[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6243187,"mediaKeyId","3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82","parentId",3241228,"title","Board approves $66,512 change order for ninth-grade gym; district plans ROTC demo, JROTC move and Applied Creativity Center ribbon cutting","audioSeconds",114,"startMs",3727000,"endMs",3613000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82&start=3727&end=3613","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82/thumbnail_3727000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6243187/BIXBY/School-Districts/Oklahoma/Board-approves-66512-change-order-for-ninth-grade-gym-district-plans-ROTC-demo-JROTC-move-and-Applied-Creativity-Center-ribbon-cutting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243187-7fa2b0100b12e25bb72492dba49236c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440046&Signature=n0CzpxolGNSGqCdYrS~R6mYHKXQqy0E4rdl1XQ2Ox0cH83oJj0VVFleLygULhJVS7GkNRxoeLQitl87r5jFfYw-zzEj45-Xi0hl6wBrBbgbd1C~qK6JA2fMqXktVWJumyXIZ2OGGlT~mzDk~kkrrorV6nRRxr~~gOtQDLdAG~olyw-fWYULTJP07JXLy0oxpqWeVkQqv6V5oB15Y8mKeRRPZ4ThJFKIFBGZClSOvhcnPI~nMFavy5vst1TrGnKBTsg0CxMHw2hfGJRzb0F4N~pbsbVIrsdbtYZ6p~Xj48SopG3CWkeMOkDdIZphQ4L7IRc-SJ7wujMpXccRSghZ21g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-09T01:25:22Z","article","The Bixby Board of Education on May 8 approved a potential change order (PCO 3) of $66,512.41 to the ninth-grade gym project to add paved parking and handicap access on the north side of the new gym. A board member moved to approve the change order and the motion carried with recorded aye votes from Amanda, Pablo, Matt and the chair.

District facilities staff also briefed the board on a slate of summer projects and longer-term facility plans. Staff described an intended demolition of the existing ROTC building, which district staff said is older and cost-prohibitive to maintain, and relocating JROTC into the former media center space. The district intends to reuse and retrofit the media center for JROTC and other specialized training, and to convert the existing ROTC footprint into additional parking.

District staff provided budget and timing context: they estimated demolition and related costs could be \"under $200,000\" but cautioned that subsurface conditions and utility work could raise costs. Staff said roughly $500,000 in lease money remains available to offset some project costs, subject to required IRS accounting for lease proceeds.

Other summer projects described included: work on the ninth-grade gym (roof panels and framing in progress), repainting and cosmetic work on the stadium press box and Powerhouse building, expanding esports facilities into vacated cafeteria space, repainting and selective interior work in elementary buildings, new playground drainage, and a planned ribbon-cutting for phase one of the Bixby Applied Creativity Center (innovation hub) scheduled for June 4. Staff told the board they expect the ninth-grade gym to be ready for the season if work keeps pace (one board member asked about completion; staff answered “October, so let's count on November”).

Why it matters: the board's approval of the change order adjusts project contingency spending and affects the schedule for the ninth-grade gym. The ROTC demolition and building repurposing are intended to solve long-standing facility and parking constraints and to provide improved instructional space for JROTC and esports.

Board action and approvals: the PCO 3 change order for $66,512.41 was approved and paid from project contingency funds; staff said the price does not alter the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of the larger project. The board did not approve a demolition contract at the May 8 meeting but discussed estimates and the need for further planning and bids; staff said they will return with bids and final budget figures.

Project risks and next steps: staff highlighted potential unknowns that could increase demolition costs (utility capping, lines under the building) and the need to coordinate with city permits and inspections. Staff said they will obtain bids for the ROTC demolition, firm up cost estimates, and present formal contract options for board approval in a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Meeting: 5/8/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Bixby Board of Education on May 8 approved a $66,512.41 potential change order for the ninth-grade gym to add north-side parking and handicap access and heard staff outline summer facility projects including an ROTC building demolition and relocation of JROTC into the former media center.","taxTitle","BIXBY, School Districts, Oklahoma","taxId",38406,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6243192,"New state rules — cellphone ban and virtual-day limits — and election legislation discussed at Bixby board meeting",173,5373000,5546000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82&start=5373&end=5546","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82/thumbnail_5373000.jpg","/articles/6243192/BIXBY/School-Districts/Oklahoma/New-state-rules-cellphone-ban-and-virtual-day-limits-and-election-legislation-discussed-at-Bixby-board-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243192-eba99093ee6c49d2ad02292dd731acdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440046&Signature=Bu36lJPiDVuowuXbg1Nrhji8dfmu9YffVMCIvCDpwqbXFXtvZs4wqQjHLoOmtxYKJpe6ecKX3H9UDI3NpKatF9LV9O135G6KD-bpaTvGtbg93sSHhlhdXgl647nftCIDVRh2MttIvLGTVTUmI1NesgXJq92iRyTdeMFQEHxt1JFMyuXX3bOHx-eC26m4YhmOwH5gVnXvKxFc~8hdbre1I22X~IZwVn3EJKY6OYB89bTHC1KRVRZTZ7VjZaq1RXw-ba05AnDrO4c-nMjNfyaXqBaxdJ9Xj6GrPxy1r493huOX66Lq1Tppx30lYYevouoqG1BMqzQuwqKfJlO-F4LK0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Bixby Board of Education meeting on May 8, district staff summarized several recent state-level actions and pending bills the board will need to implement or monitor.

The superintendent's report noted the governor signed a ban on student cellphone use \"from bell to bell\" for the 2025-26 school year; staff said the law applies to all grade levels and is written as a one-year ban, after which local districts may modify policy. \"So that is now long that cell phones will be banned from bell to bell for the 2526 school year, and that's all grade levels,\" staff said. The district plans to update local policy, which currently covers grades through grade 9, to extend the restriction to grades 10–12 for the coming year.

Another law passed, Senate Bill 758, limits a district's use of virtual/remote learning days to two per year; such virtual days must be preapproved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and submitted by Nov. 15. Staff advised families that districts will no longer be able to use virtual days broadly for weather closures; unplanned weather days will become traditional make-up days (snow days) until hours in the calendar are exhausted.

Legislative proposals affecting election timing were also discussed. Senate Bill 652 would set five allowable election months (February, April, June, August and November) rather than the current broader timing; another proposal to move school board elections to the November general election did not receive a House vote at this session and was effectively set aside. Staff said they and district associations (COSA and OSSBA) favored avoiding a move to partisan November contests.

Staff also noted recent State Board-level actions: a joint resolution (SJR 22) was directed at two State Department of Education rules, including a proposed requirement to collect student immigration status and a proposed requirement that teachers take the naturalization test; staff said the legislature is moving to block those rules.

No immediate board votes were taken on these statewide items at the May 8 meeting. Staff said they will bring policy updates back to the board for formal adoption — for example, the district will present a revised cell phone policy and guidance on virtual days for the next school year.

Why it matters: the cellphone ban and virtual-day limit will change daily routines for students, parents and staff and could require updates to district handbooks, supervision, and enforcement plans. The virtual-days limit reduces the district’s flexibility for weather-related disruptions and may require the district to add instructional time or days later in the calendar when extended closures occur.

Board action and follow-up: staff said they will draft policy language and present it for board consideration, communicate changes to families, and file required applications to the State Department of Education when necessary (for virtual days). The board did not vote on these items on May 8 but directed staff to prepare materials and return with formal recommendations.","At the Bixby Board of Education meeting on May 8, district staff summarized recent state actions that will affect local policy: a one-year statewide \"bell-to-bell\" cellphone ban for 2025–26, a two-day limit on preapproved virtual days, and ongoing legislation about election timing and certain State Board rules.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6243198,"Bixby parents press board for meaningful inclusion after year-old state complaint; audit due in June",446,2587000,3033000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82&start=2587&end=3033","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3241228-c3d413fbf55ca987d3c0ae538d900e82/thumbnail_2587000.jpg","/articles/6243198/BIXBY/School-Districts/Oklahoma/Bixby-parents-press-board-for-meaningful-inclusion-after-year-old-state-complaint-audit-due-in-June","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243198-736759ffaccac341721a22659d95297f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440046&Signature=Cb5TsvNfaUoo~pGq4gBZoQYgk6kwsC3sCOWYYFh6lRSF2Ka0-s~nfclxhgE-JCYv1L60v64IhcaUtLSwfSICvXf8R6uMxWZmUwl4eWYDKM2j4fTsZiPyq2ya4H00GFJvZzG7Akhr0xIzCADKqCtStwbAGrzioZB0IhiDjXq0Fvkv-KHAswdM7EqkRwSCyW8Hp6XsREcl5gRLSA0uAYJdneFMQ58F3DKJ9dJMaEESako8Ehwti37iNcQVicwRj4sBe5nhTCCSWr64C4iHv-F649Jz57WElQagOwvEi4Q04dE-Wz9TcXEcuxwEAsGg9ID0br0TU1MLwJwUU-7pM3tW2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Bixby Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 8, several parents and a student told trustees the district has not delivered consistent inclusion for students with disabilities and urged immediate corrective action after a state complaint filed about a year ago.

The calls for change came during public comment from parents who said they and other families have repeatedly raised concerns in meetings and in a formal complaint. “Last May, nine families, including mine and these two families over here, filed a complaint against the district because our children were not being educated in their least restrictive environment as required by IDEA,” said Katie Huff, who identified herself as the parent of two Bixby students.

The complaint and parents’ testimony prompted district staff to report that an outside audit is under way. A staff member briefing the board said the consultant team has completed site work that included classroom observations and focus groups and that the district expects a full report in June. “They've finalized, what they've got 11 days to take. We have 1 day those 11 days have been classroom observations, focus groups,” the staff member said.

Why it matters: parents told the board they want more than symbolic inclusion. “True inclusion isn't about being invited into the room. It's about building a system that values every student while they're there,” said Laurie Lee, who identified herself as the mother of four, including a child with Down syndrome. Parents said they have provided training resources, attended meetings, and repeatedly asked for programmatic changes, but say many classroom placements and IEP outcomes remain unchanged.

Parents described consequences they attribute to exclusion from general education: lost instructional time, reduced access to grade-level curriculum and social opportunities, and the emotional toll on students and siblings. “Our children deserve better. They deserve to be seen as fully human,” Huff said. Lillian, who said she is an eighth grader and the sister of a third grader with Down syndrome, told the board: “I want my brother to have a future that's bright and full of possibilities... but that future starts now.”

District response and next steps: staff told the board the independent review (described in the meeting materials as the Stetson audit) examined a sample of files and has had on-campus time for observations and focus groups; staff said the audit team is finalizing its initial work and will produce a written report in June. Board discussion referenced outreach to comparable districts and the consultant's broader statewide experience.

Parents also urged board leadership to use the district's upcoming special education director search to select a candidate who understands both the legal requirements and contemporary best practices. “As you search for a new special education director, please don't aim for what's simply better than before. Raise the standard,” Carmen Haley, who identified herself as a mother of three, told trustees.

What the record shows: parents said the complaint was filed approximately one year earlier by nine families; they described repeated instances they consider noncompliant IEP meetings, placement decisions that keep students out of general education, and delays in implementing agreed supports. District staff confirmed the independent review included classroom observations and focus groups and that staff will present the consultant's full report at a future board meeting in June.

Board action: no formal policy change or vote addressing the complaint was taken at the May 8 meeting. Board members and staff directed staff to continue the audit process and to meet with stakeholders; parents urged more immediate operational changes and stronger leadership in special education.

The board is scheduled to receive the consultant's written findings in June, and parents said they will return to future meetings to press for implementation of improvements.","Multiple parents told the Bixby Board of Education on May 8 that their children with disabilities remain excluded from general education classrooms despite a state complaint filed a year ago; district consultants are finishing an audit and will deliver a report in June.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves $66,512 change order for ninth-grade gym; district plans ROTC demo, JROTC move and Applied Creativity Center ribbon cutting

New state rules — cellphone ban and virtual-day limits — and election legislation discussed at Bixby board meeting

Bixby parents press board for meaningful inclusion after year-old state complaint; audit due in June