Vinita Public Schools

06/14/2026

Happy Flag Day from Vinita Public Schools!

Did you know the American flag has been waving since 1777? That's almost 250 years ago!

The red, white, and blue mean something special — and there's a really cool story about how Flag Day got started thanks to a teacher, just like yours!
Want to learn more fun facts about our flag? Ask a grown-up to help you visit: www.history.com/articles/what-is-flag-day

And if you'd like to become a Vinita Hornet, we'd love to have you! Reach out to us at:
[email protected]

Go Hornets!

06/10/2026

Jadyn is an alum of Vinita Public Schools and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College ! Congratulations! 👏

🎉 NEO Graduate Earns Prestigious State Scholarship

Congratulations to recent NEO graduate Jadyn McDonald on receiving the 2026 Chancellor Glen D. Johnson Scholarship in Leadership and Public Service! One of only two recipients from Oklahoma's public two-year colleges, Jadyn was recognized for outstanding leadership, community service, and commitment to public service. 💙💛

06/09/2026

Planning Your 2026-27 Family Vacation

Are you already dreaming about your next family adventure? Great news — Vinita Public Schools has bu...

06/07/2026

A few of us from VPS had such a wonderful time tonight at the Home of Hope June Banquet!

We sat with over 200 folks from our community to listen to Dr. Ralph Richardson. He talked about helping grown-ups with disabilities. His words were inspirational.

In Vinita schools, our special education teachers work very hard. They help our kids learn and grow every single day. It is so great to know that when our students grow up, a place like Home of Hope is there to keep loving and helping them to transition well into adulthood. It takes all of us working together!

I am so proud to live in a place that takes care of all of our people. Thank you to Dr. Richardson and the whole Home of Hope team for a great night! 💙

06/06/2026

Thank you for choosing to serve, Jaiden!

The U.S. Air Force identifies its primary mantras as the official motto “Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win” and three core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Photo by Angela Thomason
Jaiden Elix, who enlisted with the United States Air Force, was recognized at the VHS Senior Awards program held in the Ewing Halsell Middle School auditorium.
See this in Tuesday’s edition in print and online at reidnewspapers.com/vinitadailyjournal

06/04/2026

🎉 WE DID IT! 🎉

Great news, Hornet family! A few years ago, we learned our schools needed extra help to raise our scores. And our teachers, principals, and scholars went to work. Today, we are proud to say we are officially off the state's "needs help" list! We climbed out of the bottom 5% and reached our big goals!

This is a huge win for our whole town, and we want to celebrate with YOU!

📅 When: This Monday at 5:30 PM
🧁 What: A fun reception with mini cupcakes & M&Ms!
📍 Who: We are celebrating Vinita Elementary: Hall-Halsell Elementary & Will Rogers Elementary and Vinita High School!
🗺️ Where: Vinita HS Cafeteria

Thank you for helping us build a stronger, safer community for our kids. See you Monday for some sweet treats!

Read the full story here: https://www.vinitahornets.com/article/2844093

06/02/2026

Big Trucks and Big Changes for Our Schools!

Look at our parking lots! We have giant yellow trucks, rollers, and big stacks of new roofing blocks ready to go. The heavy lifting has officially started to fix up our schools! Our workers are busy putting a brand-new roof on the High School, the rain may have slowed the outside start. They are also fixing the windows at the Middle School gym and giving us a new, safe power box. Over at Hall-Halsell Elementary, big tractors are moving dirt to build a brand-new, strong storm shelter to keep our kids safe, with a bus loop, and a parking lot for our staff!

Because the big trucks are working hard, the North parking lot at the High School and the West lot at Hall-Halsell are closed for the summer. We moved our fun summer activities to Will Rogers Elementary so everyone stays safe. Thank you for being patient while we build a better, stronger school for our Vinita Hornets!

Want to see more cool details? Keep an eye out for a story coming soon (now online) in the Vinita Daily Journal! Mrs. Angela Thomasson wrote a great newspaper piece to show our whole town how these awesome projects are coming to life.

05/26/2026

Calling all Hornets, Neighbors, and Vinita Alum! We need your voice. What does it truly mean to wear the royal blue and white? 🔵⚪ Earlier this May, we sat down with our Student Advisory Council to start defining the core traits of the Hornet Identity. After collaborating with our staff, community members, and families, we are ready to open the floor to the entire community and our incredible alumni network. We want to know: 1️⃣ What is the number-one, non-negotiable trait a Vinita student should possess? 2️⃣ How can we make sure every new face feels like they belong from day one? 3️⃣ What should people think of when they see our colors out in the community? Whether you graduated decades ago, have kids in our classrooms today, or run a business right here on Route 66, your perspective matters. Help us lock in our district's core values by taking our quick 3-minute survey. 👉 Tap the link to share your voice: https://forms.gle/iUo1ynbA9PsJ2wzb9 Schools

05/25/2026

Community & Remembrance

Today, Vinita Public Schools joins our community and nation in celebrating Memorial Day—a sacred time dedicated to mourning and honoring the deceased service men and women who gave everything to protect our freedoms.

Although our schools are closed for the summer, our gratitude remains constant. We encourage our Hornet families to take a moment today to remember the true cost of our liberty and to honor the local heroes who never made it home.

To explore the profound history of this day of remembrance, you can read more here: https://www.cem.va.gov/history/Memorial-Day-history.asp
May we always remember. 🇺🇸🌾

05/19/2026

The idea for these projects started with a facilities review over two years ago, moved to our first Royal Blue Ribbon Committee meetings 18 months ago, and became a reality when our community passed the February 2025 Bond. Today, the heavy lifting officially began!

Crews started internal prep and draining the HVAC lines at Vinita High School, signaling the start of a transformative chapter for our district.

⚠️ CRUCIAL LOGISTICAL UPDATES:
- High School Parking: The parking lot on the North Side of the High School is now CLOSED to accommodate construction crews and equipment. Please plan alternative routes and parking accordingly.

- Ewing Halsell Middle School: Upgrades are officially underway! The MS gym windows are getting a major face-lift.
Power Outage Notice: In the near future, the Middle School will experience a temporary power shutdown. We are replacing a 75-year-old transformer to bring our power grid straight into the 21st century to support these new facilities. (We will share specific dates/times for the outage as soon as they are finalized.)

Thank you, Hornet Nation, for your patience, support, and vision. We are building a better environment for our kids, one brick and one upgraded transformer at a time! 🐝🏗️