Thanks to the support of Tulsa voters, the 2015 Bond revitalized Edison Preparatory School with major renovations that created brighter, more comfortable, and flexible learning spaces for students. The 2021 Bond for Tulsa Public Schools will continue that building modernization with safety improvements, investments in STEM, auditorium upgrades, athletic facility updates, and high school cafeteria renovations. In total, the 2021 Bond for Tulsa Public Schools will invest $15.8 million to make the student experiences even better at Edison middle and high school.

The bond package includes almost $400,000 in upgrades to STEM labs across the school, continuing much-needed work that was started with the 2015 bond.

“To me, investing in STEM is investing in students’ curiosity,” said Edison Principal Clay Vinyard. “As a science teacher, your job is to teach kids the scientific method. It's about discovering, trying things out, seeing if they work, if they don't try something else. To me, all STEM is based upon understanding the world around you. I think that's why science is so important.”

Principal Vinyard said the goal is to get all students in classrooms that are functional so they can focus on learning.

The proposed 2021 Bond for Tulsa Public Schools will also be used to install a new sound system in the fieldhouse, resurface the track and tennis courts, and replace the turf on the field.

“There's nothing more unsafe than courts that aren’t maintained properly,” explained Principal Vinyard. “Whether we're talking about new gym floors, new gyms, new football fields, the courts and the fields our students play on are important to their safety and I don't think people talk about that enough. When we’re investing in these things, we want the top of line for our athletes to keep them safe and make sure that they can train well so they can find success.” 

All Edison High School students, teachers, and support professionals will benefit from the proposed expansion and renovation of the high school cafeteria, which would include both indoor and outdoor seating.

“We have to run three lunches right now in order to accommodate all of our students,” said Principal Vinyard. “It’s a ton of lunches and a ton of people having to monitor those lunches.”

The new cafeteria would not only allow the school to run fewer lunch periods, but it would also allow students to use the space outside of mealtimes. The new design is intended to transform the cafeteria into a flexible, multi-use space where students can work on projects together.

“The concept is investing in repurposing those spaces so that they become what we call hard-working spaces," explained Chief Finance and Operations Officer Jorge Robles. "Kids can go in and have their nutritious meals but the spaces are also set up with the right type of furniture and Wi-Fi so that when it's not lunchtime they can use it as a space where they can go to work, collaborate, and have break-out spaces that support learning experiences."

You can find more information and details on each proposition at www.tulsaschools.org/2021bond. The proposed bond package is designed to keep property taxes level.

The deadline to register to vote in the June 8 election is Friday, May 14, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5pm on Tuesday, June 1. You can find notary information here and here. 

Early voting is available on Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4 from 8am-6pm at the Tulsa County Election Board. The Tulsa Voter Van will provide free rides to the polls for Tulsa voters. Contact them at 918-200-9153 or www.tulsavotervan.com. Click here to find your polling place.