Points to student successes, capital projects, safety
Newcastle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cathy Walker told members of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce that the district is beginning the new school year with strong enrollment, numerous academic and extracurricular accomplishments and continued work on projects approved through a 2022 bond issue.
Walker spoke at the Chamber’s State of the Schools luncheon, where she reported that district enrollment currently stands at 2,553 students. She said Newcastle remains a Class 5A school under the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association classification system.
Walker said the district had a successful 2025-26 school year, pointing to accomplishments in athletics, academics, music, band, color guard and other activities. Among the highlights she cited were the graduation of 204 seniors, including six valedictorians. She also said 75 students at the high school are members of the National Honor Society and that Newcastle students received nearly $2 million in scholarships.
At the middle school, Walker said the district established a National Junior Honor Society chapter with 80 members. The district’s youngest students also had a significant reading accomplishment. Walker said students at the Early Childhood Center read 69,969 books last year as they worked toward a goal of 100,000 books. She said the ECC has already recorded 6,390 books during the current school year.
Other accomplishments Walker highlighted included a thirdplace finish by Newcastle Middle School in a worldwide reading challenge, the continued expansion of the district’s virtual program, and the implementation of the Great Expectations charactereducation program at the elementary school, with the program also being introduced at the ECC and middle school.
At Newcastle High School, Walker pointed to the district’s first aviation student completing a solo flight and the creative writing club publishing its first book. Newcastle’s FFA chapter received a State Superior Chapter designation, while the student section was recognized as the OSSAA “Student Section of the Year” for the state of Oklahoma, according to Walker. Students also contributed to the community, raising approximately $25,000 during a fundraising effort, she said.
Bond Projects Continue
A substantial portion of Walker’s presentation focused on the district’s 2022 bond issue for $77,025,000, which provided funding for numerous capital projects. Walker said 15 of the 22 bond projects have been completed, with seven still in progress. She emphasized that the district is continuing to fulfill the commitments made to voters when the bond was approved.
Construction and renovation projects discussed during the presentation included additions and improvements at Newcastle High School, a new chemistry laboratory, cafeteria improvements, a new band room, baseball and softball field renovations, and other facility work. Walker also highlighted the completion of safe rooms at the middle school.
Other completed projects included improvements to the elementary- school playground, fencing, and safety and security improvements, stadium lighting, the road behind the elementary school, band uniforms, air conditioning at the high school gymnasium, and the road connecting the middle school and Early Childhood Center. Walker said the new road has also helped reduce traffic on Main Street.
The district plans to continue spending bond-related funds over the next several years on textbooks, technology, and on maintenance. Walker said safety and security remain the district’s top priority.
Future Bond Needs
Walker said she frequently is asked what will happen after the last bond issue was defeated. She said the district must observe a 90-day waiting period before the school board can decide how to proceed. After that period, Walker said she expects to reconvene the district’s bond committee.
The committee will review a list of needs that Walker described as being on a “whiteboard” that continues to grow. Among the options to be considered will be whether the district can increase its bonding capacity, and whether they should wait and place additional needs into a larger future bond issue, or pursue another approach. Walker said she does not yet know which option the district will pursue.
“What I do know,” she said, “is the needs on the whiteboard aren’t going away, and the needs continue to grow every year.”
One of her highest priorities is a storm shelter for students at the elementary school. Walker recalled visiting the school after a tornadorelated incident in which the roof was damaged. She said she was grateful the incident occurred at approximately 1 a.m., rather than during the school day. She said the area where students would have traveled to reach a storm shelter was located in the middle of the affected area.
“That’s reality. That’s real,” Walker said, emphasizing the importance she places on providing a storm shelter at the elementary school.
Walker said the district will begin discussing its future needs with the bond committee in the coming months and that additional information will be provided to the community as decisions are made.
Looking Ahead
Walker also described a number of activities already underway during the 2026-27 school year.
Elementary fifth-graders are participating in a residential science experience at Camp Goddard, which Walker described as one of the district’s most valuable elementary programs because of the hands-on learning and interaction between students and parents.
FCCLA officers have attended a conference, while the FFA chapter continues to set records with its chicken dinner fundraiser.
Middle school students have held a dance and elected student council officers.
Walker also encouraged community members to participate in school activities throughout the year, including homecoming, the Tri-City Marching Festival, the county fair, literacy nights and winter concerts.
She closed by thanking Newcastle’s community partners for their continued support of the school district.
“We could not do what we do without you and our community partners,” Walker said, noting that the list of organizations and individuals supporting Newcastle Public Schools continues to grow.
The superintendent’s message to Chamber members was that the district is continuing to expand its programs and facilities while preparing for additional needs as the Newcastle community grows.
