It’s officially summer—but don’t let the quieter hallways fool you! Our campus remains a hub of planning, preparation, and purpose as we continue building momentum for another great year at Cleveland Public Schools.

📌 Highlights from the June 2025 School Board Meeting
While many are enjoying some well-earned rest, your school board has stayed hard at work. Here are some key takeaways from our recent board meeting:

🔧 Consent Agenda Items
We handled several routine items to keep the district running smoothly:

Approved contracts and MOUs to prepare for next year.
Established new activity accounts (including one for the Class of 2029) and closed the Class of 2025 account, rolling its funds into the Alumni account.
Approved a variety of fundraiser and facility use requests—including summer sports camps and workouts hosted by our booster clubs and coaches.
Welcomed MOUs with OSU (teacher preparation), CareerTech (Innovation Grant), and our Head Start partners for continued collaboration.

💰 Budget & Enrollment: Clear Eyes, Full Plans
We discussed the district’s financial outlook. Good news: Our capital improvement fund (commonly referred to as building fund) which is separate from our general fund – is set to exceed $2 million—likely the highest ever. A big thank you to our legislators for revenue changes (like the marijuana sales tax) that helped boost this balance.

However, we also addressed a key challenge: our enrollment has declined from 1,599 to 1,511 students. This impacts our funding and reminds us how vital it is to:

Right-size our class offerings,
Expand postsecondary opportunities,
Maximize schedules and course rotations.

We’re not in panic mode—but we are focused, strategic, and committed to growth.

🛠 Insurance & Appropriations
We approved: Our annual property, liability, and workman’s comp insurance policies (showing some relief in cost projections!).

🚌 Transfers & the Student “Portal”
The Oklahoma Transfer Portal opened June 1, allowing students to request enrollment at other districts. While there are limited reasons to deny transfers, we carefully vet each one and are equally attentive to those leaving.

Most families choosing to leave cite one of four reasons:

Bullying concerns
Athletic opportunities
Four-day school weeks
Smaller school environments

We’re actively working on these concerns while increasing our communication through emails, blogs, and social media—because Cleveland Schools has a great story to tell, and we’re committed to telling it better and louder.

👏 Celebrating Service & Legacy
A Chair Left Empty, A Legacy That Remains
This was our first meeting without Mr. Joe Cole, whose absence was deeply felt. His belief in “Tiger Pride” was rooted in doing the right thing—academically, athletically, professionally, and personally. May we all carry a bit more of that spirit forward.

Honoring Ms. Kathy Kindell
We also celebrated Ms. Kathy Kindell’s remarkable retirement. With over 31 years of service and nearly 500 board meetings under her belt, her steady hand helped guide the district through six leadership transitions. Thank you, Kathy, for your calm, commitment, and compassion. You will be missed!

🔧 Facilities, Grants, and Resources
We’re putting grant funds and bond dollars to work! Recent purchases and encumbrances include:

Chromebooks
Playground upgrades
Literacy materials and PD
New scoreboards
Native American curriculum materials
Music and STEM classroom updates

All of this supports a stronger future for students, families, and staff.

📚 Adjunct Teachers Approved for 2025–26
We approved a fantastic list of adjunct teachers for next year, including expanded offerings in American Sign Language, Construction Trades, Media Arts, and more. Our team continues to grow in ways that serve student interest and workforce needs alike.

📘 Handbooks & Cell Phone Law
Our building handbooks are being updated. One major change on the horizon: a new statewide law banning cell phone use in classrooms. We’re reviewing how other schools are approaching this and will provide more guidance in the coming weeks.

📆 What’s Coming Up
Summer Learning: Literacy camps, credit recovery, and STEM programs are well underway.

New Salary Schedule: Pending the governor’s signature, Oklahoma will add 1 day to the school year and extend the certified salary schedule to 35 years of service. Once signed, we can finalize certified staff pay for 2025–26.

Oklahoma’s Promise: Teachers with 10+ years of experience—your children may now qualify for free college tuition in Oklahoma! Apply now!

🌟 Wrapping Up
If you’ve read this far—thank you! Summer is a time to recharge, but also to dream, prepare, and invest in what’s next. At Cleveland Public Schools, we are doing just that. As always, our students deserve the very best we have to give. Let’s keep raising the bar—together.

#TigerPride | #ClevelandStrong | #NextLevel