OOLOGAH, Okla. — School buildings at Oologah-Talala look normal on the outside. But inside?
"Yes, our roof definitely needs to be replaced."
WATCH: 'We want to be that choice': Oologah-Talala schools prepare for bond vote
A number of problems, according to district Associate Superintendent Kendra Adkins.
"It was literally like someone turned on a faucet. It was just like coming down."
Adkins knows these halls well, as an Oologah graduate herself in 2001.
"As a matter of fact, I had a locker right out in that hall that looks exactly the same as it does right now," Adkins said.
Which has her even more excited about the improvements in the schools upcoming $30+ million bond vote.
"It allows us to meet the needs of pretty much every group we have on campus," Adkins said. "Every building is getting some sort of work done to it."
A new roof at the top of list of needs after multiple leaks around the building. Adkins highlighted other improvements, like the high school library.
"The idea is we're going to take this wall and push it out about 20 feet, which will be great because we'll have a little more space."
Other key points in the bond include a new gym at the middle school. Safety improvements there include their own storm shelter.
"Right now, those students have to leave their building if there were to be a storm to go somewhere else," Adkins said. "So that's pretty huge."
Another security feature at the high school involves updating the floorplan of the entry, separating the gym and auditorium from the rest of the school. It'll keep kids safe when events happen during the school day.
"Whenever I was in elementary school, an intruder drill was not a thing, and now that's something that we practice with our students so they're prepared," high school counselor Adrienne Shockey said. "We don't know who's good and who's bad, so this will protect all of our students and our staff."
So as the Mustangs race into the future, board president Brent Kellogg says this keeps Oologah on pace.
"In this state of public education, we have open transfer, students now have a choice," Kellogg said. "And for the kids that live in this area, we want to be that choice."
The vote happens Tuesday, October 14. It won't increase taxes on residents, and if passed, construction could start as early as the spring of 2026.
To see the full list of bond improvements, visit this link on the school website.
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