Resources & Communications

Hello OPS Families!

We are gearing up for another great school year and with that, we are excited for our second year of SPARK (OPS's Before and After School Program)! If you have not already registered for the SPARK program, now is the time. Space is filling up quickly (the AM session at Hodson is already full).

I wanted to make sure you are aware of a few new elements we have at SPARK for the 2024-25 school year. 

1. DHS Subsidy - We are now set up and able to accept DHS subsidy payments at all 10 of our SPARK sites. When enrolling, please indicate that you plan to use this form of payment and we will work with you to get everything in place.

2. Drop-In Enrollment Option - We are excited to pilot a new enrollment option at 3 of our sites (Mills, Smith, Stone Canyon)! If you do not need your child to attend every day, but you have occasional days throughout the year when SPARK would be a great child care resource, you can use this new option to enroll! 

To find out more about SPARK or to enroll, click HERE!

We can't wait to work with your family this year. If you have any questions, please call us at: 918-272-8182 or email: melissa.zumwalt@owassops.org

GO RAMS!!

Melissa Zumwalt
SPARK Director
Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

Over the last several weeks, announcements have been made by the State Department of Education (SDE) with the intent to require teachers to use the Bible as part of their instructional materials and to revise Oklahoma’s social studies standards. I know these announcements have resulted in many questions, therefore, I would like to share with you legal considerations regarding academic standards and instructional materials.  

State law, 70 O.S. § 11-103.6a, is clear that the selection of curriculum and instructional materials used to teach subject matter standards is a matter of local control. State law allows, but does not mandate, the inclusion of the Bible as part of curriculum and/or as instructional material. It is common for the SDE to recommend certain curriculum and instructional resources to assist educators in delivering instruction related to academic standards, however, SDE cannot mandate curriculum or instructional resources. 

Oklahoma law requires adoption of subject matter standards on a six-year cycle. The existing social studies standards were adopted in 2019 and are up for adoption again in 2025. State law further requires that academic standards be approved by the State Board of Education and the state legislature before implementation. (Note: If the legislature fails to adopt a joint resolution either approving or disapproving the standards in whole or in part within 30 legislative days following the submission of the standards, the standards are considered approved).

SDE already suggests the Bible or passages within the Bible as a teaching resource for some academic standards. For example, within the approved social studies standards, World History Content Standards includes, “WH.1.2 - Describe the origins, major beliefs, spread and lasting impact of the world’s major religions and philosophies, including Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, and Sikhism.”

The curriculum currently used by Owasso Public Schools is fully aligned with the approved Oklahoma Academic Standards and we will continue to adhere to the curriculum and instructional materials previously adopted by the district. As a public school system, it is crucial that we maintain neutrality and objectivity in our curriculum and instructional practices. 

Further, I want to reassure you that our current board policy #1.69, District Wide Parental Involvement (Parents/Legal Guardians) (Parents' Bill of Rights), provides you with the ability to inspect curriculum and instructional materials at any time. According to the policy, "parents who object to an assignment based on sex, morality or religion may opt their minor child out of the assignment."  When this occurs, the teacher simply provides an alternative assignment for the student.

It is also important to note that students have been and will continue to have the right to bring their own religious texts to school, or to access religious texts using school-issued technology should they choose. 

Thank you for your attention to this information. Please continue to be on the lookout for additional communication from the district and your child’s school as we get closer to the start of school on August 15.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent
Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

I wanted to provide you with an update on the district’s response to HB 3958, which requires school personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student to include the student’s parent or guardian in the electronic or digital communication, unless the communication is on a school-approved platform and related to school and academics. 

As I shared at the end of June, the Owasso Public Schools Board of Education approved a new policy - #1.89 Student Communication - to comply with provisions set forth in HB 3958. At that time the district also named Google Workspace, which includes school-issued Gmail, as the approved digital communication platform. 

For the past several weeks, a team of district leaders has been exploring options for digital communications with an individual student to include text messaging and allow for the application to be monitored and supported by the OPS Technology team. This additional communication option is especially a need for students participating in extracurricular activities.

At last night’s Owasso Public Schools Board of Education meeting, the district presented and the board approved the use of the SportsYou messaging app. SportsYou offers oversight capabilities, data archiving and data security features that were all necessary for approval.

Extracurricular activity sponsors and coaches will begin using SportsYou for text messaging immediately, while classroom teachers will have the opportunity to utilize the app should they choose to during the 2024-25 school year.

Thank you again for your attention to this information.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent
Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

As we approach the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, we want to remind you about the benefits of school meals and the availability of free or reduced meals for students who qualify. 

Owasso Public Schools is continuing its partnership with Sodexo to provide food service at each school site. Sodexo delivers healthy and delicious school meals based on the USDA’s nutrition guidelines so that students are engaged and ready to learn in school. All meals include a variety of fresh fruit and vegetable choices, and a variety of chilled non-fat or low-fat milk.

We encourage all families, regardless of income, to complete and submit a confidential Free & Reduced Application prior to the start of the school year to ensure that there are no gaps in meal benefits for students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. 

Filling out the Free & Reduced Application is quick and easy. We have several ways an application can be accessed and completed.

• For an online application go to www.myschoolapps.com. 

• Applications can be printed from our website at owassops.org on the Child Nutrition Page.  

• An application can be picked up at the Child Nutrition Office or Enrollment Center at 202 E Broadway.

• An application can be sent to you by emailing us at ram.meals@owassops.org

At Owasso Public Schools we do everything possible to ensure that students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals:

• Feel no social stigma for applying to the program.

• Are treated & greeted the same at the cash register as any other student.

• Are not singled out in any way to ensure their complete anonymity.

• Can be confident that all information is kept completely confidential.

It is more than a meal application, other benefits from filling out an application may include:

• Discounts on academic test fees, such as the SAT and PSAT

• Discounts on college applications

• Discounts on home internet services

• Discounts on fees for youth programs

• Funding for district education programs

Our goal is to have all students take part in our school meal program. In our elementary schools, we offer four entree choices each day with our Clubhouse program. It includes hot entrees, traditional meals, salads, sandwiches and wraps. In our middle schools, we offer a wide variety of choices through our foodiE program, and our signature Taste4 program gives high school students endless variety through a number of exciting food stations.

Be sure to follow the Free & Reduced Application instructions carefully and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Child Nutrition office at 918-272-8034. We look forward to serving your students!

Sincerely,

Jon Beckloff
Director of Child Nutrition

 

**This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

The return of school also means the return of high school football! As we prepare for our first home game this Friday, Aug. 30, I want to share with you a reminder of the clear bag requirement at Owasso Stadium and announce that we have instituted a new procedure in regards to student attendance.

Beginning this season, students 8th grade and under must be accompanied by an adult to enter the stadium. Parents, please do not drop off your children at the gate on Friday nights. This measure is being implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of our younger students.

We will continue to use the clear bag requirement at all athletics events this year. Many professional leagues, collegiate programs and event venues have implemented a clear bag requirement to enhance public safety, while also minimizing time spent searching bags at gate security checkpoints, easing access into the stadium. 

The following details what bags are permitted inside Owasso Stadium:

• Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12" x 6" x 12"
   
• One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (Ziploc bag or similar)
   
• Small clutch bags with or without a handle or strap that do not exceed 4.5" x 6.5" (approximately the size of a hand)
   
• An exception will be made for medically necessary items and diaper bags after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose 

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag; briefcases; backpacks, cinch bags, and fanny packs that are not clear and/or exceed the size restriction; luggage of any kind; computer bags/cases; camera bags/cases; binocular bags/cases or any bag larger than the permissible size. All carried items are subject to search.

We appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for all attendees. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact your child’s principal.

Thank you for your continued support of Owasso Public Schools. Go Rams!

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent

Owasso Parents & Guardians,
 

This a friendly reminder, the first day of school for students is Thursday, August 15th. If your child will be riding a bus this school year and you need to know what bus they ride, please check the route information page on our website. As in previous years, your patience and understanding for the first few weeks of school is greatly appreciated as we iron out the details of our routes and adjust to traffic around new road construction this school year. 
 

If you would like to find more helpful information as you prepare for the beginning of the school year, please visit the Back-to-School page on our new and improved website.
 

Please be safe getting around town and we look forward to seeing your students in the morning!

 

Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

As Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates mentioned in her letter last week, the district will begin utilizing a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation this school year. This SRP is used in over 50,000 schools, districts, departments, agencies, organizations and communities around the world and it has been implemented in schools in nearly every state across the country.

I wanted to share with you some additional details about the five actions in this SRP – Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter – and give you an example of when these might be used. We will conduct drills and train students & staff in this protocol, however it is also important for you to have an understanding of these actions and what they mean.

We believe that these actions will help eliminate confusion that has been experienced in previous years. Particularly the terms “lockout” and “lockdown” were often confused, which led to unnecessary panic and worry among students, parents and staff.

For more detailed information, please see the Standard Response Protocol K-12 Operational Guidance on the I Love U Guys website.

Hold
What is a Hold action?
The Hold Action is used when the hallways in the school need to remain clear. Classroom learning will still take place as normal during a Hold, but students may not be able to change classes until after the Hold has been lifted.

Examples of Hold conditions:
• A medical issue that needs attention
• An altercation in a hallway
• Unfinished maintenance in a common area during passing period

Secure
What is the Secure action?
The Secure Action is called when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. Secure uses the security of the physical facility to act as protection. During Secure, all students and staff are brought into the secure building and all exterior doors are locked. Classes are able to continue uninterrupted inside the building. In year’s past, we would have referred to this situation as a “lockout”.

Examples of Secure conditions:
• An unknown or unauthorized person on the grounds
• Dangerous animal on or near the grounds
• Police activity in the area

Lockdown
What is the Lockdown action?
Lockdown is called when there is a threat or hazard inside the school building. The Lockdown Action advises making rooms look unoccupied by locking individual classroom doors, offices, and other securable areas, moving occupants out of the line of sight of corridor windows, turning off lights, and having occupants maintain silence.

Examples of Lockdown conditions:
• Intruder
• Active assailant
• Dangerous animal within a school building 
• An angry or violent individual in the school building
• Report of a weapon

Evacuate
What is the Evacuate action?
Evacuate is called when there is a need to move people from one location to another for safety reasons. During an evacuation, students and staff are asked to move from one location to another in an orderly fashion.

Examples of Evacuate conditions:
• Gas leak
• Bomb threat
• Power outage
• Mechanical failure

Shelter
What is the Shelter action?
Shelter is called when specific protective actions are needed based on a threat or hazard. Sheltering requires that all students and staff follow response directives based on the threat or hazard.

Examples of Shelter conditions:
• Severe weather, such as a tornado, strong thunderstorm or flooding
• Wildfire
• Hazmat spill or release

Thank you for your attention to this information. Should you have any questions about this SRP, please reach out to your child’s principal or feel free to contact me at paul.croft@owassops.org.

Sincerely,

Paul Croft
Director of Safety & Security
Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

I am thrilled to welcome you and your students to a new and exciting school year at Owasso Public Schools! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable summer. As we embark on this new academic year together, we are eager to share our “word” for the year: INSPIRE. 

At Owasso Public Schools, we believe in the power of inspiration to ignite passion, creativity, and love for learning in our students. This year, our hope is to inspire every member of our school community - students, parents, teachers, and staff - to reach their fullest potential. We strive to love, challenge, and prepare our students for life after high school and beyond. Our mission is to provide a safe environment that equips, educates, and empowers Owasso students on their journey toward outstanding character and success. We are committed to partnering with you to accomplish this mission!

Back to School: The first day of school for students is Thursday, August 15th. If your child will be riding a bus this school year and you need to know what bus they ride, please check the  route information page on our website.  A “practice run”  for buses will take place on Wednesday, August 14th, which means you will see buses running through our neighborhoods the day before school starts. As in previous years, your patience and understanding for the first few weeks of school is greatly appreciated as we iron out the details of our routes for another school year. 

The bell schedules will remain the same and can be accessed here.  Please note, meal prices have been increased 15 cents for the 2024-2025 school year. Parents can access school menus and add money to their student’s meal account on the district’s website through the Child Nutrition page.  It is important to note that, for those who qualify, the cost of reduced price meals remains the same as last year ($0.30 for breakfast, $0.40 for lunch). Parents are encouraged to complete and submit a free & reduced lunch application regardless of income, prior to the start of the school year to ensure that there are no gaps in meal benefits for students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Our schools are excited to welcome you and your children back to school. Principals will be reaching out to families with additional information regarding back to school activities. If you would like to find more helpful information as you prepare for the beginning of the school year, please visit the Back-to-School page on our new and improved website.

SPARK: Last year we launched our Supplemental Program and Activities for Ram Kids (SPARK), which has allowed district families and our employees the opportunity to have quality programming for their children before and after school hours while they're still at work. We are pleased to inform you that our before and after care program is now able to accept DHS assistance! This is something that we have worked toward for the past year and we are hopeful that this will allow more students to benefit from the enriching activities and supportive environment that SPARK offers. To enroll in SPARK for this school year, please navigate to the online registration portal.

Continuous Strategic Improvement (CSI): The Owasso Public Schools’ 2023-2028 stakeholder and data-driven Strategic Plan is rooted in the commitment to provide the best possible education for all students and sets the expectation that each student, regardless of ethnicity, language, disability, or income level can achieve high standards of learning.  We’ve made great strides this past year in accomplishing the goals within the plan. For detailed  information about our Continuous Strategic Improvement, please visit our website. 

• Professional Learning Community (PLC) - We have continued to make great strides towards developing and building professional learning teams, with over 400 teachers trained in the PLC model. This foundational model drives the mastery of core content for our students, common formative assessments, academic interventions, and academic enrichments/extensions.

• Safe and Nurturing Environment - The safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority. Considerable time and effort go into practicing and enhancing school safety and security. Along those lines, we have enhanced the compensation package for our security personnel to increase the number of days in their contract. This will allow us to provide security officers throughout the entire calendar year. Additionally, we are still seeking feedback from all stakeholders in order to help us identify our strengths and opportunities for growth, with regard to school safety. As you enroll your returning student through Infosnap, you will have an opportunity to complete a safety feedback survey to assist with these efforts. Once the data collection process is complete, we will begin the next steps in creating action plans in the areas where we need to improve. 

The district will also be implementing new terminology for emergency and safety situations this year, using a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation. This SRP provides consistent, clear, shared language and actions among all students, staff and first responders for all hazards. It is action-based, and allows district administrators, first responders, students, and parents to share a specific vocabulary for quick and coordinated action. All students and staff will receive training around this new terminology, which is based on five actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. We will share more information about this with you next week.

Signed into law following the most recent legislative session, HB4073 (known as Alyssa’s Law),  requires school districts to implement a mobile alert panic system. The district will continue to use the Rave Panic Button, which has been available to district staff for the last two years. This app available to all staff members provides five different options to immediately alert emergency responders of a situation on campus.

• Facilities Improvement Plan - In the spring, we finalized a Long Range Facilities Master Plan, which included feedback from parents, community members, students, teachers, and administrators. This 10-15 year master plan includes facility renovation and new construction, capacity analysis for each building in the district, and enrollment forecast through 2033. As we plan for future school bond issues, this comprehensive facilities plan provides a roadmap for district needs.

• Full-Day Pre-K - This initiative within the CSI plan, calls for OPS to begin offering full-day Pre-K within the next five years. Currently OPS does not have the capacity at each elementary school to offer full-day Pre-K, however through our Long Range Facilities Committee process, we have determined a way to begin offering full-day Pre-K at every elementary school, with the target date being the fall of 2027. 

• Bond 2025 - The data collected through the Long Range Facilities planning process showed the strongest and most desirable solution would be to change the grade configuration in all elementary schools from Pre-K - 5th grade to Pre-K - 4th grade. By moving 5th grade out, it creates classroom space at every elementary to house full-day Pre-K. We will create a 5th & 6th Grade Center combining the two grades. To accomplish this, we will make it a part of our next bond proposal, expected in the spring of 2025. This fall we will seek additional input from our stakeholders regarding specific district needs as well as utilize our Long Range Facilities Master Plan to develop the bond package for the spring of 2025 bond election.

We look forward to partnering with you to make this year a success and to inspire our students to achieve greatness. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school community. Together, let’s make this a truly inspiring year! Go Rams!

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent
Owasso Public Schools

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

You may have seen in the news or online that there have been numerous vague threats made against schools across the state and the country recently. I want to reassure you that we are aware of this social media trend and that the district has not received any threats toward any OPS school sites at this time.

Student and staff safety is our top priority. The district’s Safety & Security team works closely with the Owasso Police Department and takes threats of any kind very seriously. 

If you or your student become aware of a threat toward a school or any other student, please do not hesitate to contact the district at 918-272-2001 or contact your child’s school. Remember, if you see something, say something.

Thank you for your attention to this information and for your continued support of Owasso Public Schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent 

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

The Owasso Public Schools’ 2023-2028 Strategic Plan is recognized as the framework through which the district supports the development of each child to reach their potential. It serves as the foundation for each school in the district to develop annual plans which are designed to support the implementation of the district’s five-year strategic plan. This strategic plan sets the expectation that each student, regardless of ethnicity, language, disability, or income level can achieve high standards of learning. Strategies are included to ensure students will meet and/or exceed standards, graduate on time, and are college/career ready.

As we continue the implementation of our strategic plan, the district will annually seek feedback from parents, students, OPS teachers & staff members, and the community in the form of a Continuous Strategic Improvement (CSI) Stakeholder Climate Survey. This feedback will help us determine if we are meeting the expectations of the strategic plan and more importantly the expectations of our school community. As a parent of an Owasso student, your involvement is critical to this effort.

I am inviting you to complete this 5-10 minute survey, put together specifically for parents with students currently enrolled in the district. The purpose of this anonymous and voluntary survey is to gather information from you regarding your perceptions of your child’s school site. If you have children at more than one school site in the district, you are welcome to fill out the survey multiple times, should you choose.

The survey will close at the end of the day on Monday, Sept. 23.

Additionally, students in grades 6-12 will be given time during a class period prior to Monday, Sept. 23 to complete a similar survey, asking for feedback on their school experience. That survey is anonymous and voluntary as well.

Thank you again for your continued dedication to Owasso students and for being involved in this important process!

Sincerely, 

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and I want to take a moment to reaffirm our commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all students. As a district, the safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority and bullying in any form is unacceptable. We believe every student has the right to feel safe, respected, and valued while they learn and grow. 

We encourage you to partner with us in fostering a positive school culture. Here are some steps you can take if your student experiences or witnesses bullying:

Communicate with your child: Talk to them about their day-to-day experiences, and make sure they know it's safe to discuss any concerns or problems they may be facing.

Report the incident: If your child is being bullied or witnesses bullying, please inform school staff immediately. You can report the incident to your child’s teacher, school counselor, principal, or any OPS employee. Parents and students can also utilize the district's online Report & Stop Bullying form at any time. 

We take reports of bullying very seriously and have policies and procedures in place to address such behavior. While the district is prohibited by state and federal law from disclosing disciplinary action against another student, which unfortunately can give some the idea that nothing was done in their case, I want to assure you that all reported bullying accusations are investigated by administrators at the school site in which they occur and appropriate disciplinary action is taken, if warranted. 

Document the situation: Keep records of any incidents of bullying, including dates, times, and details. This information is extremely helpful when addressing the issue with school administrators.

Support your child emotionally: Bullying can be distressing. Offer your child emotional support by listening to their concerns and reassuring them that they are not alone in facing this issue. The district also employs an experienced team of counselors who are available at each school site every day. An appointment can be made by reaching out to your child’s counselor or the school. If you or someone you know are in need of support outside of school hours, please dial 988 for access to free and confidential resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

For more information and resources regarding bullying prevention in the district, please visit our website.

Together, we can ensure that Owasso Public Schools remains a safe and welcoming place for all students. Thank you for your ongoing support in making our school community a place where respect and kindness are the standard.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates

Superintendent

Owasso Parents & Guardians,

Prior to the start of school in August as part of my ‘Welcome Back’ message, I shared with you the district’s desire to develop a school bond proposal for the spring of 2025. This decision comes after our Continuous Strategic Improvement (CSI) process identified the need for all-day Pre-K in Owasso Public Schools, and the creation of a Long Range Facilities Master Plan, which includes facility renovation and new construction, capacity analysis for each building in the district, and an enrollment forecast through 2033.

The data collected through the Long Range Facilities planning process showed the strongest and most desirable method for adding all-day Pre-K would be to change the grade configuration in all elementary schools from Pre-K - 5th grade to Pre-K - 4th grade. By moving 5th grade out, it creates classroom space at every elementary to house full-day Pre-K. Our intention is to create a 5th & 6th Grade Center combining the two grades on the current site of the 6th Grade Center.

While this project would be a key part of the bond proposal, I want to invite you to attend a Community Feedback Forum to hear from you regarding additional district needs and construction projects that could be addressed as part of this upcoming school bond.

Please save the following dates and times in your calendar:

Tuesday, October 29 – 6:30 p.m.
Owasso 6th Grade Center (8101 N 129th E Ave)

Thursday, November 7 – 6:30 p.m.
Owasso 6th Grade Center (8101 N 129th E Ave)

Following these Community Feedback Forums, district leaders will work to put together a final bond proposal to present to the Board of Education in December. If approved, the school bond will be up for a vote within the community on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

Thank you for your attention to this information and I hope to see you at one of the upcoming Community Feedback Forums.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Coates
Superintendent