Claremore Public Schools

Zebra Travel Diaries #33 coming in from Destin, Florida!🐬🏖 Payslee Hale, a first grader at Catalayah, spent a week in Destin, Florida! While in Florida her family went to Panama City Beach where she swam with a dolphin named Capri!🐬❤🦓 Sand or snow, just show us your smile in your Zebra logo and send it to jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us! #cpszebrapride #ZebraTravelDiaries

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #32 coming in from Missouri!🚗 Who doesn't love stopping at Buccees?! Cazelyn and Blaze Carter made a pit stop at Buccees in Springfield! Cazelyn is repping her #CPSZEBRAPRIDE wearing her Claremore Zebra Art Camp shirt from last summer!🚗🦓🎨 Whether it's Michigan, Madrid, Missouri or your favorite Mini Mart send jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us a pic of you wearing your Zebra gear! #ZebraTravelDiaries

Blake Clark, Cadet Ensign Claremore NJROTC, has successfully attended and completed the prestigious 2024 Four Star Leadership program with General Tommy Franks!💪🏽 This world-class summer leadership program equipped Blake with invaluable skills to maximize his leadership potential. He was one of 70 students selected for this elite camp, amongst hundreds of applicants.🏆 Blake faced practical leadership and ethical scenarios during the program, participating in a persuasive speech and writing competition, and an Ethics Bowl. These challenges emphasized constructive criticism, cooperation, and communication. Blake also earned scholarships, gained internships, and acquired leadership experience, setting a strong foundation for his college journey and early career. Four Star Leadership has a proven track record since 2008, welcoming over 900 U.S. high school students from 49 states and 61 international students, working with leaders from various fields. Congratulations Blake and way to make Claremore proud!🦓 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #31 coming in from Springfield, MO!🦓🦈 Caleb Elliot and his family traveled to Springfield, Missouri, and went to the Bass Pro Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium! Looks like a "fintastic" time!🦈🐟🦓 Near or far, just wear your Zebra gear and send a photo to jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebraTravelDiaries

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, and these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓 Gina (Johnson) Bennett 🏫 Catalayah Elementary - Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 1995 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? I love working with some of my former teachers and the fact that Claremore’s mascot is a red & white Zebra! 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? I loved Friday night football games! I was the 1994 Homecoming Queen. It rained all day, and the homecoming parade was canceled. A few weeks later, we rode in the Will Rogers Day Parade. 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? Hmmm... so many! French with Mrs. Little and History with Mr. Fox are two of them. 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? Cheerleading! We were two-time state and national champions! ⭐What was trending when you graduated? Clothes, songs, movies, etc. A few popular movies from the mid-90s were Clueless, Apollo 13, Billy Madison, Forrest Gump, The Lion King, and Pocahontas. Grunge bands and hip-hop were pretty popular, but I liked the 90s country a lot at that time. The clothes were kind of over-sized and baggy. Girls' hairstyles were still pretty big and frizzy or at least mine was. #cpszebrapride

📆Here is your calendar reminder for August 🔴First Day of School: 20th 🔴Early Release Day (PLC): 30th

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #30 coming in from Miami, Florida!🦓🏖🐊 Mrs. Grace and her family went to Miami, Florida to watch a Red Sox game at another MLB stadium. There are 30 stadiums in the U.S. and they have been to 10 of them now. They also did a swamp tour, went to the beach, and did some shopping.🛍🐊🦓⚾ Here we have her grandson, Landon King (Junior at CHS), Mrs. Grace (CHS Counselor), and Mallory Chartier (7th grader at the junior high) before shopping at the Bayside Market in Miami!🦓❤ No matter where you travel, just send jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us a pic repping your Claremore Zebra Dazzle! #CPSZSEBRAPRIDE #ZebraTravelDiaries

Future Friday🏫🎓 ＄2 , 4 5 5 , 4 1 0 That is the amount of scholarships the Class of 2024 reported receiving this year. The Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Scholarship Program is designed to offer Claremore area students seeking post-secondary education and career training a scholarship to help further their educational goals. 🎓Jeremiah Edens, a Claremore High School graduate, will attend Oklahoma State in the fall to pursue aeronautical engineering. Thank you, West Side Car Wash! 🎓Meredith Andrews, a Claremore High School graduate, will attend the University of Oklahoma to earn a degree in education. Thank you, Red Crown Credit Union! 🎓Elizabeth Reedy, Claremore High School, plans to attend Northeastern State University to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Thank you to The Seifried Group! 🎓Mason Pixley, a Claremore High School graduate, will attend the University of Oklahoma to complete the first steps toward becoming a surgeon. Thank you to BancFirst and AXH Air Coolers. 🎓Owen Wilson, Claremore High School, recently enlisted in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. After completing basic training and tech school, he will attend the University of Oklahoma. Thank you, Baker Hughes! The Chamber is pleased to be able to invest in the future quality of life for our citizens and community. CPS is honored that the Chamber Board and business members show their support and confidence in the product the CPS District is producing. This investment in our students is a public statement of our business community's #CPSZEBRAPRIDE. These scholarships are not based solely on academic performance but on demonstrating unique talents, leadership, and/or community service. Secondary criteria for selection will be financial need, overall GPA, and career goals.

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓Karin Howell 🏫Claremont Elementary - Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 2008 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? My favorite part has been reestablishing connections with adults who positively impacted my primitive years. My previous teachers set the bar high for me. I only hope to be half the teacher they were to me as I am to my students. ❤What do you love most about Claremore Public Schools? I love how CPS strives to provide an all-around education for each individual. CPS provides every student the opportunity to expand and strengthen their knowledge through a variety of avenues such as: computers, art, music, PE, STEM, after-school clubs, and Fine-Art classes. 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? One of my favorite memories was playing the role of Humpty Dumpty during my freshmen year. I remember waddling in my egg costume up to my spot on stage, creating an exotic accent and proudly saying my lines to the audience. The laughter from the audience helped ignite a spark in me that I carry to this day in my classroom and other aspects of my life. Laughter is the best medicine. 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? I can't name just one teacher! In elementary school, I would have to talk about Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Pierce and Mrs. Bradley. In 5th-6th grade, I would have to compliment Mrs. Hindenburg, Mrs. Bart and Mrs. Daniels. At the WRJH, a shout-out would go to Mrs. Maynard, Coach Skimbo, Mrs. Jackson, and Mrs. Tietz. At the high school, I appreciated having Mrs. Savage, Mrs. Rinearson, Mrs. Andrews, and Mrs. H.C. Each one of them influences how I teach today. I hope I can pay it forward with my own students. 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? I absolutely loved playing clarinet in the band, and I played from 5th grade to my first semester of 9th grade! I also enjoyed playing volleyball and basketball with Coach Skimbo at the WRJH. ⭐What was trending when you graduated? Clothes, songs, movies, etc. Songs: " No Air" by Jordan Sparks, " Gotta Be Somebody" by Nickelback, "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry. Movie: Twilight #cpszebrapride

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #29 coming in from Chicago, Illinois!🎡🦓 Kennedy Pendergraft, going into 2nd grade at Catalayah, visited the Navy Pier and the Chicago Children's Museum while in Illinois! Looks like she had lots of fun all while repping her #CPSZEBRAPRIDE!🎡❤🦓 Whether you go to Chicago or Rio de Janeiro, just wear your Zebra logo and send a photo to jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us! #ZebraTravelDiaries

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, and these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓 Karissa Lavalley 🏫 Roosa Elementary - Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 2016 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? My favorite part of returning to CPS as a staff member is the collaboration between colleagues. Some of those colleagues were teachers I had when I was a student. It truly shows just how amazing this district is to its employees. The Zebra community is like no other. My family has a long line of Zebra graduates on my and my husband's side. CPS is welcoming, encouraging, and driven to achieve excellence for all students. 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? As a freshman, my team and I won the 2012 state cheer competition! 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? They were all amazing! 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? Stuco- I was a representative for 2 years. ⭐What was trending when you graduated? Clothes, songs, movies, etc. Choker necklaces, rompers, and ripped skinny jeans were popular at school. Justin Bieber's two songs were in the Top 100 list, and Closer by The Chainsmokers was wildly popular. #cpszebrapride

Claremore Public Schools Staff Excel at Solution Tree PLC Conference! Our dedicated staff, including teachers, counselors, and administrators, recently joined over 1,600 educators nationwide at the Solution Tree Professional Learning Community (PLC) conference. Each CPS team member attended targeted breakout sessions to enhance their practices, focusing on areas relevant to their specific site needs. At the end of each day, our team regrouped to share valuable insights and strategies, ensuring that the knowledge gained would benefit our district and ultimately enrich our students' learning experiences. This experience highlights our commitment to continuous improvement within the PLC model, demonstrating that our CPS educators are constantly striving to enhance their skills for the success of our students. Go Zebras!🦓📚❤ #cpszebrapride

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #28 coming in from Chicago, Illinois!🦓🌃 Claremore High School 2024 Graduates Drew Mason, Will Jones, Rex Clark, Gunner Holm, Josh Herman, and Tytus Eubanks (CHS Senior) took a trip north to visit the big city! While there they visited Millennium Park, Wrigley Field, the Bean, and more!🌃🎡🦓 Wherever you travel with your Zebra Dazzle, just wear your #CPSZEBRAPRIDE and send your photo to jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us! #ZebraTravelDiaries

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, and these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓 Ashley Henry 🏫 Catalayah Elementary - Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 2017 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? I have loved getting to know even more people in the community and see things from a different perspective now. There is such a special spirit and family aspect here at CPS. 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? Homecoming and the float building, 3 time winners that should have been 4. 😁 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? I loved them all! 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? National Honor Society, Secretary?!? I actually can’t remember my position 😂 #cpszebrapride

Claremore High School Skills USA Students Shine at Nationals in Atlanta!🏆🦓 We are thrilled to announce that our Skills USA students represented Claremore High School with pride and excellence at the National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia! 🏆Special Congratulations to Adele Wilson! Adele Wilson, a 2024 graduate of CHS, achieved a remarkable feat by placing 2nd in the Nation for Principles Of Engineering! Her dedication and hard work paid off, and we are so proud of her achievement. Oklahoma's State-Winning Team: While our opening and closing teams did not place nationally, we are proud of these students for being Oklahoma's winning team. They made the most of their trip to Atlanta by visiting the Jimmy Carter Museum, Martin Luther King Jr. Museum, Ebenezer Church, and the Atlanta Aquarium, enriching their experience beyond the competition. Celebrating SkillsUSA Traditions A trip highlight was participating in SkillsUSA's unique “pin trading” tradition. Our students successfully collected pins from all 50 states for their retiring director, showcasing their team spirit and dedication. Congratulations to all our Skills USA students for their successes and unforgettable experiences in Atlanta! Your hard work, dedication, and team spirit make Claremore High School proud. Go Zebras!🦓🏆❤ #cpszebrapride

Sip, Sip, Hooray! Thank you to The Sip Energy and Nutrition!🦓☀ They delivered free drinks to our central office which was the perfect summer pick-me-up! Thank you!🥤☀️ #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, and these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓 Allie Dooley 🏫 Will Rogers Junior High - Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 2017 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? I have loved getting to teach and grow with my Zebra Family and my students. My favorite part has been seeing how much teachers care about every single student and their success. I love how everyone at Claremore Public Schools is a family no matter which site you're at! 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? I loved getting to cheer on the Zebras in almost every sport. I also loved every class I took with Jan McClaren! She was the most exciting and interactive teacher and made us all love whatever we were learning about at the time. 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? Enriched Humanities with Mrs. McClaren and Earth Science with Coach Bennett. 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? I was a varsity cheerleader all four years of high school and ran track. I was also an All-State Cheerleader! ⭐What was trending when you graduated? Clothes, songs, movies, etc. Big t-shirts, skinny jeans and Birkenstocks! #cpszebrapride

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #27 coming in hot from Louisiana!🐊💪🏽 The Jacksons traveled to Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana! While there Tripp (CHS Senior) attended the Manning Passing Academy, hosted by Archie, Peyton, Eli, and Cooper Manning. Cal and Scout (Westside students) enjoyed all the offerings of the bayou, especially the food and the gators!🦓💪🏽🐊🏈 Near or far, just wear your Zebra gear and send your photo to jbrace@claremore.k12.ok.us! #cpszebrapride #zebratraveldiaries

Zebra Travel Diaries entry #26 coming in from Gulf Shores, Alabama!🏖🦓 Reece Castle & Claire Pilkington, 8th graders at Will Rogers Junior High, traveled to Gulf Shores to compete in the 12UB USSSA Softball Nationals. Their team, the OK Bombers had a 2nd place finish equipped with impressive hardware! We love to see our Zebras putting in that extra work over the summer, way to go girls!🥎🦓❤ 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘡𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳? 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦@𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.𝘬12.𝘰𝘬.𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 #𝘡𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.

Once a Zebra, Always a Zebra🦓 Welcome to our Alumni series, which features our staff, who are also Zebra Alumni! As we always say, once a Zebra, always a Zebra, and these staff members understood the assignment! If you graduated with today's featured alumni or had them as teachers, give them a shoutout in the comments! 🦓 Sami Garroutte 🏫 Claremore High School - Math Teacher 🎓Zebra Alumni: 2011 ❤What has been your favorite part about returning as a staff member? I love the people - teachers, students, and staff. The best part about returning to CPS as a teacher was the opportunity to work with my mom and sister. We are all very passionate about education and have shared that passion for years, but this was the first time we got to do what we love under the same roof—my mom as principal of CHS and my sister and I as teachers. 💭What is one of your favorite memories from being a CPS student? Some of my favorite memories from CPS are hosting Student Council Districts, playing in the softball state tournament, vaulting at state track meets, and being duct taped to a wall during a Math Club challenge. 👩🏻‍🏫Who was your favorite teacher? From Roosa, I loved Mrs. Lehman's, Mrs. Casey's, and Mrs. Robinson's classes. Of the many fantastic teachers at CHS, AP English with Mrs. Rinearson sticks out, as does Chemistry with Mrs. Hatfield. But my favorite teacher of all time is my mom, whom I had for Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra II. 📣What was your favorite extracurricular? I loved softball and track (pole vaulting, not running...), but outside of sports, my favorite clubs were Student Council and Math Club. My senior year the high school piloted a freshmen mentoring program, FUZE (Freshmen Utilizing Zebra Experience). It was so meaningful to me and still exists to this day. ⭐What was trending when you graduated? Clothes, songs, movies, etc. Slide phones with a full keyboard were popular, planking was happening everywhere, Katy Perry's "Firework" and Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" were at the top of the music charts, and the last Harry Potter film was on the big screen. #cpszebrapride