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School News - Tip Sheet - 9/23/2009

Staying Prepared at Owen Elementary 

9/25/2009, 9 a.m.

The idea behind National Preparedness Month is simple: In the event of an emergency are you prepared and what to do if you aren't? Rest assured that by Friday, September 25, students attending at least one school in the TPS system will be ready and cool as the proverbial cucumber. That’s because Owen Elementary is participating in the Ready Oklahoma / Ready Kids campaign, a week-long joint effort by the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and Radio Disney featuring information, teacher tools and disaster scenarios designed to ensure children are ready in case of a disaster. The week culminates with a 9:30 a.m. assembly on Friday, September 25, that includes members of Radio Disney bringing their special brand of music and energy.

“We are covering all sorts of disaster situations—including tornados. We believe that any information we can provide is a good thing,” said Angie Teas, Owen’s principal. “The more prepared our students are the less there is a chance they will panic and do the wrong thing.”

“Regardless of the type or size of the emergency when it is happening to you, it is a very stressful time,” said Oklahoma Homeland Security Director Kerry Pettingill. “That’s why we are encouraging all Oklahomans to take a few minutes now—before an emergency occurs—to get prepared. It’s easy to do and can only ease the anxiety when a crisis is affecting your family.”

 

Hamilton Student Wins Energy Contest 

9/25/2009

Adriana Rodriguez, a student at Hamilton Middle School, put pen to paper and earned thousands of dollars for her school by winning a sustainable energy essay contest.

The contest was co-sponsored by Mayor Kathy Taylor’s office and Tulsa Public Schools.

“Adriana’s essay, ‘Sustainable Energy: It’s Important to Our Community,’ clearly stated her thoughts on why our country and the whole world must look closely at sustainable energy sources and develop whatever technology requires to make them affordable and accessible to everyone.”

“It’s important for today’s students to understand petroleum-based energy may not be around forever,” said Dr. Keith Ballard, TPS superintendent. “I believe this contest exposed their minds to that possibility and channeled students to start thinking about how their generation might impact the future of energy in the world.”

The second and third place winners are respectively Ryan Bunch and Brienna Milleson, students at Thoreau Demonstration Academy.

The schools of the winning students will receive a variety of educational materials totaling about $30,000 and donated by Global New Energy Solutions. Global NES will also construct a 30-foot wind turbine in October at a TPS site.

Listen to Adriana read her winning essay. (mp3, 1,379KB)

 

Essay Contest Blows Away Competition 

9/25/2009

"Sustainable Energy: It's Important to Our Community" is the theme of an essay contest awarding $30 thousand in total prizes and open to all district middle school science students. The contest runs September 8-22, with Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor announcing the winner on September 25. The winner's school will receive a fully operational, 30-foot wind turbine to be unveiled October 23. Second and third place winners earn DVDS, books and other educational materials for their school’s library.

Other rules: The essay must be at least 500 words and no longer than 1500, typed and double-spaced using the Times New Roman 12-point font. The essay must also contain a cover page including the student’s name, school, grade and science teacher’s name. Submit printed entries to Trish Pruitt in the ESC by 4 p.m. on September 22. p>

Essay Flyer

 

Hamilton Middle School Career Fair 

10/2/2009, 9:00 am

A career fair at Hamilton Middle School aims to illustrate to students the myriad of employment opportunities available in fields related to law enforcement. Representatives at the fair include volunteers from the FBI, regional fire departments, area law firms and other members of the local judicial system, and the Tulsa County Parks Department.

The fair is sponsored by the Tulsa County Bar Association and Hamilton Middle School Career Academy. There is no charge

 

Parents as Teachers 25th Birthday Bash 

10/3/2009, 10:00

Parents as Teachers celebrates a quarter-century of serving parents and children with a birthday blowout on October 3. Chris Maricle, the group’s coordinator with Tulsa Public Schools, says the bash includes family activities, informational booths, crafts, music, games, face painting and a silent auction. There’s also a chance to meet families that have used PAT and hear how and why the program worked for them.

The celebration runs from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, located at 3515 S. Harvard. Maricle says the event is especially useful for parents with children under the age of three. Call 925-1406 or e-mail maricch@tulsaschools.org for more information.

PAT is a national organization working to provide parents with child development knowledge and support. The local chapter’s website is: www.tulsaschools.org/sp/pat/.

While the national organization has been around 25 years, the local chapter has been in Tulsa since 1991.

 

Spruce up Hale High School 

10/3/2009

The idea behind Up With Trees, a local non-profit organization, began with a mission to spruce up Tulsa and create urban forestry awareness through education. The idea has taken root and the group has most recently been successful at Will Rogers High School, where they replaced unhealthy trees with new ones and oversaw watering and other maintenance. Next up is another venerable district school: Hale High School, completed September 1, 1959. On October 3, Up With Trees commences a campaign to beautify Hale’s campus and maintain its foliage for the next two years.

 

HelmZar Community Day 

10/15/2009

If you haven’t ever been there, perhaps you have at least seen it from the roadside—a behemoth with ropes, pulleys, levers. The HelmZar Challenge Course has been popular with children and adults for years, offering games, problem-solving activities and good, old-fashioned climbing. Now HelmZar is holding a Community Day on October 15, a chance to check out what the course has to offer. Community Day is open to middle school children on up, although individual under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-register by October 8 to attend. Call 595-2875 for more information. The cost is $20 a person.

 

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