Former teacher recalls planning, federal push and community transition to Freedom school

A former teacher recalled how federal funding, months of planning and community walkthroughs led to the opening of Freedom, a consolidated school serving military families near Fort Sill.

The teacher said then-superintendent Barry Beacham met with Rep. Tom Cole and Sen. Inhofe and began seeking federal funds to replace aging schools that served military children. A congressional committee visited installations to assess school conditions, and the project was one of several prioritized; the speaker said the installation ended up "number 3 on the list as far as the installations that were getting new schools."

The teacher described a year or two of regular planning meetings before the school opened to work out procedures such as car lines and bus access. "So every single detail had been very thought out. A procedure was set, and so it was a seamless transition on everyone's part," the teacher said. Staff and teachers from the consolidated campuses, including Sheridan Road and Toronto Road, coordinated closely and allowed students to tour the new building before moving day.

The speaker recounted how students and parents were invited to a back-to-school night to find classrooms and bring backpacks, which eased the transition for families who had not seen the new building. "It was electric coming from a teacher's perspective," the teacher said, noting that new desks and teacher equipment helped generate excitement.

The custodian, Charles Tade, was singled out for maintaining the building's appearance. The teacher said Tade came from Sheridan Road during the transition and kept the facility clean throughout his nine years there, noting his efforts when special guests visited from Fort Sill or Washington, D.C.

The speaker emphasized the school culture that developed after the move: bright, colorful spaces and strong partnerships between school staff and military families. "Freedom just has a feel. When you walk in, no matter what, you walk through those doors and you're gonna be happy," the teacher said.

The remarks combined memory of the federal funding push, operational preparations before opening, and the local staff and community contributions that shaped the school's early years.