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School News - Tip Sheet - 6/18/2008

In Response to Tough Times, TPS Adjusts Lunch Prices 

6/17/2008

Anyone who pays bills, buys groceries or fills up a gas tank knows, soaring fuel prices have led to increases in the cost of just about everything. In an effort to continue providing nutritious, high-quality food for Tulsa Public Schools students, the Board of Education recently approved an adjustment to prices for school breakfasts and lunches. Below is the new cost schedule approved Monday, June 16, 2008.

Elementary Schools
Breakfast $1.10
Lunch $1.80

Middle Schools
Breakfast $1.10
Lunch $2.25

High Schools
Breakfast $1.10
Lunch $2.25

Staff
Breakfast $1.50
Lunch $2.75

Guests
Breakfast $1.50
Lunch $2.75

 

High-tech Training for TPS Educators 

6/19/2008

Tulsa Public Schools is making the classroom VCR/DVD player and TV cart relics of the past thanks to a new partnership with Library Video Company, based in Wynnewood, PA.

Oklahoma’s largest school district will soon have access to Video-on-Demand with LVC’s SAFARI Montage, which comes preloaded with the finest, broadcast-quality educational videos available. "Students, teachers and parents will recognize popular titles from publishers such as A&E Home Video, Disney, National Geographic, Sesame Street, PBS and Scholastic.

“The SAFARI Montage system is just the latest tool in Tulsa Public Schools’ arsenal of classroom technology,” said Dr. Michael Zolkoski, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools. “We are committed to keeping up with the times by using creative, up-to-date teaching methods that engage today’s children.”

"We are thrilled that after a thorough evaluation through the RFP process, TPS selected SAFARI Montage as their district-wide Digital Media Management solution," said Andrew Schlessinger, CEO of SAFARI Montage.

With the click of a mouse, the classroom teacher can access SAFARI Montage via personal computer. Students can view multimedia presentations at single computer stations, interactive white boards or as via video screen projection. Each and every one of TPS’ 88 sites will have immediate access to the District’s entire digital video library – both internally-created and externally licensed. Students will also enjoy the option of adding self-created video productions for use and access within the District.

Videos are even correlated to Oklahoma state PASS standards so that teachers can search for programs that support specific benchmarks. For instance, teachers who want to focus on a specific concept of state standardized tests can create multimedia lessons using SAFARI Montage’s search engine, which lists results by relevance, alphabetical title or publisher, or by grade level. New, less experienced teachers can tap into the experience of a master teacher by accessing the central database for past classroom lessons or professional development tips.

“This is exciting technology for Tulsa Public Schools,” said Ellen Duecker, Director of Instructional Media and Library Services, “not only for the classroom teacher and students, but for applications throughout the District.”

Dr. Marvin Jeter, Director of Staff Development and Leadership Training said SAFARI Montage offers district administrators the opportunity to address policy and procedure online, and allows teachers to brush up their skills on their own terms.

“SAFARI Montage allows TPS to provide training opportunities that teachers can access via internet from anywhere, at any time. They can revisit the subject whenever they feel the need, without having to make time in their tight schedules to attend a class,” Jeter said.

TPS’ curriculum and professional development staff will soon find out why SAFARI Montage is winning rave reviews from the national School Library Journal and major school districts in Nashville, Baltimore and Chicago. On Thursday and Friday, SAFARI Montage trainers will work with TPS educators on the District’s latest high-tech tool. For more information about SAFARI Montage, contact Nicole Daddario at (800) 843-3620 or visit www.SAFARImontage.com.

 

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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