Feb. 10—Student learning, safety and security are top of the mind as Superintendent Shane Boothe asks Justus-Tiawah School District 9 patrons to vote “yes” Tuesday for a $11.73 million facilities construction bond.

——

Voting in-person begins 7 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 in both the Justus-Tiawah and Chelsea School districts. Polls close at 7 p.m. The Chelsea school district vote is a primary election for the school board. Three candidates are on the ballot. Registered voters can vote at the regular precinct location.

——

The Justus-Tiawah bond proposition lays out an ambitious revitalization plan for one of the area’s oldest schools and the county’s only pre-K to eighth grade independent school district. Currently comprised of two rural campuses east and southeast of Claremore city limits, the district serves around 500 students in a growing residential area that includes the Justus and Tiawah communities.

Dr. Boothe said the “no tax increase” bond issue will allow the district to construct needed classrooms space on both campuses this new space will also serve dual purposes as storm shelters.

“The safety and security of our students is our number one priority,” Boothe said. “In Oklahoma, storm shelters are a necessity. It is not a question of if a tornado will hit, but when.”

He said he has worked in three Oklahoma school districts over a 23-year period.

“All three districts sustained a direct hit from a tornado during my employment,” he said.

This bond allows for shelters at each campus large enough to hold the district’s total enrollment, as well as be available for the community.

The shelter on the north campus will house a new kitchen, cafeteria and library. At the south campus, the shelter will house new early childhood classrooms and restroom facilities.

“The additional classrooms will allow Justus-Tiawah to maintain small class-sizes, while ensuring that we do not have to turn away in-district students because of capacity issues,” Boothe said. “We’d like to remove the cap in pre-K.

“We want to get [students] started here and once they are started they stay,” he said.

In addition to the storm shelters, each campus will renovate entrances and add parking and fencing to enhance security. The car lines and parking lots will be redesigned to accommodate a safer and faster method of dropping off and picking up students, on a daily basis.

Finally, the student recreation areas will be revamped with age appropriate playgrounds for the younger students and athletic fields for the older students.

“Once completed, Justus-Tiawah will be in a position to host athletic competitions and have the infrastructure to add additional opportunities for our students,” he said. [The bond issue is] “what is needed for the long term and from a safety perspective.”

Eliminating the need to bus students between campuses throughout the day will be another plus.

The current physical facilities at Justus-Tiawah consists of two sites, a north and south campus. The north campus, at 14902 E. School Road, is just east of Claremore on State Highway 20. The south campus is in Tiawah, southeast of Claremore on State Highway 88.

There are slightly more than 3,000 voters in the J-T school district; however, Election Board Secretary Julie Dermody noted voter turnout is historically low.