Lawton schools report rising enrollment and expanded hands-on courses

Principals of LVA Virtual Academy, the Douglas Learning Center and Cleveland Elementary told the Lawton Public Schools Board on Jan. 31 that enrollment is growing and the district is expanding in-person and career-focused offerings.

Kelly Collins, principal of LVA Virtual Academy (K–8) and Gateway Middle School, told the board that LVA currently serves about 200 elementary and about 300 middle-school students and that the combined program is on track to reach “probably closer to 600 or 650 by May.” She said Gateway Middle School grew from one teacher with about 15 students to two teachers serving about 30 students and that the program would add another teacher if space becomes available. Collins described monthly in-person STEM days, the Exact Path and Lexia reading and math programs and an “in-person Fridays” learning lab where teachers come to students for one-hour recaps.

Jenny Mason, who oversees the Douglas Learning Center and its high school program, said the center’s current enrollment across programs is 898 students and that the center serves up to 24 students at the juvenile detention center. Mason said the high school program adds elective, career-path coursework — auto mechanics, culinary, guitar, dance, forensic science and other electives — and that more students are taking concurrent enrollment and VOTEC/LRC opportunities. She said the district’s approach focuses on “reengaging those students, finding ways to get them to be successful and to graduate.” Mason provided graduation counts for context: 213 graduates in 2022 and 279 in 2024, the latter including 36 students previously considered dropouts.

Dr. Snavely, principal at Cleveland Elementary, presented the school’s music and arts programs and noted its roughly 330 students, a high free-and-reduced-price-lunch population and a broad base of experienced teachers. Cleveland’s choir and recorder ensembles perform in district concerts and community events; Snavely noted a new grant-funded project with the arts council for a fourth-grade music showcase and said the school is emphasizing “goal area 1” of the district strategic plan.

Board members and staff asked logistical questions about space and program capacity; principals repeatedly noted that some expansions are contingent on available classroom space and staffing. Several presenters thanked the board for recent purchases such as 10 guitars and for support of equipment (a laser cutter was cited as a roughly $12,000 purchase for career-tech classes).

The presentations were given during the board’s regular meeting; the board did not take separate formal action on the program presentations themselves.