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School News - Tip Sheet - 11/14/2007

Developing a Chess Club & Tournament Play 

11/14/2007, 2:00 PM

You’re move!

Robert Yerton is a jack of all trades, working as an examiner for the Tulsa Police Department, a children’s minister and as an avid chess player. Yerton is now offering his services to educators, providing a professional development opportunity for teachers to help start Chess Clubs at their schools. Check out Robert's seminar at Disney on Nov. 14.

 

Partners In Education recognition 

11/15/2007, 2:00 pm

Community members committed to helping an area school are slated to be honored during a ceremony this week.

Some of Gilcrease Intermediate School’s Partners in Education transitioned from Monroe. They and others will sign “Declaration of Partnership Certificates” on Nov. 15 in the school’s auditorium. Gilcrease’s principal is attending along with TPS officials and members of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce.

Established in 1983, Tulsa's Partners in Education program is designed to enlist the community as a whole in education. The program has brought thousands of volunteers into Tulsa Schools, helping to connect children and teachers with corporate, education, volunteer, government and civic leaders.

 

Houston celebrates centennial 

11/15/2007, 9 a.m.

A day’s worth of celebrations take place at Houston Elementary when students, faculty, TPS administrators and municipal officials gather to mark Oklahoma’s centennial.

The day begins at 9:00 a.m. with an all-school assembly featuring an area Boy Scouts pack and a vocal performance by Houston students. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor will deliver the keynote speech, followed by remarks from TPS Superintendent Michael Zolkoski and Area I Superintendent Verna Ruffin. Other community leaders are slated to appear.

Will Hill, an area American Indian perform fluent in several Native languages, will perform following the morning assembly. Hill is part of a duo of performers dubbed “Mahenwahdose,” (“the real thing” in the Creek language) and will dazzle the crowd with a lesson in Native American culture. Other performances in the afternoon touch on cowboys, musicians and the Buffalo Soldiers.

Houston students have been preparing for the centennial, reading up on Oklahoma lore and studying history under the tutelage of Social Studies teacher James Williams.

 

Author/illustrator speaks to area second graders 

11/15/2007, 9:30 a.m.

An Oklahoma author and illustrator is visiting Peary Elementary this week as part of the school’s “Books to Treasure” program.

Floyd Cooper is set to meet with second graders. “Books to Treasure” is sponsored by the Zarrow Family, who ensure that every second grader in Tulsa County receives one of Cooper’s books, and facilitated by the Tulsa City County Library. This is the program’s fifth year.

Cooper, who took an interest in drawing when he himself was just a tyke, has illustrated more than 15 books in almost two decades. He received the American Library Association's Notable Book Award for his first book, "Grandpa's Face," by Eloise Greenfield and Coretta Scott King and Illustration Honors for "Meet Danitra Brown" by Nikki Grimes and "I Have Heard of a Land" by Joyce Carol Thomas. Also noteworthy is "Jump! From the Life of Michael Jordan."

 

National Parental Involvement Day 

11/15/2007, 9:45 a.m.

The 14th Annual National Parental Involvement Day is being marked at Remington Elementary. School administrators are inviting parents to come to campus and check out a full slate of events including a magic show, Centennial video and lessons in Oklahoma history. A family Day of Thanks lunch commences at 10:55 a.m.

Ongoing research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores confidence among parents in their children's education. The National Parental Involvement Day campaign encourages all parents and caregivers to be involved in a child's education at home and at school.

 

Mayo students celebrate state history 

11/16/2007, 11:00

Fourth and fifth graders at Mayo Demonstration Academy are road tripping to celebrate Oklahoma’s Centennial, heading out to Guthrie on Nov. 15 for two day’s worth of an education in state lore.

The students are visiting the Oklahoma Territorial Museum, Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, witnessing a Native American Sunset Ceremony and attending a Centennial parade.

Mayo administrators say their school is the only one attending the parade. Fifty-seven students have signed up to take the trip. They’ll be accompanied by more than 40 parents.

Guthrie played a major part during Oklahoma’s formative years. The Logan County city was the territorial and later the first state capital. It’s been a National Historic Landmark since 1999.

 

Foster hosts chess championship 

11/17/2007, 8:00

You’re move!

You’ll be hearing that quite a bit when Foster Middle School hosts the Scholastic Chess Grade Championship this month. The all day tourney takes place Nov. 17 and is open to students in all grade levels. Hosted by Foster’s chess club, the competition is the fifth put on by the Oklahoma Scholastic Chess Organization since 2003. Foster officials say they hope this year’s event breaks the previous record of players, a mark currently standing at 248.

Foster social studies teacher Albert Rine is the sponsor and coach. Rine, who also competes in adult chess-related events, said the tournaments are good, clean family fun.

“You have this incredible gathering of chess players, from tiny children to young adults, and their parents,” he said. “You see the older youth moving thoughtfully to their games, but some of the younger kids go skipping hand-in-hand to their matches.”

Entry to the tournament is $30 at the door. All players must be members of the United States Chess Federation, and those memberships are available for $10.00. Entry forms and tournament information are available at the OSCO website, www.okschess.org.

 

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