From the September 8th Grove School Board Meeting

I spent two hours writing my blog only to have it disappear. This is a re-write which will be even shorter as I attempt to capture some highlights from the meeting.

Arriving early at the Regular Board Meeting at Grove High School, several of us were treated to a tour of improvements to the building made over the summer. Principal Kreutz explained the new safety measures implemented at the entrance of the building (to prevent unwanted entrance into the building) and showed the newly carpeted hallways. These updates were accomplished with funds from our last bond issue.

After the meeting was called to order and the pledges said, I presented a short audience speech concerning the Consent Agenda.

A consent agenda is a meeting tool that groups routine, non-controversial items into one agenda block so a board can approve them all with a single motion and vote instead of discussing each separately. This month there were 24 items on the Consent Agenda.

I had emailed my audience speech to each Board Member and the Superintendent individually on Monday before the Tuesday meeting. I cited a specific matter in the Consent Agenda I would have liked specific information about.

The great thing is that more specific information about agenda items was placed in the agenda before the meeting on Tuesday evening. I was thrilled to find this out!

By way of clarification, our District Secretary and Treasurer, Diana Jeffries, said this in an email. "Anything that doesn't have banking information or employee confidentiality information on it will be for public viewing on Assemble. If anyone is unable to get signed up for assembly, they can always email the Supt or myself and request the records, and we would be able to get them a copy of whatever is needed abiding by our open records policy. "

Now we can have even more information! This is great news!

Superintendent's Report

The third week of school went smoothly.

Transportation was basically on time with only a few wrinkles that needed to be worked out.

The alarms at the High School have been fixed!

Dates of future school events were given.

….and so much more!

Under Regular Business 7b. Principal Kreutz told how they are dealing with dropouts at the High School. Effective community relations developed over time has aided the HS administration in identifying students who may have dropped out. Have the students moved? Have they been sick over a long time? Who can we talk to find out these things? Students who stay in school and graduate have a higher probability of being successful in life so there is a great effort in giving that support. I heard, "We have the BEST teachers," from Mr. Kreutz so many times during his comments. He is a super-duper cheerleader for his staff and faculty. How encouraging!

Somehow, the Delaware County Assessor didn't give enough money to some schools and gave too much to others. Grove received $22,134.60 too much so that will need to be given back somehow.

The Board voted to participate in the K20/OSSBA strategic planning process. There will be a 5 year plan developed aimed at increasing academic performance and the structural needs of our district.

Jeanne Smith told of the growth of the Technology Student Association and their participation in various competitions where travel is required. The Board voted to approve a TSA Booster Club.

I would urge you to sign up for the Assemble emails that will include the agendas for meetings. Go to ridgerunners.net and do a search for School Board and you will be prompted with a way to sign up. We have so much information that our school is willingly giving us…. more than other school districts as far as I have found.

Until next month,

Pam Jarrett

 

Board Meeting this coming Tuesday, September 8th Location Change

The Grove School Board meeting will be Tuesday, September 8th at 7:00 PM at the Grove High School Library.

The Agenda has been posted at https://www.ridgerunners.net/ 

 Do a search for School Board and then Agendas to find it.

 Hope to see you there.

Pam Jarrett

 

 

   

From the August 11 Grove School Board meeting

 

 This edition will contain some highlights from the meeting but not notes on everything that transpired.

You will find the full meeting notes in a draft on the next agenda.  Sign up to receive agendas on the school website at www.ridgerunners.net/ .  You will receive a notice of meetings automatically when you sign up.   

  First, I would like to highlight something that was later in the meeting but is important for future meetings.  

The Regular Board Meetings will be held in various locations as follows: 

                                        September's meeting, moved to High School Library

                                        October's meeting moved to Grove Middle School Library 

                                        November's meeting moved to Grove Upper Elementary Library

                                        December's meeting moved to Grove Lower Elementary Library 

                                        January's meeting will be moved to Early Childhood Cafeteria.

Doug Brown Supt. led us in prayer, meeting was called to order and the pledges were said.

Superintendent's Report

The cash balance of our district is looking good.

The Back to School Celebration for teachers and staff was  enhanced by $165,000 worth of donations from the community.  This created an enthusiastic and uplifting atmosphere for our teachers and staff. There were more vendors than ever before. 

There was a meeting with the bonding agent to see if we can use left over money from the roofing projects on other things the schools need.  If the projects fall within the scope of bond, the extra money can be used for safety projects or other areas of need.

The staff number this year is 353.

Enrollment is up over last year and more students are enrolling every day.

Improvements over the summer to facilities were mentioned.   

8 HVAC units were replaced and more will be replaced shortly.

The PAC fire alarm system was "fixed" but is now not working correctly.  We are still on it!

The State of Oklahoma still has not released this years' appropriations.  

 Business

GH2 Architects LLC  presented a lengthy evaluation of the proposed playground improvements funded by the 2024 bond.  The bottom line is that bids came in much higher than expected so there will need to be some parts of the project deleted and done differently but still be effective improvements.  (See New Business at the end of this post.)

The Consent Agenda was agreed to.  One item in the Consent Agenda was the approval for the establishment of an activity account #969 Karen Haas Memorial Scholarship Fund.  Mr Hass was present and told us he wanted to establish fund in memory of his wife for the purpose of training people wanting to become teachers. 

The joint use of City of Grove, Cherokee Alliance, and the Grand Area Creative Alliance for the use of Ridgerunner Stadium to host the Grove Area PowWow on the tentative date of 5/15/2027 and consideration of a request to waive the associated district facility use fees was approved.

The Board approved moving the next five board meeting to various locations in the district.  (See beginning of my post.)

Action to build a batting cage/bullpen at the Grove High School softball facility was approved.  This project will not cost the school anything and is in accord with Title IX.

New Business

The board approved the playground equipment bid so the project can proceed .  Other bids were rejected. (Note:  the architects are still working to see what can be accomplished while staying within budget to provide safe and attractive areas for play as stipulated in the bond.)

Until next month, 

Pam Jarrett 

  

 

From the July 16th School Board Meeting in Grove, OK

 

My format will be slightly different as I note what happened at the August meeting.  

We said the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and the Salute to the Oklahoma State Flag.  Marty Dyer led in prayer.

I gave comments about "Virtual Autism" which can be read in the post before this one.

The Superintendent Report

Supt Brown thanked everyone for the welcome he has received here.

He has done a survey and a listening tour  with the teachers of our district. 

We are fully staffed with teachers for the 26-27 school year.

The greenhouse at the High School was taken down. GHS will be looking into a USDA Grant opportunity to replace.

Carpeting of the High School hallways was to begin July 15th.  Carpeting should reduce noise.

The fire alarm system at the PAC will be fixed as works starts on it Monday, July 20th.

Repairs to the field house have started. 

HVAC across the district repairs are happening.

Ground keepers are improving the appearance of our campuses. The district is exploring a contract with a Landscape company to get caught up since we the grounds crew is short handed.

The Summer Academy had 40 students.

Title 1 funding has decreased by 1%.  We are looking into ways of replacing that.

A literacy grant to upgrade libraries has been applied for.

Community meetings with the new Superintendent will be happening.  (see flyer)

 August 10th will be the Back to School Celebration.  August 11 will be Open Houses.  First day of School is August 13th.

Business

The following people have been appointed to positions:

Diana Jeffries- District Treasurer/Minutes Clerk ; Lori Atkinson-District Encumbrance Clerk/Deputy Activity Account Custodian; Ryan Goza-District Payroll Clerk/Deputy Treasurer/Deputy Minutes Clerk; Brittany Harding-Activity Fund Custodian/Deputy Encumbrance Clerk; Rhonda Anderson-Deputy Payroll Clerk

Supt. Brown will negotiate with the teachers (instead of the Board).  Goal is to have agreement by the August Board Meeting .

The Board approved the location for the Changing Our World (COW) project from '25-'26.  The outdoor area will be located on the SW corner of High School Property.  It will include a fenced area with Pickle Ball courts, Connect 4, Corn Hole, Basketball Goals, Outdoor Classroom, Benches and Picnic Tables.

The job description for the Federal Programs Director will be changed from a 10 month position to a 12 month position.

Child Nutrition Clerk Manager job description was changed to allow more flexibility in the hours worked.  This was done at the request of the person holding this position who had requested less hours worked.

The Spec Ed Office Secretary/Ed Plan and/or Compliance Officer job description was changed from 211 days to 195 days at the request of the person holding that position.  

The certified Employee Leave Policy was changed from 10 to 12 days.

The sport pass ticket prices were increased to $7 for adults but remained unchanged at $5 for students .

GH2 Architects gave a report on the bond issue playground project.  Principals of the Early Childhood Center , The Lower Elementary School, and the Upper Elementary School were consulted to give their input. Bids for construction are due July 30th.  The playground plans include rubberized mulch, extensive drainage work, removal of present equipment and a redesign of the playground areas.  The architects hope to bring final plans to the August Board Meeting.

$2,000 per year will be added to certified employees' salary.  Our legislature had passed $2000 increase for certified teachers but not administrators.  Our Board approved the $2000 for ALL certified employees.

Until next month,

Pam Jarrett 

  

  

 

Audience with the Board July 14, 2026

 

I am sharing what I said during the audience time at the July 14th School Board Meeting outside of the usual notes because it is a great concern to me.  It is becoming something to be aware of in our society and schools.  I hope you will agree.

Last month I asked if there could be a public forum to discuss the use of technology in our classrooms, especially with younger students.  Since then, I have learned about something called "virtual autism." 

Children are spending more time than ever in front of screens. Although technology can offer educational benefits, excessive screen exposure during critical developmental years may lead to “virtual autism.”

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/virtual-autism#causes

“Virtual autism”, which is not a real medical term, refers to a set of developmental symptoms that resemble ASD but stem primarily from excessive screen exposure rather than genetic or neurological factors. The term describes children who display autism-like behaviors that develop after significant exposure to digital screens during their formative years.

Unlike ASD, virtual autism is thought to be environmentally induced, specifically by prolonged exposure to television, tablets, smartphones, and other digital devices.

The condition typically affects children under 3, when brain development is most active and susceptible to environmental influences. During this critical period, real-world interactions are essential for developing communication skills, emotional regulation, and social understanding.

Children experiencing virtual autism may display

1 Communication difficulties: Delayed speech development, limited vocabulary, difficulty expressing needs, or regression in previously acquired language skills. Children may prefer non-verbal communication or show little interest in verbal interaction.

2 Social withdrawal: Reduced interest in interacting with others. Children may appear disconnected, avoid eye contact, or seem unengaged with social interactions.

3 Attention problems: Difficulty focusing on activities unrelated to screens, short attention span for real-world tasks, or hyperactivity when not engaged with devices.

4 Repetitive behaviors: Engaging in repetitive movements, fixating on specific objects or activities, or displaying rigid adherence to routines.

5 Emotional dysregulation: Frequent tantrums, especially with screen removal, difficulty managing emotions, or appearing emotionally flat during non-screen activities.

6 Sensory sensitivities: Heightened reactions to sounds, textures, or lights, or conversely, appearing under-responsive to environmental stimuli.

There is much more information that can be found but the good news is that virtual autism symptoms may be temporary and improve or resolve completely when screen time reduces and is replaced with enriching interactions.

As far as our students in the upper grades, I saw a testimonial of a High School English and Advanced Placement Literature teacher in MN that took away Chromebooks for her students.  She had realized many students could use AI to write book reports and she wanted to see what her students thought about what they read.  She told parents what she wanted to do.  They asked what they could do to help.  "Give me paper," was her reply and she was overwhelmed with volume of paper given to her. 

Students would read the literature selection and then write their book reports with paper and pencil.  After they became used to the process, the kids loved it!  It was their own words and thoughts submitted.

There are beginning to be schools in our area that are doing away with Chromebooks.  Welch Public Schools' school board unanimously agreed to eliminate Chromebooks to create a more focused classroom environment.  Chromebooks will still be available as a resource for Welch School, however they will be on carts and only used if the teacher feels the need to use them.  This is from article dated April 26, 2026.    

"Supt. Ramsey says school districts across the state have reached out to him to ask about how they implemented this."  I maintain that we could ask also.

To drastically reduce technology and engage our students in their own learning is a decision that will need to be made and worked out by you.  I have no doubt that it will seem like a daunting task at first.  Should you proceed, you will need the support and cooperation of this community. 

Thank you for listening.

Pam Jarrett

 

 

 

 

June 16, 2026 Grove School Board Meeting

 

Today's report will include the script of my audience with the Board.  This is something I am deeply concerned about as a grandmother noticing an issue currently affecting our young people. 

Notes from the meeting.

Those who attended the meeting  were treated (before the meeting) to some delightful refreshments to celebrate the retirement for Superintendent Dodson and Gayle Cannon, Treasurer and Administrative Secretary.  It was wonderful to meet our new Superintendent, Doug Brown, also in attendance. 

 

After the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and  the Salute to the Oklahoma State Flag, Pastor Marty Dyer led us in a prayer.

 

Karen Dyer administered the Oath of Office to Dianna Jeffries , the newly selected District Treasurer of Grove Public Schools. 

 

I then presented my audience speech:

This evening I want to thank you again for including the full financial reports in the agenda.  This is important so everyone can see exactly where our taxes go.  Being transparent in this way is very valuable to our community.

The subject for my comments tonight addresses the amount of technology that is used by our students, especially the younger ones.  More people are becoming aware of the negative result when children use technology too extensively and are not encouraged to think, reason, and interact positively with others.

I wonder if there would be opportunity for a community dialogue with the administration and school board so parents can be heard on this matter.  I do not know if decisions regarding technology usage are left to individual teachers or are decided by the principals.  Perhaps the school board gives direction in these matters.

I remember when the cell phone (and other devices) policy was put into play.  You took that step a year before our Oklahoma legislature made it mandatory.  I believe your action to set a policy on technology use in the classroom for our younger students could be very important as well. 

Won't you think about taking the pulse of the parents and community in a public meeting with this matter?  Within the last few weeks, a parent told me she was considering some other form of schooling for her child who was too captivated with using the Chromebook.  Perhaps there are others out there that feel the same.

Thank you for listening.

Pam Jarrett

Financial and Budget Reports were given.  Note: these reports are given in full in the agenda.  You may have the agenda emailed to you.  Take this link and you will see where to sign up for the Agenda.  https://meeting.assemblemeetings.com/Public/Organization/Grove 

Report of the Superintendent

Gayle Cannon was recognized for 25 years of service and Superintendent Dodson thanked those who gave him recognition at a party.  One of his favorite things was his 3 year old granddaughter singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. 

Graduation was held for 198 Seniors.

Resignations were announced. 

Board President Karen Dyer presented Gayle and Pat each a gift from the Board. 

Doug Brown, our new Superintendent,  was introduced  to the audience.  Superintendent Dodson remarked that the Board had made a wise choice in hiring him.

The Consent Agenda was approved by the Board.  Part of this was a short report from Kevin Brown stating that the school insurance costs had gone down slightly.  

Andre Jones, choral director for Middle School and High School addressed his request for High School Choir students to attend the choral clinic at the University of San Antonio in April 2027 .  The trip was approved.  Students will travel by Charter Bus to and from San Antonio.

Other approvals were for the EGrove and site student handbooks, the agreement with Apptegy (Parent/Teacher/Student communication platform) for the 2026-2027 school year, and the Communication Specialist job descriptions for Certified and Support.  

No Executive Session was held.

The Board voted to employ many people individually by name and position.  

Also approved was the Superintendent's contract for the 2026-2027 school year and the June 2026 Co-Superintendent contract.  (My note: the June 2026 contract was necessary since Doug Brown is already here working to make the transition to Superintendent on July 1 seamless.)

No New Business.

Meeting adjourned at 7:43 PM.