This Week in Sand Springs

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Monday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Golf - McAlester tournament
    • McAlester Country Club, 1500 Country Club Rd. McAlester, OK 74501
  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Tennis - Bartlesville tournament
    • Hillcrest Country Club, 1901 Price Rd. Bartlesville, OK 74006
  • 5:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Baseball - road game
    • Muskogee High School, 3200 E. Shawnee Rd. Muskogee, OK 74403
  • 6:30 p.m. Sand Springs Parks Advisory Board Meeting
  • 7:00 p.m. Sand Springs Board of Education Meeting

Tuesday

  • 4:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Softball - Highway 97 Rivalry home game
    • Sandite Softball Complex, 405 W. 55th Street, Sand Springs OK 74063
  • 5:30 p.m. Charles Page High School  Baseball - home game
    • Sandite Baseball Complex, 405 W. 55th Street, Sand Springs OK 74063
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Soccer - home game
    • Memorial Stadium, 500 North Adams Rd. Sand Springs, OK 74063
  • 8:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Soccer - home game
    • Memorial Stadium, 500 North Adams Rd. Sand Springs, OK 74063

Wednesday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Golf - Sapulpa Tournament
    • Sapulpa Municipal Golf Course, 1200 W. Dewey Ave, Sapulpa OK 74066
  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Golf - Bartlesville Tournament
    • Adams Municipal Golf Course, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd. Bartlesville, OK 74006

Thursday

  • 1:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Baseball - BA-Bixby Tournament
    • Broken Arrow High School, 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow OK 74012
  • 2:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Track Meet
    • Moore High School, 300 N. Eastern Ave. Moore OK 73160
  • 3:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Baseball - BA-Bixby Tournament
    • Broken Arrow High School, 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow OK 74012
  • 6:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Softball - road game (double-header)
    • Berryhill High School, 2901 S. 65th W. Ave. Tulsa OK 74107

Friday

  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Baseball - BA-Bixby Tournament
    • Broken Arrow High School, 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow OK 74012
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Soccer - road game
    • Putnam City North High School, 11800 N. Rockwell Ave. Oklahoma City OK 73162
  • 7:00 p.m. Chillin 'n' Grillin' Festival
    • Pogue Airport, 101 John Hess Dr. Sand Springs OK 74063
  • 7:00 p.m. Unity Praise 2017: Pathway to Greatness
  • 8:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Soccer - road game
    • Putnam City North High School, 11800 N. Rockwell Ave. Oklahoma City OK 73162

Saturday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Golf - Owasso Tournament
    • Bailey Ranch Golf Course, 10105 Larkin Bailey Blvd. Owasso OK 74055
  • 10:00 a.m. Chillin' 'n' Grillin' Festival + Harper's Hut Classic Car Show
  • Charles Page High School Baseball - BA-Bixby Tournament
    • 11:00 a.m. Fifth-Place Game
      • Broken Arrow High School, 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow OK 74012
    • 1:00 a.m. Seventh-Place Game
      • Bixby High School, 601 S. Riverview Dr. Bixby, OK 7400
    • 1:30 p.m. Championship Game
      • Bixby High School, 601 S. Riverview Dr. Bixby, OK 7400
    • 1:30 p.m. Third-Place Game
      • Broken Arrow High School, 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow OK 74012

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This Week in Sand Springs

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Monday

  • 5:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - road game
    • Bixby High School, 601 S. Riverview Dr., Bixby OK 74008
  • 7:00 p.m. Regular Sand Springs City Council Meeting

Tuesday

  • 9:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Boys Golf Tournament
    • The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge. 1801 N. McKinley Rd., Sand Springs 
  • 5:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - home game
    • 405 W. 55th Street, Sand Springs
  • 5:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Softball - home game
    • 405 W. 55th Street, Sand Springs
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Varsity Soccer - road game
    • Booker T. Washington High School. 1514 E. Zion St. Tulsa OK 74106
  • 8:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Varsity Soccer - road game
    • Booker T. Washington High School. 1514 E. Zion St. Tulsa OK 74106

Thursday

  • 9:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Girls Golf Tournament
    • The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge. 1801 N. McKinley Rd., Sand Springs
  • 4:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Softball - road game
    • Broken Arrow High School. 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow, OK 74012

Friday

  • 4:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Track and Field
    • Stillwater High School. 1224 N. Husband St. Stillwater, OK 74075
  • 4:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - Highway 97 Rivalry home game
    • 405 W. 55th St. Sand Springs
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Girls' Soccer - road game
    • Enid High School. 611 W. Wabash Ave. Enid, OK 73701
  • 8:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Boys' Soccer - road game
  • Enid High School. 611 W. Wabash Ave. Enid, OK 73701

Saturday

  • 12:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - home game
    • 405 W. 55th Street, Sand Springs

Free community events are free to list and advertise with Sandite Pride.
Submit posters and information to SanditePrideNews@gmail.com

This Week in Sand Springs

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Monday

  • Regular monthly meeting of the Sand Springs Planning Commission has been canceled. 
  • 6:00 p.m. Regular monthly meeting of the Sand Springs Board of Adjustments
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - road game
    • Moore High School, 300 N. Eastern Ave, Moore, OK 73160

Tuesday

  • 4:30 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Softball - Highway 97 Rivalry road game
    • 631 N. Brown, Sapulpa, OK 74066
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - home game vs. Moore
  • 6:00 p.m. Regular monthly meeting of the Sand Springs Museum Trust Authority

Thursday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Varsity Golf
    • Page Belcher Golf Course, 6666 S. Union Ave, Tulsa OK 74132
  • 5:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Softball - home game vs Barnsdal
  • 6:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Soccer - home game vs Muskogee

Friday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Varsity Tennis - Muskogee Tournament
    • 3200 East Shawnee Bypass, Muskogee, OK 74403
  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Varsity Golf - Jenks Tournament
    • South Lakes Golf Course - 9253 S. Elwood Ave. Jenks, OK 74037
  • 4:00 p.m. Charles Page High School Varsity Track & Field - Broken Arrow meet
    • 1901 E. Albany St. Broken Arrow, OK 74012
  • Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - Bartlesville/Collinsville Tournament
    • 2400 W. Broadway St., Collinsville, OK 74021
    • 11:00 a.m. vs Rogers
    • 4:00 p.m. vs Parkhill Christian Academy
  • Charles Page High School Varsity Soccer - Stillwater Tournament

Saturday

  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Boys' Varsity Tennis - Claremore Tournament
    • 2001 N. Sioux Ave, Claremore, OK 74017
  • 8:00 a.m. Charles Page High School Girls' Varsity Tennis - Muskogee Tournament
    • 3200 East Shawnee Bypass, Muskogee, OK 74403
  • Charles Page High School Varsity Baseball - Bartlesville/Collinsville Tournament
    • 2400 W. Broadway St., Collinsville, OK 74021
    • 12:30 p.m. vs Hillcrest
    • 5:00 p.m. vs Fort Osage
  • Charles Page High School Varsity Soccer - Stillwater Tournament

Free community events are free to list and advertise with Sandite Pride.
Submit posters and information to SanditePrideNews@gmail.com 

Janna Burch named Frontier Valley Conference Coach of the Year

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

It was a special night for the Charles Page High School volleyball team Monday at the Sand Springs Board of Education meeting. The Board handed out several awards before getting down to official business. 

Ohio State University-committed junior Gloria Mutiri was recognized for being named Co-MVP in the Frontier Valley Conference, and Head Coach Janna Green was recognized as the FVC Coach of the Year.

When Burch took over the program in 2014, they were coming off a 14-26 season. Despite being a losing record, that was actually one of the school's best years ever. Now, for the first time ever, the Lady Sandites finished with a winning record of 23-13. They ended the year ranked No. 13 in 6A by the OSSAA with wins against Frontier Valley foes Muskogee, Union, Bartlesville, Bixby, and Sapulpa.

Additionally, Caleb Clark was presented with a Coin of Excellence, and Debbie O'Niell received the Sandite Pacesetter Award. 

 

Charles Page High School to receive Tulsa Tech funded Pre-Engineering program

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sand Springs Board of Education met in a regular monthly meeting Monday, December 5th to conduct business and issue several awards and recognitions. Elijah Warren and Josh Taber were to be recognized for attaining National Merit Scholar commendations, but were unable to attend. Their awards were later delivered to them. All-State softball players Jessica Collins and Sydney Pennington were awarded Sandite Spirit Awards, as was Cross Country State Champion Cheyenne Walden. Administrative Assistant Beth Shope was presented with the Pacesetter Award, and Band Director Kyle Wright received a Coin of Excellence.

SEE RELATED: Sandite of the Week: Cheyenne Walden places 34th at Nationals; CPHS Cross Country runners excel in post-season
SEE RELATED: Sydney Pennington and Jessica Collins make All-State Fast Pitch team

Shope works as an assistant to Assistant Superintendent Kristin Arnold and deals with Federal programs. "I have never seen anybody work so hard or learn so fast as Beth Shope," said Superintendent Sherry Durkee. The Pacesetter Award honors Sand Springs Public Schools faculty and staff members who have gone above and beyond expectations in representing Sand Springs. 

The Charles Page High School band recently received Superior ratings at the OSSAA East Regional Marching Contest and was invited to lead the Tulsa Veterans' Day Parade. "I wouldn't want to do this with anybody else," said Wright. "When they do well they get the credit. When things don't go well, I'll take the blame." 

The Sand Springs Education community recently lost a long-time advocate in Director of Technology Danny Wasson, who passed away December 3rd. The 61-year-old was honored throughout the meeting. "I've never met a person more committed to work and the Sandite community," said Durkee.

Tulsa Technology Center Associate Superintendent and former Sand Springs Assistant Superintendent Robert Franklin addressed the crowd to announce that the Tulsa Tech Board will soon be voting to return a long-defunct pre-engineering program to Charles Page High School. According to Franklin, more than forty schools asked Tulsa Tech for the program but Sand Springs was selected, pending board approval. The program will also come with Tulsa Tech funding for a new teacher. 

CPHS Principal Stan Trout spoke to the crowd about a new Response to Intervention (RTI) initiative enacted at the school. The program recognizes three tiers of students. Tier One represents the 80% of students who are able to progress in their learning through core instruction and traditional class structure. Tier Two represents the 15% of students who require extra attention and supplemental instruction. Tier Three represents the 5% of students who require intense intervention, including but not limited to special education students and students with disciplinary issues. 

The fundamental belief of RTI is that schools shouldn't wait until students fall far enough behind to qualify for special ed or drop off the grid altogether before intervening. 

CPHS has also introduced a program called Inspire Challenge Empower (ICE). This is the second year of the program, which gives students an extra class period to pursue their own interests. On Tuesdays and Thursdays students are given time to visit teachers for extra help, work on makeup assignments, pursue hobbies and extracurricular activities, etc.

ICE was created in response to the school's restriction of off-campus lunch to upperclassmen. With split lunch periods, students were no longer able to hold club meetings and take makeup tests at the same time. Students have complete freedom of movement during ICE time, but are required to participate. Each student has an ICE card that is stamped by whatever teacher they visit and checked by their next hour's teacher.  Dozens of teachers host different sorts of activities that are posted online for students to view ahead of time. 

Trout invoked a quote from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. "Do something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn't, do something else." "We wanted to tie this in to our school culture," said Trout. The acronym references the school motto of "Challenge mind, inspire hearts, empower a community of learners." 

The Board also approved the hiring of a Title 1 Paraprofessional at Garfield STEAM Academy and a teacher at the Early Childhood Education Center. 

Sand Springs Board of Education discusses recent State Report Cards

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sand Springs Board of Education met in a regular meeting Monday evening at Charles Page High School and discussed matters of school performance. Special recognition was given to the CPHS varsity softball team, as well as Church That Matters, Inkwell Printing, and David and Jeanie Kvach. 

Head Coach Shelli Brown and the varsity softball team were presented with a Coin of Excellence.

SEE RELATED: Sydney Pennington and Jessica Collins make All-State Fast Pitch team

Members of the Sand Springs Education Association briefly addressed the crowd about the success of the recent Walk For Kids fundraiser benefiting Dayspring Villa, which raised more than $2300 dollars. They also thanked the local Wendy's for a donation of $500. 

Jeanie and David Kvach were recognized for their recent donation to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Initiative. David Kvach is the owner of KLO, LLC, KVR Energy L.L.C., and Guardian Energy Consultants, Inc. Jeanie is the Architect and Master Planner for the Sand Springs School District and owner of Kvach & Associates. 

"Dave and I just believe in this district. We've had two kids graduate from this district. One is a doctor, graduated from Yale Medical," said Jeanie. "We specifically wanted to help improve math in the district, so when I heard about this opportunity I told Dave, 'put your money where your mouth is.'"

Pastor, entrepreneur, and Board of Ed member Rusty Gunn accepted recognitions on behalf of his church and business for their donations to the STEM initiative. Church That Matters volunteers regularly host tailgate fundraiser events prior to all Sandite Football home games. At each game they sell hot dogs, burgers, snacks, and more to raise money for the Sandite athletics programs. According to Gunn, they raised more than $12,000 this year and more than $60,000 since they began doing it a few years ago. Gunn's business, Inkwell Printing, also made a donation to the STEM initiative. 

As the Board moved on from recognitions to business, they spent a hefty amount of time discussing the recent A-F Report Cards issued by the State. 

SEE RELATED: State Releases A-F Report Cards: Sand Springs Schools average B-

Charles Page High School received a C-, but according to Superintendent Durkee, that doesn't tell the whole story. Durkee pointed to CPHS's 51.16% poverty rating as an indicator of why the school appears to perform poorly. Sandite Pride verified Durkee's claims with the State Board of Education's Low Income Report for 2015-2016 and the numbers more than check out. 6A schools with poverty rates below 50% average a score of 86.57, whereas schools over 50% averaged only 69.46. 

When judged against schools with equally economically diverse student bodies, Charles Page is actually above average. Ponca City High School, which holds a poverty percentage of 53.59 scored only a 63% compared to Sand Springs's score of 71%. Neighboring Highway 97 rival Sapulpa scored a 63% as well. 

The only school with a poverty rates over 50% to score above a C was Union with an 82%. Just below Sand Springs in poverty is Booker T. Washington, who received a 97%. According to Durkee, "it's impossible to compare apples to apples here." 

Firstly, Booker T. Washington is a four-year school, whereas Charles Page is only for tenth through twelfth grade. In overall student growth, CPHS scored a 58% in Algebra I, compared to a 92% at Booker T. The difference? Booker T.'s score was based on participation of 296 students. Sand Springs only had twelve participants. The majority of Sand Springs students take Algebra I in ninth grade, meaning the dozen participants at CPHS are students who are already struggling with the subject. Indeed, Sand Springs's Central Ninth Grade Center scored a 94% overall and a 90% in Algebra I based on 374 participating students.

Secondly, Booker T. Washington has admission standards and isn't a typical public school. Applicants to the school must score at the 35th percentile or above in both the reading and mathematics components of the State assessments. They must maintain a cumulative GPA at or above 2.50 and must maintain superb attendance with no suspensions. 

"I'm not making an excuse," said Durkee. "It's a reason that we can't ignore. It's hard to compare with a school that allows selection." 

This is the last year for the current standards of A-F report cards, and next year's scores could look very different due to new laws passed in the most recent legislative session. Next year's reports will be based on math, biology, English, reading, and U.S. history.

"Even if Charles Page gets an A+, I will have a hard time celebrating," said Durkee. "There are flaws in the system."

Durkee also discussed the Twin Cities Elementary property that was vacated by SSPS in 2003. "We may want to look seriously at tearing it down." The building is the oldest school in Sand Springs and has had little to no interest from buyers in the last several years. Though the district isn't making any definitive plans one way or another for now, they're considering razing the building and holding on to the property for potential future expansion years down the line.

OmniTRAX to present plans for Gerdau property to City Council Monday

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SUBMITTED

Sand Springs, OK- The Sand Springs Railway Company (SS), a managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc., announced on September 1, 2016 that it is acquiring the Gerdau mill site in Sand Springs. Representatives from OmniTRAX will present preliminary development plans to the Sand Springs City Council on Monday, September 12th.

“For many years, this property was underutilized,” said Sand Springs Mayor Mike Burdge. “The City of Sand Springs is excited to see it become a vibrant and bustling area of commerce, trade and industry. We believe OmniTRAX has the expertise and resources to make that happen. The City looks forward to partnering with OmniTRAX on any future projects.”

Sand Springs Holdings, LLC., an OmniTRAX affiliate, purchased the Sand Springs Railway Company from Gerdau in 2014 and has since been leasing portions of the 146-acre site. Part of the steelmaking operations on the site will be demolished and the property will be developed for mixed-use, including industrial, retail, office and transportation/logistics.

For more updates on development and City happenings, please visit www.sandspringsok.org.

From the Editor: Sunday July 31, 2016

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From the Editor’s Desk:

This past weekend was the annual Highway 97 Rivalry alumni game, and our practice run for the upcoming school year. With the first high school kickoff only four weeks away, our gears are whirring away at full speed to get our processes as close to perfect as possible.

The last two seasons have been an incredible experience and it’s hard to believe that we’re approaching our third year of covering Sand Springs sports. When we first began we were simply live-scoring football, basketball, and wrestling events. Last year we first began the transition to a news outlet with full coverage of almost every sport. Over the summer we’ve began to add in more traditional news coverage.

With the first of the fall sports slated to start in just nine short days, we’re excited to continue to expand and improve on our services. This year we’ll be working hard to bring coverage of all sports in Sand Springs, including golf, tennis, and more. We will continue to develop our reporting of all newsworthy events in the Sand Springs area and we welcome your constructive criticisms and feedback.

We hope you’ll be patient with us and understand that every new business has to deal with mistakes. The important thing is, we’re learning from them. This magazine isn’t about trying to make money, it’s about trying to provide Sand Springs with a quality periodical in which we can forever preserve the stories of our wonderful community.

Please feel free to contact us to give us feedback, tips, or just to say hi! We love to meet and get to know our neighbors. Send in stories, letters, photos, and other announcements and don’t hesitate to let us answer any questions you may have.

Also, our next digital magazine won’t be released until TUESDAY August 9th! From now on expect our weekly magazine to go up on Tuesdays, and eventually you’ll see us on newsstands on Tuesdays as well!

Ever Upward!

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
918.899.0823
www.SanditePride.com

Local couple brings Harper's Hut to River City Splash Pad

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The newest addition to the Harper’s Hut franchise opened this past weekend at the concession stand in River City Parks.

The new building opened last Friday under the management of Kim and Jeremy Herrington. Located immediately next to the new Sand Springs Rotary Super Splash Park, the concessions stand features a plethora of snack options including the famous shaved ice options from Harper’s Hut, as well as ice cream, hot dogs, Lil’ Caesar's pizza, and other food and drink.

The Herringtons are heavily invested in River City Parks as major contributors to the local youth soccer programs. Jeremy is the President of the Sand Springs Soccer Club and treasurer of the West Side Alliance soccer club. The couple doesn’t take home any profit from their new venture into the food industry. All funds raised by the stand go directly to benefit the youth soccer programs that they oversee.

Kim runs the stand throughout the week and Jeremy relieves her on the weekends when he’s not busy as VP of Operations at Cust-O-Bend, Inc. in Sand Springs.

“We’re all about Sand Springs,” says the Charles Page Class of ‘88 graduate. “I believe in service. See the flag, hear the music. That’s us, we’re here to serve you.” 

The couple may have a lot on their plate, but that doesn’t stop them from showing up at the splash pad every day full of energy and excitement at the opportunity to give back to their community.

When I arrived at the splash pad Saturday, Jeremy was making his rounds to visit with all the parents, introduce himself, and get to know people. The couple has purchased Frisbees, balls, and other toys for the splash pad visitors to play with, all out of their own pocket.

“The City has given us a gift,” says Kim. “The Parks Department has been above and beyond wonderful.”

“I see the smile on the kids’ faces...that’s why I’m doing this.” said Jeremy.

Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:00 AM — 8:00 PM
Sunday 12:00PM — 6:00 PM

Hibbett Sports opens its doors in Sand Springs

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

In a town that has seen the State Championship finals in three sports in the last year and has multiple national-level athletes, one would think it would be fairly easy to find a premium sporting store. Not so, until today.

For years, the only option for sporting goods in Sand Springs was Wal Mart, or a road trip to Sapulpa or Tulsa Hills. Friday morning, however, Hibbett Sports opened its doors for the first time in the Springs Village Shopping Center on the Prattville side of town. 

Hibbett already boasts over 1,000 stores in the United States, and Sand Springs will likely be a worthwhile addition to their fleet. The town is home to the large and growing wrestling club Team Big, as well as the highly successful West Side Alliance soccer league and the Tulsa Roller Derby league. The town has nationally ranked wrestlers, runners, little league baseball teams, soccer teams, and more. The High School Softball team, Football team, and Wrestling teams all came in runner-up at the State Championships this past year.

The store typically employs a staff of about eight full-time and part-time positions, and is currently hiring. Hibbett carries a large selection of athletic footwear, apparel, and team athletic equipment.