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School News - Tip Sheet - 5/28/2008

Central Hires Rutherford as Basketball Coach 

5/27/2008

A basketball veteran that has played in a Final Four, Europe, the CBA and attended camps with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat is the new coach of Central High School.

An Oklahoma State University graduate, Randy Rutherford was a flame-thrower on the court and over a decade later still holds the record for the most 3-point shots made in school history. He played on coach Eddie Sutton’s 1996 team that went all the way to the Final Four. Most recently Rutherford has worked as a special assistant and assistant strength and conditioning coach at OSU.

“Randy brings experience and enthusiasm to the Central program. We are thrilled to bring such a talented and knowledgeable coach to Tulsa Public Schools,” said Dr. Stephanie Spring, director of athletics at Tulsa Public Schools.

 

Foundation for Tulsa Schools Funds Innovative Programs 

5/27/2008

The Foundation for Tulsa Schools has awarded $30,000 through their Grants for Great Ideas and Special Projects programs. Sam Houston Elementary is receiving $5,026 to implement an Elementary Engineering/Robotics Program using the Lego Mindstorms Robotic Program developed at Tufts University.

Mark Twain is receiving $3,000 to implement The Literacy Connection, an initiative to improve reading at home and school through literacy.

In addition, 50 individual grants totaling $21,000 are being awarded to fund other creative programs in Tulsa classrooms.

When combined with other distributions – including $60,000 in scholarships, $130,000 to Most Improved Schools in the district, and $29,000 in incentives to Madison and Gilcrease middle schools – the amount the Foundation has given to TPS recently totals nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

 

Meet Booker T. Washington’s New Principal 

5/28/2008, 4:30 p.m.

A reception for the new principal of what is, according to Newsweek magazine, one of the best schools in the nation is Wednesday, May 28, at 4 p.m.

Micheal Johnson comes to Booker T. Washington from George Washington Carver Middle School. While at Carver Johnson stressed mutual respect and individual achievement, describing the school as a place “where people of diverse cultures come to learn together, to grow together, and to be together… Our school is student-centered. In addition to understanding and attending to the developmental challenges faced by young adolescents during the middle years, we value and respect individual differences. Carver teachers and administrators set high expectations and provide opportunities for success to all students.”

Johnson will aim to replicate his success at Carver when he moves to Booker T. The school came in at #65 in Newsweek magazine’s annual rankings of the best schools in the country. BTW has made the list since 2005, appearing at #58.

Johnson’s reception takes place in BTW’s commons area.

 

A Sports Fan’s Dream Come True: The Urban vs. Suburban All-Star Games 

5/29/2008, 6:30 p.m.

The best student-athletes in the region are gearing up to take part in a tournament hosted jointly by Tulsa Public Schools and an organization founded in memory of legendary Olympic great and Oklahoma native Jim Thorpe.

The Annual Jim Thorpe “Urban vs. Suburban” All-Star event is Thursday, May 29, and Friday, May 30. The event is a sports fan’s dream as senior athletes from 33 area high schools compete in basketball and football games marked by spirited play and good sportsmanship. As the title suggests the teams are divided into “urban”—those hailing from TPS—and “suburban”—representing communities such as Catoosa and Glenpool.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase talent from across the Tulsa metro area,” said TPS Assistant Athletic Director Jon Wheeler. “Many of these athletes compete against each other during the year and now they have the chance to play together.”

The All Star Basketball Classic is May 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Will Rogers High School. The girls tip-off first, followed by the boys at 8 p.m. The All Star Football Classic is May 30 at 6:30 at East Central High School.

Ticket prices for both games are the same: $6 for general admission with children under six admitted free. OSSAA passes will be accepted.

The TPS coaches for the hardwood (boys and girls) are: Kevin Rucker, Central; Mike Hughes, Memorial; Dawn Quinton, Webster; Terry Scott, Central; Shea Seals, BTW; Wan U, Webster. The TPS coaches for the gridiron are Corey Russell, Central; Wade Weller, Edison; Kevin Busch, Hale.

 

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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