001Second by Dennis. And it is what time is it? 510. >> Okay. >> 510 p.m. >> Okay. >> He's he's got some uh people coming in. So it'll be just a few minutes. >> What time? >> 510. >> Okay. I made a motion. >> Dennis made the second. All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> We'll call that five. >> Trevor, Mark, and Randy are going to join us by phone >> unless they have. >> So, I've got them on the line. >> All right. You didn't bring the goat down. >> He's asleep underneath my desk. >> I told TJ and George, I said, "Guys, if you open up my room, >> you seriously have a coat up there." >> He's got He's got pigs. >> I know. I need two piglets. We were just >>
002I'll get you some Saturday. >> I just need taking it out. >> Can somebody take my picture? >> Will you take a picture and make sure you get me in it? I mean, you sit at the half field, >> not Joa. >> I know. >> Act like you're looking. >> Smile. >> Jeez. Smile. >> Smile. We're waiting on a flash. >> That's That's a good picture. >> He That computer is not doing what he wants it to do. He went to go get another one. >> We should We should be fine. We did the >> Oh, yes. We should just be Unless they have somebody who wants to >> No, we don't. Okay. Very >> big. Central and tonight. >> Trevor, what were the roads like coming in this morning? >> Little dicey. >> Dicey.
003They were um Andy. I think it got a little bit worse from the time that Robera and I came in till the time that some staff came in. Um we had a counselor. She got here a little bit late. She said when I turned on Docks Creek to turn on Docks Creek on 75, she said, "I'll just >> slid right across." That was where that was what was weird. It came >> it was like spots there. I come halfway down the road and it was fine and then all of a sudden it would just be a >> all those trees and stuff in shape. >> Yeah. >> So, um we will just go ahead and get started. I had the gentleman who was coming was uh he was going to lead us in the pledge
004but um he he's our student representative on LSIC. Um I first just want to welcome you you guys. Um thank you for coming. I know it's a not as nice a day as we thought hope it would be for St. Patrick's Day, but um I didn't know if you wanted to start them off, sir, with the >> Well, we um we opened up the meeting down at Crumb, so we've already done it, so we're good. If you All right, we just want to welcome you guys here again. Thank you for coming. Um, I've tried to do with this presentation um a little bit different than in previous years, took the uh the questions that you wanted us to uh to answer and just tried to incorporate them into the into the presentation just to make
005it a little more efficient and streamlined. >> Sure. All right. So, our team members, just again, it's me. There's Miss Holland. Our service personnel representative is one of our aids here, April Spalding. Um, Sherry Martin is our math department chair. Uh, Michaela Gilbertson is the faculty senate president. We've got We s our agriculture teacher and one of the CTE representatives, our parent leaison, it's Karen Tony. Um, and then Angela Vincent, our social worker. And then Damian Tony is our is our student representative. So just a little background kind of information. Um our current enrollment is 310. We currently have 35 >> 35 professional staff. Um three English teachers currently three math two science three and a half social studies. one that was optioned pathway. Um there were five special ed that are that are either
006doing uh co- teach or they're doing pull out services. Um we then have the one position that we use for the for the 1% room. Um and that's where uh we do have the um you'll see two two of our aids are there. Um in the arts we have um two and a half positions. We have, you know, our art teacher Stacy Hodgej, our um um >> choir, Michaela Gersonsons, who's our faculty senate president, and then we split the band music position with um with Fort G >> and that's Nicholas Bragg. Um we then also we have ACE programs. Um currently uh there's advanced manufacturing um >> agriculture carpentry JOTC um welding therapeutic services um broadcasting and and ProStart. Um our Spanish is a halftime position. Um, we we do have uh so our Spanish
007class numbers are kind of small, but we do like to keep that as an offering. But we have what's interesting is with Herd Academy being offered, um, we've had I've got a couple students that are taking a French class. I've got a student who's taken German through that, which is a really nice thing. That's an opportunity that they otherwise wouldn't wouldn't get. um one health and heat teachers, two administrators, um one school counselor, a community and schools possession position are TIS position with the four aids like I said two are in the 1% and then we have two students that require um an an aid with them that are not necessarily severe and profound as to that that they cannot function within the regular curriculum. Um, and then we have our have our two secretaries.
008Now, for the next school year, we will be losing one social studies position, one English position, two CTE programs, and a a half option pathway as we're moving forward due to declining student population. Um, when we look at our absenteeism, our chronic absenteeism, we've done a lot of work on this. As you can see, in 2022, 2023, we were at just over 57%. 23 24 we had a good drop down to 50% and then it kind of stayed stagnant last year. Um, at this point to date this year, we have that chronic absentee number down to 37.9, which is still high, you know, when you look across, but it is it is moving in the right direction. And I think part of that is is really taking the time to educate parents about and and
009and guardians about what chronic absenteeism is so that you know that they understand that it's you know even if I I'm using parent notes for an excuse that students still losing instructional time here in the building. attendance interventions. Um we use our broadcasting programs to create public service announcements about attendance um that that we then air through through our school um Facebook page as well as the Glen Hayes Entertainment Facebook page um >> and WFGH >> I'm sorry >> WFGH and WFGH correct. Yeah. Um we uh we also have weekly um student attendance team meetings um in which uh you know I sat down it's myself the community and schools representative um the social worker and and and we look at you know who's who's high on our list right what what have we done
010where are we standing in our in our procedures and policy um standpoint um have we had you have have we made contact with them? And if we made contact with them, then each week um I pick out five or Angela says, "Here would be five good people for you to call that it may be good for them to hear from you, for to hear from a different voice, um to talk to them about about why other students not in school, um etc. We uh you know community schools uh Bland does a great job with um with providing resources um whether it's clothing, whether it is um uh basic needs, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, soap, uh providing, you know, if a student um you know, we've had a student recently who who their water was off for
011a significant time. So, you know, they showered here at school. Um, just being in touch with them and developing that relationship um is what he does really well so that they're comfortable enough to to share that information with him. Um, we do attendance recognitions at the end of each marking hearing for um for perfect attendance and it started off the bigger group, but it's getting smaller and smaller and smaller. So we've also then started doing some raffle drawings you know on days that we that we need students here. Um for instance today we we because of the number of group groupings that we had with our freshman group we gave our PSAT9 today. Um so we had you know every student that was here they got a raffle ticket. Um we had some prizes from
012uh some Walmart gift cards um that that were donated. um things as simple as a uh as a soda that they may have down in the in in the ProStart program that Tara has for for for an event. Um you know, we're bringing in a uh we're going to take a decent chunk of money and buy several cases of water and keep them cold. And then, you know, if you're here all five days and week, you know, here here's a ticket for a water. Um, and it's amazing what kids will lose for a bottle of water, >> right? >> Just to win something. >> You know, lunch raffles, raffle rewards again, the attendance calls. We'll have student conferences, um, you know, to talk to the students, you know, to find out from their perspective what's
013going on. Is it is it a problem at school? Is it is it something at home? um is it you know something that's out that that that they feel is out of our control but maybe we have a resource in which we can either either help with or connect them with. Uh we then do parent um parent conferences as well and we'll bring we'll bring the student back in with the parent, you know, kind of talk to the parent first and then and then bring the student back in as well. Um and then again we do the the the 10day letters and then and then the the truency procedures. um when unfortunately it gets necessary. Um our enrollment trends um like a lot of schools in the county, but particularly I think it hits us
014a little harder here in the southern end of the county, the 22 22 22 23 we're at 359. Um, and I had a hard time finding this information. So, I actually I want to say cheated, but I I don't really think it's I I went back to my previous, you know, LSIC. So, so it's pretty accurate for this point of the year and the previous years. Um, then we had dropped to 348. Last year we were at 331 and this year as of um yesterday we were at 310. And then I think you have a small eighth grade class coming in. >> We have we have a small eighth grade class coming in. We have um 43 coming from Fort Gay and I think 16 coming from Crom. Um we uh went last week um
015just to visit the middle schools and really meet with the eighth graders to just talk to them about high school and what we have to offer to you know really trying to keep our kids continuing to come to us. um you know that is high school's not scary you know right >> uh so this um it's pretty busy but but I'll I'll explain it to you so this is our um the top three lines are the reading of the PSAT 9 10 and then the SA The bottom three are are are the math of those three assessments and then your columns are 21 22 22 23 23 24 and then last year. Okay. So, um we're going to do a couple different things with this in the way we look at it. If we go
016um straight across the top, you could see um the English or the PSA 9 um it's pretty much been in the same neighborhood. um you know we've had one year we may go up a couple percentage points and then come back down the next year but it stays pretty stagnant there. So uh and that's really been been the trend with all three examinations um or assessments in English. So um we were looking at taking that data and instead of just comparing it the tests from year to year to year to year um the colored diagonal groupings are the same group of students from 9th grade. So if you look at the yellow from 9th grade, 10th grade to the SAT, the green from 9th grade, 10th grade to the SAT, the blue from the 9th
017grade to the 10th grade. Um and then the same the same down here with the math. So if you look there is um there's we dropped with our from our n from our group that's 10th grade last hold up our 2023 ninth graders um from the PSAT9 they dropped it um we've had encouraging results whenever they take the SAT um we're doing some things differently um a lot more collaboration uh with our with our PLC IES bringing in the resources that we have here within the county and making sure we're fully taking advantage of those um to help improve instruction, improve engagement. Um and not not just student engagement, not just giving them something and students complying, but are they are they mentally engaged? And then we have the uh saying if you look so
018so generally except for that that one anomaly, the trend is going up. Um, the one that I'm really proud of in particular is the group that took the SAT last year. Okay, if you look, they were at 17%. On the nine and then don't know what happened precisely with them on the 10, but they dropped to 7%. And then they rose when they took the SAT, which is, you know, where our our breads really buttered, um, 11 11 percentage points of proficiency. So, um, we were, um, excited by that. So, I want to Any questions there? Okay. I want to move on and next look at our our benchmark that we take and it's new for everyone this year. We piloted it with the juniors last year. Um, so I just put the fall and
019winter data in there, but this is the progress learning. And progress learning, I'm sure you've heard about that, but it is it is fashioned um like the SAT, the same number of questions in each in each module. Um, two modules for reading, two modules for math, times, it's very very similar. Uh, so you hear us talk about benchmark data. The state has a system for grades three through eight that we use to obtain benchmark data. The state does not have a system for the high schools. So, uh last year we did a trial run with this progress learning and again it's related to the SAT right >> and uh the schools uh reported back favorably that uh it was helpful. So now we have this tracking mechanism so we can look at that at the
020hospital. And it really one of the things they really do that's that that's nice is um you can go in when you get your data and you can look at specific standards and how students did and practicing that standard and it really helps helps when collaboration's going on in PLC's right >> it helps to identify okay this is our area of need and then to have the conversations of of so you know when I'm looking at your class compared to my class even though they're different they're different grade levels you did your group did better what did you do what what may have been different as far as when looking at our instructional strategies so as we look across though um I was really excited about this day we uh the first column is fall
021then winter and then we have our change so we grew 1% for for English 9 um but if you look if you look at our English 9 math. All right, because these are broken out by grade level. There was a growth of 18%. Um, of students that met benchmark from fall to uh fall to winter. Um, English PSAT 10, a 28 percentage point growth. We had a drop in our in our 10th grade math, but we had um our instructor there is very rich in content knowledge. He is new. Um he was a one of the clinical teachers from Marshall University. So he didn't really get to even graduate until um December, right? And so he uh but he's kind of Kelly Arthur's been working with him. Um he's eager, you know, he wants to
022learn, he wants to do well. He's not, you know, a lot of new teachers are home communication is something that is that's scary to him. You know, we get Miss Holland can attest, we get parents that'll call and they'll be like, I haven't heard anything from the school except from that Mr. Wordhammer. You know, he calls all the time. He calls if they have missing work. He calls if there's an issue in the classroom. He doesn't doesn't mind that at all. He's building those relationships. >> Yes. He he is certainly developing into a strong teacher. >> Yeah. Um our uh and then then we look at the SAT. Um you had a a 3% growth or sorry a actually that's a 3% decline that we that we looked at um when we had our data
023meeting and we talked about, right? But it is u in in in the English but we have a 10% gain in the math. So one of the things when I came back from from that meeting particularly looking at at at the at the SAT with the English and I looked at you know I've got Terresa Muny's fabulous veteran teacher teaches the juniors um in AP language. All right. Um Noah CPPley does a fabulous job. also teaches creative writing. Um when we go in that classroom, students are moving every 10 minutes or so to a different activity. Keeps that engagement up. And so we really then tried to look into into the data like what what were we missing and trying to target that between when this assessment was given which this was given right after
024Christmas >> I think. Yeah, shortly after Christmas to, you know, we take the the SAT on April 16th. >> Any questions there? >> And that English at the 11th grade level was a consistent issue that we identified at the high schools. So, we've had discussions um I know with Spring Valley I I'm not sure I can't remember if Wayne was a part of that discussion or not about, you know, what we need to do to look at that um 11th grade performance because we have some of our strongest teachers in those subjects. So we think it is a u the SAT doesn't necessarily doesn't it's the instrument that the state has chosen to test >> but it's not aligned to our standards. >> Oh >> um you know that assessment isn't tied to our standards.
025They just chose that assessment. Right. >> So we're trying to identify what the gap is there >> so the students are better prepared for it. So, a big push this year countywide has been collaboration. And here is um kind kind of the things that we some of the things we had been doing. Some of the things are new to us, but um how are we collaborating teacher to teacher, teacher to student and also how are students collaborating with each other. Um so so we have again we have um our PLC's um you know really being even more focused on data driven um looking at the instructional techniques like I mentioned earlier about what are you doing that can help me what am I doing that can help you so that it's a true team effort
026we're looking at five driving questions that we have with our PLC's you know that are that are you know first of all where are we going um you know what's our end goal right where are we now so so how are we assessing the current learning um how do we move learning forward so developing and implementing those strategies um then looking at okay what did we learn today what did we learn from this assessment how effective not just what were the student scores but how effective was my was my instruction um and then and then last there is um who's benefited and who has not. So, examining um the outcomes and how do we uh um promote equity in those outcomes. Um our post professional development is another way we collaborate. Um we do this
027uh we've had a focus on walkthroughs um at at the building level as well. And we tra looked at our with our teachers and actually had them sort of switch hats and had them look at you know some lessons being taught and how would they use the walkthrough tool and and assess it. Um and I'll tell you what, they're pretty tough. uh the uh you know another thing we did is is essential outcomes. So we did some PD of that not just I've got a standard posted I've got a I've got an I can statement posted but what do I want students to learn and do students know that that's what they're supposed to be learning I think is important and I think we've seen a rise in that. We were um really pleased. We
028did a a round of walkthroughs yesterday and that was one thing that really stood out was we had um uh a lady from Carnegie here and she was like all of those kids knew what they were learning. It wasn't just I'm doing so and so or I'm trying to I'm trying to solve for x, but but they knew that you know what they were learning that they were solving for the slope or whatever it may be. Um you know I've also been looked at um uh effective teaching strategies and what things can we do that um affect learning the most and you know the number one thing that we can do is is is do we believe that our students can achieve that's that's the number one factor and so so so we looked at
029that and that was um I believe it was Hattie um had done some of the research on that and and and what were the the you know really we looked at the top five things that we can do that are going to um promote student achievement. Um again we're committed to walkthroughs feedback. Um it doesn't uh it doesn't matter if you do a walk through if you're not going to be able to to have the conversation and say, "Hey, what was going on here? This this was happening. Can you tell me what happened leading up to that? Can you tell me what was happen following? What are we going to do? So, so what are you going to do if the kids don't master what you were getting at? What's what's your next step? Um,
030so I think I think that's that's key. I I I have a teacher who was new to the building this year and he said, um, I've been having walkthroughs for I think nine years, he said. and he goes, I think this was the first time, the first year I remember had more than one 10-minute meeting. So, I mean that he he was appreciative of that. Uh we collaborate on attendance. Um the social worker, the counselor, community and schools administration, we um have been working with some district supports on a climate initiative. Um, so how do we how do we raise our student climate? How do we raise um how they feel about Tulsa High School and how do we raise the community perception, right? Um, you know, and work with Carnegie for many good for
031the meaningful feedback and then also, you know, talking about the school pride and talking about, you know, controlling your own narrative, right? Because if you don't write it, someone else will will do it for you. Right. So more collaboration, you know. So that was all really professional collaboration there, right? Um teacher and student collaboration is as meaningful I feel like as as as anything we do because because they've got to be able to work together to to get the results that we want. Um so students play a vital role in in the decision-m whether it's through student council this library right was a student council initiative um teachers and student data conferences many times you know the the teacher will sit down with the student progress learning and be like okay tell me what you
032see right particularly with our with our our freshman and sophomore tell tell me what you're seeing here um goal setting, student led data conferences, um student input on uh on rubrics. So, we had um earlier in the fall, Jennifer Jude is one of our science teachers. she was um she had these students doing like they they' gone out and they had done a biology project and collected you know certain examples of of things like you know from outside of school and brought back in and then they they were presenting on and so when they're presenting right what's the rest of the class doing you know they're I mean they're they're the best we're trying to pay attention Right. But a lot of times too when you have student presentations and they're not always used to
033presentations, you know, they're talking softly, they're nervous, they're they're maybe talking talking too fast. Um so I spoke with her about that. What what can students do? So we started having for group projects that there are um student rubrics that they're completing, right? And then and then she will then use our previous PD from two years ago the or three years ago teach like a champion and and then cold call. Okay, you tell us what your feedback was for this group. So that also helps keep them engaged and uh so so they're kind of it it gives them a little more buy in and they also then want to do a better job because they also realized that like my friends are going to judge me. >> Um so we have then um student collaboration
034like I I just mentioned that whole you know story. Uh and then we've been working on on building thinking classrooms the model of instruction in which students start off the period and and they're working on a scenario or or something together first and the teacher sort of taking you know a a back a back role and kind of going around and and then maybe asking some clarifying some questions or some questions that are getting them to dig deeper. Any questions about collaboration? Okay, I'm turn this over to Miss Hall. This is our discipline information. >> If I can see. Okay, so we've got last year's and you may have remember we talked about the discipline matrix that we implemented last year. The teachers come the summer before, you know, for the prospect of extra pay
035or anything and set up, you know, this is this level one offense. what we what we feel and went on through the steps and what the discipline should be for that. And as you can see, this is for the whole year. Last year there were over,200 and they range for everything from disruption to skipping to fights, those types of things. And at this point right now, as of yesterday, we had 482. So there's a massive difference there. The main reason for that for our overall total is that last year was our transition year with that discipline matrix. more the teachers have bought in. They're willing to call home now more of them and talk to parents and say, "Hey, this is what's going on in my classroom." And so, it's curved a lot of those
036behaviors, I think. And I think that there's more of a relationship building because when they get to get sent to us, nine times out of 10, especially if it's a classroom issue, we're like, "You need to go talk to your teacher. We need to fix it in the classroom and then we'll talk about detention or whatever." So, I think that's also helped. um in school suspensions. Um as of right now, we have 38. So, we're kind of on the same track here, but we try to keep the kids here as much as possible because we don't want them out of the building because of our attendance issues. We really try to curb that. Um this year we've had that was last year, so this is 22 right now. So, we're kind of on the same
037track, but the out of school suspension, that's far less. That's how many incidents we've had. We've only had two fights, three fights. >> Yeah, I mean a handful of both. >> Um, but I think part of the reason too that we've done a lot of this has been curved is the engagement that collaboration that our teachers are doing and we're keeping the kids engaged in class. They're wanting to be in class. They want to learn and they're too busy to get into into the meanness that normally would result. Um, but the out of school suspension, a lot of that too deals has to go to the fact that we've had some teachers now that have volunteered to do detention during lunch and both of us can be in the conference area because he can't obviously
038go into the girls bathroom. I can't go into the boys. So, as long as you're circulating, that cuts down a lot of our behavior issues that we used to have during lunch. So, I think really I think we're on the right track here. This is a good trajectory and I just hope it keeps improving. I'd like to have it zero. I don't see that happening. It's interesting because because she mentioned about the engagement. So, one of the things I'll talk about a little bit is is our big brothers and big sisters and some of the seniors went to Michaela Gerson who runs that program and they said is there any way we can leave after third period and they're like she's like okay I mean it's we're just going to Dunlow so that's possible. They're
039like Mr. CPPley like if we miss we're behind and and if we get behind it's hard it's hard to stay it's hard to get caught back up. >> Yes. So, >> so yeah, I I really think and we've had like um we're doing the green dot challenge which is the progress um the progress learning and so there's a challenge too that the kids want to be there to work on because progress learning is a wonderful tool. Um not only do you do the benchmark but it will break down each individual student and tell you what type of questions they missed so that you can actually assign things in progress learning for them to work on. And once they master that they get a green dock. So there going to be some rewards and incentives for
040that sort of thing too. So that's really been a a big push and I think that's helped a lot with our discipline. >> All right. So next we're going to talk about supports from the board. One thing is is we would like to see you more. Um, you know, and I I mean I and it's it's not like like we would just like to see you at at more at more like like I know a lot of times we'll have board members at the plays, but but you know, come to sporting events, come to just come to school and just see what's going on on a day-to-day basis. Um, you know, we we we've been more regular the county as far as people that have been getting out for for our walkthroughs, which has been,
041you know, that's that's been a real push that, you know, Mr. Alexander has kind of initiated um as an instructional leader. Um, another thing that's happened is is so we have a school resource officer, but this year it was um, like the guy the first person we had ended up going to night shifts because it was more money. Then the other guy we had ended up getting pulled by the National Guard so we didn't have So we have somebody who started yesterday. So hopefully that's fixed. And he was his what's his name? Brian. >> I don't remember. >> Brian Blower. Anyway, he um he he he graduated from Wayne. He's a young guy, but what I was impressed with is that, you know, he was out like his first day had hadn't even come yet,
042but but he was out here with his lights on at 7:30 and he's like, "What time should I be here?" And I was like, "That's perfect." So, um you know, another thing we would like to continue is we both have found a lot of value. um something that was a an initiative from uh um I don't from is I don't know if it's Mr. Alexander or Greg or John or with who? But um we've had like principal and assistant principles PLC's which gives us a chance to really because a lot of times we'll have a principal meeting and it's it's an an umbrella of of of a big idea and how's that apply to you? But the chance to be able to talk as a colleague with a designated time about a spec about a
043guided conversation. But how do how do you do it at Spring Valley, John? How do you do it at Wayne Joanie? How does Kim do it um at Vincent? And then we just want to have our continued support of our um of our CTE programs. And that is uh kind of a segue into um you know we want to first be thankful right of our facility improvements that are really have come over the past three years like I came as far as facility wise goes at the perfect time to come to Tulsa High School like we've done so many amazing things and it's through the support um of the board with in which that's been able to to be done. Um, you know, we we've had our commons area, restrooms remodeled, right? Um, new new
044floor down in there. We had some, you know, stall doors remade and and heavy duty repaired, painted in, you know, our school colors with the trim and stuff. It I mean, the kids take a they they are like, "Man, this floor is really nice." When when they'll go in. So, and and for a high schooler to notice that like the bathroom floors, that's kind of saying something. Um, our uh our auxiliary gym that has been amazing. Um, it allows us to uh for one thing on the day-to-day basis as far as gym class, that's your biggest wear and tear on your gymnasium and your gymnasium floor, right? Um, our our gym floor was, you know, every other year we get it resurfaced, right? It looks almost as good now as it did when we had
045it done in November, right? Because it doesn't have that daily wear on it. Um, painting the gymnasium, it's been about three years ago now in the in the summer, but um it's it's really nice. It's bright. Um that just just completely freshened up freshened up the whole place and gave us a chance to to take some older things down and you know move some retired jerseys to where they were in the gym and and you know just kind of organize things a little bit better. Uh >> there's no LED lights in there, isn't there? >> I think they are LED. >> Yeah, they they do have a cover but the ones in the bathroom did not, but it was because of the type of bulb that was in the bathroom. >> Yeah. Um but that
046helps with the brightness in there. Uh the barn um is completely finished now. Um most all stalls are full, right, Mr. Cyrus? Yep. >> Um the library we remodel, we've spoken about it. Um new windows throughout the main building. um the new HVAC, which we're still kind of working through some bugs on those, but I trust that um they've got to uh they are new and they and you know, newer's usually better, right? So, um but those are those are things that have just happened in the past three years, right? Um so, it's it was a very exciting time, you know, prior to that. Um new pavement all the way around the school. Um, it's just a a fun time and a good time to be here. Um, as far as some needs, now, you
047know, we're always going to Nothing's ever going to be perfect, right? Um, but one of the things that we noticed, and Mr. Alexander pointed it out Friday, but I I had never like unless I'd stuck my head in like looking for a kid in the CTE restrooms, I hadn't actually been in and like looked in the stall. And it's, you know, it's just very dated. The floor needs to be redone. It needs new uh >> New everything. Yeah. So, um there's that's that's something that that we need. One thing that's been really great as far as safety in particular goes is this year we've had keypads in which we get a a four-digit code daily and we announce that code. The students know the code, but it changes daily. One of our biggest challenges here
048was somebody taking a a gravel and putting it down at the doors so the door was pro and I don't blame them, right? I mean, especially this time of year. I mean, you know, the way the weather was today, but they've got a keypad code where they can enter the code and and enter the the main academic doors down here on the front and the CTE. The only thing we would like to have is we'd like to have one for the um for the back in particular by by the music and band area. Um another thing that we like it seems like it's something small but we have all these and I didn't even mention them. I don't know what we're talking about. We have the the new cameras, right? The new camera system, right?
049One of the places where that usually that we would like to see that we can't see is a camera that's that's outside the Collins area restroom. Um and then um there are some tiles that are starting to break that we looked at on our on our facility walk through on Friday. um really the the bases of the of the stairwells and then a few areas here or there where the tiles are just worn and they're starting to crack at at the at the joint and we would you know like like to get those replaced. Um we would like to have the academic wing interior painted. Um we had some paint that's starting to peel there. Some just dirt from from hands and and those sort of things over the years kind of being on there.
050Um, the back door going to We and we looked at this again Friday, but I just thought I would mention it. The back door that goes out to the the music and band, right? There was an issue that it doesn't really do it anymore now. So, whatever it was has been fixed, but when it rained really hard, the um the gutter would would overflow and then that water would run in um on those doors that are that are leading out there. Well, you know, after years of that happening, the the frames along the bottom have have have really started to to rust out. Um, and then, you know, you know, hi in the Scott, we've got new intercom systems, which are great and work wonderful in the gym, in the commons area, in the classrooms,
051but we really can't hear them in the hallways. So, we're needy. Um, any questions, comments, concerns about that? So, we have a lot of successes that we're proud of and and a lot of things that go on beyond um beyond athletics and extracurriculars. Um our JROGC Raider team was the state runnerup this year and we're very proud of that. Uh the Wayne County Young Riders, we had two second place finishes. um won by Hunter Fitch in 11th and 12th and then Destiny Smith. Um >> let me mention on the Raider team, they compete against schools of all sizes. >> Oh yeah. So there's not there's not like it's not like you're single A or single A double A or whatever they're competing against. What would you say guys? You guys are both in Raider. What
052what are some of the bigger schools you compete against? Riverside, >> Huntington High, >> Capital, all of those. Lincoln County, they beat our boys by just a few. >> I mean, it was just a little bit. It was close. It was like one point or something like that. I mean, >> yeah, Lincoln County was too. >> Um, so our band is small, right? But but numbers are growing, but it is mighty. Look at we have four band members that are representing Tulsa High School in the all area band. We have three additional students that are part of the WVU um honor band. Um Carly Ryan this fall became the first student from Tulsa High School to ever compete um in the C cross country state championships um that was held at Capital Midland. Um, our
053regional Mfield Day participants, Ryland Perry and Steeler Sams. Um, we had first place social studies fair winners with Greenly Vance and Carly Johnson. And now something that I'm really excited for you guys to hear is um is Chance Markham is a our outgoing what's your officer title? >> Battalion commander. um and he's got a really uh like amazing story speech um for us that really kind of knocked our socks off this weekend and I was like I would love for um the board members to hear it. So I you know had him he was supposed to work tonight but you know they they let him off so that he could come and we're we're I'm really excited for you guys to uh to meet and hear about Chance. How's it going everybody? Nice to meet
054you. Lieutenant Colonel Chan, formerly the battalion commander for the Tulsa Hospital Battalion, JRC actually gave a speech at our military ball Saturday as the outgoing battalion commander and Mr. Alexander and Mr. Mr. Little, I guess, they're thoroughly impressed with it and I I appreciate that. I appreciate coming here today. I really appreciate the opportunity and the time given to me. So started here. I'm give you some background on myself. So uh I apologize get started. I'm actually going to go ahead and thank God here for my being here us being you know that's the that's the driving factor. Without him I would not be here. So I just want to thank God first and foremost. But gonna give you some background on me here. Uh when I was 14 years old and uh around 22
0552022, I was a very overweight kid, I weighed 280 lbs. And um as a 280lb kid, I was I was a run-of-the-mill fat kid growing up in school. You know, got made fun of by a lot of kids because of the way I looked. Couldn't keep up. We played sports. I breathed differently. I sweat more. I ate more. And uh it was because how I looked and I was just sick of being in that state. You know this is not how I can move forward. I had to change something about myself to move forward and to be happy and to prosper. So one day in January um once again in the well I re I reckon I it was still 2021 actually when I really was going through it but 2022 and January I looked
056in the mirror and I decided that moment my life as that fat kid was over. I'm uh I was sick of having people insult me and the worst part was I was sick of having those insults being true. So, uh, I was tired of looking in the mirror with that disgust and I was done feeling like I could do nothing about it because you can do it. You can do something about it. Just about anything in your life, anything that you don't want to look at can be changed by your hands. Effort, discipline. I set the goal of waking up every morning at 4:00 a.m. to to run and work out. Cut out all sugars, drinks, any unnatural sugars from foods. Cut out a lot of foods. For a long time, I actually quit eating
057those ramen noodles, right? Because, you know, growing up, I ate a whole bunch of those. A whole lot of those. I love them. But they're terrible for you. Terrible. Um, I would run around at uh so I went to Fort Gay Middle School. I would run around every day at inter murals, run that football field out there. run around for miles and miles every single day. Pack Gatorade, pack water, pack a couple bologn sandwiches, you know, and the the thought actually of giving up had seriously occurred to me. It occurred to me multiple times, but every time it occurred to me, I could only think it would feel great to quit right now. Man, I'd love to sit down, >> man. I'd love to go get a Mountain Dew, but if I quit, I'm a
058quitter. I'm stuck there. It's no one else's fault. It's my fault. You know, if you quit, you quit. You got somewhere to go. No one wants to get up at 4 in the morning and run miles. No one wants to get up and take cold showers. But if you did what everyone else wanted to do, how could you be so different? How could you succeed? You know, how could you be unique? So, if I quit, I was okay with being a quitter. And you know what? I'm not okay with being a quitter. I'm not okay with losing. I'm not okay with being okay with losing. My freshman year of high school had come sooner than I knew it. And at this time, I have been a more slimmer, athletic person, and I was genuinely a
059whole new person. I had heard that the JRTC program enforced discipline with challenging activities and I knew I had to join the program as soon as possible. The JRTC program put me through physically challenging, mentally draining, and judgment testing events. Now I've learned to go past the limits of my mind and work together with my fellow cadets. The JRC has taught me that that's not just a program, but it is a band of brothers and sisters and together we become better citizens with respect, duty, and integrity. I've learned what it means to be a leader through the Raider program being the 18 co- captain this year and uh drill competitions along with Gadet Leadership Challenge, which is u we just we just go to I'm uh well, Tony, you remember it? You went this year,
060right? Why don't you tell me how your experience was JCLC? >> It was fun, right? Yeah. We go >> we go on a Army National Guard base. We spend about a week there and um get up some mornings four, some mornings 5, some mornings six, you know, if we're lucky. Uh we'll do water survival training. We'll do a repel tower, which I believe it's like 80 foot tower. Get to the top of it. You look down, you look up. I want to call my mom. You know, you just go down there, repel. You do it one time, you back up it quicker than you can think about it. You know, the uh Jab team actually a couple years ago, I was on our leadership Jab team. Got to compete in Washington DC for the uh
061our leadership bowl and that was a really, really, really impressive experience. You know, I mean, considering the fact that most of us guys over here Paul are monsters and, you know, going Washington DC is a incredible experience. Yeah. >> Can I interject for just one second? Jab is not just our brigade which has over 140ish JRTC's in it. That is every JRTC everywhere. And so we competed, they were the top 40 and we got 26th overall. Wow. >> Impressive. >> It was a great experience. It really was. >> It was a real good experience. >> It was awesome. >> Um, >> and I I prepared through all these events and places we've traveled to and all these uh learning moments to uh face any challenge, how we're going through uh my life after I graduate,
062before I graduate. I'm prepared to face any of these challenges. And you know, if I don't know what I'm doing, I'll figure it out. I'll find a way. You know, there was a time, actually, speaking of our Raider team, uh we were competing this year at Lincoln County High School and we were on a 5K run, right? So 3.2 miles and uh we're in second place right behind Riverside High School. And uh I'm I'm going to give you a little bit of detail on Riverside. Uh if you've been involved in any of our Raider events or history, uh Tulsa, you know, Riverside, they're our enemies. You know, we are back and forth back and forth. >> They're our friendies. >> We love them. We do. We do. You know, that competition strengthens us. Um, speaking
063of being the runner up, uh, 18, uh, we had actually been beating Riverside on many, many competitions prior to the our state championship one. And, um, they had gotten together, right? the uh the instructors at Riverside had gotten together and picked out all these different cadetses that worked well in different different places just to beat our 18th because we had we had beat them so much so well the events prior but due to us having to start a basically start a new a team this year um we we hadn't really done too great on the uh the Raider competitions prior to the Lincoln County one. So, us being second place right behind Riverside was great. That was the best that we had done. And uh our 18 captain, Cadet Sard Major Dylan Cook sick and
064beginning to struggle. Then it wasn't long until we heard Huntington High School coming up behind us and shout on your left beginning to pass us. So, as the 18 co- captain, I faced Dylan and instead of screaming at him to speed up, I faced him. I said, "Dylan, please don't let them do this." And before you know it, I saw him kicking into high gear. You should have heard that boy weeze and call, but we we were back there pushing him. His brothers were behind him. We were we were gonna stay in our place. We weren't falling back. And at the end, I saw him fall to his knees and steam actually roll off of his body because it was like 40° outside, but he was he was heating up. And you know, it was
065really an impressive example of dis uh discipline and a spree to core. The spirit of core is a feeling of pride and unity. And I've become a much more professional, better citizen thanks to Jerry DC. What I think is even better than being a good citizen is being a better person. Sergeant Major Francis, my army instructor once told me, "You are only as good as your last action." Doesn't matter if you do right most of the time, you should do right at every given opportunity and with no want for anything in return. By acting with integrity, you will be rewarded with humility. And that is what matters most of all. I'm very thankful for my instructors at the JR DC Sergeant Major Frances and Major Francis and all the role models that I've had for
066not only teaching me how to be a proper cadet citizen, but for also setting an exemplary and example. When I was a freshman, I have a few role models. And one of them y'all might remember was uh our previous battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Zagolia. Now I remember him facing me when I was a freshman saying, "Chance, you're going to be something." The leadership ability that he possessed combined with this sheer uncanny ability and will to go against the grain until the end that inspired me to push forward no matter what the obstacle was. It was the challenges that I faced with a sword of perseverance and discipline combined with the armor of courage and hope that I'm here today ready to set a standard. See, Sergeant Major Francis has said plenty of things that have
067stuck with me and will for the years to come. Something very important I've learned from him is that it is never just about you, but about the people you are ahead of. It is with this duty that I've supported and assisted with the well-being of any and every individual that I can. This is the act of putting yourself before your people as a leader should do. I faced many challenges up until now. Challenges that tested my physical state, mental well-being, and my soul. But more importantly, these challenges tested my courage. My courage that has driven me past the boundaries that me that many let stop them. It was my courage that pushed me to take freezing cold showers while others enjoyed comforting hot showers. It has always been my courage that made me resilient to
068adapt to the uncomfortable. It is with that courage that I know I put every bit of spirit into all I can do. Whether it is in leading a battalion or if it is in teaching those who look up to me. I once listened to a speech given by Navy Seal admirable or admiral William H. Mcgraven. He said, "If you make your bed every morning, you have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never
069do the big things right. And if by chance you had a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made that you made and a bed that gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. Through even one of the toughest days of your life, one mundane step can bring you closer to prosperity. I've heard sorry Major Francis say, "Always improve your foxhole." This statement touched me and reminded me of something I used to hear my dad say. Your home is all you have. Without it, you're nothing. With these lessons, I plan to move forward in my life and take care of people while I do it. This year, I've learned much more than I can say I expected. I've worked nearly every day after school and spent many nights coming home late
070trying to catch up on as much sleep as I can. I still go to the gym multiple times a week and I still maintain mult optimal I apologize physical fitness. Bible verse I like is Romans 12:14. Bless those who persecute you. A significant lesson I've learned is to treat everyone with kindness, even if we do not do the same. As the highest ranking officer in my JRTC program, many will follow harsh actions that can only be explained by jealousy. It's much easier to to pin the blame of an issue on a face than it is to try and resolve it. The only reason I believe I can explain the purpose of these jealous actions is an unresolved problem of one's heart and self-image. Not one soul is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes that are both small
071and large. It matters more about how you carry yourself and reflect on how not to make the same mistakes. pays off much more to laugh it off and continue with a smile than to dwell on it and fall into the depths of questioning your ability. There will be many people on this path that have far more broken roads than you may imagine. They may even try to break your roads. So these seem like seems like theirs a lot better or even similar. It is likely that they have never been treated properly. And although their actions are wrong, it is important to treat them with kindness and hope and hope that it will have a significant impact on them. There are a few people in this room tonight that I apologize this evening that have watched
072me grow into from a a young teenage boy trying to figure out how to take my first steps into growing to a to an adult taking self assured strides into the rest of my life, you know. And there there have been many that have tested my patience. Not in this room, but there have been many in my high school career that tested my patience. You know, seriously tested my patience. But at this point in time, I'm thankful for that because it's helped me grow into the the man I am. It's strengthened me. Strengthened me as a human being, as a leader, strengthened me as a Christian. You know, there there are many, many things that happened in my high school career that I just look back and laugh at now or I'm thankful for. Even
073with the challenges of life, I persevered with self-adhered courage. It was a courage that I'll never give in. And even in my weakest moments, I will stay strong and stand tall. It's the backbone to my integrity. I will grow into the man that I'm supposed to be and be proud to present myself with such honor. I'd like to thank y'all for your time and wish you a safe passage home. Thank uh thank thank y'all from the board for coming and thank you for the impressive work you done. Thank you Mr. Little, Miss Colin. Thank you Wade, Miss Tony, Damian. Appreciate my dad coming. I'm uh seriously thank you guys. Thank you for the time. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today. And um may God bless us. I'll be able to play
074fant. >> Good job, man. Good job. >> So now you know what I mean. >> Um, so I mentioned before about Big Brothers, Big Sisters. That's that's a very important part of part of what we do here. Also, these are just a few snapshots. We have 14 students involved this year. and Big Brothers and Big Sisters together of next year. They're planning to team up with Crown PreK8 um to uh to keep the Tulsa High School Big Brothers Big Sisters tradition. Moving on. Um now I've got sort of an exciting not sort of but I think what is a really exciting um >> thing to share. Um we are going to have with thanks to uh Mr. Wade Cyrus our first annual auction day in which the proceeds which is open to the public and
075the proceeds will um help the the Tulsa High School agriculture program. Um and it's uh I mean we've been hearing a a lot of good things about about people, you know, words getting out. people are are are bringing a lot of different items, you know, not just animals, but but equipment and and and and those sorts of things. So, Mr. Cyrus. >> Yeah. So, uh I don't I don't know what Jason's actual title is, coach or agriculture mentor. >> Mentor. Anyway, he reached out to um uh agriculture commissioner Kent Leenhart and a lot of places around the state have equipment auctions and a lot of them just do donations to the school and then the school auctions it off or there's a reserve and then the um a person who brings it in, they get
076everything above this number. And of course, you know me, I always want to do something different than anyone else. So I wanted to do animals. You know, our big thing is animals here. So we wanted to sell livestock and with that the state makes you have permits and vet on premises and all this stuff. So Jason wrench out and he said as long as all the proceeds go back to the to the students, he'll give us a one day pass. So we, you know, I pitched it to Mr. Alexander. He said pour it on it. So we, you know, we took off and ran with it. Um however we are doing equipment uh sales as well. So the equipment will be first and then we'll start with small animal and then move all the way
077and cattle will be the last. We've already have we already have consignments of uh so we have five tractors that have been consigned several pieces of equipment uh two uh livestock trailers um a couple tag alongs. We got a guy that says he's going to send pictures of a truck and you know the school or the agriculture program gets 10% of that. >> So the one tractor the reserve on this 25,000. So wow >> if it sells you know that's 2500 bucks off one item. >> Um >> uh the we're going to have concessions and we're working with the football boosters to do the concessions. So that will also go back into the program. Um, outside of that, I think that's pretty much >> Give them a a quick little roll call of who you
078got out in the barn. >> Oh, so you know, we bought the sawmill and then we took the trees, milled them, build a barn. Uh, the barn was finished right around Christmas. Uh we went to League City Stockyard and we have bought eight goats, a miniature horse, a rabbit, 14 chickens, and a sheep and then four pigs that we will raise up and butcher toward the end of the school years. We have two stalls left and I'm working with Greg Miller. We would like to do a wool sheep and an alpaca. That way we can shear them and, you know, just teach the kids that there's other marketable options, >> you know, outside of butcher. Um, and then the our endgame. So, I went to a farmtotable, not farm-totable, farm-to-school meeting with Lisa Thompson at
079West Edge last Wednesday. Um, there's a big initiative to locally produce uh meat, vegetables, get them back into the school systems and sell them. Um, however, with the skyrocketed prices of beef, I don't know that it's going to be feasible for the money that we have in ours to sell them back at the lower price that, you know, we can afford to pay. But with saying that, uh, we've worked with Mr. Alexander and in the future, we would like to do elementary school petting zoo days or field trip days. They're already doing them anyway. Our kids are going to Kentucky. Our kids are going to Ohio and doing Grits Farm or the pumpkin patch at West Liberty. They can come to Talsa High School, keep that money right here and, you know, have the same
080experience that they're having elsewhere. >> That's that's our goal. That's our end goal. Our end goal. >> Great. >> It's fantastic. >> And you should see his name Samson. Samson. >> You should see the little uh the little ramp sheet >> cuz Wade feeds it with the bottle. So, it follows Wade around. Yeah. >> Like like like he's his mother. He can't get more than this far away from him if he's around. It's um he he was donated Levi Napper and on Fox Creek. Um he had a youth that had triplets. She was having trouble taking care of all three of them. So he donated it to our program and >> Wow. >> Yep. Yep. >> That's great. >> It is uh it's not even a week old, is it? Tonight it'll be a week.
081>> Wow. >> Yeah. So anyway, that's uh >> that's fantastic though. >> Any any questions, comments, concerns? I know that that that that time wise, you know, we uh I feel like when you guys come, >> you like to get your money's worth. >> I like Yeah, I'm like I'm like I'm like Jimmy V when he's when he's, you know, giving the speech at the SP. He's like, "That guy's back there telling me I got 30 seconds." But yeah, I'm not listening to him. Right. Um, I really appreciate you guys coming out and like I said, I mean, we'd love to see you. Um, even if it's just a regular day at school, see see what's going on here. >> Right. Um, so, uh, with that, any anything that that you have for me or,
082you know, any think of anything, please don't hesitate to reach out. >> Sure. I'm impressed. Got some great things going, some great students here. So, >> and we're really working on on getting that word out, >> right? you know, um because like, you know, there were, you know, if you look this morning, I was trying to put out I was putting out some uh we have Mount West coming to talk about Jump Start tomorrow with our rising juniors and seniors. um you know and so so I get on the to to our Facebook page and you know like as the administrator my page pops up first and then and I look and and I've got a lady who is a frequent butcher of of the decisions that are that are made that that is mine
083and Tanya's like second cousin. We were all raised together right up on Wall Street, right? Um you know and I'm just like I'm like ah you know you can't win. you can't win. But um >> but you know, we uh you know, we're really working to to to get our story out and that is you know, we're not we're not you know, putting putting shine on something that shouldn't have shine on it, >> right? >> Um you know, just just telling the truth and about all the great things that we have going on here. >> Very good. >> Agreed. >> All right, guys. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Any reports here? No reports. >> All right. >> Motion Dennis. All in favor? I >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 5 to 622. >> 622. >>
084Thanks to those that joined us online. >> Mark and Randy. We're finished up. Remember David is the carol guy that lives on a son and widow. He's got a deal up in >> these sheep farmers. >> He's a millionaire now, ain't he? >> Oh, yeah. And become.