Muskogee School Offers 'Resource Rooms' For Students Needing Clothes, Supplies

A Muskogee elementary school is helping students get ready for school, especially when it comes to clothing and supplies.

Principal Lori Jefferson and her teachers are getting ready for students to walk the halls of Cherokee Elementary School next Thursday. She's also preparing for those kids who don't have a backpack, a notebook or a pair of shoes.

A classroom inside Cherokee Elementary also doubles as a room for clothing that the students are going to have available to them on the first day of school.

Donations make it possible to have two resource rooms in Jefferson’s school - one for school supplies, the other for clothes.

"If they stop by, we're going to get them some supplies," she said.

The school supply room includes practice tests and books, which are important because of third-grade benchmark tests.

Jefferson said, "We promote literacy, we believe in literacy and community here at Cherokee Elementary School."

The "success suitcases" help give kids the necessary tools to learn at home.

"Homework is a big deal, and they don't have the resources and they don't know where to find them. They'll say, 'Well, I couldn't find a pencil,’ or, I couldn't find whatever I need," Jefferson said.

The principal wants her school to be seen as a partner in the community.

"I hope that parents see that we're in it with them and that our goal is to help them in any way that we can to help their students advance in their education and be successful," she said.

The principal said she expects they could help about 500 students with the resource centers.

Cherokee Elementary is holding a district-wide open house next Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.