ARROWPOINT} TH E OF F I CI A L M A G A Z I N E O F B RO K EN A R R O W P U B LIC S C H O O LS
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SEE IN S I D E Superintendent’s Message Teachers of the Year Board Zone Boundaries Parent Legislative Group
VOLUME 37, ISSUE THREE • WINTER EDITION 2011
Multicultural Festival
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ARROWPOINT
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF BROKEN ARROW PUBLIC SCHOOLS VOLUME 37, ISSUE 3 | WINTER EDITION 2011 Publisher Communications Department Broken Arrow Public Schools Editing/Content/Photography Tara Thompson Public Information Officer Layout/Design/Photography Adam J. Foreman Graphic Artist/Publications Specialist Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jarod Mendenhall Board of Education Cheryl Kelly, President Shari Wilkins, Vice President Jerry Denton, Clerk Sharon Whelpley, Deputy Clerk Steve Allen, Member
The ARROWPOINT is published by the Communications Department of Broken Arrow Public Schools and is distributed to approximately 45,000 households in the Broken Arrow school district. The ARROWPOINT is printed at Alpha Graphics, and is the official communication tool for parents, students, staff and patrons of Broken Arrow Public Schools. Any information, content and photos contained herein are property of Broken Arrow Schools and are to be used by outside sources only with permission of the Communications Department. All contents are copyrighted. Broken Arrow Public Schools (BAPS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following people at BAPS have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: The Executive Director of Human Resources should be contacted for all non-student and/or employment related issues at 918-259-5700 or at 701 South Main Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. The Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services should be contacted for all student issues except those related to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 at 918-259-5700 or at 701 South Main Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. The Director of Special Education should be contacted for all student issues related to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 at 918-259-5700 or at 701 South Main Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Inquiries concerning non-discrimination can also be made to the United States Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Broken Arrow Public Schools Education Service Center 701 South Main Street Broken Arrow, OK 74012 (918) 259-5700 | F: (918) 258-0399 www.baschools.org
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SUPERINTENDENT
As the Superintendent, one of the things I most enjoy is bragging on all the good things happening in Broken Arrow Public Schools. We’re only halfway through the school year, but so many great things have already happened. First, I would be remiss if I did not thank all the Broken Arrow patrons for passing the 2011 bond issue. With your support, we will be able to better meet student needs both now and in the future. New construction is taking place across the district – several new classroom additions are nearing completion, the new elementary at 91st and Oneta Road has walls going up, and I cannot wait to break ground on the high school addition and other exciting projects. However, construction isn’t the only new occurrence in the district. This year has also marked the introduction of several new programs to our district. Literacy First and Reading Recovery are preparing our students for the transition to the Common Core Standards over the next few years, and I could not be more impressed with the way our teachers have embraced this focus on literacy. Professional Learning Communities are resulting in additional research, collaboration and new initiatives that are achieving positive results for classrooms and sites throughout our district. Another program, Rachel’s Challenge, has also caused a change throughout our district. When I visit our sites, I see evidence of the positive effects of Rachel’s message. Kind acts and words can be seen and heard at all of our campuses, and I am so proud of the way our students have accepted the challenge to make a positive impact on their world. But the effects don’t stop with our students. Earlier this fall, many district employees participated in the annual United Way campaign and raised an incredible $94,839. This is a nearly $30,000 increase over what was raised last year, and will no doubt positively affect the lives of those touched by the United Way. In other achievements, in November The Pride traveled to Indianapolis for the Music for All’s Bands of America Grand National Championship. After outperforming more than 90 other bands, your Pride of Broken Arrow proudly bears the title of Grand National Champion. As I wrote this, your Broken Arrow Tigers football team was preparing for the second round of the playoffs, and now as you read it, I hope the 2011 State Championship Football is sitting in our trophy case. And finally, we have announced our 25 Site Teachers of the Year, one of whom will be selected as the District Teacher of the Year this spring. Each of these educators is an example of the high-quality professionals who work to make our district great. As you can see, the first half of the year is off to a fantastic start, and I am eager to see what great things are accomplished during the second half. Sincerely, Dr. Jarod Mendenhall, Superintendent of Schools
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE TWO
in the ZONE t
Board of Education voting boundaries redrawn to better reflect population, Board elections set for Feb.
The school district’s climbing enrollment and the city’s increasing population have visible effects in many areas of Broken Arrow, but one change that has gone unseen is adjustment in the boundary zones for school board candidates. After the release of the 2010 Census data, the district was required to review the five board candidate zones to ensure population equality in all zones. By law, population variance in each of the five zones cannot differ more than 10%, and with the tremendous amount of growth the city has experienced, the district found it necessary to adjust several of the board zone boundary lines. “The area around Country Lane Primary and Intermediate has simply exploded with growth in the last decade, and when we reviewed the numbers received in the 2010 Census we found a 60% variance between the population represented in that zone when compared with our lowest populated zone,” said Dr. Mendenhall, Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent. “We realized we needed to redraw the boundaries, and that’s what we’ve done.” The Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) was hired to create the proposals and draw up the maps of possible options available to the district. Four proposals were initially created by INCOG, and after district input, two additional proposals were created. In their October board meeting, the Broken Arrow
Board of Education approved a proposal that had a little more than 5% variance between zones. The new zone boundaries went into effect immediately after the vote, and will play a role in the upcoming election for Board Seat No. 2. Incumbent Sharon Whelpley’s seat will be up for election in February 2012, and while she has not yet decided whether or not she will run again, the redrawing of the zones has not affected her eligibility to run again. “I have served on the School Board for two decades, and while it’s been a rollercoaster ride at times, I wouldn’t trade a single moment,” Whelpley said. “Serving the community is an important duty for any citizen, and I am blessed to have been a part of the education of so many of our students.” To be an eligible candidate for the Board of Education, a person must have resided in the district for at least six months preceding the filing period and be a registered voter within the geographical boundaries of both the school district and the board zone for which they are filing. School employees and persons convicted of a misdemeanor or felony are not eligible to run. The filing period for Board of Education Seat No. 2 opens at 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, and closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7. “Members of the Board of Education volunteer
a great deal of their time in understanding school issues and helping to guide the district in its mission and goals,” Mendenhall said. “My hope is that whoever runs for this seat will have a willingness to learn school business, a knowledge and skill set that will benefit the district, and the heart of a servant.” More filing information can be found at www. tulsacounty.org and www.ok.gov/wagonercounty.
check it out
Click on the above QR code using a smart phone to access a map of the new boundaries.
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE THREE
TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2012
shiningSTARS
District announces Site Teachers of the Year On behalf of Broken Arrow Public Schools, the Professional Development Committee is proud to announce the 2011-2012 Site Teacher of the Year Recipients. “While our district is full of phenomenal educators, each of these 25 individuals were elected by their peers as outstanding educators who have continually displayed innovation and leadership at their sites,” said Dr. Jarod Mendenhall. “The Professional Development Committee faces a very tough assignment in the coming months, because only one of these educators can be selected as our District Teacher of the Year.” Now that all the Site Teachers of the Year have been announced,
the Professional Development Committee will conduct an informational meeting to discuss the District Teacher of the Year process. “The Site Teacher of the Year recipients will have until February 15, to submit portfolios to the Professional Development Committee,” said Diana Beaulieu, BAPS Director of Professional Development. “As a committee, we will then thoroughly review each portfolio, interview the candidates, and eventually arrive at the person we believe to be the best candidate for the District Teacher of the Year. It’s an arduous process for both the candidates and the committee, but it’s incredibly rewarding.”
The District Teacher of the Year is announced every spring at the Teacher of the Year Gala. This year’s annual reception will be held on Monday, April 16, at the PAC. The District Teacher of the Year will then go on to represent Broken Arrow Public Schools at the State Teacher of the Year Competition later in the summer of 2012. “I hope every employee will join me in congratulating these individuals on their accomplishment,” Mendenhall said. “Each of them is an example of the high-quality professionals who work to make our district great, and I am excited to see which one will represent our district at the state level.”
Kelly West Broken Arrow Academy
Terry Beckwith Broken Arrow High School
David Eversole North Intermediate High School
Marla Watts South Intermediate High School
Kristen Thumser Margaret Hudson Program
Brandon Chitty Centennial Middle School
Sarah Martin Ernest Childers Middle School
Heather Goodenough Haskell Middle School
Jennifer Jackson Oliver Middle School
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE FOUR
Sharon Holt Sequoyah Middle School
Chris Nichols Arrow Springs Elementary
Cindi Bell Arrowhead Elementary
Melody Lavender Country Lane Primary
Amanda Collier Country Lane Intermediate
Teri Overton Indian Springs Elementary
Erin Meehan Leisure Park Elementary
Rhonda Fisher Liberty Elementary
Lindsay Little Lynn Wood Elementary
Catherine Graham Oak Crest Elementary
Abby Weyen Park Lane Elementary
Amanda Stone Rhoades Elementary
Rachel Ellis Spring Creek Elementary
Nancy Jones Vandever Elementary
Adrien Francis Westwood Elementary
Diana Snow Wolf Creek Elementary ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE FIVE
part of the
action
Parent group seeks to understand, help out with educational legislation
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Broken Arrow parents have the opportunity to become involved in shaping the laws that affect their children’s education. The Parent Legislative Action Committee (PLAC) was established five years ago by a small group of parents whose children attended Jenks Public Schools. Since that time, the nonpartisan group has grown to include parents from several Tulsa area schools including Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Union, Owasso, and now, Broken Arrow. “The goal of Parent Legislative Action
Committee is to educate parents and state legislators on how laws affect public education,” said Melissa Abdo, ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE SIX
current PLAC President. “We work closely with school administrators and other experts in order to better understand our educational system and how we can improve it.” Beginning in September, the PLAC meets monthly in preparation for the legislative session which begins in February. Guest speakers are brought in to present on a variety of topics from testing to school finance in order to prepare parents for the topics that could arise during the legislative session. At the group’s last event, the Parents and Policymakers Luncheon, more than 100 parents attended to converse with the seven legislators who were acting as panelists for the forum. “I was pleased with the response we had to our Parents and Policymakers event, and we were able to have some great conversations with our legislators,” Abdo said. “The lawmakers and parents don’t always see eye-to-eye, but we respect their service, and they respect that we are trying to improve our
children’s education.” The PLAC meets next on Dec. 14 at the Union Education Service Center. On Jan.11, 2012, the group will host a meeting in the Broken Arrow Education Service Center. All regular meetings last from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. “We’ve had several Broken Arrow parents attend the PLAC meetings, but I hope more parents will become involved,” said Broken Arrow Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jarod Mendenhall. “Broken Arrow needs a voice at the Capitol, and the legislators will listen to parents much more readily than they will school administrators.” Beginning in February, the PLAC makes monthly trips to Oklahoma City to meet the legislators on their own turf at the State Capitol. A few days before the trip, parents are encouraged to contact their local legislators and invite them to meet with the group during their visit. “We reserve a room in the Capitol building and spend the day talking to legislators about specific bills we are either for or against and provide them with data to support our position,” said Abdo. “Our time that day is spent as lobbyists for our schools – we try to help the legislators understand how their bills will positively or negatively affect the schools, and we work to find a common ground.” Lunch and childcare are provided for any members who would like to attend regular meetings or Capitol visits, but an RSVP is requested. To find out more information about the group, its next meeting, or to RSVP, send an email to TulsaAreaPLAC@yahoo.com.
GO ANYWHERE
Seventh annual Multicultural Diversity Festival seeks to create awareness of different groups in the community
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Cultures and people are set to combine and share at the seventh annual Multicultural Diversity Festival Jan. 5, 2012, at the Broken Arrow Campus of Tulsa Technology Center. This free event is presented by International Cultures for Education (ICE) PTA and Lynn Wood Elementary. Now in its seventh year, the Multicultural Diversity Festival is quickly becoming one of the most interesting and informative events in Broken Arrow. “I want to create an awareness and understanding of the different groups that live together side by side in our community,” said Felisa Hilbert, event organizer and ELL teacher aide at Lynn Wood Elementary. “I want all of us to realize that we live in a wonderful community and that we need each other to make it better.” The initial idea for the festival was to help minority parents get involved with school activities, helping to break past language barriers and help those who were afraid to contribute to their child’s education. “It was amazing to see the pride and light in the eyes of these shy parents,” said Hilbert. With 300 people attending and 10 countries represented, the first event was successful enough to warrant more–and expansion. Last year’s event had more than 1,200 people in
attendance, 32 countries represented and more than 10 community resources offering their services free of charge. “I want the children to learn about other cultures and travel around the world, taste other food, listen to other music and realize that no matter how different we look, we still are the same and need the same things,” said Hilbert. In addition to the many cultures and countries represented, this year’s event will also incorporate a food and book drive for needy minority families. “I feel very sad knowing the many children in our community don’t have any books at home to read or food to eat,” said Hilbert. To help accomplish this, ICE PTA is asking all parents to become members of the new ICE PTA unit and donate one book or one can of food when they arrive at the festival. Hilbert’s involvement with the festival and her various other activities have brought her many accolades, including being named the 2008 Multicultural Paraprofessional of the Year. Earlier this year she was selected by Parenting Magazine to represent Oklahoma at the second annual Mom Congress in Washington, D.C., and has been invited back numerous times to give her viewpoint and advice on minority education in U.S. schools.
“I am hoping that at the end, understanding, empathy, collaboration, respect, unity and a feeling of pride goes with all the people who attend,” said Hilbert. “I feel so lucky to live here and feel my responsibility is to make it better for my children, the children of parents who don’t have a voice and for the future generations.” To find out how to be a resource for the festival, or for more information about the event, call Hilbert at (918) 259-4430, Ext. 2148. The event is free and open to the public.
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MULTICULTURAL
FESTIVAL January 5, 2012 | 6-9 p.m. Tulsa Technology Center Broken Arrow Campus 4600 South Olive (129th & 111th) Contact Felisa Hilbert at (918) 259-4430 x. 2148
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE SEVEN
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