The Pawhuska School Board met Monday evening in the Administration Building and a number of items got approved.
Superintendent David Cash presented the board with the idea of a “senior class.” Beginning next year, the seniors will begin taking this class preparing them for life beyond high school. Pawhuska Indian Camp Elementary Principal Amy Sanders got her contract renewed for the 2019-2020 school year. The same can be said for Elementary Principal Byron Cowan, High School Principal Lauri Lee and Athletic Director Chris Walker. Walker also serves as the Assistant Principal at the high school. The board also accepted the resignation of Girls Basketball Coach Ernie Barnett. The school board also had to approve a new medical marijuana policy, meaning if teachers have a license to smoke marijuana, they can not be discriminated against. They also can't be terminated. A press-box that has stood for around 40 years above the Barnsdall football field got torn down this week. The new and improved press-box is expected to be complete by August 1 and football coach Kylee Sweeney is excited.
Not only will it be more luxurious for coaches and media members, but more importantly Sweeney says it will serve as an EF 5 FEMA rated tornado storm shelter for the community. The press-box will also come equipped with new restrooms, a speaker system and a new concession stand. The bond that got passed also included new locker rooms, a new weight room and a new wrestling facility. This was the first athletic bond passed in Barnsdall since 1976. The Pawhuska School Board will meet for a regular scheduled meeting Monday evening at 5:30 in the Administration Building and the board will examine a number of items.
Among other personnel matters, the board will accept the resignation of high school girls basketball coach Ernie Barnett, effective March 4. The board will be presented with the school's accountability performance. They will also vote to approve the new medical marijuana policy, which was part of a bill passed by state lawmakers. Under the consent agenda items, board members will vote to send the high school cheer squad to a camp in Stillwater this June. They will also vote to allow the junior high cheer squad to go to Tulsa for a cheer camp in the same month. The Board will vote on extending the agreement between Pawhuska Public Schools and Tri-County technology Center, which allows students to get credits in math and science classes. There will also be discussion in regards to the 2019-2020 academic calendar year. Ed Calianese of the Tulsa National Weather Service was at the Osage County Fairgrounds in Pawhuska Thursday evening discussing the best possible ways to stay safe from damaging storms.
Calianese adds it is important for the public to stay weather aware and pay heed to any warning that the county might be under. Last year, there were 10 tornado related deaths in the United States. As of Thursday, that number has already reached 25. Calianese says there is no way to tell if this trend will continue or not. Calianese added a great tool to stay weather aware is weather.gov/tulsa. Daniel Keene, Maurice Kent and Toby Bighorse are all due back in court for a preliminary hearing Monday morning for the murder of John Adkins. They are all being charged in the alleged first degree or second degree murder of Adkins, which took place on October 1.
The four were believed to be traveling in a car north of Pawhuska when an argument broke out and Adkins was stabbed and killed. His body was found 17 days later approximately one mile north of Pawhuska. The hearing is set to start at 9 a.m. at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska. The Board of Osage County Commissioners will meet Monday morning at the Osage County Courthouse in Pawhuska to discuss several important items.
Nutrition Program Director Kyme Vincent will be on hand to request a transfer of local funding in the amount of $80,000. The County Commissioners will also look to take action on signing the inter-local agreement with the town of Fairfax to assist them with EMS Services. That agreement will be in the amount of $5,500 a month. AT&T will be at the meeting to talk about the possibility of signing a contract with the Sheriff’s Department. The County Commissioners will also consider advertising bids to make improvements at the women’s building, located at the Osage County Fairgrounds. The meeting begins at 10 in the morning for those interested in attending. OKM Music in Bartlesville will be presenting a variety of children's programming starting Monday June 10 and running through that Friday. Programs include story-telling, puppet shows and magic shows. Rose Hammerschmidt Programming Director Rose Music will be involved with all of these events.
There will also be a kick-off party on Saturday, June 8 at the Community Center in Bartlesville. Sooner Park will also host a concert that Sunday. Tickets for the event will be available on April 1. You can call 918-336-9800 for questions or to make reservations. OKM Music is always looking for help with the event and wants to make sure kids have access to learn about the joy of music. The Osage County Sheriff's Office received a $42,000 grant from the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and Sheriff Eddie Virden says this will allow more deputies to be on patrol.
Virden says this is something that was much needed for Osage County. Deputies are already out patrolling. The Bartlesville Police Department is taking applications for any citizen interested in attending the Citizen Police Academy. The first class is scheduled for Aug. 20 and applications will be accepted through July. This gives anyone interested an opportunity to learn more about law enforcement and get a better understanding between police and community members.
Bartlesville Police Chief Tracy Roles says, “The academy will allow citizens from our great community to learn about and experience the inner workings of law enforcement. It will also serve as an opportunity for positive engagement with officers and other police department staff members.” The Citizens Police Academy is an 11-week program that will start Aug. 20 and conclude Oct. 29. All classes will be held from 6-9 on Tuesday evening’s at the Bartlesville Police Department, located at 615 S. Johnstone Ave. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and work in the Bartlesville-Dewey area. Application forms can be picked up at the Police Department or at cityofbartlesville.org. A local coaching legend recieved a big-time honor on Tuesday.
Barnsdall’s Joe Gilbert has coached everything from baseball to football, fast-pitch and slow pitch softball. Gilbert has also served as the boys basketball coach, and he currently serves as head coach of the girls basketball team. This is year No. 64 for Gilbert in coaching, all at Barnsdall Public Schools. Gilbert has totaled more than 3,900 wins - and as a result he is being inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame. Gilbert says he knows not many people get this recognition. Gilbert says would like to thank everyone in the Barnsdall community for being able to achieve this honor. The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place this summer. Gilbert, who is 86 years old, becomes just the ninth Oklahoman inducted into the national Hall of Fame. Johnny Bench, John Smith, and JC Watts are other notable names from the Sooner state. The National High School Hall of Fame was founded in 1982 by the National Federation of State High School Associations to honor high school athletes, coaches, officials and administrators. |
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