Central Jr High (and Elem)

[bombermwc]

So i've only lived in Moore for a little under a year now, so I'm learning still.
This post is partially a history lesson question for myself, and part "why haven't we".

I went to Central Jr High yesterday for a tour for my incoming kids. I'm glad to see they looked at securing the doors of the building, but it's a farce. The school has a lot of times where the kids walk outside between buildings and then even across the central elem campus to get to the new gym. And they congregate outside in the front parking lot during lunch. Now, I did the same thing at my Jr high back in MWC in the 90s, but that was a time when you propped the hall doors open to let the air in (and stray dogs). So i'm curious why some effort hasn't been put in to connect the buildings here with some hallways to keep the kids inside. In what I saw, it would really only take a few halls to do it. To be honest, the more we walked around, the more i thought, "why has moore schools ignored this campus? Peeling paint on the exterior of the building, cable masses dangling between buildings, etc.

So my guess is that the whole area was the original Moore Elem/Jr/High from the 40's or whatever? Admin building too? I went through the same thing with my Jr High (Jarman) in MWC, which was the old high school from the 40s. it was always the last school to be thought of for any modernization and eventually was closed and eventually abandoned since they haven't sold the land yet. I dont want Central to be the same and its not as though there is going to be a lack of students (which is what prompted Jarman's closing). Just in my small area of Moore alone, there are hundreds of homes (including mine) being built or neighborhoods just getting started. Unless we get migrated over to Highland East and overload that campus, then Central has staying power. But it needs some love....some major love.

So my question is really back to, why hasn't the district worked on this in bond issues? I constantly see major work being done at the high schools (for some reason Moore high just had its front awning ripped off and is getting something new there) and all the jr highs (including Central) had major gym work done. The new central gym is really nice, but as i said, its several blocks (and 2 streets) away even on the other side of central Elem. The gym teacher has to walk over to the front of Central jr high to pick up the kids between classes.

I just see a lot of vulnerabilities in this campus layout. Something that we probably woudln't have ever been concerned about in the past, but we just can't really ignore these days.

[Roger S]

From my experience living in Moore.... The school is only concerned with protecting the kids from tornados..... They never shut down for Covid so why would they protect the kids from a potential shooter?

[bombermwc]

I voted for Yes to this as a MPS parent, but it does annoy me a little. MPS did get saferooms built everywhere (including the elementary schools) and did some gym work at the Jr Highs. But that previous bond issue and this one both seem like lost opportunities to do something with Central (and some of the other jr highs). Each of the Jr Highs seem to have some of this disconnected building problem. Moorewest actually had corridors included to fix the disjointed building problem from day 1, but then when they added the new gym, they CREATED the problem. Since some of them are cookie cutters of the exact same floorplans, if one has the problem, then another does too (Brink/Moorewest). I think Southridge, being the newest, is the only one that actually does it right.

I get it that it will be nice for the high schools to all have their own stadium. Seems like the other districts are all doing that now too. But indoor practice facilities? It's freaking cool, but was that really necessary? I mean my kids will benefit from this when they get to Moore High Band (if its done sometime this century), but that money seems like it could have been spent elsewhere more wisely in terms of securing facilities.

Not sure what the real practical use for the "college prep" additions will be either. Again, seems like someone is checking a box on a bunch of projects that are tokens for someone's agenda rather than super beneficial. I'm thinking of something like putting exterior walls up at Winding Creek (i think it actually is on a bond somewhere though). If you aren't familiar with that school, it's ALL exterior doors....no internal hallways. It's like a 1970's Motel 6 out there. Can you imagine the security heartburn that MPS Security has with this site on a daily basis? Every classroom door faces outside to the elements. Sure would have been nice to have AC in my elementary or jr high gyms! All we had were doors propped (which is a bad idea now), fans, and high-up windows (if you had them).

Here's the 2021 bond issue project page. It includes renderings.
https://www.mooreschools.com/Page/57193

[Jeremy Martin]

From my experience living in Moore.... The school is only concerned with protecting the kids from tornados..... They never shut down for Covid so why would they protect the kids from a potential shooter?

Let me start this by saying Covid is a very real disease that has contributed to the deaths of way to many people. Everyone in my immediate family has had Covid at least once and I am the opposite of a Covid denier.
As a parent of a MPS student I am so thankful that our Superintendent made the choice that he did. Our kids did not suffer the same educational, emotional and physical decline that many students around the US did by staying at home. I have talked with many people with children in other school systems in and out of Oklahoma and only 1 said that they thought doing school remotely was having a positive impact on their child. I know another family that moved to Moore so they could ensure that their kids got back into a class room.

[BoulderSooner]

From my experience living in Moore.... The school is only concerned with protecting the kids from tornados..... They never shut down for Covid so why would they protect the kids from a potential shooter?

no school in the country should have shut down for covid .... shutting down did tons of long term harm ..

[Roger S]

no school in the country should have shut down for covid .... shutting down did tons of long term harm ..

No.... People not taking Covid seriously did tons of long term harm.

[BoulderSooner]

No.... People not taking Covid seriously did tons of long term harm.

lol even the far left New York times now agrees with the statement i just made ....

[Martin]

I'm thinking of something like putting exterior walls up at Winding Creek (i think it actually is on a bond somewhere though). If you aren't familiar with that school, it's ALL exterior doors....no internal hallways. It's like a 1970's Motel 6 out there.

i think santa fe and red oak have the same/similar layout as winding creek.

[Roger S]

lol even the far left New York times now agrees with the statement i just made ....

I don't care what the far left agrees with. Can you disprove my statement that Covid did more harm than distanced learning?

How many people died from distanced learning and how many died from Covid?

You can use the car salesman trick of minimalizing the impact of Covid all you want but it doesn't make you any more correct on which had the most long term effects on our species.

[BoulderSooner]

I don't care what the far left agrees with. Can you disprove my statement that Covid did more harm than distanced learning?

How many people died from distanced learning and how many died from Covid?

You can use the car salesman trick of minimalizing the impact of Covid all you want but it doesn't make you any more correct on which had the most long term effects on our species.

we don't know how many people died FROM covid ... we know how many people died WITH covid ..

but lots of young people died from drug overdoses directly resulting from the lock downs ..

[Roger S]

we don't know how many people died FROM covid ... we know how many people died WITH covid ..

but lots of young people died from drug overdoses directly resulting from the lock downs ..

We don't know how many young people died by overdoses FROM lock downs. We know how many died DURING lockdowns.... Want to play some more of these semantical games?

[bombermwc]

Anyway, so schools and such......

[BoulderSooner]

Anyway, so schools and such......

does moore have armed resource officers at this (and their other ) school?

[Jersey Boss]

does moore have armed resource officers at this (and their other ) school?

Evidence suggests armed cops on school campuses is not beneficial.

New research finds armed officers increases likelihood of mortality at school shootings | MPR News
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/0...hool-shootings

[BoulderSooner]

Evidence suggests armed cops on school campuses is not beneficial.

New research finds armed officers increases likelihood of mortality at school shootings | MPR News
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/0...hool-shootings

not arguing for/against just wondered if they do ?

[bombermwc]

Yes. They do have resource officers at at least the Jr Highs and High Schools. No Elementary School presence. The resources offices don't just patrol though, they also tutor and help in other ways so they really are a "resource" officer.

[Zuplar]

Last night Robert Romines was on Channel 5's special about schools. For those concerned about security he talks about that as well as other issues facing schools. He didn't necessarily go into great detail, but I thought he did elaborate on what they have in place and why they've made the decisions they have. Overall as a Moore Schools parent I've been happy with the direction of the school district and leadership. I think for being one of he largest districts in the state they do a good job.

[BoulderSooner]

Yes. They do have resource officers at at least the Jr Highs and High Schools. No Elementary School presence. The resources offices don't just patrol though, they also tutor and help in other ways so they really are a "resource" officer.

thank you

[Jeremy Martin]

Last night Robert Romines was on Channel 5's special about schools. For those concerned about security he talks about that as well as other issues facing schools. He didn't necessarily go into great detail, but I thought he did elaborate on what they have in place and why they've made the decisions they have. Overall as a Moore Schools parent I've been happy with the direction of the school district and leadership. I think for being one of he largest districts in the state they do a good job.

I feel the same. I know some people who work in administration and they all say that he really has all students best interest at heart.

[Zuplar]

I feel the same. I know some people who work in administration and they all say that he really has all students best interest at heart.

Yeah he's an MPS lifer if I remember correctly, so been around a long time. I think that makes a big difference as so many other districts have had top administrators come and go. The stability that Moore Schools has had over the years I'd imagine contributes to their success.

Anyways, my kid was excited to start today!