Claremore Public Schools

Everything is uncertain about who is at school and who isn't, so teachers overcome, adapt, and adjust! So in art---Murals it is! Students discussed all the murals in Claremore - even graffiti on trains (what's the difference)? They are now working together from K - 5th grad to create murals with oil pastels to hang in the halls of Westside. This project was an art lesson and a lesson on using art to find our way through changes & uncertainties. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE ▶ https://youtu.be/aaAYqe8e4Kg

Rodrick "Rod" Henry, a Claremore High School Class of 1980 graduate, began his service to his alma mater as a CPS Board of Education member for Ward 4 in 2015. Serving in his second term, he holds the office of Clerk this year. Henry became a Zebra in 8th grade when he transferred into Will Rogers Junior High from Verdigris when it was a K-8 dependent school system. But he’ll be quick to tell you he’s remained a Zebra saying, “Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra.” He is married to Wendee Pauley Henry, CHS Class of 1984, and has two children: Zac, CHS Class of 2012, and Ashley, CHS Class of 2017. His wife is an officer for the CHS Alumni Association and oversees the Alumni Asso. Scholarship. After graduating, he went on to earn an A & P License and works at American Airlines. Henry is actively involved in the Claremore Public School Foundation, First Presbyterian Church of Claremore (Feed the Zebras), and Claremore Elks Lodge. He spent years volunteering and supporting fundraising efforts for booster clubs while kids were in school in CPS and was a little league coach for soccer, baseball, and football. His most impactful teacher was a difficult decision because he has had so many great teachers, but he finally narrowed it down to Mr. Norm Vetter, his Drafting I & II teacher. As a mechanical engineer, he still uses many skills today that he taught me so many years ago. All his students loved him.

Get caught up on everything CHS! Preston & Tyler host our first ZTV broadcast for the spring semester. 🎤 Announcements: P/T Conference, FAFSA, Graduation, and more. 🎤 New Teacher Feature: Coach Jackson, Coach Sport, and Mrs. Meza. 🎤 New Encore schedule and return to the previous lunch schedule interview with Dr. Hindenburg & Mrs. Andrews. 🎤 Spring College Connection Workshops: Apr 18, 2022 🎤 Sports Spotlight: Wrestling ▶ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWbqTGl14CM #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

What is your favorite reading spot?!?!? Some kids like to read alone in a quiet spot, some in groups and some even enjoy reading in the dark with a flashlight. We enjoy seeing the different reading styles and the different ways they enjoy reading. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🐱‍🐉 Mrs. Cole's Pre-K class at Catalayah started their dinosaur unit this week. The kids are so excited!! 🐱‍🐉 They are making dinosaur eggs and learning about the different types of dinosaurs. Later this week, when the eggs dry, the kids will crack them open. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Claremont 3rd graders are TOAD-ally excited to be learning about frogs! Did you know... *frogs are amphibians *frogs are considered "under pressure" of extinction *frogs come in all shapes and sizes #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Roosa is enjoying new Promethean Boards! A Promethean Board is a brand of a whiteboard that projects an image from a laptop or computer. It is also an interactive board that uses specialized pens or touch. The IT Department chose touch screen panels for Kindergarten through 3rd grade because the students already use touch devices daily and are familiar with this technology. These boards were purchased with #ZEBRABond219 funds and are currently being installed in the Kindergarten through 3rd classrooms. Roosa thanks the Claremore community for investing in these educational tools and our students' futures! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Patrick Gotcher has been a part of the Zebra family since 1990; hired right out of college as a teacher/coach sharing responsibilities with Roosa and Claremont Elementary by Dr. Bill Salwachter. Over the next ten years, he moved up the ranks to Principal when he resigned in 2001. Eight years after changing careers, Gotcher began his service on the CPS Board of Education and is in his third term. He has served as Member, Clerk and now holds the position of President. In 2001 Gotcher moved into pharmaceutical sales. He continues to be actively involved in Zebra Sports Foundation, and if you’ve been to a game under the Friday night lights on Lantow Field, it’s Gotcher who is the voice of Zebra football you hear over the intercom. He’s been married to his wife, Cheri, for 33 years. She is an Elementary Teacher at Justus-Tiawah. His sons Spencer, Jordan, and Christian have all graduated from CHS. When asked about the teacher that made the most significant impact, he quickly jumped at the chance to tell us about Dr. Jack Dobbins who was head over Health and Physical Education at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. “He made a huge impact on how I view education and specifically Elementary Physical Education. After taking several of his classes, I began to understand the integral role that a good Elementary Physical Educator can serve within their assigned building. Elementary students, as Dr. Dobbins would explain, learn best thru play. Many are tactile-kinesthetic in their learning style. When a physical educator accepts this idea and designs their games and activities around this approach, a tremendous amount can be learned, including health, nutrition, math, and reading. I truly wanted to make a difference in my assigned buildings daily with each student. Using Dr. Dobbin’s teachings, I designed and implemented an elementary Physical Education program that played an integral role in the curriculum within my assigned buildings. Implementing these strategies helped me become an important peer among my fellow educators. I will never forget the power of play that I learned from Dr. Dobbins.” #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. McQueen is the virtual teacher for Claremore Public Schools. She monitors all her students daily and can see what they are doing on assignments, when tests are taken, and how close they are to their goals. She has a Google Meet set up with every student weekly. When students need help, she teaches them and connects them with additional resources. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Have you ever written a fictional narrative? 5th graders can say that they have! A fictional narrative is a made-up story and most novels and short stories are fictional narratives. Our 5th grade students have been working on planning and writing a fictional narrative - do you have a 5th grader? Ask them if you can read their narrative! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Richard "Rick" Mosier, Vice President, has been a part of the Zebra family for 49 years. After graduating from CHS, Mr. Mosier went on to earn his BA in Agriculture from Oklahoma State University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa. Mr. Mosier began his service to his alma mater as a CPS Board of Education member for Ward 1 in August 2002 and has continued to be reelected each term. Serving in every position over the years. This is his 20th year to serve on the Board. President of Robson Properties since 2002. Mosier is actively involved in the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and is the J.M. Davis Memorial Commission's Chair. Mosier became a Zebra when he came to Claremore and became a student at Will Rogers Junior High and graduated a Zebra in 1976. When talking about a teacher who had an impact on his life he spoke of two of Claremore High School’s former teachers, Mrs. Beth Young and Mr. Gary Stout. “Mrs. Young taught me the value of high expectations, the ability to enjoy good literature and the power of expression on the written page. Mr. Stout passed on to me his love of a vast breadth of knowledge with a heaping helping of Biology and Chemistry on the side. They were dedicated to their students and to their profession. I am forever grateful.” #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

At the Claremore vs. Bixby match, Kai Shultz became the newest member of the CHS wrestling team, 100 wins club! Congratulations Kai on an awesome career achievement! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Claremore NJROTC Corps of Cadets Color Guard supported the Pledge of Allegiance for the Justus-Tiawah basketball home game against Foyil. As the Color Guard marched, you could hear a pin drop -- it was that quiet. Three of the cadets supporting the Color Guard are Justus-Tiawah alums. We look forward to the continued relationship with Justus-Tiawah. Color Guard team: Cadets Wilson Chandler, Keegan Frederick, Kragen Saltmarsh, and Devyn Llewellyn pictured with Col. Rahe (NROTC Sr. Instructor) and Mr. Crum (J-T Superintendent). #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

There is still a need for good penmanship in this day of technology, keyboards, and touch screens. January 23 was National Handwriting Day. This day encourages us to put pencil or pen to paper and write out our thoughts. Roosa students celebrated this day by practicing their handwriting in their journals. For information on this day, visit: https://bit.ly/3ItceLd #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

It can be a jungle inside the library, especially if you do not know where things are located! 4th graders did a Library Search Party. They moved all over the library, searching for answering research questions. We can see they know their way around the library because they moved so quickly through their assignment. They also stumbled upon a few bookworms! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

WRJH was on distance learning but that did not stop them from continuing their Great Expectations procedures. Mrs. Hurt introduced their word of the week "benevolent" and gave them an example near and dear to the heart of Claremore Public Schools. ▶ https://youtu.be/k-qGMWHCVZI #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Early release for our kids means meeting time for our teachers. This time is an excellent time for lesson planning, district meetings, and sharing ideas with our teacher friends across the district. Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a collaborative approach to professional development. Small groups of educators meet regularly to explore new concepts, share expertise and insights from their teaching experiences, and engage in collective problem solving. We are lucky we have this time and the technology to meet with teachers from all over the district to maximize our time together. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

WRJH Robotics is having an AMAZING year! Saturday, at the Robotics Tournament in Nowata, one of our JH teams won the Design Award! They had to compete against high school teams and still won the 2nd highest award possible! They also made it to the finals match and lost to one of the teams from Claremore High School! This team had robot problems the entire day; their diligence, problem-solving, and teamwork paid off in the 13thour, and they found a solution. They never gave up and worked hard, and that's a lifelong win. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

☕ It's the little things that WARM your heart! This morning, our sweet 5th-grade friend, Kolby Hilburn, brought hot chocolate to the Westside staff on outside duty! This little act of kindness had the duty teachers in tears (of joy, of course. ) ☕ The support we have from our families, community, and especially our students are what keeps us going! Thank you to all that have sent encouraging notes, little gifts, or pick-me-ups to our teachers! ☕ It means more to us than you know. Even on this bitter cold day - It's A Great Day To Be A Zebra! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. Roller's class read I Love My Hair! This story teaches kids that they are unique and that being unique is what makes them special. Also, how it's still important to be kind to others even if they are different than us. This story teaches kids that they are unique and that being unique makes them special. Also, how it's still important to be kind to others even if they are different than us. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE