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School News - Tip Sheet - 5/21/2008

JROTC Superintendent's Review Awards 

5/15/2008, 7:00 p.m.

Edison Preparatory has been named this school year’s top JROTC program. The award was announced during this year’s Superintendent’s Review, an annual event recognizing outstanding leadership, scholarship and citizenship in Tulsa Public Schools.

Edison’s award is a remarkable accomplishment since, according to their website, the unit was in jeopardy just three years ago. The school’s JROTC program was created in 1995 and under the tutelage of several strong leaders soon morphed into a precision outfit. Then trouble struck as the program’s master sergeant and major left.

“Things weren't looking too good for the Thomas Edison JROTC program during the summer of 2005, but two people stood up and accepted the challenge: Lt. Colonel Stephen King and First Sergeant Raymond Shipps,” the website states. “Today the JROTC is almost as strong as Lt. Colonel King and First Sergeant Shipps intend it to be.”

Superintendent’s Award: For outstanding Leadership, Citizenship and Scholarship during 2007-2008.

School	Cadet
Tulsa Central High School	Steven Abercrombie
East Central High School	Sarah Delaney Boyce
Thomas Edison Preparatory School	Katie Smith
Nathan Hale High School	Heidi Meyer
Tulsa Memorial High School	K’shon Camp
Will Rogers High School	Zakiyyah Fatihah
McLain School for Science/Tech.	Jalisha Pete
Booker T Washington High School	Denzel Maxwell
Daniel Webster High School	Hannah Little
Richard Byrd Middle School	Samuel Gonzalez
George Washington Carver Middle School	Denzel Matthews
Grover Cleveland Middle School	Deandre Johnson
Charles Clinton Middle School	Samantha Wixon
Thomas Edison Preparatory School	Matthew Kubecka
Stephen Foster Middle School	Samantha Bright
Thomas Gilcrease Intermediate School	Justin Gibson
Alexander Hamilton Middle School	Kirstyn Lyons
Lewis & Clark Middle School	Alexis Cota-Gallegos
Chester Nimitz Middle School	Tony Parnosky
Henry Thoreau Demonstration School	Hannah McKenzie
Eli Whitney Middle School	Michael O’Dell
Woodrow Wilson Middle School	Chandler Farris

TPS established its JROTC program in 1994. The following year TPS became the first district in the nation to create a Leadership Corps program (modeled after the JROTC) for middle schools. The Superintendent’s Review featured cadets from all over the district.

 

Booker T. Washington Again Ranked One of the Best Schools in Nation 

5/20/2008

Newsweek magazine has released its annual rankings of the best schools in the country and Booker T. Washington is again on the list, coming in this year at #65.

The magazine compiles the rankings based on the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2007 divided by the number of graduating seniors. The percentage of students receiving federally subsidized meals and the portion of all graduating seniors at a school with at least one passing grade on one AP or IB test are also factors.

BTW is a mainstay on the list. Their placement at #65 is a ten point jump from last year, when they appeared at #75.

“We’re delighted that we have moved up on the list,” said BTW Principal Karen Rogers. “It’s a testament to our fine teachers and students. We are hopeful that Booker T. will move up even further as time goes on. We’re confident that we will.”

BTW has made the list since 2005, appearing at #58. The following year they were ranked #85.

BTW is not the only TPS school on the list. Edison Prep ranked #459. Last year the school was #310, up over 200 notches from their 2006 listing at #574.

The complete list can be found at http://www.newsweek.com/id/39380.

 

Hamilton Middle Wins Soccer Championship 

5/21/2008

Congratulations to Hamilton Middle School. The Falcons nabbed the Green Country Soccer championship, a remarkable achievement considering this is the first time the school has ever fielded a soccer team.

Their win came over Union, a three-time champion.

The coaching staff is Charles Henderson, head coach; Lindsay Gernheart, assistant coach; Jennifer Harvey, assistant coach and Silvia Rocha, team manager.

 

Carver Middle Students to Chat with Israeli Peers 

5/21/2008

Members of the community and media are invited to attend a video conference linking two schools thare are thousands of miles away located on different continents.

The live conference is between students and staffers at Carver Middle School and their counterparts at Amal Nofarim Junior High School in Tiberias, Israel.

It’s the latest in a long and fruitful sister cities partnership between Tulsa and Tiberias that has seen many educational and cultural exchanges. Tulsa mayors have led three delegations of community, business, political and education leaders to Tiberias. In 1992 the mayor of Tiberias brought a delegation of fifteen people and a dance troupe of forty-five to the Sister Cities International conference. Tulsa volunteers travel to Tiberias to teach English as a second language to immigrants. In the summer of 1998, the Tulsa chapter of the American Red Cross and the Tiberias chapter of Magen David Adom—the Israeli version of the Red Cross—participated in a youth exchange.

The video conference is Wednesday, May 21, at 10:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. Israel time). It takes place at the William Company Auditorium, located on 1st Street. Williams is one of the event’s sponsors, along with the Tulsa Global Alliance and the Jewish Federation of Tulsa.

 

A Day At The Zoo 

5/21/2008, 9 a.m.

It’s likely to be the most fun students at McKinley Elementary School have all year learning about geography, biology and ecology. Five-hundred McKinley students are heading on over to the Tulsa Zoo May 21, observing our furry (and slithery) friends and putting into action their knowledge of the aforementioned topics.

McKinley staffers say the students look forward to the trip all year and parents are incorporated to help out with the logistics. Located on one of the largest municipal parks in the United States, the zoo has nearly 1,500 animals, covering 436 species.

 

Dr. Z Teaches E=MC2 

5/21/2008

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Zolkoski grabs the chalk and erasers and heads up to the blackboard as this year’s Superintendent’s Summer Algebra Camp kicks off June 2 and runs until June 13. Yes, Dr. Z is the instructor for a fun and educational experience that’s open to all public and private school students entering the sixth through ninth grades this school year. The camp is tuition-free with transportation provided. In fact, all that interested students need to bring with them is a spiral notebook and pencil—and, of course, their thinking caps.

“I always look forward to each new Algebra Camp and sharing multiple methods of instruction that help students prepare for their next school year,” Zolkoski said.

Anyone interested in the camp should respond to Janice Jones by May 21st at 746-6298 or jonesja@tulsaschools.org.

 

Anderson Idol Hits the Stage 

5/23/2008, 1 p.m.

Carrie Underwood, you might have some competition headed your way. Anderson Elementary School is holding its annual Anderson Idol. Look for pint-sized hams to show off their skills at singing and dancing.

Principal Brenda Anderson says last year’s Anderson Idol was such a success the school just had to do it again.

“The students at Anderson are extremely talented and this event allows them to showcase their skills,” Anderson said. “Anderson teachers will also be participating in the event to showcase what they call ‘talent’ as well.”

 

TLA Graduation Shows Success Stories 

5/29/2008, 9 a.m.

Richard Wilson admits that when he walks the aisle Thursday during the Tulsa Learning Academy’s graduation he’s going to “feel great.”

Wilson, 18, attended three different high schools—Central, Rogers and Hale—before landing at TLA. He says he “was messing up with absences” and began to think graduating high school just wasn’t in the cards for him. Then a friend suggested TLA. Wilson took the advice and the fourth time proved to be the charm.

“At the other schools there are too many distractions,” he says, “but at TLA it’s a nice environment for learning.”

Wilson plans on attending TCC after graduation before moving on to a four-year university. He hopes to have a career in computer repair.

As tough as Wilson’s situation was it pales compared to Chelsea Dixon, another TLA graduate.

“At the beginning of my first semester of my senior year I found out I was pregnant. I got very sick and was unable to come to school for a week,” Dixon said.

A counselor told her there were no openings in alternative school.

“I was devastated, scared and didn’t know where to turn…and I had a baby to support,” she said, “but fortunately I found the Tulsa Learning Academy and its staff, who cared about me and my situation.”

TLA, located on the first floor of Promenade Mall, will graduate several dozen students Thursday, May 29. The school, one of 22 across the country situated in a mall, is designed to help dropouts gain their diploma. The academy has full-time teachers but also offers online courses that let students work at their own pace.

 

Burroughs Competes in International Competition 

5/30/2008

It’s called “Odyssey of the Mind” and it’s a creative, problem-solving competition for teams of students in kindergarten through college. John Burroughs Elementary, a Title 1 school, did so well in April’s state finals in Ada that they’ve qualified to travel to Maryland for the world finals.

The school’s team, coached by librarian Lisa Rutledge, is currently in the process of raising money to attend. Thus far they have sold pens and pencils and received a private donation from a Tulsa family foundation, getting them a quarter of the way towards their goal: They raised $2500 but still need $5000.

Odyssey of the Mind has been around for nearly three decades. According to their website, the international competition “encourages students to apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.”

The students on the Burroughs team are: Tarik Brewer, Alonzia Fairchild, Brandy Holmes, Evelyn Johnson, Jasmyne Monteilh, Alex Rutledge and Jade Thornton.

 

Booker T Students Make Team Oklahoma 

6/6/2008

Dylan Hames and Onkur Sen have their summer plans already set.

At least for a couple of days in June that is.

The two Booker T. Washington students have earned positions on the six-member academic quiz team that will represent the state of Oklahoma at the Panasonic Academic Challenge to be held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Hames is a senior and Sen is a sophomore. Their trip to the Sunshine State comes after the duo took part in a three- hour competition against students from Oklahoma in the areas of mathematics, science, social studies, and humanities to earn the right to be a part of Team Oklahoma this year. The Panasonic Academic Challenge runs from June 6 through June 11.

 

Webster's 70th Birthday Celebration 

6/7/2008, Noon

Daniel Webster High School, in west Tulsa's historic Red Fork community, will celebrate its 70th birthday on June 7th from noon to 3 p.m. The celebration features homecoming kings and queens from years gone by, along with music, campus tours, birthday cake, and much more.

The Webster Alumni Association has arranged for vendors to provide lunch and beverages at a small cost.

Tours of the campus begin at 10 a.m. A stage program begins at noon in the auditorium and the birthday party is at 1:30 in the cafeteria.

 

Tournament Benefits Ailing Teacher 

6/22/2008, 8 a.m.

Meningioma is a type of brain tumor that can cause seizures, headaches, and focal neurological defects, such as arm or leg weakness, or vision loss.

Sheryl Clark, a teacher at Edison Preparatory School, is bravely battling the disease.

The cost of treatment can be prohibitive, so Sheryl’s friends and co-workers have organized a golf tournament to help her out. Set for June 22, the tournament is $55 per person or $220 per team and includes the green fee, golf cart, breakfast, lunch and great prizes.

It’s at The Canyons at Black Jack Ridge in Sand Springs with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. For more information call Adrienne Elias at (405) 818-9785.

 

TPS Teachers Head North to Alaska 

7/1/2008

The incredibly diverse cultures and ecosystems in Alaska have long fascinated researchers and scientists. It’s the largest state in the union, home to 100-degree weather swings, where it’s broad daylight at 2 a.m. during the summer and you can toss a cup of hot coffee outside and watch it freeze before it hits the ground in winter. Now two teachers from Oklahoma—Nimitz Middle School Library Media Specialist Robin Leach and Leslie Brown, an Arts Resource Teacher at Addams, McKinley and Remington elementary schools—have been tapped to receive a 2008 grant award for $10,000 to pursue the Road Scholar program fellowship project.

They’ll be heading to the Great White North on July 1.

“We’re looking at alternative sources of energy and climate change,” Leach said. “We’ll be studying wildlife and Leslie is bringing a tape recorder to make sounds of the environment.”

Students of Leach and Brown will also benefit as the two teachers plan on blogging about their travel experiences and incorporating what they’ve learned in lesson plans.

The Road Scholar program is a not-for-profit service of Elderhostel, an organization providing trips with educational value. Go to www.roadscholar.org/ fore more information.

 

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