No commitment was made to purchase artificial turf for Kingfisher High School’s football and softball fields.

But further steps were taken Monday to further explore the option.

The Kingfisher Board of Education approved an item that allow Joe D. Hall General Contractors to request bids for the project.

“Going to bid doesn’t mean buying,” Superintendent David Glover said in making the recommendation during the February regular meeting.

“You guys have been there before. You got a bid back and you said no.”

Glover was referencing when the board first requested bids about two years ago for an addition to the school’s ag barn.

Bids came in higher than projections and the board opted to wait on the project on the advice of Van Storm of Joe D. Hall.

This project would see turf added to both the football field and the north softball field in the complex that sits west of the football stadium.

Glover said if the board opts to go with turf, it would need to act quickly.

“If we want to have that done by next year, we need to make the decision in March…no later than April,” he said.

“I know that seems like fluff, but there’s a lot of positives to it for the community, for the fans, for football, for soccer, for softball, for maintenance in the summertime…there’s just a lot of good things that can come from it.”

Glover also said he planned to meet this week with the company installing turf at Okarche’s new baseball and softball complex.

Those fields are 100 percent turf and are nearing completion.

Okarche didn’t request any bond money to pay for the project. Instead, Glover reminded the board, the district is paying for it on a lease-purchase basis, which he’d also like to explore here.

“All I want to do is get a number so we can talk about it,” Glover said. “I bring that number to you and say ‘what do you think?’” In other action Monday, board members accepted the resignation of Sharon Clark, a longtime high school math teacher who is retiring.

“I have enjoyed my years at Kingfisher High School and have many fond memories,” she said in her resignation letter.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach in this school district. It has been a great ride.”

Resignations were also accepted from Melissa Warren, a Gilmour paraprofessional, and Giorgina Enriquez, custodian.

Warren has begun student teaching, so she can’t be employed by the district during that time.

Adam Click was approved as an adjunct assistant coach for the KHS boys soccer team and Yasmin De La Torre as an employee at Little Stingers, the district’s daycare.

Also on Monday, the board:

• Approved a trip for the KHS choir to New York City in April 2024 where it will perform at Carnegie Hall during the Carnegie Choral Festival;

• A fundraiser request for National Honor Society and Student Council;

• A required annual item declaring the district will determine the length of the 2023-24 school year as calculated by hours (minimum of 1,080);

• An amendment to a district policy regarding mood drugs or physical altering substances.