Claremore Public Schools

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” —Buddy Treble 131, the Junior High Show Choir, joined in with the Westside Honor Choir to send staff, students, family, and friends off for Christmas break. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

👋 Let's welcome Markus McClurg to the Zebra family in today's New Teacher Feature! 👩‍🏫Mr. McClurg is a new art teacher at Westside Elementary! He received his Bachelors of Science from Full Sail University. He also serves as the Native American Club sponsor. 👍Mr. McClurg said he loves the school spirit and warm, welcoming atmosphere at CPS. When asked why he teaches, he said, "I teach because I want to make a difference in students' lives and be a positive role model." 👨‍🎓Mr. McClurg is a Westside alum and is excited to teach art where he first experienced his passion for art. ‼An interesting fact about Mr. McClurg is that he won a state championship in Business Professional Association (BPA) and FFA. He also manages the website for Volunteers for Youth in his free time. Favorites: 🎥: Star Wars 🍴: Oatmeal cream pie 🍭: Gobstoppers 🥤: Sprite 🎨: Orange 🚩: Saint Louis Cardinals 💭: "Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation." #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Jingles was feeling a little bit sore from all the Christmas tree climbing, so Zebs took him to Advanced Orthopedics to get checked out! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

Our teachers work tirelessly to create moments that capture a child’s heart, inspire imagination, engage enthusiasm, cultivate creativity, and develop a love for learning. Mrs. Whitaker's students think this transformation happens overnight, but it is a culmination of hours of planning every little detail. The educational elements are embedded into what seems like a game…of real-life Candyland. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

On the 5th day of Christmas we give you 5 Zebras singing… But you'll have to head over to our FB page to check it out: https://www.facebook.com/ClaremorePublicSchools/videos/1452430478616298/ Thanks Santa Poppers, Josey Scott, Cooper Key & Officer Hagen for joining our amazing music teacher at Catalayah! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

“Elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup.” —Buddy and every teacher the last day before Christmas break. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

👋Let’s welcome Jake Swicegood to the Zebra family in today’s New Teacher Feature! 👩‍🏫Mr. Swicegood is a new social studies teacher and football coach at Claremore High School! He received his Bachelor of Science from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 👍When asked what he likes most about CPS, Mr. Swicegood said, “Everyone at CPS has been so welcoming. Since day one, the students and staff have made me feel like a part of the Zebra family.” When asked why he teaches, he said, “I teach because a teacher changed my life and I want to be there to help as many students as possible in the same way.” As a college recruiter Swicegood had been in our building, participated in events, and met with students and staff. Because of those positive experiences, he said he chose to teach at CPS because he knew what the culture was like here and I wanted to be a part of it. ‼Some interesting facts about Mr. Swicegood are that he played football and basketball; was on track and powerlifting teams in high school. He has 11 brothers and sisters, including his twin sister. ♥ Mr. Swicegood, aka “Coach Good” is married to a CHS 2011 alum and former cheerleader. They have a daughter, Lyla. Favorites: 🎥: Remember the Titans 🍴: Beef Jerky 🍭: Gummy Worms 🥤: Sweet tea 🌈: Red and Gold 📍: Camping at the lake 🚩: Kansas City Chiefs 💭: "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up." -Babe Ruth. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

👋Let’s welcome Ginger Reimer to the Zebra family in today’s New Teacher Feature! 👩‍🏫Mrs. Reimer is a new computer teacher at Will Rogers Junior High! She graduated from NSU with a Bachelors in Business Education and a Masters in Education. She is also a CHS alum, class of 1980. She began teaching in 1984! 👍When asked what she likes most about CPS, Mrs. Reimer said, “I like being back where I got my education and where I taught for seven years before opening a preschool.” When asked why she teaches, she said, “Teaching is giving of yourself every day to create a love of learning in each child and make their life a bit better. Among the frustrations are great joys in connecting with the future adult generation.” She chose to teach at CPS because it was the right place at the right time to come back to being a Zebra after several years of educating others outside the classroom. ‼Some interesting facts about Mrs. Reimer are she grew up horseback riding and rodeoing all through school. She has been a ranch wife and loves all things agriculture. She and her husband Rick raise cattle and horses and sell custom raised beef and eggs! She has also written a couple of songs and made two studio recordings as a pianist. ♥Some of Mrs. Reimer’s favorite hobbies are photography, cooking, playing piano and teaching piano lessons in her studio. Favorites: 📕: The Holy Bible 🎥: Where the Red Fern Grows 🍴: Pickles and popcorn 🍭: Milk Duds 🥤: Cherry Limeade 🎨: Navy Blue 📍: Hawaii 💭: You can always say more but you can never say less. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

A long day of trying to keep Jingles out of trouble made Zebs work up an appetite! Nothing a sonic corndog and slushy can't cure! 🥤 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

👋Let’s welcome Challey Fox to the Zebra family in today’s New Teacher Feature! 👩‍🏫Mrs. Fox is a new K-2 Resource room teacher at Catalayah Elementary! She graduated with a Bachelors in General Studies from NSU. This is her first year teaching! 👍Her favorite thing about CPS is that the staff is always in a growth mindset, always learning, collaborating and improving together. She teaches to make a positive impact on her students that will set them up for future success. She chose CPS because her older children have had such great experiences in Claremore Public Schools. ‼Some interesting facts Mrs. Fox is she was a certified nursing assistant for 18 years, a special education paraprofessional for 5 years and a teaching assistant before teaching. She is a member of Pi Gamma Mu Oklahoma Zeta Chapter. She also used to live in California (she loved the weather but can’t stand the beach sand). ♥Some of Mrs. Fox’s hobbies include reading, camping and crafts. Favorites: 📕: Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind 🎥: Dirty Dancing 🍴: Lays plain potato chips 🍭: Hershey’s chocolate 🥤: Coke 🎨: Teal 📍: Camping 🚩: OSU 💭: “The great teacher is not the man who supplies the most facts, but the one in whose presence we become different people.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Site visit Sunday! It was time for Zebs to show Jingles around Claremont Elementary. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

Jingles wanted to look a bit more festive, so dropped by Presley Jay Boutique to pick out a new hat. Now he's ready to take on the Christmas season IN STYLE!! 😎 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

Jingles wanted to make sure that the kids at Westside Elementary were making the nice list, so he snuck in and took some notes for Santa! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

Life's what you bake it!! 🥐 These students had a great time learning some new skills in the kitchen. Tis the season for tasty treats!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Kindergarteners in Mrs. Shrum's class practice reading decodable readers to a friend. 📕Decodable books are simple books that are written for the beginning reader and contain the specific grapheme–phoneme correspondences students have recently learned. These are so important for growing readers! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." -Theodore Roosevelt What a great life lesson... learning how to use what you have for what you need! Mrs. Hulse's WIN class did just that. Students had to figure out a new game- how to play baseball without a bat or bases (all they had was a ball!)They used shoes for bases and their hand as the bat! It was a nice day and a great learning opportunity. 👟🖐⚾ #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

👋Let’s welcome Becky Brantley to the Zebra family in today’s New Teacher Feature! 👩‍🏫Mrs. Brantley is a new 4th-grade teacher at Roosa Elementary! She graduated with a Bachelors in Education from OSU and a Masters in Educational Leadership from SNU. She started teaching in 1995! 👍When asked what she likes most about working at CPS, Mrs. Brantley said, “I love how student focused CPS is! It feels like a family when I go to work every day, as my coworkers are friendly and laid-back. They genuinely care about their students and make coming to work every day such a pleasure.” She teaches because she’s inspired by other teachers on a daily basis. She loves working with students and seeing their growth and progress throughout the year. She chose CPS because it has a wonderful reputation in the area and she loves the small town feel in the school system. ♥Some of Mrs. Brantley’s hobbies include going to the Oilers hockey games, OSU ballgames and traveling with her husband. Favorites: 🥤: Mocha frappe light #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

As it turns out, you need a permit before you can paint a mural on public property🤔... No one told poor Zebs and Jingles!! 👮‍♂️🚓🚨 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE #ZebsandJingles

The biography section in the library roped in the 2nd graders as Ms. Jo shared her wealth of knowledge about Will Rogers. Ms. Jo has volunteered at the Will Rogers Museum and the Birthplace of Will Rogers for many years. She told students all about Will Rogers, including stories about his many horses and roping tricks. Thank you Ms. Jo! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

5th grade students worked on nonfiction text structures - understanding the structure of a text improves comprehension by helping students organize big ideas and supporting details as they read, see how different pieces of information relate to each other, and get the main idea of the entire passage. #CPSZEBRAPRIDE