Muskogee Public Schools

ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD: Professional Achievement, Stacy Leeds, J.D. Stacy Leeds is a 1990 graduate of Muskogee High School. While in high school Leeds excelled in both academics and athletics, following her high school career with collegiate athletics at Washington University in St. Louis where she was part of two Division III Final Four teams. She went on to earn law degrees from University of Wisconsin (LL.M.) and University of Tulsa (J.D.), and a master’s in business from University of Tennessee. Leeds’ remarkable career includes being the first Indigenous woman to serve as a law school dean. She was dean of University of Arkansas School of Law (2011-2018) and the inaugural Vice Chancellor for Economic Development, University of Arkansas (2017-2020). In 2021 she became Foundation Professor of Law and Leadership for the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2018. Additionally, she was named a nonresident fellow of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University. Leeds was a former administrator and professor at University of Kansas and University of North Dakota. She is a former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice and former Chair of the Cherokee Nation Gaming Commission. She is a founding board member and treasurer of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, a congressionally-chartered non-profit and corporate board member for Kituwah LLC. Leeds currently serves as the chief judge of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation's District Court, the associate judge of the Kaw Nation's Supreme Court, and the chief justice of the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma's Supreme Court. She was inducted into the Muskogee Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD: Young Career Achievement, Dawaylon Barnes Dawaylon Barnes graduated from Muskogee High School with the Class of 2014. While at MHS he was enrolled in pre-engineering courses under instructor Janet Lopez. He was also a dedicated athlete who earned numerous recognitions, including the State Champion in wrestling in 2014. This was followed by an athletic career first winning the JUCO National Championship at North Eastern Oklahoma A & M and NJCAA Academic All American. He transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He also participated in the OU wrestling program, finishing fifth at the Big 12 Championships to earn an automatic entry to the 2018 NCAA Championships. He went on to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at OU and is currently a senior mechanical engineer for KBR, Inc., an engineering firm in Oklahoma City. He was inducted into the Muskogee Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.

ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD: Lifetime Achievement, Dr. Wilbur Thomas Wilbur G. Thomas, Senior Class President of the Manual Training High School Class of 1964, left a remarkable lifetime legacy. He was a graduate of Oklahoma State University, the University of Illinois, receiving a doctorate in Animal Science, and a post-doctoral degree from Syracuse University in Public Administration. In 1977 he received a commission with the U.S. Foreign Service with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Southern Africa, serving in Guinea, Burkina-Faso, Liberia, Cape Verde, Senegal, Mauritania and Mali. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Monrovia in Liberia. Dr. Thomas served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was a decorated veteran.

ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD: Lifetime Achievement, W. Richard West, Jr., J.D. W. Richard West, Jr. was president of the Muskogee Central High School Class of 1961. Following graduation he attended Redlands University where he received a degree in American history followed by a master’s degree in American history at Harvard University, and a juris doctorate from Stanford University. A citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, West was instrumental as founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., which also includes the George Gustav Heye Center (a permanent exhibition and education facility in New York City), and the Cultural Resources Center (a research and collections facility in Suitland, Maryland). He has devoted his professional life and much of his personal life to working with American Indians on cultural, educational, legal and governmental issues, as well as to American museum conservation. This work reflects the strong Native American history and heritage that was influential in Muskogee, our state and country.

Due to remaining ice and snow on side streets and in parking lots, Muskogee Public Schools will be closed on Friday, February 21, for all Pre-K through 12th-grade students. This will be a traditional snow day with no distance learning required. All after-school activities are canceled. Coaches and directors will provide updates on specific events as needed. Enjoy the long weekend, stay safe, and we’ll see you back on Monday, Roughers!

Due to hazardous road conditions, Muskogee Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, February 20, for all Pre-K through 12th-grade students. This will be another traditional snow day with no distance learning. All after-school activities, including any rescheduled events, remain canceled. Coaches and directors will provide updates on specific events as needed. District leaders will continue to monitor the weather and assess conditions on a day-by-day basis. Stay safe and warm, Roughers!

Due to continuing inclement weather, Muskogee Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, for all Pre-K through 12th-grade students. This will be another traditional snow day with no distance learning. All after-school activities, including any rescheduled events, remain canceled. Coaches and directors will provide updates on specific events as needed. District leaders will continue to monitor the weather and assess conditions on a day-by-day basis. Please stay safe and take care!

Due to anticipated inclement weather, Muskogee Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, February 18, for all Pre-K through 12th-grade students. This will be a traditional snow day with no distance learning. All after-school activities, including the regularly scheduled board meeting, are canceled. Coaches and directors will provide updates on specific events as needed. No decision has been made about Wednesday at this time. District leaders will continue to monitor the weather and assess conditions on a day-by-day basis. Stay safe and warm, Roughers! ❄️

Happy Valentine’s Day, Roughers! ❤️ Today we are celebrating the heart of our district and the moments that make MPS special. Drop a comment and tag someone who brings kindness and joy to our district. #TheMuskogeeWay

REMINDER: There will be no school Monday, February 17, 2025 to allow professional development for our teachers and staff. We will see you back in school on Tuesday, February 18!

EARLY RELEASE TOMORROW: All schools throughout the district will release early tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, 2025. All Pre-K students will be released at 12:30 p.m. All kindergarten through 5th grade students will be released at 1:00 p.m. All 6th through 12th grade students will be released at 1:45 p.m. Daily schedules will be modified to allow students to meet with all of their teachers and have lunch before being dismissed for the day. After school transportation including bus routes and car lines will operate as usual but take place at earlier times. After school programming and activities will not take place. Parents should plan accordingly for childcare. Additional instructions for secondary athletes will be provided by school administration and coaches. For more information, parents should contact their child’s principal or coach.

February is Black History Month! This month and always, we honor and find strength in our diversity. 💚 #TheMuskogeeWay

It's National School Counseling Week (#NSCW25), and we’re celebrating the incredible impact our school counselors have on Muskogee students! Whether they are supporting academic success, guiding career and college planning, or helping students navigate social and emotional growth, our counselors are always there to listen, encourage, and uplift. Their dedication makes a difference every day! Take a moment this week to show your appreciation for the amazing counselors at Muskogee Public Schools. Thank you, MPS counselors! 💚 #TheMuskogeeWay

This weekend, our Indoor Percussion and Colorguard teams kicked off their season at the Winter Guard & Percussion of Oklahoma competition. Indoor Percussion took 1st place in their class, and Colorguard earned 3rd place. Huge congratulations to these talented students and directors—we can't wait to see what’s next! 🎉 #TheMuskogeeWay

Here is a snippet of our Instructional Calendar for February: - Feb 12: Early Release Day - Feb 17: Professional Development - No School To view the full 2024-25 Instructional Calendar, visit https://www.muskogeeps.org/o/mps/page/instructional-calendars

Muskogee Public Schools proudly hosted the venue for the 2025 State of Muskogee! It was an honor to once again showcase our facilities and have our Muskogee High School Air Force JROTC cadets represent our district with outstanding leadership. #TheMuskogeeWay 💚

Muskogee Dance is Nationals Bound! Our Muskogee Dance Team is heading to UDA Nationals at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida! They’ll take the floor in the Medium Varsity Division, Game Day this Friday at 12:15 PM CST. You can watch live with a paid stream at: https://tv.varsity.com/watch Let’s show them our Rougher Pride as they take the national stage! Drop a 💚 in the comments to send them good luck! #TheMuskogeeWay #UDANationals

✨ Spring 2025 Family Engagement Nights! ✨ Muskogee High School: FAFSA and OK Promise Assistance Nights: January 28, 4:00–7:00 PM, February 13, 4:00–7:00 PM, & February 25, 4:00–7:00 PM 8th & 9th Grade Academy: Student Involvement Fair: March 6, 5:30–7:00 PM 6th & 7th Grade Academy Gear up for Life: Family Leadership Academy: March 28, 8:30-3:30 PM at OSU-IT Okmulgee Sadler Arts Academy Parent Engagement Night: For the Love of Reading: February 25, 4:30-6:00 PM Creek Elementary Family Game Night: February 27, 5:00–7:00 PM Irving Elementary Family Night: February 6, 3:30–5:30 PM Tony Goetz Elementary Literacy Night/Title I Parent Outreach: March 4, 5:00–6:30 PM Pershing Elementary Spring Fling Literacy Night: April 10, 4:00–6:00 PM Cherokee Elementary Family Literacy Night: March 10, 5:00-6:30 PM Early Childhood Center Literacy Night: March 6, 4:30-6:30 PM

We are honored to receive the 2024 AIA Eastern Oklahoma People’s Choice Award in K-12 Architecture for Rougher Village! A special thank you to GH2 Architects for stopping by to celebrate this incredible achievement with us and for their vision and dedication to this project. 💚 Learn more about Rougher Village here: https://bit.ly/4dVuQTz

In honor of School Board Appreciation Month, Muskogee Public Schools would like to thank our dedicated Board of Education members: Bobby Jefferson, Tommy Anderson, Larry Stewart, Debra Horsechief, and Danny Shiew, for their unwavering commitment and service. Their leadership and devotion to putting students first make a lasting difference in our schools, our community, and the lives of our Rougher students and families. 💚🤍 #TheMuskogeeWay