. Prizes were also awarded for the best decorated motorcycles.

CPHS grad Scott L. Palk named U.S. District Judge for Western Oklahoma

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Charles Page High School graduate Scott Lawrence Palk was recently confirmed by the United States Senate to the position of U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma in a bipartisan 79-16 vote with five abstaining. 

Both Oklahoma senators, James Lankford and Jim Inhofe, voted Yea. Of the 16 Nay votes, fifteen were Democratic Party members and one was independent. 26 Democrats, one Independent, and 52 Republicans voted in affirmation. 

“Scott is a great candidate to serve as a federal judge for the US District Court for Oklahoma because of his dedication to uphold the rule of law,” said Lankford. “Scott’s years of work in Oklahoma make him exceptionally qualified to serve as one of Oklahoma's federal judges, and I applaud President Trump for nominating a strong candidate that will represent our state and nation well.”  

Palk was nominated in May by President Donald Trump on advisement from Senator Lankford. He was previously employed as Assistant Dean of Students and Assistant General Counsel at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman since 2011. He acquired his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University in 1989 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1992. 

Palk worked in maintenance and landscaping for the Sand Springs Public School District during the summers of 1989 through 1991 before becoming a law student clerk at Terrel B. DoRemus & Associates in Tulsa. He began an internship at the District Attorney's Office for Cleveland, Garvin, and McClain Counties in 1991, spent four years as the Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force Coordinator, ten years as an Assistant District Attorney, and five years as the First Assistant District Attorney.

In 2002 he moved to the the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma where he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division before moving to the University of Oklahoma in 2011. 

In 1993 Palk was named the Oklahoma Narcotics Enforcers' Prosecutor of the Year. He was the Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association Prosecutor of the Year in 2004. He received the Director's Award for Superior Performance from the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys in 2004. He has also received certificates of appreciation for Assistance to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and Outstanding Contributions in the field of Drug Law Enforcement.

Palk is a current member of the National Rifle Association and the University of Oklahoma College of Law Second Century Annual Giving Society. He was previously nominated for his new position by President Barrack Obama, but his nomination expired with the end of the 114th Congress.

Three City Council seats up for election this February, filing period set for December

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Left to right: City Council members Brian Jackson, Beau Wilson, Christine Hamner, Jim Spoon, Mike Burdge, Phil Nollan, Patty Dixon. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

The Sand Springs City Council approved a resolution for Notice of Election at this week’s regular meeting. Three Council seats will be up for grabs in the coming election, including Ward 5, Ward 6, and the At-Large position.

The filing period will be held from Monday, December 4th through Wednesday, December 6th. Candidates must file a Declaration of Candidacy with the City Clerk between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the City Municipal Building.

Ward 5 is currently represented by Vice Mayor Beau Wilson, Ward 6 is represented by Brian Jackson, and the At-Large position is occupied by Jim Spoon.

Wilson is a 2003 Charles Page High School graduate with an Associates from Tulsa Community College and a vocational degree in Railroad Sciences from Johnson County College. He is a member of the Sand Springs Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, and is the owner of Beau Wilson Insurance in downtown Sand Springs. He was elected to his first term in 2015 and selected as Vice Mayor in May.

Ward 5 boundaries.

Jackson is a 2002 CPHS graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Oklahoma State University. He is a member of the Sand Springs Rotary Club, Tulsa Young Professionals, the Sand Springs Symphony League, and is a Sand Springs Salvation Army Advisory Council member. He is employed as the Development Manager for Junior Achievement of Eastern Oklahoma and was first elected in 2009. He is currently serving his third term.

Spoon holds a Bachelor’s of Pharmacy from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma. He is a member of the Sand Springs Rotary Club, Sand Springs Education Foundation, and Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy. He owns two Spoon Drug pharmacies in Sand Springs and was elected to his first term in 2015.

Council members must be at least twenty-five years of age at the time of taking office and must reside within the ward they are elected to. Members are elected to three-year terms, are not term-limited, and do not receive any compensation for their duties. The City Mayor and Vice-Mayor are elected to one-year terms from within by a vote of the Council.

Ward 6 boundaries.

Powers of the Council include the ability to appoint or remove the City Manager, to enact municipal legislation, to regulate bond elections and raise revenues, to investigate any and all municipal affairs, to appoint or remove members of various municipal boards, and to create or abolish any offices, departments, and agencies of the City government not expressly created by the City Charter.

The Council is required to hold at least one monthly meeting, and individual council members may not be absent from more than half of all meetings within a four-month period. Any council member may be removed from office for any cause through a recall petition and subsequent election.

If only one candidate files, they will inherit the position unopposed. If more than two candidates file, a non-partisan primary election will be held on February 13th, followed by a runoff election on April 3rd.

Walden, Smith, Sandite Wrestling to be Grand Marshalls of Christmas Parade

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The 35th Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Parade will be full of Sandite pride this year. Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce President Kristen Valentin announced Wednesday that Charles Page High School Head Wrestling Coach Kelly Smith, his 2017 State Championship wrestling team, and nine-time OSSAA State Championship runner Cheyenne Walden will be sharing Grand Marshall duties during this year's parade.

Kelly Smith (center) with his 2016-2017 Coaching Staff.

Smith is in his sixteenth year leading the high school wrestling program and in 2017 he led his team to their first State Championship since 1971. The Sandites went undefeated to sweep the Dual State Championship and State Tournament, crowning five individual Champions. They finished the year ranked fifteenth in the nation by FloWrestling. 

Walden graduated in May as the most decorated athlete in Sandite history with four Cross Country State Championships and five Track and Field State Championships. She recently placed 48th at the Penn State Open, fourth among her fellow Oklahoma State University Cowgirls, and 34th at the Cowboy Jamboree in September. 

The theme for this year's parade is Winter Nights and Magical Lights, and it will be held in downtown Sand Springs on Friday, December 1st at 7:00 p.m. 

Entry in the parade is $20.00 and must be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 17th. A $100 cash prize will be given to the best Overall Entry. Other awards will be presented for Best Church Entry, Best Use of Theme, Best Use of Lighting, Best Showmanship, and Best Marching Unit. 

CPHS Gold Pride Marching Band earns Fourth Place at prestigious Branson tournament

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Photos courtesy of Todd Hunt.

This past weekend, the Charles Page High School Marching Band competed at the 3rd Annual Southwest Missouri Regional in Branson, MO and brought home several awards.  On October 14th, the Gold Pride band was one of 14 bands performing at the SWMO Regional.  During the preliminary round of judging, CPHS band was awarded 1st place in Class and Best Music, Best Percussion & Best Overall Effect!  For the finals, the Gold Pride was awarded 4th place overall and Best in Class!

CPHS Drumline takes 1st Place at Pryor, Gold Pride Marching Band places 6th overall

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The Charles Page High School Gold Pride Marching Band took 6th place at the Pryor Band Day. (Photo: Tristia Watson). 

On Saturday, September 30th, the Charles Page High School Band competed in the 41st Annual Pryor Band Day in Pryor, OK.  Sixteen bands from around the state competed for Outstanding Color Guard, Outstanding Percussion, Outstanding Drum Majors and the overall Field Competition.

In the preliminary round, the CPHS Drumline took 1st place in the 6A schools' competition. The band was then selected to participate in the Finals round and ended the night with a 6thplace overall. Pryor Band Day is the first of several competitions that the band will attended this season and we look forward to seeing the results of the hard work and dedication that they put into their performances.

Drum Majors Brandi Sigala, Laura Loomis, and Jake Thompson lead the band onto the field for competition. (Photo: Tristia Watson).