The four-day school week, on the other hand, will be re-evaluated every year, Kibbe said.

That’s little consolation to parents like Chris Buhler, who is irked by the school board’s decisions to move to a four-day week and, more recently, use surplus money from land sales to pay for the press box.

The $1.5 million construction contract for the press box project was approved at a special meeting July 18. The district is using $824,000 in funds designated for the project plus nearly $673,000 from land sales.

The land fund money could have been transferred to the general fund for operating expenses. The district dipped into those funds for that purpose last year after two state revenue failures reduced allocations to schools across the state, Kibbe said.

He said the fund isn’t depleted, so the school is prepared if another state budget shortfall occurs.

Two Catoosa board members, Amy Shouse and Dean Miller, voted against the press box proposal but neither would speak with Oklahoma Watch about their decision.

Buhler, who grew up in Catoosa and whose daughters attend Catoosa schools, said he would like to see the board focus on other priorities.