By passing the 2015 bond issue, Tulsa voters have given students at two high schools the opportunity to enjoy much-needed upgrades to their sports facilities.

McLain High School’s new 41,000 square foot fieldhouse officially opened right before Thanksgiving break. It includes seating for 1,100 fans, a hospitality room, a practice room for the wrestling team, and auxiliary courts.

“It means a lot. It means we can hold a lot more people. It means fans have something to look forward to. [It means] we can get alumni back in our building. It means first class facilities for our kids. It means the world,” said Interim Principal Renee Rabovsky.

The Rogers school community broke ground on their new stadium in October. The facility will hold about 1,000 football, soccer, and track fans and allow Rogers athletes to compete at their own school for the first time.

“It’s been a long, long time since there’s been a stadium erected in the City of Tulsa, and we’re glad to be a part of that. It’s been a labor of love to get to this point. We are certainly excited about the future of Will Rogers’s athletics,” Tulsa Public Schools Athletic Director Gil Cloud said at the groundbreaking.

The stadium is set to be completed for the 2020-2021 school year. With these new facilities, we have an opportunity to name these spaces in a way that reflects our core values and the communities that they will serve.

Superintendent Deborah Gist announced at the December 2^nd School Board meeting that Gil Cloud will be the chair of both ad hoc naming committees.

The naming committee for the Rogers stadium includes:

• Nikki Dennis, Principal
• Krystel Markwardt, Rogers Athletics Director
• Carlin Adkism, teacher
• Parker Childers, teacher
• Nicole Branch, parent
• Mahogany Fowler, parent
• Carol Axley, community member
• JoAnn Mead Lewis, community member
• Marcal Johnson, student
• Jania Wester, board member

McLain's naming committee includes:

• Renee Rabovsky, Principal
• Phillip Johnson, McLain Athletics Director
• Jamar Louie, teacher
• Resha Vo, teacher
• Lisa Wolfe, parent
• Ashley Johnson, parent
• Mike Mims, community member
• Wanda Sizemore, community member
• Carlos Requena, student
• On'Hay Phillips, student
• Jennettie Marshall, board member

Name suggestions can be submitted via email to Gil Cloud. There will also be a survey available online and at the schools.

In early 2020, the naming committee will hold a public forum to discuss the submissions before they submit recommendations to the Board for the stadium and fieldhouse. The committee is seeking names for the basketball court and hospitality room within the McLain fieldhouse as well.

We have also received a request from CAP Tulsa Executive Director Steven Dow to begin the facility naming process for the ECDC Reed building. Executive Director of Early Childhood Education Kelly Kane will serve as chair of that ad hoc committee. Community members can send their suggestions for naming the ECDC Reed building to Kelly via email. We will share information about that ad hoc committee on our website as soon as we finalize its members.

We look forward to hearing your ideas. More information about the facility naming process can be found in Board Policy 8102.