The room was filled for the April 6 Pryor Public Schools Board of Education meeting as students, staff, and administrators gathered to celebrate Tiger successes from across the district. Highlights included campus achievements, championship honors, and recognition of outstanding educators.
Both honorary student board members, Vansh Chauhan and Brinlee England, were present for the meeting and joined in recognizing the accomplishments of their classmates and teachers.
One of the evening’s featured presentations came from Lincoln Early Childhood Center Principal Leannette Ballard and Lincoln Elementary Principal Dr. Amber Wilkins. They shared with the Board updates on academic growth and campus culture. Ballard described student growth in the early childhood grades. Wilkins addressed academic growth, telling the Board that once students returned from Christmas break and began working in targeted math groups, their math scores increased exponentially.
Dr. Wilkins went on to describe Lincoln Elementary’s five-year effort to build a resilient campus culture. She told board members that the work began with embracing vulnerability, acknowledging imperfections, and learning to work together as a team by building on one another’s strengths and providing support where needed.
From years two through four, Wilkins said the campus focused on developing a strong sense of belonging and community for both students and staff. In the fifth year, that work resulted in a sense of ownership among faculty members—a shared feeling that Lincoln is “my campus, my place.” 
Wilkins pointed to one especially powerful data trend to show the impact of that cultural work.
“It’s usually not good when the line of the graph goes down,” she told the board, but she said that in this case, the descending line shows a dramatic decrease in teacher turnover over the last five years.
The measurable results show certified staff turnover dropping from 30 percent in the 2021-2022 school year to zero in the 2025-2026 school year, resulting in a 100 percent certified staff retention rate.
Next the Pryor High School LifeSmarts team addressed the board, accompanied by sponsors Sharon Rash and Bea Roberson. Team members shared about their recent state championship and their upcoming opportunity to compete at the national level in Orlando, Florida.
During the presentation, board members were invited to answer sample LifeSmarts competition questions. Each member rose to the challenge, and as a group missed only one question. Board President Fred Sordahl congratulated the team and expressed pride in their success.
Building principals also introduced their site Teachers of the Year, recognizing the excellence and dedication these educators bring to their campuses each day. Honorees included:
Pryor High School: Tami Rowling
Pryor Middle School: Tammy Jenkins
Lincoln Elementary School: Amanda Doye
Roosevelt Elementary: Delia Gietzen
Jefferson Elementary: Jessica Shrum
In other action, the board approved several new staff positions for the 2026-2027 school year to help meet the needs of the district’s growing student population. Approved positions included:
Special Education Teacher, Pryor Middle School
Special Education Coordinator
4th Grade Teacher, Lincoln Elementary School
Director of Personnel, Pryor Education Service Center
In another item of business, the board voted to declare Board Seat 2 vacant. Branson Perry recently moved out of Ward 2, which required him to resign. The district will post more information soon about how to apply for the open seat.
Additional business addressed during the meeting included approval of a school district budget adjustment for the 2026-2027 school year and the encumbrance report and other expense reports presented by CFO Tiffany Bonfiglio.
The board approved an agreement with Scheffel Photography for school photography services for the 2026-2027 school year.
In support of employee wellness, board members approved an Employee Assistance Program services agreement with CuraLinc Healthcare, providing an additional benefit for Pryor Public Schools employees.
The April 6 meeting reflected the strong momentum across Pryor Public Schools, with student achievement, staff excellence, and forward-looking planning all taking center stage.