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School News - Tip Sheet - 2/18/2009

TPS Marks Black History Month 

2/19/2009, 9:30 a.m.

In honor of Black History Month, Central High School is planning a stellar assembly featuring the school’s choir, jazz, dance, and drama students. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

The 9:30 a.m. event is being hosted by the Diversity and Equity Office at Tulsa Public Schools and will mark Central’s fifth annual assembly in honor of Black History Month. It’s not limited to Central as students from Booker T. Washington, McLain (with choir in tow), and Hawthorne Elementary’s band are also slated to perform.

Nilda Reyes, director of Diversity and Equity, estimates 500 people will be in attendance.

“It’s important for us to continue celebrating cultural events,” Reyes said. “It’s important to bring kids in and celebrate the culture we all share.”

Contact Nilda at 746-6372, or e-mail Reyesni@tulsaschools.org, for more information.

 

Engineering Design Challenge Highlights Creativity 

2/19/2009, 8:30 a.m.

The Engineering Design Challenge gives students in the Tulsa Public Schools system a chance to flex their creative muscles. Held at OSU-Tulsa, the challenge is geared toward elementary through high school-aged students and is designed to be an enjoyable approach to learning and applying engineering principles, as mini-Einsteins construct a boat from soup to nuts, designing, building and finally racing.

During the event teams solve problems related to stability, thrust, buoyancy electronics, sensors and more. Many of the concepts addressed are suitable topics for classroom lessons. During the design and construction phases, the students will have access to help stations to assist them in electronics testing, propeller design and sources for helpful hints.

“The kids get hands-on experience,” said Angie Erickson of the Learning Services Center at OSU-Tulsa. “Not every kid thinks reading a book is fun so this has more of an appeal.”

Not to say the students participating aren’t smart—just the opposite. In fact, the challenge will spotlight some of the most creative minds among the district’s student body. The challenge begins at 8:30 a.m. on February 19 and runs until 2 p.m. You can go to www.osu-tulsa.okstate.edu/engineeringdesignchallenge/event.asp for more information.

 

Mini-Chefs Square Off 

2/20/2009, 1:30 p.m.

If you consider yourself a connoisseur of fine cuisine, you’ll certainly want to check out these kids! They are mini-masters in the kitchen and they square off at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 20 at Webster High School in a cooking contest sponsored by the TPS Child Nutrition Office.

The contest began in January with third, fourth and fifth graders submitting recipes judged on health, simplicity and fun. Of all the recipes received 10 were selected to personally prepare and serve their culinary concoctions. Judges will determine the top three winners based on ease of preparation, healthy ingredients and presentation.

Kit Hines in the TPS Child Nutrition Office says the cook-off will be a great photo-op.

“It’s fun. They’ll have on their chef’s hats. Last year’s winning recipe was a black bean salsa so we’ll see what happens this year,” she said.

All ten finalists will receive a chef’s coat, medal and backpack full of kitchen supplies, and a recipe book. The recipes will be compiled into a cookbook for parents, staff and students.

 

Community Meeting - Uses of Monroe Building 

2/24/2009, 6 p.m.

District administrators would like to invite members of the community to an open forum addressing future uses of the Monroe school building.

Community members have expressed their interest in working with the district to explore viable options for educational programs at the facility. The district is committed to partnering with our neighborhoods to provide mutually beneficial opportunities to our students and the communities we serve.

The district is currently in the early phases of school innovations and welcomes the input as we begin to craft our new approaches to providing a district of choice with quality learning experiences for every child every day without exception. Don't miss this opportunity to share your ideas.

 

Ben Franklin Comes to Lee Elementary 

2/24/2009, 9 a.m.

One of the country’s Founding Fathers is heading over to Lee Elementary. Ben Franklin—complete with period costume—will regale Lee students during an hour-long presentation on Tuesday, February 24, beginning at 9 a.m.

Credit Lee fifth-grade teacher Jeanne Price with bringing Ben to the school. She heard about the Franklin presentation while attending a recent social studies workshop in Oklahoma City.

 

Webster Studio Ribbon Cutting 

2/24/2009, 10 a.m.

Justin Hanson is only fifteen and in ninth-grade and he’s already getting regular experience working with live television, and you can ask any news director at any TV station in town—they wish every new hire came in with that type of track record.

Justin gets his airtime by manning the camera during the TPS Board of Education’s bi-monthly meetings. For his part, Justin offers a sober assessment of working without a net.

“If you mess up it’s your fault,” he said.

Hanson is an example of a student wisely taking advantage of Webster High School’s Broadcasting and Digital Media Magnet. On Tuesday, February 24, administrators are hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony to introduce the public to the school’s brand-spanking-new Broadcast Center.

It’s the latest addition to an incredibly exciting magnet strand where students receive classroom and on-the-job experience through a curriculum that’s been developed by leaders in professional associations, institutions of higher education and career technology.

Justin says he enrolled because, “I wanted to work with new, digital cameras. They have great tech programs like Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.”

The ribbon-cutting begins at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a tour of the studio and a reception. A host of TPS officials with be in attendance including TPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard and Webster Principal Phil Garland.

 

FREE Parent/Guardian Classes
Easing Transitions into Adolescence 

2/25/2009, 6:30 p.m.

The CREOKS Family Life Training Program provides families, grandparents, etc. with outstanding parenting classes, resources, and referral services to strengthen our parenting skills and parental involvement. Every parent faces challenges while raising children. Unfortunately, our children were not born with an instruction manual. This program will also provide parents with new ideas, tips, advice, and even a support group for the roller coaster journey of raising children. Reservations are required.

For more information, or to enroll please contact Stacey Berry, the Family Life Coordinator, at stacey.berry@creoks.org or by phone 227-2016 ext. 137.

According to the Family Life policy, a class minimum of 3 is required. All classes are subject to cancellation.

“Help! A Teenager Has Moved Into My Child’s Body!”: Easing Transitions into Adolescence

Wednesday, 2/25/08, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Memorial High School Library - 5840 S. Hudson Avenue, Tulsa

If you’re worried about your child transitioning from elementary to intermediate to middle school or you’ve noticed those drastic changes in your child as the teenage years hit, this is the class for you! This will be an informative class about how to understand the dramatic changes associated with becoming a teenager and how to best communicate with your child during this amazing time. Get the inside scoop!

 

Remington Fun Night 

2/27/2009, 6:30 p.m

Who would have guessed it? An event in which someone gets a pie smeared in their face is such a popular event at Remington Elementary School that it returns when the school holds its annual Fun Night event.

Lela Clayton, the school’s parent facilitator, vows the party will be “an awesome evening of fun, food and games.”

Food baskets costing $2—but worth much more—are available, a drum group from Project Creates provides the music, and don’t forget about cotton candy, face painting and that messy pie in the face bit.

Remington administrators use the funds generated by the event to pay for various activities for their students such as field trips, so by attending you’re helping a child receive valuable learning outside of the classroom.

 

Hale Students to Read to Youngsters 

3/3/2009, 9:30 a.m.

The annual Read Across America celebration runs from March 2-March 6. To mark the event Nathan Hale High School is holding what Shawna Lyn Mott-Wright, a drama teacher at Hale, calls a “major” event.

It takes place Tuesday, March 3, at Hale’s auditorium. Kindergarteners and first-graders from across the district have been invited to attend. Hale students will wear costumes from such works as “The Cat in the Hat” and other Dr. Seuss classics and read to the youngsters.

“We wanted to encourage kids to develop a lifelong love of reading,” Mott-Wright said. “We want to reach and serve our community. It has to begin at an early age because the younger you are the quicker you can pick things like this up.”

 

Reception for Board-Certified Teachers Rescheduled 

3/3/2009, 7 p.m.

A reception honoring teachers that have achieved National Board Certification has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 3, at 7 p.m.

The original January 27 date was cancelled due to the region’s ice storms.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, TPS boasts the most board-certified teachers in the state with 131. The district has cultivated a culture that values the distinction.

The program “prepares teachers in a unique and highly successful manner,” said TPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard, who is set to speak at the reception. “I strongly encourage all TPS teachers to explore the possibility of becoming an NBC teacher.”

“With the national certification process, great teachers become even better and also set an example for their colleagues,” said State Superintendent of Education Sandy Garrett.

The reception is at Fulton Teaching and Learning Academy. Board certified teachers from other districts have also been invited to attend.

 

FREE Parent/Guardian Classes
“Get Out of My Space!”: Internet Safety 

3/4/2009, 6:30 p.m.

The CREOKS Family Life Training Program provides families, grandparents, etc. with outstanding parenting classes, resources, and referral services to strengthen our parenting skills and parental involvement. Every parent faces challenges while raising children. Unfortunately, our children were not born with an instruction manual. This program will also provide parents with new ideas, tips, advice, and even a support group for the roller coaster journey of raising children. Reservations are required.

For more information, or to enroll please contact Stacey Berry, the Family Life Coordinator, at stacey.berry@creoks.org or by phone 227-2016 ext. 137.

According to the Family Life policy, a class minimum of 3 is required. All classes are subject to cancellation.

“Get Out of My Space!”: Internet Safety
Fulton Teaching & Learning Academy
Auditorium

Wherever there are children/teenagers and computers, there is the potential for dangerous interactions with anonymous “friends” who are not what they seem. Vulnerable or inexperienced children/teens may reveal more personal information than they should, and the consequences may be more than they can handle. How can you protect your child? Come join other interested parents, and listen to Detective Wanzer from the Tulsa Poilce Cyber Crimes Unit. You will learn some technology basics, and discuss ways to reinforce the communication and mutual respect that are the foundation of a healthy child/teen-parent relationship.

 

Annual Fun Night - 40th Birthday of Grissom 

3/6/2009, 5:30 p.m.

Grissom Elementary celebrates their jade anniversary on March 6 with a Fun Night and administrators at the school say it’s going to be an event like none the city has ever witnessed before.

The theme for the school’s fortieth birthday party is "Peace, Love, Grissom" (a throwback to the flower-power year of 1969 when the school opened). The community is invited to attend and check out a plethora of food and games. There’s also a silent auction and a bake sale.

“It’s a huge outreach for our community,” said Kelly Pruitt, president of the Grissom PTA. “All proceeds go towards funding our new playground. We want to upgrade it for our students and the community to use.”

 

FREE Parent/Guardian Classes
Growing Through Single Parenting 

3/11/2009, 6:30 p.m.

The CREOKS Family Life Training Program provides families, grandparents, etc. with outstanding parenting classes, resources, and referral services to strengthen our parenting skills and parental involvement. Every parent faces challenges while raising children. Unfortunately, our children were not born with an instruction manual. This program will also provide parents with new ideas, tips, advice, and even a support group for the roller coaster journey of raising children. Reservations are required.

For more information, or to enroll please contact Stacey Berry, the Family Life Coordinator, at stacey.berry@creoks.org or by phone 227-2016 ext. 137.

According to the Family Life policy, a class minimum of 3 is required. All classes are subject to cancellation.

“Mom’s House-Dad’s House”: Growing Through Single Parenting – Two Part Series

• Part 1 -Wednesday, 3/11/08, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., Memorial High School Library – 5840 S. Hudson Avenue, Tulsa
• Part 2 - Wednesday, 3/25/08, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Memorial High School Library – 5840 S. Hudson Avenue, Tulsa

Regardless of their age, living in a divorced family can be a painful and confusing time for all children. Each developmental age group has its own way of dealing with the related issues. But it is clear that all children of divorce struggle with issues of trust, security, self-image, and their fit in the family. In this class, divorced/single parents will learn to recognize the effects of divorce on children, develop skills which encourage co-parenting and effective communication between divorced parents, gain skills to help recover from divorce, and understand children’s needs for healthy parents. This class is a two part series. Please attend both of the above classes to receive all of the information.

 

Skelly Students Field Trip to the Aquarium 

3/11/2009, 9 a.m.

A research project at Skelly Elementary School will culminate in students there going to the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks.

Terri Mynatt’s kindergarten class and their fifth-grade reading buddies are able to make the trip courtesy of an $800 grant from the Target Corporation.

An attraction for tourists and locals alike, the 66-acre aquarium opened its doors in 2003. It’s Oklahoma’s only freestanding aquarium and draws about 500,000 visitors annually

 

Living La Vida Loco—Central’s Open House to Expose Students to Stunningly Exciting Career Choices 

3/12/2009, 6 p.m.

A massive smorgasbord of career choices that can take a student to the most upscale events in cities such as New York, London, Milan and Los Angeles are available at Central High School’s Fine and Performing Arts Magnet. And it’s locally-centered as well. The city of Tulsa offers a wide network of strong support for the arts and area leaders are committed to supporting a program of the highest quality such as Central’s.

In fact the magnet program is so appealing the mystery is more students are not taking advantage of it, although that may very well change when Central holds an open house and art show on March 12 at 6 p.m.

Central’s magnet program is offered to students with proven academic achievement and demonstrated ability and interest in the arts. In order to help qualified students reach their full artistic and academic potential, Central offers a comprehensive complement of courses, as well as performance and competitive opportunities at the local, state and national levels.

Interested parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend the open house and art show. Go to www.tulsaschools.org/schools/central for more information.

 

Kids, Kows, and More  

3/12/2009

TPS third and fourth graders are invited to participate in a program providing an up-close look at agriculture.

“Kids, Kows and More” is sponsored by the Tulsa County OSU Extension Service, Southwest Dairy Association and the Texas Extension Service. The program takes place March 12 and 13 at the Tulsa State Fair Grounds.

The exhibits and demonstrations include dairy, cotton, beef, swine, wheat, sheep and wool. Students attending the expo are encouraged to write an essay called, “What I learned about agriculture on my field trip to Kids, Kows, and More.” Essays are evaluated on agriculture knowledge, originality, creativity and mechanics —including grammar, organization, and punctuation. The winning student will receive a $100 savings bond and the class will receive an ice cream party. For more information, contact the Tulsa County OSU Extension Center at 746-3709.

 

Neighborhood in Rogers' Feeder Pattern Hosts Block Party 

4/18/2009, 11 a.m.

An upcoming block party is being coordinated by a district school.

McKinley Elementary Principal Cassandra Funderburk says the shindig, set for Saturday, April 18, is one aspect of how the school and community are teaming up to beautify their area.

Funderburk and other McKinley staffers have been working with Cathey Hill, a neighborhood liaison for the city, on a Neighborhood Enhancement Project involving all of Will Rogers’ feeder schools.

One example: “We have gone into the neighborhood with Rogers High School students and painted over vandalism,” Funderburk said.

The upcoming block party has been dubbed "Family Fest.” It’s taking place at Maxwell Park, located at 5251 E. Newton. The public is invited to come on out and have some good, clean fun.

 

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