It is amazing to think that the 2024-25 school year is ending soon! This year has been a busy year of growth for Tahlequah Public Schools. Our enrollment was a bit up, our academics are improving, and projects are happening everywhere. Our projects at Cherokee and Greenwood were completed and have been in use for students and teachers. Many other minor or major renovations around the district have been completed. We talked about, planned for, and have started a new Ag Barn for our TMS and THS students and look forward to using that in August. We are working with the city to improve our board offices. We are committed to making TPS the best place for the 3700 students and 500 employees that are on our campuses every day!
During the last school year, Tahlequah school leaders have collaborated with parents, students, staff, and community members to identify and prioritize the district’s greatest facility needs, especially those that impact student safety, opportunities, and services. This collaboration has resulted in a comprehensive vision to upgrade our schools to meet the needs of today’s students, while honoring the traditions and history that make Tahlequah a special place to learn. The cost is expected to be around $50 million, which the community can accomplish without a tax rate increase. We are planning for a September 9th election. We know our students deserve this investment in their future.
Based on feedback from the community, some of the projects include: upgrades at Sequoyah PK that include removing the asphalt on the playground and installing age appropriate equipment, renovating bathrooms for the younger population that building serves, building a band room at TMS that will also serve as a tornado shelter for that site, remodeling bathrooms and extending the cafeteria at TMS, building a field house and bleachers with new restrooms and concessions at THS for band, soccer and football, creating a STEM center for THS, renovating interior hallways and bathrooms in part of THS, remodeling the library at THS, installing awnings at Heritage, upgrading the hallways at Cherokee and Greenwood, upgrading technology, classroom furniture, student equipment and so much more. The projects addressed in this plan will provide a total refresh for TPS – meeting the needs of today’s students and positioning the district for at least a decade of success.
May 5-9th is Teacher Appreciation Week! At TPS, we honor ALL school employees this week. We are honored to celebrate the fine men and women who work in our district every day. At each school site, our teachers work countless hours to plan for and deliver high quality instruction, form positive relationships with every student and create a classroom atmosphere where every student feels welcomed and loved. Each school site also is led by an administrative team of principals, counselors and office staff that keep all the pieces together everyday for hundreds of students. Each site has specials staff, librarians, special education staff, nurses, paraprofessionals, custodians, cafeteria staff and SROs that are integral in making the school experience a positive and safe one for every student. We have a phenomenal transportation department that safely drives our students every day. We have the best maintenance, grounds, child nutrition, personnel, technology, finance, and enrollment staff! We are thankful for our outreach staff and district administrative staff and proud of what they do every day for kids. It has been said it takes a village to raise a child. That is absolutely true about a quality education for a child as well. I feel confident in saying the talented, caring, and diligent staff at TPS is the best around!
It is my honor to lead Tahlequah Public Schools. As always, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, I am available. You may contact me by phone at 918.458.4100 or by email at jonest@tahlequahschools.org. Thank you and remember, “Once a Tiger, always a Tiger!”
Written by Tanya Jones/Superintendent