Claremore Students Celebrate Return To School With 'Senior Sunrise'

Claremore Public Schools are back in class for the start of the new school year, and the seniors at Claremore High School kicked off the new year with their annual senior sunrise.

The seniors got together at Lantow Field just after 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise and enjoy some breakfast before heading off to class. Students and teachers say the senior sunrise represents the sun rising at the start of a brand new school year. It's also the same spot where students will end the year with their high school graduation.

Superintendent Bryan Frazier said he and all the teachers and staff are ready for the new school year to start so they can see their students again.

Students and staff are also dealing with the aftermath of severe storms that hit Claremore in the spring. Frazier said the district didn't sustain much damage, but it did work to help those in need.

“I think probably the thing that we did immediately was we wanted to find out what the impact was for our immediate families, and that includes staff, and we were able to get out there and to immediately feed them in the areas that were really hit the worst,” Frazier said.

Frazier said he believes the district is also in a good position with staffing. This includes bus driver positions and other support staff as well as overall teacher positions.

New this year, Frazier said the district got a new director of fine arts. It's the first time the district has had someone in that role, and he's excited about the direction of the program under the new director.