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School News - Tip Sheet - 8/6/2008

T.E.A.M Receives Cox Grant 

8/6/2008

The school year hasn’t even started and already Memorial High School’s Engineering Academy has notched an accomplishment.

The academy has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Cox Connects Foundation, the cable giant’s charitable arm. The money comes from the foundation’s Innovation in Education grant program.

T.E.A.M.—Tulsa Engineering Academy at Memorial—is one of only of fifteen area schools to receive a grant from the program.

 

Charge Conference Revs Up Principals for New School Year 

8/6/2008

Curriculum, academic goals, ethics, values, priorities and other need-to-know topics were on the agenda as principals from every school in the TPS district attended the two-day Charge Conference, held at the Tulsa Ballet.

Overhead slides delineated the conference’s goals: Discipline and providing students with research-based curriculum and instructional programs so that every child reaches his and her potential.

The conference comes days before Tulsa’s youth abandon the idyllic, dog days of summer for a return to the classroom. TPS educators can’t wait.

“I’m looking for a smooth start getting all the kids back in,” said TPS Superintendent Dr. Michael Zolkoski. “Schools aren’t really schools without the children there.”

“We were able to get positive feedback on testing scores that have emerged and where we need to move forward from here,” said Lynnette Dixon, entering her sixth year as principal of Hawthorne Elementary School.

“I appreciate the briefings we are getting on the Baldridge (Process) and the Strategic Plan,” said Tom Padalino, entering his twelfth year at the helm of Thoreau Demonstration Academy. “It’s helpful to have that laid out so we can pass that down to our people.”

 

Freshmen Get Look at Webster’s Magnet Program 

8/6/2008

Seventy-four new ninth-graders got their first taste of high school this summer with Webster High School's inaugural Freshman Academy.

Led by mentors from the senior class, the incoming freshmen spent three mornings watching presentations on Webster's programs and policies, taking tests to help determine their placement in high-school classes, exploring their personal learning styles, and enjoying snacks, skits and a scavenger hunt designed to help them learn their way around campus. Students who attended the camp received backpacks containing school supplies for the first semester, and those who attended all three days had a chance to win a free iPod.

The first day of the academy included special sessions for parents, who accompanied the students to school and then spent the morning learning about the school before rejoining the students for a free hot dog roast on Webster's park-like grounds.

Teachers Mary Bennett, David Dixon, Kim Evans and Stephanie Short planned and sponsored the academy, which organizers hope will become an annual event.

Webster Principal Phil Garland praised the teachers' efforts.

"The Freshman Initiative Program at George Washington University was our model for the summer program, but without the initiative of our teachers—especially Mary Bennett—Webster wouldn't be improving, getting off of the List of Schools in Need of Improvement, or gaining overall on test scores the past couple of years," Garland said.

During the event, the freshmen had their first opportunity to learn about Webster's new Broadcasting & Digital Media Magnet program, which is funded by a $12 million federal grant awarded to Tulsa Public Schools to create interest-based magnet programs at four high schools— Central, Hale, McLain and Webster.

Webster's new magnet strand coordinators—Jeff Thomas (information technology), Lloyd Wright (broadcasting) and Emily Priddy (journalism, marketing and graphic design)—gave the freshmen an overview of the program, which allows students with an interest in one of the three magnet strands to focus on that area through a series of electives. In addition to the specialized coursework, the program incorporates the magnet themes into every class, making classwork more interesting and helping students see the answers to common questions such as, "Why do I need to learn this?" or "Where am I ever going to use this?"

Webster's strand coordinators—all professionals with "real world" experience in their respective fields—will spend the coming school year helping teachers integrate the magnet curriculum into their classes.

Any TPS student who is interested in broadcasting, information technology, journalism, marketing or graphic design is encouraged to call (918) 746-8000 to learn more about the program.

 

TPS Guards Undergo Training 

8/7/2008

The men and women entrusted with maintaining safety and calm in district schools took part in a ten-hour training session at the Tulsa Police Academy.

“It gives us an opportunity to bring in all of our campus security and show them what to expect,” said Sam Troglin, private security/special event liaison for Tulsa Public Schools.

Administrators, field supervisors and security guards from Securitas—the firm TPS contracts with to patrol our campuses—attended and heard presentations on law-enforcement related topics such as crowd control and gang activity.

Sgt. Mark Stevens of the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office taught the portion on crowd control. He said it’s a different dynamic when dealing with young people.

“When you have teenagers, their ideas of what their rights are are completely messed up because of what they have seen on TV and the Internet,” Stevens said. “They think the only people they have to listen to are their parents. So we are exploring some of the issues involved with that type of crowd control and managing large groups of people.”

So what’s the key to effective control of a crowd, which Stevens defines as a group of three or more people?

“You don’t cuss. You’re not rude. You always tell the truth and you never threaten,” he said.

“The biggest challenge for (the security guards) is going to be dealing with students that become unruly,” Troglin said. “We want to keep our campuses safe for our students and our faculty.”

 

Educators Ready To Get Inspired 

8/7/2008, 8:30 a.m.

A final jolt of inspiration for educators in the Tulsa Public Schools system to take with them into the classroom is what the annual Convocation is all about.

Existing in various forms for the past two decades, the Convocation has under the stewardship of Superintendent Dr. Michael Zolkoski morphed into an event featuring well-known motivational speakers.

"We’re all kicking off the school year on the same page,” said Zolkoski. “Teachers, principals, district administrators…it’s time for all of us to work together and continue the momentum that has led to such success over the last two years.”

Zolkoski credits back-to-school activities like the Convocation, New Teacher Banquet and Principals’ Charge Session for rallying all TPS employees behind the same mission.

“We are all here to provide a quality learning experience for every student, every day, without exception. It helps to get all 3,000-plus teachers in one place to talk about how we’re going to do it this year.”

This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Todd Whitaker, a professor of educational leadership at Indiana State University that has worked as both a teacher and principal at the middle and high school level. Whitaker has authored numerous books and is internationally recognized as an inspirational and distinguished speaker. He has written “Dealing with Difficult Teachers,” “Motivating & Inspiring Teachers,” “Dealing with Difficult Parents,” “Feeling Great!,” “Teaching Matters,” and “What Great Principals Do Differently.”

The Convocation is August 7 at 8:30 a.m. in the Maxwell Convention Center. Buses will pick up at high schools starting at 7:45 a.m. In addition to the inspiration, the theme song is the decidedly retro “Love Train” by the O’Jays, dovetailing with the official Convocation theme: “Get on Board.”

 

Roaaar!!! Timberwolf Training Camp Welcomes Students  

8/8/2008, 9 a.m.

A live wolf—that’s right, an actual, living, breathing canis lupus—welcomes incoming students to Thoreau Demonstration Academy this week as the award-winning school conducts its annual Timberwolf Training Camp.

Set for Friday, August 8, from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. the academy is intended for students entering the sixth-grade next year. The children get a chance to meet their teachers, receive schedules and locker assignments (and learn were the bathrooms are), and become further acclimated to the MicroSociety concept.

Now about that wolf. Thoreau administrators have arranged for Safari Sanctuaries of Broken Arrow to have the wolf on hand to provide students with an unforgettable, and safe, visual experience. Bet your first day of school wasn’t as memorable as this promises to be!

Thoreau is a research-based, brain compatible learning environment that houses sixth, seventh and eighth grade children from across the city of Tulsa. Admission is determined by a public random drawing from applications, and is uniformly distributed by geographic quadrant.

 

Cutt-Off Sends Students to School in Style 

8/11/2008, 8 a.m.

A close shave can be a good thing. Just ask one of the several thousand area youngsters that took advantage of the Barber Cutt-Off, an annual event that sends students to school looking styled and spiffy.

This year’s Cutt-Off marks the sixteenth annual. As they have done since 1992 local barbers and stylists donate their time and skills to students in elementary and middle schools, also chipping in with school supplies and free lunches.

“Last year we serviced over 2,000 kids,” said Tamara Lockett, one of the Cutt-Off’s coordinators, “because some parents can’t even afford haircuts for their children and this helps them start school with confidence.”

The Cutt-Off is Sunday, Aug 10, at the Hutcherson YMCA, located on east Pine and Peoria. Organizers say they are always looking for volunteers. Contact Kenya Hill at 405-881-4817 or email barbercuttoff@gmail.com, for more information.

 

Input Wanted On Alternative Ed. 

8/20/2008, 5 p.m.

Tulsa Public Schools wants your input as part of an alternative education audit. The effort, mandated by the TPS Board of Education, is all about keeping the district at the head of the class.

“We look at all of our alternative education sites,” said Roberta Ellis, Assistant to the Superintendent for Accountability and Research. “We want to be at the cutting edge of what alternative schools do nationally.”

The district is partnering with MGT of America, Inc, one of the nation’s leading educational management consulting firms, in hosting an Alternative Education Community Open House. The public is invited to participate in what’s called a “Walk About”—essentially sharing ideas through written comments. Topics will be varied and open, ranging from accommodations and eligibility to professional development and parent involvement.

The Walk About is 5-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20, at the Education Service Center, Cheryl Selman Room, 3027 South New Haven Avenue.

 

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