School year starts strong, report Marlow principals

With the start of a new school year, all three Marlow principals had extensive and positive reports to share with the Board of Education at Tuesday's meeting. Superintendent Corey Holland mentioned at the end of their presentations that having them go to full-time, 12-month employee status, it made a difference in a successful start to the new year.

Marlow Middle School Principal Chad Gilbert said enrollment opened with 291 students. He also thanked the district for the extensive amount of work and improvements made to the middle school campus. "It's really unbelievable, the before and after." He said all the work that had been done or was on the list was needed. This included a cover over the roof of the 6[th] grade classrooms, to the new concrete sidewalks, new sod and dirt work. A French drain was installed at the junior high field, which it appears, will lessen a swamp of water when it rains.

"Before we were in standing water all the time. And the sidewalk that connects the middle school to Outlaw Gymnasium, that's a major plus, it's helped with the pickup and drop-off in the morning," Gilbert said.

He also credited the PTO for purchasing new tables and a pavilion. "There's been a ton that's been done, and it's been fun to watch the transformation. It's been a positive effect on our culture in our school." Gilbert said another change includes providing all three middle school math teachers with the same planning period, in an effort for progress to be made as they prepare for instruction and required testing of students.

Elementary Principal Kim Kizarr was excited to share the Pre-K pre-screening program. Having a "soft opening" it gave her, as an administrator, an opportunity to learn about the students, including their names. "We brought them in, in alphabetical order, 10 at a time. The children were observed in how they reacted to each other, and it also allowed the staff to identify personality traits and other behaviors. The idea was to help balance the students in a class. The school also conducted a soft opening for parents and students to become familiar with the drop-off and pickup routine.

Kizarr thanked the district for the clear touchboards. "Even the students love them. They are very easy to learn. I used one in orientation. You just connect it to the wi-fi and it's all on there like a smart TV." She said one 3rd-grade boy said he would love to have one of those "large iPads" on the wall to take home.

Several elementary teachers are pursuing higher education, while they are working full-time, and taking their college classes at night, Kizarr said. They include Maegan Reimer, Sarah Anderson, Danielle Cox, (seeking Bachelor of Science degrees) and Jenna Derryberry, Robyn Johnston and Megan Farmer (for Master of Science degrees).

While nearly everything received an A-plus remark, Kizarr said there is one thing she's hoping to change and that is getting some scholarship sponsors so more young boys can become a Boy Scout. "As great a town and community that Marlow is, for the past two years, we haven't had a troop ... we can't even get a Color Guard to bring the flags in to our Veterans' Day programs." She said about five leaders stepped up to talk about BSA to students, and she discovered later that the cost of joining could be a barrier. She hopes some area leaders will help eliminate that financial barrier because she knows of a few young boys who could greatly benefit from the program.

Highlights from Bryan Brantley's high school campus mentioned students and staff, along with current and upcoming events. This week is MOROTO (Marlow Outlaws Reaching Out to Others). Brantley said last year's recipient was the Charis Pregnancy Center in Duncan, which is a wonderful service.

"Thousands of dollars are raised {by the students} and this year, the beneficiary will be a Marlow Outlaw Christmas tree - like an angel tree - for our own students here." Ann Field is leading the Student Council in this effort.

Campus construction has also provided new challenges, but he said everyone has been flexible.

Introducing foreign language and American Sign Language (ASL) are both high on the list, and teacher Gloria Conner has high school students working with elementary students to which benefits both levels in learning Spanish and ASL.

Hosting a college and career fair could happen after the first of the year, Brantley said. He's reached out to numerous employers and even has plans for a variety, from Halliburton to military recruiters. It's his goal that the safe center be used as the site for such a large event, instead of having Marlow students travel elsewhere to attend one.