January 11, 2010
Volume 82
Issue Number 25
Dr. Ballard's Message
Volunteer "Teach for the Stars" Program
Greetings,
Tulsa Public Schools Teach for the Stars volunteer
substitute program will prepare volunteers to begin
substituting by February 1, 2010.
I hope everyone had
a great vacation and
returned to work ready
for an exciting second
semester. As I write this
column, we are attempting
to weather bitterly cold
temperatures. It was a
difficult decision to close
school, but we know the conditions many of our kids
deal with. What makes closures a tough call is the
environment some of our students live in. While it
may be safer for the whole to cancel classes, some of
our kids receive their best care (meals, clothing, etc.)
in school. I want you to know we deliberated very
carefully before coming to any conclusions. We are working on a couple of exciting initiatives. This
past week representatives from ACT/America’s Choice
were in Tulsa for a full-day workshop, and I was able
to participate in the entire event. I remind you the
purpose of ACT/America’s Choice, which focuses on
curriculum and teaching strategies, is to ensure all
TPS students graduate ready to attend college. While
we revisited strategies and affirmed our work, I found
the most interesting part of the day to be a study of
middle school data. Test scores and surveys tell us
that, while we are making progress, we have a lot of
work to do. Despite side issues that too often detract
from our real work, we must remain focused on school
improvement and initiatives that ensure our students
are prepared to graduate.
Also this week, the steering committee from the Gates
Teacher Effectiveness initiative resumed regular
meetings, continuing work on teacher evaluations.
The committee will continue to meet and move
determinedly forward. Much of the initiative’s work
will be reflected in Oklahoma’s application to Race
to the Top, due January 18. I am on the state-wide
(continued on page 2)
Trainings will be held for the media, the general
public, and TPS employees from the Education Service
Center, Fulton Teaching and Learning Academy,
Transportation, Maintenance and Ross.
Volunteering to substitute is mandatory for certified
personnel, administrators, coordinators and all
members of the leadership team. Principals and
assistant principals will also substitute in their
buildings when needed.
Support employees from the above listed sites may
also choose to volunteer.
Training for certified personnel within TPS is
optional.
Volunteer training will include three hours of professional
development to include:
• One hour of PROCESSES, conducted by the
substitute office
• One hour of INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES,
conducted by the Fulton staff
• One hour of CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT,
conducted by Ava Hicks, former principal of
Madison Middle School and Brian Grimm, current
Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
Dates, times, and location for TPS employees:
• Tuesday, January 19, 8-11 a.m., Education Service
Center, Selman Room, 3027 South New Haven,
Tulsa, OK 74147
• Thursday, January 21, 8-11 a.m., Education
Service Center, Room 400, 3027 South New Haven,
Tulsa, OK 74147
If a time is not convenient, a volunteer may attend an
alternate training session.
Certificates of Completion will be issued at the end of
the training.
(continued on page 2)
Superintendent’s Bulletin - January 11, 2010
Page 2
Dr. Ballard's Message (continued)
Volunteer “Teach for the Stars” (continued)
steering committee and have had the opportunity to
observe the application’s development. Kathy Taylor,
the former mayor of Tulsa, chairs the project and
under her very able leadership Oklahoma will be very
competitive. I remind you there are other federal grants
available and we will be pursuing all opportunities. To sign up for Teach for the Stars, contact:
• Phylena Miller at milleph@tulsaschools.org or 7466343
• Evelyn Hargrave-Moser at hargrev@tulsaschools.org
or 746-6811
• Pat Houston at houstpa@tulsaschools.org or 7466820
Finally, we need to really focus on the upcoming bond
issue. It is imperative that we continue the 20-year
plan developed by a committee made up of citizens
in 1995. Since then, voters have approved four bond
packages that helped to fund $400 million in capital
improvements including:
• New $20-million Clinton Middle School
• Total renovation of Memorial High School and
partial renovations at 15 schools
• New heating and air conditioning at dozens of
sites
• New or improved classrooms and libraries
• New kitchen and cafeteria at Webster High School
• Licenses to provide all students access for online
research materials
• Home access to online research materials for
families
• Computers and other technology for student
research
• New computers and learning technology
• New middle school science labs
• New school buses
The March 2 vote for TPS’ $354 million bond issue
will help the district to continue its 20-year plan
by providing funding for building improvements,
classroom additions, instructional materials, security
equipment and much more.
The citizens’ bond committee came up with a
comprehensive package that will not increase taxes
for property owners in Tulsa, but it will certainly
boost property values by improving the conditions
of the city’s schools. Tulsa Public Schools' students
deserve the best in technology, learning materials,
transportation, athletics and facilities, and it takes
money to give them the best. I greatly appreciate the
hard work of the citizens’ bond committee for helping
TPS to build on the success that was started 15 years
ago.
Bundle up and stay warm this week!
Training registration will include and be completed
at the training:
1. Teach for the Stars application ( go to www.
tulsaschools.org, click on Volunteer Teach for the
Stars link)
2. Background Authorization Release
All Teach for the Stars hours will be logged at each
site, by the volunteer facilitator or the principal and
through Human Capital.
For principals in preparation for the volunteer Teach for the
Stars program at your site:
1. Remind teachers they must still report all absences
into Sub-Finder.
2. Human Capital will still secure long-term
teachers for a day for sites. Volunteer Teach for
the Stars substitutes will not be used in long-term
substituting situations.
3. Require each teacher in your building, who would
require a substitute, prepare a substitute folder
complete with a listing of school personnel,
emergency procedures, activities for the classroom,
maps of the school, schedules, extra duties
substitute needs to do, appropriate class rosters,
instructions for the classroom, individual students
if required (such as medication schedules, IEP
requirements, 504 requirements) and who to go
to for assistance, include a name and a classroom
number.
4. Volunteer “buttons” for identification will be
distributed at the building sites on the days of
volunteering.
Forum Examines Bullying
The unpleasant phenomenon of bullying in the school
setting is being addressed during an upcoming forum
at Academy Central Elementary, 1789 W. Seminole
St. Panelists include a juvenile court judge, youth
program director and former police officer. The forum
is Tuesday, January 12 (CORRECTED DATE), at
6:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Superintendent’s Bulletin - January 11, 2010
Sequoyah Volunteer to be Honored at
Capitol
Herman Lancaster is a good guy and this month he is
being honored as such. Lancaster, a retired accountant
and longtime volunteer for Sequoyah Elementary
School’s mentoring program, will be recognized
during Thank Your Mentor Day on Thursday, January
21, at the state capitol. The awards ceremony, which
recognizes outstanding mentors from across the state,
is being held to coincide with January’s designation as
National Mentoring Month.
Lancaster, 76 and retired from Amoco, began
volunteering when his church, the Crosstown
Church of Christ, teamed with Sequoyah through the
Partners in Education program. Lancaster has thus
far mentored three students—playing board games,
talking about school work and just plain hanging
out.
Lancaster said he enjoys being a mentor because it
gives him an opportunity to “try to influence kids’
lives for good and try to keep them from taking the
wrong path.” He likes to encourage children to work
hard in school and continue their education past high
school. Lancaster said there is a lot of poverty in the
community, and he hopes he can encourage his mentees
to “move on and become productive citizens.”
In addition to his mentoring activities, Lancaster is a
man on a mission. His mantra: get involved.
“I felt a little nervous when I first started mentoring,
but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it,” he said. “It doesn’t
require any particular talents, just trying to be a good
example and having a rapport with children. If you
are a good father with your own children, you would
be a good mentor.”
For more information visit www.okmentors.org or call
Jennifer Geren at (405) 410-1523. For information on
Tulsa-area mentoring opportunities, call the Mayor’s
Action Line at 211.
Tulsa County Reading Council
The next meeting of the Tulsa County Reading Council
features Dr. Judith Ticer, a noted speaker on subjects
related to education. The title of her lecture is Proven
Strategies to Teach Reading and Writing. The council
meets 6:30 p.m. on Monday, February 15, at Fulton
Teaching and Learning Academy. The cost to join
the council is $10. Contact council president Jennifer
McMillan at 833-9900 or mcmilje@tulsaschools.org for
more information.
Page 3
Grant Ideas
from TPS Grant Writer Rochelle Klein
Sprint Character Education Grant Program
www.sprint.com/responsibility/education/character/index.
html?id8=vanity:educationgrants
School-based grant ranging from $500-5000 per
school for character education curriculum/teacher
training or for community/service learning projects.
Deadline: February 5
Go Glow and Grow
A popular class designed for kindergartners and firstgrade students is back. Go Glow and Grow is a handson course complete with story, lots of movement and
a yummy and nutritious trail mix snack. The class
details the importance of a balanced diet and illustrates
the relationship between the foods you eat and their
impact on the body.
Contact Carissa Trost at 833-8690 or trostca@
tulsaschools.org to bring this program into your
classroom.
Retiring? Tell Us Now!
At the December 7 regular meeting, the Board of
Education agreed to pay teachers a $5,000.00 stipend
(this year only) if they provide Human Capital an
irrevocable letter stating that they will be retiring by
October 1, 2010.
Knowing which teachers are retiring will allow
schools more time to fill vacancies for next year. Our
desire is to have as many of the school vacancies filled
as is possible before the staff leaves for the summer. If
you are planning to retire at the end of this year, you
will need to make your principal and Human Capital
aware of your plans in writing prior to February 1,
2010 to receive the stipend. To qualify, you must
have been employed with TPS for seven years and be
eligible to retire. Those who qualify will receive the
stipend in their May paycheck.
We Want You: Join the TPS Speakers’ Bureau
A speakers' bureau will help promote TPS’ image in
the community. We’re looking for teachers, students,
administrators, counselors and others who are willing
to share TPS’ triumphs and accomplishments with
the public. The Office of Public Information and
Marketing will provide training and materials. You
provide the enthusiasm. Interested? Contact Tami
Marler at 746-6298 or marleta@tulsaschools.org.
Superintendent’s Bulletin - January 11, 2010
TPS Job Opportunity
A vacancy exists in the position below. Those
qualified and interested should file a written request
or application and resume within 20 working days
(excluding holidays) of the date of this notice.
Assistant Principal – McLain High School (200 Days)
Reports to: Site Principal
Minimum Qualifications:
• Oklahoma certification as a secondary school
administrator
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Perform administrative duties within the building
as directed by the principal
• Maintain student discipline in accordance with
district regulations and the building’s student
behavior expectations
• Assist in observing classroom instruction
• Assist in scheduling staff and students
• Supervise the activities of school sponsored clubs
and organization
• Maintain open lines of communication with the
community
• Assist with staff and program evaluation
Compensation: EL-3
Date of Notice: 1/11/10
Page 4
January 12, 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Elem. Core Subject Departmental
Teacher Leader Meeting
Fulton’s Cafetorium
January 18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
All TPS Sites Closed
January 19, 7 p.m.
Board of Education Meeting
ESC Selman Room
January 26, 9:30 a.m.
PTA Council Meeting
ESC Selman Room
TPS on Facebook
More than 1,000 people have signed up as TPS
Facebook fans in the district's first month on the
networking site. Join these Facebook friends and
Twitter followers to receive up-to-the-minute district
announcements and news. Weather-related school
closings are also announced on those sites.
• www.facebook.com/TPSInfo
Approved For Distribution
• twitter.com/TulsaSchools
Calvary Baptist Church – Pancake Breakfast, Life
Development & First Rate Readers
These social media sites add to the variety of ways the
TPS public information and marketing department
communicates with the TPS community. Other
methods include:
Community Action Project – Free Tax Preparation
Cub Scouts – Futbol/Soccer
Girl Scouts – Me, Myself and I
Hutcherson Family YMCA – Fuel Up to Play 60
Maxwell Community Center – Activities & Games
Mid-Land Soccer Club – Spring Soccer Signups!
Multiple sponsors – 66ers Fit 66 Challenge
Thorton Family YMCA – Youth Sports
Tulsa United Soccer Club – Spring Season Soccer
Sign Up
YMCA Camp Takatoka – Adventure Guides
YMCA of Greater Tulsa – Sport Sampler Camp
• The Tulsa Public Schools website www.tulsaschools.org
• Local TV, radio and print media
• District publications including the weekly
Superintendent's Bulletin
• All-employee e-mail distributions
• SchoolConnects phone message system
NOTE: TPS blocks social networking sites while on
the network. We do not want students or employees
spending their time on these sites during school or
work hours. Important notices that appear on these
sites will also appear on the TPS home page.
It is the policy of Tulsa Public Schools not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital
status, race, religion, sex, veteran status or political affiliation in its education or employment programs and activities. For information, contact
the Director of Compliance at (918) 746-6357.