Justus-Tiawah Public Schools' plan for new storm shelters

School districts across Oklahoma are working to ensure students have safe places to shelter during severe storms.

Construction is set to begin soon on new storm shelters for Justus-Tiawah Public Schools in Claremore, after the building sustained damage from 2024's EF-3 tornado.

Although students and staff were not on campus when the tornado hit, the storm and its aftermath highlighted the need for improved safety measures. The district’s current shelters are limited in space and outdated.

What upgrades are coming to Justus-Tiawah Public School buildings?

Big changes are coming to the district’s north campus, where students currently have to go outside in between classes to reach different buildings. After voters approved a $12 million bond, plans include connecting existing buildings and building a new storm shelter that will also serve as a library, kitchen, and cafeteria.

“So that’s something, even from a, not just a safety standpoint but from a security standpoint that makes a big difference for us,” said Dr. Shane Boothe, Superintendent of Justus-Tiawah Public Schools.

Boothe explained that while the district has designated spaces for severe weather, they are not ideal.

“Here, we have one locker room in our gym that’s a secure space, but that obviously doesn’t fit everyone that’s on campus here,” Dr. Boothe said.

Six miles away, the district’s south campus has its own shelter, but it is not enough. The storm shelter there is dark, musty, and cramped.

School leaders are looking forward to an upgrade, which could be ready by next year’s storm season.

Despite the shelter’s condition, South Campus Principal Greg Kelley said students don’t seem to mind.

“The kids actually like it I think more than the adults. They think it’s fun to go down underground,” Kelley said.

Kelley noted that students have only used the shelter for drills in recent years.

“It’s tight. It’s not, probably the cleanest, like our new storm shelter will be, but it works,” he said.

Personal experience leads to the push for change

The push for new shelters began before last year’s tornado and before Dr. Boothe became superintendent two years ago. However, the project was one he fully supported, given his past experiences.

“Yeah, every school. I’m four for four on getting hit by tornados. The good thing, when it’s time to retire, is that I’ve never been hit twice,” Dr. Boothe said.

Dr. Boothe has worked in districts impacted by tornadoes in Mangum, Tipton, and Cordell. In 2019, a tornado struck Mangum’s school district just days after summer break began. In 2011, a twister hit Tipton while students sheltered inside, and in 2001, Cordell’s elementary school was damaged by a tornado, though no one was there when it happened.

“Just kind of an act of God. We had a transformer that blew at noon that day, so school was canceled at noon even though the tornado came through at 4:30, which would have been the time we were having ball practice and everything else so that was just the good Lord taking care of us there and that’s part of it, just walk by faith and do the best you can,” Dr. Boothe said.

Dr. Boothe showed the damage left behind by 2024's Claremore tornado, including destruction to the district’s old gym. With construction beginning soon, Dr. Boothe is reassured knowing the district is taking proactive steps to protect students and staff.

“Having that place, knowing that it’s here, knowing it’s a safe, secure environment, that’s what we’re all about,” Dr. Boothe said.

Other stories you may be interested in:

Revisiting Sulphur: 1 year after devastating tornado

Inside the vortex: How a 3D-printed drone captures unprecedented data

Tracking Storms in Real-Time: Inside the nerve center of News On 6's severe weather coverage

Unravel the weather: How Oklahoma's climate inspires cozy, colorful creations

Returning to Barnsdall: 1 year after E-4 tornado devastated town

‘Something told me to get out:' Claremore man on surviving 2024 tornado