July 8, 2020 Issue, Page 2 of 8

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Page 2 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, July 8, 2020 Students will find new principals this year: Jamie McClure, top, at High school the high school Continuedfrom page 1. in the principal position, and I think they’re ready then went to Washington McClure will communicate to come back to school,” and Haley Price at the elementary High School, south of Nor- with the community and be he said, adding that they man, for four years and was more involved in some ways school. missed being at school with a teacher and coach, and that he wasn’t as an assis- Staff photos by the way it ended with the then he was at Norman High tant. “I would say I’m pretty campus shutdown because Don Munsch School for one year before coming to Elk City. He just laid-back,” McClure said, of COVID-19. finished his seventh year describing his leadership The school had a “learning here, teaching one year and style. “I’m fortunate to experience” when it went to being an assistant principal work with really good peo- distance learning this spring, Elementary for six years. ple here, in the administra- McClure said, and he ex- “I always wanted to move tive team and our faculty. pects the school will be bet- Continued from page 1. back here; my wife is not They’re very professional; ter equipped to work with it important it is to build from here,” he said. “When they’re going to do their job. this year and that it will be relationships, and she sees we were going to have our My role is just to kind of now how that can help her as second child, we just didn’t help them get the resources a better process for students have as much help in Okla- and things they need to con- and their families as well as a principal. “And that’s with your staff homa City and the Norman tinue in their job.” for the teachers. He expects and your students,” she said area, so we just decided to Amanda Friesen, who had there will be more structure describing those relation- move somewhere where we been the Elk City Elemen- with distance learning this ships. had more help and it ended tary School principal, will year if the campus has to use Knowing the inner work- up being here. And we’ve now be an assistant principal it. ings of the building can as- loved it since we’ve been at the high school. McClure is excited to get sist her in her new job, too, back. All my family is still “We're really glad to have here.” His wife is from Fair- her,” McClure said. “She’s started. she said. “We have 841 students view. going to bring a lot of new “This is home for me and and close to 100 staff mem- He said being principal ideas to us, I think, and this is where I want to fin- bers and [it helps] just know- will be a new challenge. He bring a little different per- ish,” he said. “And we just ing how the building flows.” was ready to take on a new spective. She’s going to be want to continue to build she said. task. good for me. She has some on what we've got here and An Elk City native and a ing, that’s already been in they did an excellent job. “T want to stay and this is some strengths that will be keep improving the quality 2005 Elk City High School place.I look forward to just So I think we're just going the best spot for me to have good for me.” of education and just the ex- graduate, she attended the continuing that growth.” to take the feedback that we an impact on the school and McClure said he is ready University of Central Okla- Price taught third grade for learned from the last nine the community, and this is for the school year, even it perience for our students.” homa for her undergraduate three years and taught fifth weeks and apply it if we where I want to be,” he said. means going back to dis- McClure is married to work and then earned her grade for six years. She also Lewallen helped prepare Felicia and they have two tance learning. have to do this in the future.” master’s degree from South- was the gifted and talented McClure for the job, Mc- “T’ve been running into daughters: Kami, 10, and teacher and taught at the Price, who was named western Oklahoma State Clure said. Now that he is some students around town, Lola, 7. University. principal on June 29, and has middle school for one year. Price said she is well pre- She said distance learn- been working since then on Football “They’re starting to move pared to be a principal and ing went “rather well” in the planning and prepping. said Friesen has given her spring and the school pur- here and there but we've still “Tt takes a lot of work,” advice since Price taught chased an online profession- she said. got plenty of them,” Stewart third grade. al development tool, with a She said she is “excited to said. “She was the reading section on distance learning. jump in and put worth the Stewart said he’s consider- coach when I taught third “Our teachers did an out- stadiums felt the hurt and its status as a Stillwater icon. work and build the relation- ing some of them back to the grade, so she always has standing job of creating les- are bracing for further dis- “You can’t build a busi- been kind of been a mentor sons, and not only lessons, ships that it takes to run a ruption if the season doesn’t ness on six or seven week- printer to have a second logo for me,” she said. “My goal but engaging lessons for successful school.” play out as normal. ends,” Clark said. “That’s put on commemorating the here is I’m going to support students to do at home,” she Price is married to Jorey MacDonald estimated that not how it works. If you’re celebration that wasn’t. the excellence that’s she al- said. “And I have two kids and they have two children: 60% or so of his business for not busy seven days a week For most things, Stewart ready created in our build- involved in the lesson and Easton, 9, and Harper, 6. the year came during foot- in my business, you're out of and Clark can be a more ball season, as game days business.” flexible with their ordering Round Town bring big traffic and fans But the economic impact Excited also buy Christmas presents of the pandemic has gone of things like food and beer. for family and friends. long beyond just the threat- For Hatter and MacDon- ening of those home football ald, most ordering takes Balfour of Norman has been a Campus Corner sta- weekends and the initial hit place months - even a year Continued from page 1. in education that we’re go- ple for more than 45 years. taken as businesses closed “T think she evaluated the ing to move into this virtual or more - in advance. Jerry Hatter has owned the as the coronavirus spread situation and she sure felt They’ve been able to ad- like she would like to do it, world, this distance learning apparel and collectibles across the country in March. store since 2006. The spring football games just their orders with some and I think she has a vision world, where more and more “No one knows what to in those cities were canceled, vendors - and have been for that building and wants to kids will be in that environ- put her mark on it,” he said. expect,” Hatter said. “We've as were baseball and softball forced to with others as pro- ment.” been through recession peri- games that bring fans to the duction has slowed down for “That’s exciting. It’s excit- ods and oil slumps in Okla- campus area, and other ac- ing for me as superintendent Garrison said with people some - but they still have homa. But nothing like this.” tivities like summer camps when you have those kind like him who have been in Both Hatter and MacDon- and fraternity and sorority to juggle the uncertainty of of people who want to do it ald say they’re preparing for events. what business will look like education for 30 years, they and want to have an impact all possibilities - a normal Hatter said his shop typi- in the fall. on those kids and faculty. can get obsolete in their football season, one with cally sees a steady stream of She was just an outstanding thinking in dealing with limited fans allowed, and businesses during a normal “You can’t get anything teacher. Everywhere she’s what is presented to them. potentially a football sea- June and July from parents with one week or two- been, she’s been very suc- son that gets wiped out all taking their children to ath- week, three-week or even cessful and people think a Having younger people can together, and everything in four-week notice most of letics camps at OU. lot of her.” foster that new frontier. between. At O’Connell’s, St. Pat- the time,” Hatter said. “So The district is looking for Friesen is very “success- “It’s like gambling at the rick’s Day is one of those you've got to plan on it be- an assistant principal to re- casino,” Hatter said. “Lots big events, a party that starts driven” and took on the re- ing at least close to normal.” place Price at the elementary ofdifferent scenarios that we in the morning with “Green school, Garrison said. sponsibility of moving into The anxiety that comes have to look at, kind of on an Eggs and Ham” breakfast in from that doesn’t seem like- Garrison said educators the new elementary school almost daily basis.” the morning and turns into are being tasked with mov- Stan Clark, one of the an all-day party with plenty ly to dissipate soon as the ing into a much different building. founders of Eskimo Joe’s, is of green beer and live music. pandemic is a fluid situation educational environment go- “She is very proven, and trying to stay positive. Jeff Stewart ordered and so much could change ing forward and it’s going to I think she realized she is “T don’t think there’s any 12,000 commemorative even after the season begins. require a new generation of chance that OSU will not glass mugs in January, be- thinkers. thirsting for a new chal- “T’m kind of sitting on the play football this fall,” Clark fore the first COVID-19 di- “T just feel very fortunate lenge,” Garrison said. said. “I think there’s zero agnosis in the United States. edge of my seat every day that we have those people in Friesen will fit in well with chance of that. Stewart was able to make watching news, waiting this our school system who have the administrative team at “We're going to plan like the call to stop production thing out,” MacDonald said. the ability and the desire to it’s still boogying, I don’t late in the run, trimming “T don’t know how our busi- lead our schools,” he said, the high school and because have a clue whether or not 3,000 off that total. ness survives without foot- explaining educators went of her having those new that’s actually going to hap- While most of the glass- ball. ... I think there'll be a through COVID-19 and “I ideas, she will help take the ware would normally be think we're going to look Eskimo Joe’s is in a bit sold during and after the ton of businesses going out back in 10 years and this is district into a new arena of better position than some event, much of those cases of business if there’s no col- going to be a pivotal time education, Garrison said. other businesses because of still remain at O’Connell’s. lege football.”