Tulsa Schools Plan Space For North Tulsa Middle School Students

Tulsa Public Schools approved a plan this week to create a space specifically for middle school kids in North Tulsa. The idea is to use the Penn Elementary building and the Monroe Demonstration Academy building to create a space for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.

The Reverend M.C. Potter leads a group called the North Tulsa Community Education Task Force. Reverend Potter was asked, along with a group of community leaders, to come up with recommendations that would go before the school board - to address issues like low enrollment at the McLain 7th Grade Center. 

“McLain can be an amazing school as it once was, but you've got to do some things - you have got to go in and make for some quality education. You've got to give those kids some hope," said Reverend M.C. Potter.

Reverend Potter says the North Tulsa Community Education Task Force felt the needs of middle schoolers were different than those of high school or elementary students and that the 6th, 7th and 8th graders needed their own space to thrive, with their own curriculum.

"If we could improve the curriculum, which improves the quality of education then our kids would come back. They wouldn't be wanting to leave our community schools," said Reverend Potter.

Related Story: North Tulsa Task Force Releases Recommendations For Improving Education 

Task force members say they worked on the recommendations for months with the support of Tulsa Superintendent Deborah Gist. This week at the school board meeting those recommendations passed, but putting this plan into action will take a lot of work.

Hundreds of students will be impacted, some having to go to different schools - many teachers will be affected as well. Gist says the district even created work groups to deal with different aspects of the transition.

"We are so excited about this because it is truly something that came from community leaders," said Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist.

Reverend Potter says it is going to take some serious work from the community to make this plan a reality. If you or your organization would like to get involved call Antioch Baptist Church 918-583-1620.

If you would like more details on how changes to the McLain Feeder Pattern will impact you or your family, check out https://www.tulsaschools.org/our-schools/mclainfeeder.