Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Pre-K Screenings for the 2026–2027 School Year! •Will be held July 7, 8, and 9. 📅 Choose the date and time that works best for your family by signing up using the link below or by scanning the QR code. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BACA629ABF85-64633747-2026

Thank you to everyone who participated in today's election. No matter how the election turns out, Alva Public Schools is grateful to this community for your engagement and your time.

#ASymbolOfExcellence

TODAY is the LAST Come-and-Go Site Tour at Washington, Longfellow & Lincoln Elementariesy — 1:00–4:00 PM. No registration needed. Come at any time during that window.

Today is also the last day of early voting (polls close at 2 PM).

#ASymbolOfExcellence

Thank you for your dedication to our students and to Alva Public Schools. Your commitment to students, colleagues, and our community has left a lasting impact on countless lives. Your years of service reflect not only loyalty and perseverance, but also a genuine passion for making a difference. We are grateful for the positive influence you have had on our schools and the legacy you leave behind.

TONIGHT: Town Hall Meeting at the Alva Middle School cafeteria — 6:30 PM. This is a great opportunity to hear directly from Alva Public Schools about the 2026 Student Investment Plan. All community members are welcome. Livestream is available by clicking the link below.

https://youtube.com/live/FOWW-TDKgh4?feature=share

#ASymbolOfExcellence

https://youtube.com/live/FOWW-TDKgh4?feature=share

Congratulations to our District Rising Star, Delaney Blankenship!

Just five years ago, Mrs. Blankenship was sitting in these very classrooms as a student. Today, she stands at the front of one, inspiring and educating the next generation. As a first-year teacher and our district's Rising Star nominee, she has already demonstrated that teaching is exactly where she is meant to be.

Her passion for students, commitment to excellence, and ability to build meaningful connections with learners make her an outstanding educator and role model. We are proud to recognize Mrs. Blankenship and look forward to the positive impact she will continue to make in the lives of her students for years to come.

📣 Early voting starts TODAY.
June 11 & 12 — 8 AM to 6 PM
June 13 — 8 AM to 2 PM
Woods County Election Board: 407 Government St
Find your polling location: oklahoma.gov/elections/ovp.html

Join us for a town-hall discussion this Friday at Alva Middle School to answer any questions you have about the upcoming school bond election! This was originally scheduled as a virtual meeting, but has been moved to an in-person meeting to better answer any questions you may have. Please submit questions you would like addressed by 12:00 noon on Friday at the link below. The meeting will be live streamed for those who want to watch from home. A link to the live stream will be posted to the school website at https://www.alvaschools.com/page/aps-2026-bond-issue and also shared on social media prior to the event.

https://forms.gle/18KfDAKuXMKuZRJw6

You are also invited to tour the elementary school buildings on Saturday from 1:00-4:00.

Happy Retirement to Karen Mead and Rhett Wooten!

Thank you both for your many years of dedicated service to Alva Public Schools and for the positive impact you have made on countless students throughout your careers. Your commitment, passion, and contributions to our school community have left a lasting legacy.

You will be greatly missed by students, staff, and families alike. Wishing you both happiness, good health, and many wonderful adventures in this exciting new chapter of life. Enjoy your retirement, you have certainly earned it!

Some have suggested this bond is about attracting new families to Alva. That's part of the conversation, but it's not the main one. Alva’s elementary enrollment has stayed relatively steady for more than a decade.

Here's what Alva's elementary (PK-5th Grade) average daily membership actually shows:
📊 2011: 483.85 students
📊 2015: 572.25 students
📊 2020: 553.25 students
📊 2025: 550.49 students
📊 2011-2025 Average: 544.77 students

Alva Public Schools has maintained stable enrollment for years — through the oilfield leaving in 2017–18 and through COVID. That stability reflects a community committed to its kids and its schools.

Congratulations to Kanon Collins on being named District Teacher of the Year!

For the past eleven years, Kanon has made a lasting impact on the students and families of Alva Public Schools through her dedication, leadership, and commitment to excellence in education. Her passion for teaching and genuine care for her students are evident in everything she does.

Thank you, Kanon, for the positive difference you make each day and for the countless lives you have influenced along the way.

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

Several members of the Alva Band of Gold had the opportunity to participate in the K101 Classic Bowl Honor Band. Students spent three days at camp rehearsing, building friendships, and sharpening their musical skills before delivering an outstanding halftime performance at the K101 Classic Bowl football game.

Congratulations to our K101 Honor Band participants:
Franco Alvarez-Cruz
Itzel Cruz
Ember Andrews
Jack Barker
Emma Eckhardt
Kyler Fowler
Hudson Killman
Jace Kirkpatrick
Nolan Lau
Kaydance McGee
Dayton Murry
Elijah Newton
Samuel Newton
Matthew Pannell
Lyla Schmidt
Emry Williams

We are proud of these students for representing Alva with excellence and showcasing their talent, dedication, and hard work throughout the weekend. 🎶💛🖤

"Why not just fix what we have?"

Lincoln Elementary has documented structural issues — and the most recent engineering assessment found those problems have continued to worsen, despite ongoing maintenance. When a structural problem keeps growing, the responsible question shifts from "can we patch it?" to "should we keep sending students in every day?"

After years of monitoring and multiple professional engineering assessments, the answer is clear: Lincoln has reached the end of its safe functional life as a school.
That conclusion wasn't reached quickly or casually. It came from the people whose job it is to keep kids safe inside buildings.

“I believe if the repairs are done as stated above, in the future similar structural issues will develop. The 60+ year-old building and infrastructure below the building are reaching the end of their design life. New issues will develop or reveal themselves over time. In my opinion, future repairs to this building will be regular and costly, above and beyond what has already been identified,” Scott E. Holtzen, P.E., S.E

You can see the full history of Lincoln Elementary at: https://www.alvaschools.com/page/aps-2026-bond-issue

Longfellow Principal Alysson Tucker: Washington has to go across the street for a basement, Longfellow has nothing. During storm season, that is something she thinks about every single day.

#ASymbolOfExcellence

Last week, two Alva students (Frankie Evans, Conner Shafer) and Mr. Eckhardt participated in the inaugural Social Media Team for the K101 Classic Bowl. We couldn't be prouder of what they accomplished. Their task was to follow the band and get videos and images from the week. Many people don't know how hard and long the band works on this show, and they wanted to make sure that everyone saw their hard work (and some fun, too). They embedded themselves in the band and were at all the rehearsals and field practices. They even walked the parade with the band to ensure complete coverage. Throughout the week, the team produced over 40 minutes of video and hundreds of photos that have been posted on the K101 Classic Bowl Facebook page. The students made AHS proud!

For those who are attending the softball and baseball youth camps today: the camp will be held at the indoor facility due to the weather. Please help spread the word. Thank you.

Join us TOMORROW — Tuesday, June 2nd — for a Town Hall Meeting at the Carmen 'After 55 Club' (Senior Citizen Center) on Main Street at 6:00 PM. Hear about the 2026 Student Investment Plan and bring your questions. All community members are welcome.

#ASymbolOfExcellence

Alva business owner and alumnus Adam Jordan: a good school system that invests in itself brings people to town. People bring their kids, spend money, and keep the community growing.

Learn more about the Student Investment Plan and view the most current, updated FAQ at
https://www.alvaschools.com/page/aps-2026-bond-issue

#ASymbolOfExcellence