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Superintendent’s Article 

Originally posted: January 24, 2019 

It goes without saying that the reality of education in Oklahoma is no longer the bygone picture of the traditional public school system. With the advent of charter schools and online virtual schools, we in public education must constantly upgrade our facilities and technology in order to compete with the lure of alternative educational formats. Lindsay Public Schools believe that the public education system is the best fit for our students and community and in the last few years have made great strides in the improvement of our educational facilities and campus. We consider it a true blessing that our patrons have had the insight to plan for the future of our local schoolchildren by generously and overwhelmingly supporting these new facilities through their financial support.  

We do not believe, however, that our task is ever finished in “empowering all students for success in an ever-changing world,” our district’s mission statement. Support of public education is an on-going process. There’s never a time when we can sit and rest on our laurels, patting ourselves on the backs for our past successes. Public education is forward-moving, and we must constantly look for opportunities to best prepare our students for the demands of the future. Therefore, during the last few months, we have been seriously evaluating exactly what we need to pursue next in order to ensure that our students receive the best possible public education.  

After much intense examination of our existing technology capabilities and even discussion with educators in other public school districts, we find it more than evident that now is the time to act. Because it has always been our philosophy that we cannot let anything get in the way of offering our students the best opportunities for success, the school board and administration believe that now is the time to address our technology needs.  

Obviously, covering the costs of a range of technological needs, for instance, such as computers, iPads, and Chromebooks, and their attached required support, will be quite an undertaking. Possibly the most ambitious aspect of meeting our technology goals (providing a one-to-one ratio of student to tablet) will be the cost of the infrastructure improvements. Transitioning essentially a 1950s-60s vintage model facility into a 2019 model facility, capable of accommodating the new technology, must be addressed. 

On February 12, 2019, we will be asking our patrons to pass a bond issue for both technology and our on-going transportation needs. Many of us, when we hear the words “bond election,” tend to flinch and grab our wallets. The good news is that there will be NO PROJECTED TAX INCREASE because of our local industrial growth and the subsequent increase in our district’s Net Assessed Valuation! In my country-boy way of looking at things, we have a WIN/WIN opportunity with a YES vote to meet the technology and transportation needs of our district. Specifically, we will be voting on two propositions:

Proposition 1 ($960,000) Added technology enhancements for the district; ($80,000) for the purchase of a pickup for our Agricultural curriculum and a Driver Education vehicle

Proposition 2 ($540,000) Purchase of buses, one of which will be a  handicap-accessible vehicle

I know I can thank you in advance for your continued support of public education in our district. The Lindsay School Administration and School Board acknowledge our patron support and salute you for your dedication to the future of Lindsay schoolchildren.