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March 24, 2025

August 5, 2024

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

STAFF REPORT

Audit Presentation by Eide Bailly, Independent Auditor

BOARD ACTIONS

The Board approved the following agenda items:

Recommendation of employment of new personnel
and reassignments
Renewal of employment for Certified/Support
Administrators
Motion regarding revision(s) of District Policy DI – Leave
Motion regarding Program Management Agreement with MA+
Architecture, LLC, for the 2025 Bond Projects
Motion regarding Independent Audit Report by Eide Bailly

For a full list of Board meeting items and attachments, please view the full agenda on our website.

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

STEVE BURGER congratulated the PC North Girls Basketball team on an outstanding season. He noted that Max Preps has the team ranked #13 in the Nation and ESPN has them ranked #17 in the Nation. He reflected on Gail LoPresto’s time as a Board Member with some small math to outline her total volunteerism on our Board with 672 board meetings, 840 football games, 1,680 basketball games, 5 superintendents, and over 2,000 plays and concerts.

JAY SHERRILL reflected on Gail LoPresto’s impact on him and the District starting with 1995 while he was a freshman at PCH, and joked that the Board was taking away open lunch and how he was not a fan of the Board at that time because of that. Then, Gail was who handed him his diploma at his PC High School graduation. About 15 years later, Gail welcomed him to the School Board. Jay said to Gail, “For your entire tenure, you have helped shape our District…I value your leadership and guidance. Thank you.”

JUDY MULLEN HOPPER also reflected on Gail LoPresto. She described Gail as “our comfort.” She further said about Gail, “She’s always been on our Board and we know we can always count on her to be there.” She spoke about the commitment it takes to be a school board member.

CHARITY AVERY recognized Jackie Rhodes, Assistant Principal at PCW, for officially being a Professional Strong Women and has now broken a national deadlift record. She also congratulated the PCN Girls’ Basketball on their recent 6A State Championship. Lastly, she also reflected on her time with Gail LoPresto. She appreciated Gail for her encouragement during their time together on the Board. She stated Gail also handed her her PCW diploma.

GAIL LOPRESTO thanked her fellow Board Members for their kind comments. She joked about what she is going to do next Monday with her new free time. She is incredibly grateful for her time on the Board and is proud of the PC District. She reflected that being on the Board has been a large part of her and her family’s life.

Board member comments ended with a standing ovation to Gail LoPresto and her family.

Meeting Date: Monday, March 24, 2025, 5pm
Location: PC Administration Building
In Attendance: Board Members: President Gail LoPresto, Vice President Steve Burger, Jay Sherrill, Judy Mullen Hopper, Charity Avery; Superintendent Dr. Fred Rhodes, Deputy Board Clerk Chantil Baldwin
Next meeting: Monday, April 7, 2025, 5pm

PC Student Leader Opens Board Meeting

At each Board Meeting, we incorporate high school student leaders to open the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence. This tradition is guided by our District's mission statement of empowering students to achieve personal success and enrich the community.

Tonight's student leader was Jade Bishop. Jade is a senior at PC West with a strong passion for leadership, service, and education. An active member of YMCA Youth and Government for three years, she was selected as one of 25 delegates to attend the 2024 YMCA Conference on National Affairs. She also served as Senate Pro Tempore at the 2025 State Conference. Notably, while at National Affairs, she authored a proposal advocating for the arts in education, highlighting the outstanding work of PC West's performing arts teachers as she spoke on a national stage.

Jade has been involved in orchestra for nine years and has dedicated four years to both color guard and winter guard. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and has participated in Seat at the Table, advocating for student voices.

After graduation, Jade plans to major in elementary education with a minor in pre-law, ultimately attending law school to specialize in educational law.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

March is Women’s History Month, a fantastic time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women who have shaped our District. Putnam City Schools has a rich history of strong, dedicated women who have led and inspired generations of students and educators. Tonight, I want to honor some of these remarkable women who have left a bold mark on our District.

First, Ophelia Overstreet made history in 1914 as the first Superintendent of Putnam City Schools. An educational pioneer, she helped lay the foundation for the District’s growth and excellence, ensuring that students received quality instruction during a time when public education was still evolving in our state.

Following in her footsteps, Cathryn Simpson was our District’s seventh Superintendent in 1926. Her leadership and commitment continued to shape our District with a strong reputation for academic rigor and community engagement. In David Stinchcomb’s new book about Putnam City’s superintendents, he mentions that Mrs. Simpson also has the distinction of being Putnam City’s first head football coach! He stated, “Within a few hours of her first day on the job, some large boys came into her office and asked if they could have a football team. There was no money in the budget to hire a coach and in her opinion none of the men knew anything about football” (Stinchcomb, 2025).

Women’s History Month is also about celebrating present-day achievements. With that, another name that stands out in Putnam City Schools is Gail LoPresto. She has dedicated 28 consecutive years to serving on our School Board, the longest tenure of any Board Member in our District’s 111-year history. Her unwavering dedication to our students, teachers, staff, and families has made an unparalleled impact on our District, and we are grateful for her steadfast leadership and countless volunteer hours. Although tonight marks Gail’s last official Board Meeting as a School Board Member, I am positive she will not be able to stay away from volunteering in our schools in some capacity soon. Gail, you are welcome in our District at any time. You are a shining example of what it truly means to “Go Boldly,” and we cannot thank you enough for everything.

Lastly, just before Spring Break, we celebrated a historic basketball victory in Putnam City athletics. The PC North Lady Panthers basketball team won the 6A State Championship, marking the first girls’ state basketball title in PC North history! They had an incredible season, and this achievement is truly a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and dedication of our student-athletes and coaches. It was inspiring to witness this history in the making as students, teachers, staff, families, and friends gathered in The Big House to cheerfully support and be inspired by the grit, determination, and teamwork displayed on the court that led to the gold ball coming home with our Lady Panthers.

-Dr. Fred Rhodes

DISTRICT DATES & EVENTS

March 25- District "Celebrating Our Diversity" Night, at PC North, 5:30-7:30pm

March 28- Pre-K Lottery Registration Closes

April 18- No School - District & High School Offices Open

HAPPENING AROUND PC

Putnam City has celebrated over 20 years of all-day Pre-K and we can't wait to welcome your little one to the fun for next year!

Learn more here: http://putnamcityschools.org/prek

March 28th - Lottery Registration Closes!

Hefner & Capps Soccer Team

Hefner and Capps Middle School soccer teams kicked it into high gear! Students showcased teamwork, skill, and lots of spirit in a matchup before Spring Break. Great job to both teams!

Career Day at Putnam City Academy

Putnam City Academy students got to chat with local professionals during Career Exploration Day —discovering exciting jobs they’d never even considered! Small groups and great conversations opened new doors for our students.

Slime Time at Kirkland Elementary

Slime Time at Kirkland Elementary! Students had a coin challenge to raise money for the library... and the boys won! Ms. Julie and Ms. Williams got slimed before spring break as a reward!

PC Proud

Oklahoma's 6A State Champs

They officially made school herstory! The PCN Lady Panthers Basketball are Oklahoma's 6A State Champs, a first for the program! Way to go! We are so PC Proud!

PCN vs PCW

North vs. West Tennis: a little rivalry, but a lot of love!

ASTA National Orchestra Festival

PC North Orchestra competed on the national stage in Atlanta over Spring Break! The PCN Orchestra was 1of 20 schools that secured a spot in the prestigious Top String Orchestra Division of the ASTA National Orchestra Festival. We are so proud of them as they represented Oklahoma and Putnam City Schools to the fullest!

INFORMATION & REMINDERS

Happening Now! Pre-Enrollment

Check your email for the link to complete your pre-enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a critical step in ensuring your students are ready to go for next year!

For more information and questions click here!

PC Foundation Scholarships - Deadline Extended

Scholarships are available for students and staff of PC Schools through the PC Foundation. The deadline for applicants has been extended to April 15th.

For more information and to apply: http://www.putnamcityfoundation.org/

Join us for Diversity Night

Be Present. Be Bold!

Putnam City Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, identity, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, or disability. Translations are completed by Google Translate.