Claremore Daily Progress

Our View

February 8, 2010

February happenings at Claremore Schools

Mike McClaren

Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 — The spring term is underway and once again Mother Nature has altered our schedule. As it stands now, the weather make-up days will be Monday, Feb. 15 and Friday, May 28 (which will be the last day of school).

We are pleased with the progress on the new elementary school. Construction is now going vertical with a superstructure steel frame that is giving that project form. Recently, staff and coaches met to review the final drawings for the new Claremore High School field house/gymnasium. We anticipate getting underway with construction in late spring with an anticipated opening in fall, 2011.

Congratulations to CHS Art teacher Linda Scudder and her students who won a total of twenty-four awards at the prestigious Scholastic Art state competition. They will each be recognized at an awards ceremony at TCC’s Center for Creative Arts, and their work will be on display. Congratulations to all of our artists.

Winter sports are entering the backstretch prior to playoffs in the quest for a state title. Both the boys and girls basketball teams enter the first of February rated and itching for post season play. Special congratulations to Lady Zebras Head Coach Mark Campbell for notching his 800th win in the Catoosa Tournament. This is a “Hall of Fame” accomplishment and a tribute to an outstanding coaching career.

We are proud that our basketball teams are participating in a “pink out” at the next home game, Tuesday, February 9th. The players are selling commemorative pink T-shirts with proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society as well as CHS alum Derek Keniston, who is battling cancer. We are asking all fans to wear pink to the game on the 9th.

Our Wrestlers will enter as the number #1 seed in both Dual State competition and Individual/Team title. We support our wrestlers in their anticipation of a repeat of winning both state titles. Good luck to Coach H.M. Chapman and his grapplers.

I mentioned in last month’s newsletter that state revenue is critically low and threatens efforts by all public schools to provide a quality education. Until the legislature meets and decides where education fits in the budgetary process, it will be difficult to determine how we will reduce operations and programs. It is fair to say that the money that the district has been shorted this year will not be made up or restored.

Between the staff and board of education I feel confident that we will make the best of this situation. And though there are no guarantees that some services and programs might be affected, our chief goal will be safeguarding classroom instruction and ensuring the well being of the students we serve.

It will be a difficult and adverse time. Those who work for me know that I ask my employees to “ride for the brand” — the Claremore Zebra brand. These times will test our resolve and our ability to truly “cowboy up” and “ride for the brand.”

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