Sovereign Community School opens in Seeworth campus

A new charter school emphasizing Native American culture will take over the former Seeworth Academy campus.

Sovereign Community School announced“in a stunning turn of events” it acquired a lease last week for the Seeworth's former location at 12600 N Kelley. The charter school originally planned to open for the school year at a different location, 5401 N Brookline.

“Two nights ago families were informed that we were actually going to start school at a completely different facility, but after some pretty huge breakthroughs we were able to secure a lease for the north campus for the upcoming school year,” the school announced Friday on social media. “That's how crazy, quick and unexpected all of this was.”

The Oklahoma State Board of Education approved the school's charter this summer after Oklahoma City Public Schools denied its application. Sovereign accepts students of all races and backgrounds, but it was founded with an emphasis on Indigenous education.

See worth' s departure from the campus was about as unexpected as Sovereign's arrival. The alternative school's board terminated its charter and allowed Oklahoma City Public Schools to take over operations.

The school district announced July 26 that leadership from Seeworth Inc. refused to give up the lease to the campus, causing Seeworth Academy to move to the vacant Putnam Heights Elementary building. The district renamed the school Putnam Heights Academy and upgraded parts of the building to fit older students.

Superintendent Sean McDaniel said the district fully expected Seeworth to remain in its original location until it had to relocate the school on short notice.

“This was something that was thrust upon us,” McDaniel said. “With that said, we like the Putnam Heights Academy as a campus for these kids. Gymnasium space is better. They have a great location in that there's easy access for buses.”