TPS Students Celebrate Earth Day at TU

MEDIA ADVISORY

What:              Tulsa Public Schools students celebrate Earth Day at the University of Tulsa

When:             Friday, April 21, 2017, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Where:            University of Tulsa, Harwell Field, S. Gary Place/E. 5th Place 

Contact:          Emma Garrett Nelson at 918-202-6956 or garreem@tulsaschools.org

TULSA, Okla. – On Friday, April 21, 2017, approximately 1,500 students in pre-kindergarten through second grade will participate in the fourth annual Tulsa Earth Day celebration on Harwell Field at the University of Tulsa. The event will focus on outdoor hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning programs and activities.

This annual celebration was started by Tulsa Public Schools parent Katherine Anderson, pre-kindergarten teacher Patty Eaton, and community member Annie Tyndall at the suggestion of Katherine’s then-five-year-old son. This event is designed to:

·         promote civic engagement and mobilizing the Tulsa community by working with partner organizations to provide opportunities to build community relationships and become active in the environment;

·         implement environmental education programs to engage students to solve local environmental issues;

·         inspire students to become environmental leaders through awareness at an early age; strengthen the environmental community in schools;

·         build understanding of the benefits of clean water, energy conservation, endangered animals, recycling, waste management and sustainable healthy food; and 

·         provide a fun way to celebrate Earth Day. 

  

Event Schedule

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Shift one: Lanier, Kendall Whittier, Remington, Lee, and Emerson elementary schools

11:00 - 11:30 a.m.       

Lunch for students in shifts one and two

11:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Shift two: Mark Twain, Cooper, Owen, Chouteau, Lee, and Sequoyah elementary schools, Zarrow International School, and Mayo Demonstration Academy

2016 PDK Opinion Poll on the Nation’s Public Schools Underscores Need for Improved Family Engagement

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Aug. 31, 2016)—Yesterday, Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) released the results from the 2016 Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. Among the topics covered, the need to improve family engagement in education and strengthen family-school partnerships is demonstrated by the findings of the survey.

In the poll, Americans and parents were asked their satisfaction with school efforts to keep them informed and give them opportunities to offer their opinions and input. 

·         55% of parents responded that they would like to be kept more informed about how their child is doing in school.

·         51% of parents indicated they would like to be invited to visit their child’s school more often to see what is going on.

·         56% of parents replied that they would like to be given more opportunities to offer their opinions and provide input on how things are done in their child’s school.

The poll also showed a strong relationship between family engagement and school satisfaction. Parents who rated their schools positively on keeping them informed, offering them opportunities to provide input and showing interest in their input gave their schools an A or B grade overall. 

“One of National PTA’s founding principles—and continued top priority—is its dedication to ensuring families are engaged in education, families and schools work together, and families have a seat at the table when decisions are made that impact their children and schools,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA. “The PDK poll underscores the importance of prioritizing family engagement and family-school partnerships, which are proven to advance children’s learning and growth, increase student achievement and positively impact school improvement efforts.”

The findings from the poll come as states and school districts are working to create new education plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—the new federal law governing K-12 education. ESSA provides an important opportunity for states, districts and schools to improve family engagement and strength family-school partnerships as it requires that parents are meaningfully consulted in the development and implementation of the new education plans.

 “Families play an important role in the successful implementation of ESSA and ensuring that all children receive a quality education by providing their input and holding states and districts accountable,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “National PTA remains committed to working with families, educators, administrators, policymakers and other stakeholders to make certain family engagement is prioritized in ESSA and beyond. Systematic and sustained efforts to integrate families into the fabric of our schools is key to their success and our children and our nation’s future.”

Gov Fallin Signs Paperwork Placing 5 Additional State Questions in November Ballot

Governor Mary Fallin today signed election proclamations that place five additional state questions on the November 8 general election ballot.

The paperwork signed by the governor placed these issues on the ballot:

* State Question (SQ) 779, which would increase the state sales tax by 1 percent to fund teacher pay raises and other education causes.

* SQ 780, which reclassify some criminal offenses, such as drug possession and property crimes, as misdemeanors instead of felonies.

* SQ 781, which would take money saved from implementing SQ 780 and allow counties to fund community rehabilitation programs.

* SQ 790, which would remove a section of the Oklahoma Constitution prohibiting use of state resources for religious purposes.  

* SQ 792, which would allow wine and full-strength beer to be sold in grocery stores and convenience stores.

The deadline for the governor to sign election proclamations for state questions to be placed on the November 8 general election ballot is Friday.

Two other state questions already are on the ballot. SQ 776 would declare that the death penalty is not cruel or unusual punishment and would allow the Legislature to designate any method of execution if a current method is declared unconstitutional. SQ 777 would prevent lawmakers from passing legislation to regulate agriculture unless there is a compelling state interest.