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School News - Tip Sheet - 5/13/2009

Eisenhower Pre-K Wins Writing Award 

5/12/2009

Writing the Great American Novel is the dream of many people, but students in Eisenhower International School’s pre-k program have not only already accomplished it, they’ve received writing awards.

The children helped write and illustrate “Veterans…America's Heroes!” and submitted it to the Scholastic Book Fair where it was selected for an Honorable Mention designation, netting the entire class a $500 voucher for school materials. And they didn’t even use an agent!

 

Ag Students Offer to Fix Your Lawnmower 

5/12/2009

Summer’s coming (if this rain ever stops) and for many of us that means yard work with a lawnmower that hasn’t been touched in eight or nine months.

Webster High School to the rescue. In an attempt to raise money for extracurricular events and provide a community service, students at the school’s agricultural program are offering to repair damaged lawn mowers and provide some basic upkeep including oil changes and replacing air filters and sparkplugs.

The lawn mower repair service has already started. Contact James Morgan at 746-8089, or morgaji@tulsaschools.org, to learn more.

 

Rogers’ Wilbur is Assistant Principal of the Year 

5/12/2009

What a year Will Rogers High School is having! First Brian Grimm is named the district’s Teacher of the Year and now Lyda Wilbur is the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Assistant Principal of the Year.

Criteria for the award include Wilbur’s professional and community involvement, her academic achievements, and instilling leadership in staff and students. Wilbur will represent Tulsa Public Schools in October when she attends the association’s annual conference in Washington, DC.

Watch a video of Wilbur by going here: www.schooltube.com/video/32536/2009-APOY-Winner-Lyda-Wilbur-Oklahoma

 

School Hosts ‘Living Wax Museum’ 

5/14/2009, 8:15 a.m.

Patrick Henry Elementary is ushering in a gallery of our country’s presidents and first ladies, opening the doors to the public on Thursday, May 14, at 8:15 a.m. Students in teacher Mary Lynn Hollis’ gifted and talented class have been studying the lives of our past leaders and their wives and are prepared to don full period regalia and regale the audience.

“The children conducted research to prepare for the characterizations and each president and first lady will come to life when a guest approaches,” said Dan DePalma, Patrick Henry’s principal. “Costumed actors will relate interesting facts about his or her life before, during and after living in the White House.”

The display is dubbed the “Living Wax Museum.” The public is invited to stop by, leard interesting tidbits and observe some pretty smart kids as they display their historical knowledge.

The Living Wax Museum will be open to the public between the hours of 8:15 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

 

Thoreau's Civil War Fair 

5/14/2009, 12:30 p.m.

Thoreau Demonstration Academy’s annual Civil War Fair takes place May 14 and is the culmination of an extensive unit students at the school have been studying about the legendary War Between the States. As part of their studies each student assumes the role of a soldier in the conflict.

Classes are divided in committees to examine army hospitals, music and drum corps, the Gettysburg Address and more. Thoreau educators say the authenticity of the fair, which has students dressed in period costume, is like no other.

“Students work for many weeks in their committees completing extensive research and preparing educational displays and activities for an all-school event,” said teacher Meg DeWeese.

 

Namesake of ‘Favorite Son’ to Receive Collection 

5/15/2009, 11:30 a.m.

Do you think legendary humorist Will Rogers is still a household name? How about among teenagers? Pat Reeder thinks so and just to ensure she’s correct, Pat and the rest of the crew at the Will Rogers Memorial Museums are donating some of the late humorist’s work to the library at Will Rogers High School.

“We hope these students can appreciate Will Rogers,” Reeder said, “and we thought it was important for his namesake to house a collection of his works.”

The collection is being dropped off Friday, May 15, at 11:30 a.m. It includes a collection of his published writings and works about him. Attending the event will be Marilynn Reeson Baker, a graduate of the school’s first class (way back in 1939). And here’s some news to brighten the day of Reeder and other Will Rogers fans: A poll last year revealed state residents by a margin of almost six out of ten regard Rogers to be their favorite Oklahoman of all time.

 

Heart of Tulsa Kick Off is Every Parent’s Dream 

5/16/2009, 1 p.m.

There are so many services available to Tulsa families and for one day in May the stars align and many of those service providers will gather in one central location. It happens as the Heart of Tulsa kicks off a campaign to serve the community while also sharing the good news about Oklahoma's largest school district.

So…what is the Heart of Tulsa?

“TPS is the heart of Tulsa,” said Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Keith Ballard. “We are the city’s largest employer and the state’s largest school district. The success of Tulsa and Oklahoma are directly tied to TPS’ success, and there are many, many success stories in our 85 schools.”

The campaign kicks off on May 16, running 1-5 p.m. (rain date is May 17, same time) in the parking lot of the Education Service Center, 3027 S. New Haven Ave. Scores of organizations have signed on to share with families the services they offer, everything from parenting resources to financial advice to child care to health screenings and much, much more. In fact we can safely say that if it applies to a family, we’ll have something to offer.

“Not only are we spreading the good news about all the great things happening at TPS, we’re providing a forum for organizations to offer their programs and services that will benefit thousands of families,” said TPS Public Information Director Tami Marler. “We’re hoping to make the Heart of Tulsa a win, win, win venture.”

The kick-off will feature a carnival-like atmosphere with student “singers, dancers, cheerleaders and bands,” said Josh Vess, the committee member responsible for entertainment at the event. “We have one rock band lined up and two bands that play orchestral music. It’s going to be a gigantic showcase of TPS talent.”

“Everyone has heard all the negative stories of Tulsa Public Schools, but the public rarely hears the positive stories of all the schools in our district,” said Karen Gilbert, president of the Tulsa Council of PTAs and member of the Heart of TPS committee. “The Heart of Tulsa is letting the Tulsa community know all the schools in our district have great people and programs. Our school district serves as the veins to the city. Our students, teachers, staff, and administration play the role of blood being pumped to the heart, which is our great city of Tulsa. We are not just one school in the district. We are 85 different schools serving the future of our city.”

Some of the organizations from outside TPS that have signed on to staff booths at the event include Operation Aware, the Child Care Resource Center, Community Health Connection, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Oklahoma, DVIS/Family Safety Center, Emergency Infant Services, Family and Children’s Services, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Good Will Industries, Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of America, TCC Tulsa Achieves, Tulsa Parks, Tulsa Tech and the YMCA.

In addition to the bands, entertainment includes a petting zoo, Jupiter Jump, climbing wall, obstacle course, a goat farm and a miniature horse.

 

Graduation Dates and Places 

5/18/2009, 6, 7 and 8 p.m.

May 18

• 6 p.m. – Central, Expo Pavilion
• 6 p.m. – Rogers, University of Tulsa
• 8 p.m. – Memorial, Expo Pavilion
• 8 p.m. – Booker T. Washington, University of Tulsa

May 19

• 6 p.m. – Hale, Expo Pavilion
• 6 p.m. – McLain, University of Tulsa
• 7 p.m. – Webster, Convention Center
• 8 p.m. – East Central, Expo Pavilion
• 8 p.m. – Edison Preparatory, University of Tulsa

 

Bell Elementary Breaks out the Tunes 

5/19/2009, 2 p.m.

A little bit of soul and a little bit of rock and roll are on tap when Bell Elementary hosts a party to celebrate the conclusion of their annual Principal’s Reading Challenge.

Students and teachers are set to perform a trio of tunes including “Lip Gloss” by L’il Moma, "Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana and the Bob Seger classic "Old Time Rock and Roll.”

The party is Tuesday, May 19, at 2 p.m. The media and public are invited to put on their dancing shoes and check it out.

 

Imagine That! McKinley Students Heading to Destination Imagination Finals 

5/19/2009

Students from McKinley Elementary will be traveling to Tennessee after turning in an impressive showing in a problem-solving contest.

Destination Imagination is a competition for all ages, encouraging students to use their skills and smarts to solve complex problems. Several district schools recently participated in a local contest and now McKinley is heading to the finals on May 19 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to compete against hundreds of other schools from across the globe.

The team members are in the second, third, fourth and fifth grades and are coached by Lisa Rutledge, Lindsay Hughes, and Marilyn Gates.

In winning the state competition, McKinley’s team got super-creative and presented skits and detailed research on a variety of topics including the methods elephants use to communicate and the origin of common superstitions. Their entry in the “ViDIo Lit Hits” category involved taking the 1977 classic children’s book “Miss Nelson is Missing” and transforming it into a music video complete with choreography and songwriting.

“Destination Imagination is a great opportunity for kids to develop teamwork and problem solving,” says fourth-grade student Anna Stoner.

For more information about this incredibly unique contest go to www.idodi.org/.

 

Say Cheese! (And Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Olives…) 

5/20/2009, 10:40 a.m.

Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch? Students at Disney Elementary would certainly dispute that as Cici’s Pizza breaks out the pies at 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20.

Cici’s participates in the Partners in Education program. For more information on this award-winning initiative go to: http://www.tulsaschools.org/sp/pie.shtm

 

3-D Kite Ready for Flying 

5/21/2009, 9:50 a.m.

It’s an exercise in flying a kite, but this kite is probably like none you have ever seen before.

It’s called a “tetrahedral kite” and involves combining two sides of a standard four-sided figure. Nathan Hale High School teacher Denise Payton says it’s a “3-D kite.” This marvel of mathematics is being flown Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22, at multiple times. Thursday’s first flight is 8:50-9:45 a.m. and Friday’s is 9:50 -10:40 a.m.

Hale received a grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation to construct the kite. Contact Payton for more information.

 

Noted Author/Academic to Speak at Wilson Middle 

5/22/2009, 9:30 a.m.

A Tulsa native with a host of awards under her belt that is currently collaborating on a children’s book with a relative of Martin Luther King, Jr., is set to speak at Wilson Middle School on Friday, May 22.

Rebecca Marks-Jimerson coordinates Tulsa Community College’s diversity student outreach. She’s received awards from the NAACP, the Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League and the Tulsa Hispanic Affairs Commission.

Marks-Jimerson is working a children’s book with Mary Scott King, the first cousin of the late Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s wife.

 

McLain Grads Plan Massive Reunion to Mark School’s Fiftieth Anniversary 

5/23/2009, 10 a.m.

Their high school memories include the death of JFK, the Bay of Pigs, The Beatles landing on American soil and “little tidbits about Southeast Asia and a little country called Vietnam,” according to Marsha Chisum, currently the director of volunteer services for Claremore Regional Hospital.

Those memories will probably flow like water from the tap as Chisum joins about 300 of her peers when McLain High School’s first four graduating classes celebrate the school’s fiftieth anniversary later this month.

Chisum graduated McLain in 1964 along with George Marlow, a telecommunications engineer at Tulsa Public Schools. Asked separately what life was like back then, Marlow and Chisum sound remarkably alike.

“There was a strong sense of community,” Marlow says, “with most of the folks out there working the oil rigs and in the aircraft industries. People were very friendly and very open.”

“It was another world then,” Chisum said. “It was a great school and everyone was proud of it. We lived in Tulsa but felt like we lived in a small town.”

On Saturday, May 23, hundreds of McLain graduates will tour the school and trade memories. They’ll probably recall the Blue Moon Nightclub (a place of “some notoriety,” Chisum says diplomatically) and the opening of the open-air Northland Shopping Center, at the time one of the first malls in the city.

There are two times for the tours: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The public and media are invited to attend. More information about the reunion.

 

East Central Teacher to Receive MetLife Award 

5/28/2009, 11:30 a.m.

Tulsa Public Schools teacher Carol Axley, selected to receive the 2009 MetLife Ambassadors in Education honor, is being formally recognized during an awards ceremony.

Axley was one of only 25 winners selected for her leadership in building bridges between local schools and communities. She will receive a $5,000 grant on Thursday, May 28, 11:30 a.m. at East Central High School, where she serves as a teacher and counselor.

Axley recruits teens across the state to participate in “Camp Anytown,” a multicultural leadership program sponsored by the Oklahoma Conference of Community and Justice. She is on the advisory board of Upward Bound, an organization that prepares at risk students for college. She facilitates Youth Leadership Tulsa, a select group of teens from the metro area who meet once a month to learn more about their community and ways to give back. Axley also coordinates services for at-risk students and works to find resources for needy families.

The award is designed to recognize educators whose influence can be felt beyond the classrooms and hallways, by recognizing educators that: build partnerships with community organizations, parents, and guardians; resolve conflicts and promote safety; and participate in civic engagement and community service efforts. Middle and high school educators in participating public school districts are eligible, and are nominated by peers, parents, students or community members and selected by a national panel of education and civic experts.

For more information about the Ambassadors In Education Award visit www.ncl.org/metlife.

 

Free Program Helps Educators Prepare and Adapt to Classroom Challenges 

6/4/2009

A recent survey reported that 94 percent of teachers believe more preparation to help them adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their diverse classrooms is a critical factor in improving teacher quality.

Help is on the way and it’s called “Schools Attuned.” The program provides a neurodevelopment framework drawn from experts in eight scientific fields to assist educators in making instructional decisions designed to engage students and promote learning success for all children. Educators prepare to understand a student’s unique learning profile of strengths and weaknesses and to specifically pinpoint learning breakdowns for students along with the neurodevelopmental challenges required of them. The program includes interactive face-to-face coursework, optional post-course learning opportunities and ongoing online implementation and sustainability support.

In Tulsa there’s a one day overview of the program on June 4 called “Understanding Learning and Learners.” The registration code is OKSA2010KYP96.

“It’s a chance to come for a day and get immersed in what the program is and walk away with usable strategies to help kids in the classroom,” said Dr. Sheryl Flowers, coordinator of the state program. Next up are two five day courses running from June 8- June 12. One of the courses is designed for elementary educators (registration code is OKSA2006TDE52) and the other for secondary educators (registration code OKSA2007MEX92).

A final course for elementary educators is July 6-July 10 (registration code OKSA2008HMP27). All of the classes take place at Tulsa Technology Center’s Lemley campus.

These courses are provided at no charge to Oklahoma certified and public school educators. To register, go to www.allkindsofminds.org click on “calendar,” scroll down to find the course and then enter the registration code provided for your specific selection. For more information e-mail Dr. Flowers at sflowers@allkindsofminds.org or call (918) 760-4435.

 

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