TPS board talks district's goals, building projects
Oct. 12—The Tahlequah Public School Board of Education met Oct. 11 to discuss future building projects, districtwide goals, and yearly renewals.
Jay T. Boynton, from BWA Architects, discussed the school's new building projects, which are being funded by a bond approved in February. One of the projects will be at Greenwood Elementary, with a new special education and music classrooms, which will double as a storm shelter for faculty and staff.
Cherokee Elementary will get a new reception area, bathrooms, and library. An indoor athletics facility, which will be next to the existing TPS softball and baseball complex, will offer an indoor space for all sports to practice in. Boynton also said turf will replace the dirt landscape at the Tahlequah Middle School Football Field.
"These are three huge products," said TPS Superintendent Tanya Jones. "There was funding built in for other projects, but what we'll have to do is the big projects that were voted on, and then see what we have for additional projects."
The board approved the monthly financial reports, including the student account summary, report on child nutrition, and revised funds expended for the Maintenance Activity Account.
The presentation of the annual 2022-'23 audit by a Jenkins & Kemper representative was tabled.
The board and several TPS staff discussed districtwide goals for the school's child nutrition, finances, operations, technology, and transportation aspects. Some of the goals include claiming all federal grants monthly, maintaining a safe environment, reducing athletic ineligibility by 10% each week, etc. Jones said each site makes its own goals every year, which is now a requirement to help improve the learning environment.
"We couldn't have school with any of those things missing, so it was important that everybody begins with an ending goal," said Jones.
Other approvals made include the yearly operational budget and various surplus items for TMS and all elementary sites.
The board approved quotes for a 2023 Ford Transit Low Roof T350 Electric vehicle, two new 2023 Chevrolet Malibu LS model cars, and two new 2023 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Vehicles. Members also gave the nod to the quote and contracts for all cameras and recording equipment to be replaced at Greenwood Elementary, Cherokee Elementary, THS, Central Academy, and TMS.
Jones said all TPS buildings will be receiving the new camera systems, except for Heritage and Sequoyah, as they already have new systems.
"The old cameras before at Sequoyah's were grainy; you really couldn't see anything and now they are crystal clear," said Jones.
Several supplemental service agreements were accepted, including disc jockey services for kindergarten and first-grade student events on Jan. 27, 2023, and Feb. 14, 2023, and the second-grade 50th day party on Oct. 28.
The approval of several memorandums of understanding were given between TPS and Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah BEST, Boys & Girls Club of Tahlequah, and CREOKS Behavioral Services for the TPS ROAR program.
The THS Save A Senior fundraisers — trivia night/ spaghetti night and the spring power puff game — were also approved.
The 2022-'23 Title 1 Site Parental Involvement Policy was OK'd, and Jones said this covers trying to get parents involved in schools. She said they have always done site-level policies, but they have never had to have them board-approved until this year.
A number of other items were also approved.
What's next
Tahlequah Public School's next meeting will take place Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Board of Education Conference Room .
