At the regular meeting of the Cherokee school board Monday, Aug. 8, principals briefed the board on start-of-school plans and situations.

The school's start and end times have been slightly changed, both at the elementary and high school. Students can be dropped off at 7:50 a.m. (teachers will be out there by 7:45 a.m.) School will begin at 8:15; the tardy bell will ring at 8:20, and dismissal will be at 3:20.

The elementary school has 195 students enrolled, which is a little lower than last year, said Patterson. The after-school program will begin Aug. 15, which is the first full week of school.

“I'm excited that the public library and Northwest Family Services will continue to come out and help with the after-school program,” Patterson said.

Elementary Principal Keela Patterson also updated the board on the Chief Explorer summer program.

“Fifty-nine students were enrolled, which is fantastic for our size elementary,” she said. The program averaged 42 students a day. “I want to applaud all the teachers,” said Patterson, for designing such an enjoyable summer program. Participants went on a weekly field trip – for example, they went to the Enid zoo one time, and saw dinosaurs in Wichita on another trip.

Enrollment at the high school, as of last Tuesday, was 92 sixth- through eighth-graders, and 110 in the high school, said Junior High/High School Principal Lane Pruett.

Sports are getting underway, he said. “Softball had first game today, and I believe they won. Coach Cawlfield is our softball coach; he teaches junior high history as well.”

Football started practice Monday. The first scrimmage will be Aug. 19. The first high school game is at Beaver on Aug 26. The first elementary and junior high game will be Aug. 29 at DCLA.

Cross country practice has started in high school, and will start next Monday in junior high. The first junior high/high school cross country meet is Aug. 27 in Alva, and the first elementary cross country meet will be Aug. 30 at Timberlake.

Personnel and Academics

Language Arts teacher Cindy Schanbacher has resigned.

The board approved adjunct teaching status for the coming school year to Brooke Meyer (anatomy/physiology NWTC), Lyndee Cudmore (chemistry CPS), Rowdy Cawlfield (sixth-grade health and geography/social studies; seventh-grade geography/social studies), and Lane Pruett (arts and crafts; this will include woodworking, Pruett said).

The board approved 11th and 12th grade mathematics and science courses taken from the career technology center for the 2022-2023 school year.

They also approved handbook changes for both the junior high/high school and elementary school. The fifth grade has been moved back to elementary this year, said Patterson, so the handbooks have been changed to reflect that, among other minor changes.

Other Board Business

The board hired Stephen L. Smith Corp. as financial consultants to the school district for the 2022-23 fiscal year, and approved the district’s Level Services Program Agreement with CCOSA for the 2022-2023 school year.

The board approved the consent agenda consisting of past meeting minutes; general, building, child nutrition and bond fund encumbrances, purchase orders and warrants; the treasurer's report and activity fund report; and activity fundraiser requests.

The fundraiser requests came from the 9th grade class (50/50 drawing at the rodeo, with an estimated profit of $1,000, and T-shirt sales), the softball team (team banner with ads, Sonic fundraisers, walking taco at softball senior night), the football team (Sonic fundraisers, donation letters), the FCCLA (Phase 10 Leadership, charcuterie boxes, Egg My Yard, and Valentine's candy sales), elementary AR (school for learning mailers, boon supply sales), and the cheerleading squad (pre-game cheer and cornhole board raffle).

Laptops and computers, library books, maintenance items, and “miscellaneous items” were declared surplus.

Watch the entire 50-minute video at http://www.AlvaReviewCourier.com.