Catalayah Elementary 2700 King Road - Claremore, OK 74019

Meet our Principal- Kellye Shuck

I grew up in Porter, Oklahoma. At Porter Schools, I was involved in basketball, cheerleading, and many leading organizations, including student council. My favorite thing about attending such a small school was the tight-knit friendships that still carry over to my life today. A fun fact is I was one of 33 kids in my graduating class!

After graduation, I enrolled at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. At NSU, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I also met the love of my life, my husband, Tim. Tim and I married in 1997, and we moved to his hometown of Catoosa. A little over a year later, I completed my Master’s in Reading from NSU.

I taught 7th/8th Language Arts in Catoosa for 9 years. In 2006, my life changed once again for the better, and I began my job as the principal of Claremont Elementary here in Claremore. I continued in this role for 5 years.

In 2010, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime, in my current position at Catalayah Elementary. It was a unique experience opening a brand new school. I knew that the teachers and staff here were rockstars, and as a family, we brought Catalayah to its best potential. In the beginning, I knew I wanted to excite kids from the start of their day till the end, and that is why my staff and I created “RISE AND SHINE”. This morning assembly has been a staple at our school.

Tim & I have a son, Adam and he is a junior at Oklahoma State University. We now make frequent trips to Stillwater.

My favorite part of my job is molding kids to their best ability. I enjoy every day of my job, and everything in my journey has happened for a reason. Luckily, my journey has brought me to the best place on Earth!

It’s A Great Day to Be a Zebra!

Assistant Principal- Jennifer Basks

Mrs. Basks has lived in the Claremore area for 48 years. She attended Westside Elementary, Central Upper Elementary, Will Rogers Junior High, and Claremore High School. In 1990, Mrs. Basks moved to Claremore-Sequoyah, where she graduated in 1993. Mrs. Basks received her Early Childhood Degree from Northeastern State University in 1999. She was hired in 2000 as a second-grade teacher at Claremont Elementary. She moved to Catalayah in 2012 when the school first opened, where she taught First Grade. She returned to school in 2013 to obtain a Masters Degree in Reading. She then returned to school to achieve her School Leadership and Administration certification.

Mrs. Basks is married to Robert Basks of Claremore, who is also an educator. They have three children: Tyler, Tanner, and Reagan. Two of whom graduated from Claremore Public Schools. Mrs. Basks is an active member of the community and loves children. She attends Cedar Point Church and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She also enjoys football, cookouts, swimming, and the beach. She feels it is an honor to serve in the school district where she attended school. The most satisfying part of being an educator is building relationships and making a positive and impactful difference in others' lives. Helping children recognize their full potential and set them up for success helps positively impact the community I love.

Nurse Shea

I was a Teacher and Reading Specialist in Public Schools for 9 years. After that I worked in a hospital as a nurse for 6 1/2 years. In 2019 I joined the staff at Catalayah to be the school nurse. I married my husband Travis in 2020 and together we have 5 kids that all attend Claremore Public Schools.

Julie McComb- Counselor

I was an Elementary teacher for 6 years before I became a counselor. I've been the school counselor at Catalayah for 11 years now and love what I do!! I've lived in Claremore all my life and my kids graduated from CPS in 2018 and 2020. They are both in college now one is at RSU and the other is at OSU.

Rachel Salcido- Secretary

I have been working at Catalayah since 2017. My husband and I both graduated from Claremore. Our daughter graduated from Claremore in 2022 and our son will graduate in 2026.

Donya Story- Registrar

I have been working at Catalayah since 2013. My daughter graduated from CHS in 2022. My son will graduate in 2025.

Officer Hagen

I have been with Claremore Police Dept. since 2016.

In 2022 I started as a School Resource Officer for all 4 Elementary schools in Claremore. I truly enjoy getting to be in the schools with the students and staff everyday.

I have been married to my wife Nicole for 20 years. Our 2 girls both played softball and graduated from Claremore High School.