Our youngest Roughers had the sweetest Friday thanks to our students at Rougher Alternative Academy! From egg hunts to petting bunnies—and even a visit from the Rougher Dog—it was a day full of smiles and laughter at the Early Childhood Center. 🐰💚
April is Teacher Librarian Month! 📚✨
This month, we celebrate the incredible teacher-librarians who help spark curiosity, support student learning, and foster a love of reading in our schools. A big thank you to our amazing MPS teacher-librarians:
Jana Dunlap, Gina Batie, Melissa Jones, Kimberly Pemberton, Melanie Broyles, Kim Landers, Mandy Cumbey, Cindy Summerhill, and Julie Crank.
We appreciate all you do for our students and schools! 💚
This month, we celebrate the incredible teacher-librarians who help spark curiosity, support student learning, and foster a love of reading in our schools. A big thank you to our amazing MPS teacher-librarians:
Jana Dunlap, Gina Batie, Melissa Jones, Kimberly Pemberton, Melanie Broyles, Kim Landers, Mandy Cumbey, Cindy Summerhill, and Julie Crank.
We appreciate all you do for our students and schools! 💚
Inside the April issue of Mendenhall Minutes: Celebrating our 2026 Site Educators of the Year and introducing the 2026 Support Employee of the Year finalists!
Save the Dates:
Superintendent’s Honors Banquet – April 30, 2026
Last Day of School – May 20, 2026
High School Graduation – May 22, 2026
Memorial Day – May 25, 2026
Save the Dates:
Superintendent’s Honors Banquet – April 30, 2026
Last Day of School – May 20, 2026
High School Graduation – May 22, 2026
Memorial Day – May 25, 2026
Happy #ParaprofessionalAppreciationDay 💚
From supporting learning to building connections, paraprofessionals help our students succeed in and out of the classroom.
Take a moment today to thank a paraprofessional for all they do—we are so grateful for you!
From supporting learning to building connections, paraprofessionals help our students succeed in and out of the classroom.
Take a moment today to thank a paraprofessional for all they do—we are so grateful for you!
Tony Goetz Elementary students recently attended the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, where they had the opportunity to grow as leaders alongside students from across the country.
During the academy, students participated in workshops focused on public speaking, teamwork, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Throughout the experience, they were challenged to step outside their comfort zones, build confidence, and strengthen their leadership skills.
We are so thankful for all of the community support that helps make opportunities like this possible for our students.
Our students returned inspired, empowered, and ready to bring their leadership skills back to Tony Goetz Elementary!
During the academy, students participated in workshops focused on public speaking, teamwork, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Throughout the experience, they were challenged to step outside their comfort zones, build confidence, and strengthen their leadership skills.
We are so thankful for all of the community support that helps make opportunities like this possible for our students.
Our students returned inspired, empowered, and ready to bring their leadership skills back to Tony Goetz Elementary!
Here's a snippet of our Instructional Calendar for April: No scheduled days off this month.
Looking ahead to May:
- May 20: Last Day of School
- May 22: High School Graduation
- May 25: Memorial Day
To view the full 2025-26 Instructional Calendar, visit https://www.muskogeeps.org/o/mps/page/instructional-calendars
Looking ahead to May:
- May 20: Last Day of School
- May 22: High School Graduation
- May 25: Memorial Day
To view the full 2025-26 Instructional Calendar, visit https://www.muskogeeps.org/o/mps/page/instructional-calendars
The Read, Play, Talk Bus has added more stops for spring and summer!
Join us for reading, play, and learning fun at stops throughout the community. Check out the full schedule below and come see us! 📚
For more information, visit: https://www.muskogeeps.org/page/read-play-talk
Join us for reading, play, and learning fun at stops throughout the community. Check out the full schedule below and come see us! 📚
For more information, visit: https://www.muskogeeps.org/page/read-play-talk
Our Muskogee High School Winter Guard is headed to state! 💚
This talented group has earned their spot at the State Competition next weekend in Yukon after an incredible season of dedication and growth!
We are so proud of the hard work these students have put in and can’t wait to see them take the floor with “The Beauty Between” on the state stage.
Join us in wishing them the best of luck and cheering them on as they represent Muskogee!
Muskogee High School Speech & Debate is State bound!!! 🎉
Austen Torix and Isaac Brown earned Regional Runner-Up in Humorous Duet and are headed to State.
Elizabeth Van Voast and Austen Torix also took Regional Runner-Up in Dramatic Duet, advancing to State as well.
We are so proud of these students and can’t wait to see them compete at State! 💚
Welcome back, Roughers! We hope you had an awesome spring break and are recharged for the rest of the school year. Let’s finish strong! 💚
We spy some lucky ducks 🍀 Our students were feeling festive in green before Spring Break. We hope everyone is enjoying a fun, safe, and relaxing break!
The last day of school for Muskogee Public Schools remains Wednesday, May 20, 2026.
MPS built additional instructional time into the 2025–26 calendar, which allowed the district to absorb the inclement weather days taken this winter without extending the school year.
If additional school days are missed due to inclement weather, the district may need to use the designated inclement weather days listed on the 2025-26 instructional calendar.
Muskogee High School graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026.
View the 2025–26 instructional calendar: https://www.muskogeeps.org/o/mps/page/instructional-calendars
MPS built additional instructional time into the 2025–26 calendar, which allowed the district to absorb the inclement weather days taken this winter without extending the school year.
If additional school days are missed due to inclement weather, the district may need to use the designated inclement weather days listed on the 2025-26 instructional calendar.
Muskogee High School graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026.
View the 2025–26 instructional calendar: https://www.muskogeeps.org/o/mps/page/instructional-calendars
REMINDER: No school for Spring Break, March 13-20, 2026!
We hope you have a fun and safe break, and we look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Monday, March 23, 2026.
We hope you have a fun and safe break, and we look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Last night, Muskogee Public Schools recognized Bobby Jefferson for his years of dedicated service to our district.
Jefferson served 33 years with Muskogee Public Schools and was a member of the MPS Board of Education from 2016–2026. We are grateful for his leadership, commitment, and the lasting impact he has made on our students, staff, and community.
Thank you, Mr. Jefferson, for your service to Muskogee Public Schools.
Jefferson served 33 years with Muskogee Public Schools and was a member of the MPS Board of Education from 2016–2026. We are grateful for his leadership, commitment, and the lasting impact he has made on our students, staff, and community.
Thank you, Mr. Jefferson, for your service to Muskogee Public Schools.
Our Lady Roughers basketball team is headed to the State Tournament in OKC! 🏀🏆 Let’s wish them the best of luck as they compete for the GOLD. We are so proud of these student-athletes and can’t wait to see them represent Muskogee at the big house! Go Roughers!
Muskogee Public Schools is proud to celebrate Stacy Leeds, a 1990 graduate of Muskogee High School, who has been named the new president of the University of Tulsa.
While at Muskogee High School, Leeds excelled in both academics and athletics before continuing her academic and athletic career at Washington University in St. Louis. She went on to build a remarkable career in law and higher education, becoming the first Indigenous woman to serve as a law school dean and holding leadership roles at universities across the country.
A former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice and 2015 inductee into the Muskogee Athletic Hall of Fame, Leeds was also previously honored with the Muskogee Public Schools Alumni Excellence Award for Professional Achievement.
We are proud to call her a Rougher and celebrate this incredible achievement. Congratulations, President Leeds!
We had a blast celebrating Read Across America last week! Check out these students at Sadler Arts Academy dressed up as their favorite Dr. Seuss characters! 📚
We’re celebrating Maintenance Appreciation Day at Muskogee Public Schools!
Thank you to our incredible maintenance team for the hard work you put in every day to keep our schools safe, clean, and running smoothly for our students and staff. We appreciate everything you do!
Thank you to our incredible maintenance team for the hard work you put in every day to keep our schools safe, clean, and running smoothly for our students and staff. We appreciate everything you do!
REMINDER: Parent/Teacher Conferences are this Monday and Tuesday, March 9th & 10th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at all school sites. For more information, please reach out to your child's school.
This morning, Dr. Mendenhall spent some time at Cherokee Elementary celebrating Read Across America. There is nothing better than seeing our youngest Roughers excited about books and storytelling! 📚✨
