Catalayah Elementary

Mrs. Ritter had her library students diving into the almanac this week, sharpening their fact-finding skills just in time for state testing! 🧐🔍 State testing kicks off next week, and we’re so grateful to have amazing educators like Mrs. Ritter helping our students feel confident and prepared. Thank you, Mrs. Ritter — you're the best! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Ms. Toops’ 4th graders got a sweet lesson in math today! They used jellybeans to explore fractions—turns out math is even more fun when candy is involved! After working hard to compare, represent, and even eat parts of a whole, these students proved that learning can be both smart and sweet! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Happy Assistant Principal Day to Mrs. Basks! Today we celebrate Mrs. Basks, our amazing Assistant Principal here at Catalayah Elementary! 💙 From greeting students with a smile each morning to supporting teachers and staff behind the scenes, Mrs. Basks does it all. Her hard work, positive attitude, and willingness to grow and learn make her an irreplaceable part of our school family. Assistant principals like Mrs. Basks are the heart of a school—they balance discipline with compassion, lead with integrity, and always put kids first. We are so lucky to have someone like Mrs. Basks to lead our school. Thank you, Mrs. Basks, for everything you do to help our students and staff shine! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🤖💻 Building, Coding, and Creating! In computer class, Mrs. Sargent introduced students to LEGO SPIKE Kit activities—a fun and interactive way to explore STEM! 🚀✨ Thanks to a generous grant from the Claremore Public Schools Foundation, she was able to purchase these amazing kits that let students build, code, and bring their creations to life using LEGO bricks, motors, and sensors. 🧠🔧🎮 It’s hands-on learning at its finest—and we can’t wait to see what our future engineers dream up next! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🎉👏 Shoutout to our Afternoon Pre-K Superstars! 👏🎉 They earned a Perfect Attendance Certificate AND scored an extra recess for having 12 days of perfect attendance! Mrs. Shuck was able to deliver their certificate last week!! Way to go, Pre-K! We are SO proud of your dedication! Even though the school year is winding down, every day still counts. Showing up on time and ready to learn sets students up for success—not just this year, but for years to come. Let’s keep the momentum going! We’d LOVE to hand out more perfect attendance awards before the last bell rings in May. Let’s finish strong, Catalayah! ❤️🖤🤍 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🎨🎶 Big thanks to the Junior High Art Club and Choir for visiting our 5th graders this morning! They gave us a fun sneak peek at all the exciting opportunities waiting for our soon-to-be middle schoolers. And just last week, the Junior High Band stopped by to share their passion and talent too! 🎺🥁 With 9 after-school clubs and 14 electives to choose from, there’s truly something for everyone. Our 5th graders are getting more excited each day about this next big step—Junior High, here they come! We enjoyed seeing some of our former students come back for a visit!!! https://www.claremore.k12.ok.us/o/wrjh https://www.claremore.k12.ok.us/o/wrjh/page/counseloring #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Testing for 3rd-5th graders starts April 15th. We are needing snack donations for our kids that are testing. We are looking for individually packaged healthy snacks such as granola bars, fruit snacks, crackers, pretzels, etc. If you're able to contribute please send snacks with your child or drop them off at the office labeled "State Testing Snacks." We appreciate all your help! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Congratulations to our March Employee of the Month – Ms. Walker! Ms. Walker is a true asset to Catalayah! Not only does she dedicate her time and energy to our students each day, but she’s also working toward her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership! Her hard work, passion, and commitment to education make a difference in our school community. Thank you, Ms. Walker, for all you do! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Don't forget to check back with us tomorrow about Running Club on Monday afternoon!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

We love you Mrs. Ritter!!!! Happy Librarian Day!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Monday morning we will make a decision about Running Club for Monday afternoon. Please check back Monday Morning!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

A big THANK YOU to our friends from The Brace Place! Yesterday, our Kindergarten through 2nd grade students had a special visit from The Brace Place team, who shared all about tooth and mouth health! They taught us the importance of brushing, flossing, and keeping our smiles strong and healthy! The presentation was not only informative, but super fun—with hands-on learning that kept our kiddos engaged and excited. We’re so grateful they spent the day with us at Catalayah! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. Roller’s students have welcomed some tiny new classmates—caterpillars! 🐛❤️ The students have carefully chosen names for each one and are giving them lots of love and care as they grow. Soon, these little crawlers will transform into beautiful butterflies, and the class can’t wait to release them onto our playground! 🦋🌿 Stay tuned for updates on their incredible journey! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Shhh... don’t tell anyone, but we have the BEST librarian ever! (Just kidding—go ahead and tell everyone! 📢) Mrs. Ritter is the heart of our library, the keeper of the best book recommendations, and the only person who can find that one book with the blue cover that we saw once but don’t remember the title of. She’s as sweet as a storybook ending and as magical as a library card with no overdue fines. 🪄📖 Help us show Mrs. Ritter some love tomorrow—she deserves a standing ovation (as long as it’s a quiet one! ). #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Now that you know the exciting new plan to join us for the celebration!!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

** Menu Change for Friday April 4th** Instead of Chicken Alfredo we will be having Chicken Spaghetti #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🔥🍽️ Junior Master Chef Challenge is Back! 🍽️🔥 We’re excited to bring back our Spring cooking competition—now rebranded as the Junior Master Chef Challenge! This fun and flavorful event is open to all elementary students who love to cook. 📅 Event Date: Tuesday, May 6th 🕒 Time: 3:00-6:00 PM 📍 Location: Catalayah Elementary Cafeteria 👩‍🍳 How to Enter: 🍴 Pick up a flyer and blank recipe form from your kitchen manager. (or in the office) 🍴 Submit your recipe by Friday, April 18th to be considered. 🍴 Selected contestants will be notified on Monday, April 28th. Get ready to showcase your culinary creativity in true Zebra Nutrition fashion! 🦓🍎 We can’t wait to see what our young chefs whip up! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

We have an exciting announcement- can you guess what it is?!? #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

📢 Attention Catalayah Parents! 📢 It's time to enroll your student for the 2025-2026 school year! ✅ To secure your child's spot and ensure they are placed in a class, please complete enrollment by May 9th. 🔹 How to Enroll: 1️⃣ Log into your Campus Parent app. 2️⃣ Click the three lines in the top left corner. 3️⃣ Select "More" → "Zebra Online Registrations Update." 4️⃣ Choose "Existing Student 2025-2026." 5️⃣ Follow the steps to complete enrollment. 📌 You will need a current proof of residency (such as a utility bill or mortgage statement). 🚨 Enrollment MUST be completed before we can place your child in a class! Don't wait—get it done today! 💻 Need login help? Email dstory@claremore.k12.ok.us for assistance. Thank you for helping us prepare for another great school year at Catalayah! ❤️🖤 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Fun April Fool’s day pranks! Mrs. Casey's class had a flood drill, learned about marshmallow harvesting, an impossible word search and brown E’s followed by real brownies! Mary in the cafeteria gave our students Easter Eggs filled with veggies 😳 Mrs. Haltom and Mrs. Hall both got called from the office to leave because their moms came to take them home for the rest of the day. 😂 It was all in fun and a great day!! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE