Keith Ballard, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
3027 S. New Haven Ave.,Tulsa, OK 74114
918-746-6800
www.tulsaschools.org
March 9, 2011
Volume 83
Dr. Ballard, accompanied by TCTA President Lynn
Stockley, Paula Wood and public information staff,
personally delivered the news to the honorees on
Monday, March 7. The winner will be announced at
the TPS Employee Appreciation Banquet to be held
later this spring. Congratulations to each of these
outstanding representatives of our many excellent
teachers at TPS.
Clara Southerland teaches fourth- and fifth-grade
gifted and talented at Remington Elementary. She
earned numerous awards including the Presidential
Award for Excellence in Teaching Elementary
Mathematics for the State of Oklahoma in 1999.
Southerland‘s greatest reward comes from seeing her
students gain confidence in their abilities to take on
any challenge.
Stefani Bartholomew teaches third-grade math/
language arts at Eliot Elementary. She has National
Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist.
Bartholomew says her biggest accomplishment is
knowing that she gives students the confidence they need
to try one more time, without the worry of criticism.
Issue Number 32
Dessa Weber teaches fifth-grade social studies at
Kendall-Whittier. She is a Colonial Williamsburg
grant recipient. Weber feels that her greatest rewards
in education come from her students. The rewards
come in the form of phone calls, letters, chance
encounters and lately, of all places, Facebook!
Major Michael Maguffee conducts the JROTC at
Hale High School. He culminated a successful military
career before joining Tulsa Public Schools. Maguffee
believes that the greatest measure of success is not
accounted for in the numerous accolades, certificates
or gold stars awarded to his students; rather, it is
the lives of the students, many with special needs,
comprising the JROTC leadership program.
Steve Tomlin is the K-5th grade art teacher at Grissom
Elementary. He is an artist in his own right, received a
variety of awards and held numerous one-man shows.
He created the celebrated 1999 Mayfest poster. Tomlin
wants his students to consider his classroom a place
to feel safe and accepted. He believes that all students
have an innate desire to learn and create.
Superintendent’s Bulletin
Dr. Ballard's message
Often times a teacher says
it best. One of our teachers,
Claire Robertson, sent
the following letter to
the Oklahoma House and
Senate.
Your job as a politician
is not an easy one. I
too am accustomed to
having
constituents
eyeing me accusatorily because of my outside
affiliation. I am a teacher and a member of the
Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association.
I am not writing you to tell you what to do. How
presumptuous of me to do so. It would be much like
you telling me how to teach English literature.
"However, I am inviting you to visit me in my
classroom at Booker T. Washington High School.
Visit a school which takes the students’ needs as a
priority. This is a school filled with TCTA affiliated
teachers. This is a school where teachers meet
weekly to discuss what can be done to make our
school better. This is a school where teachers meet
weekly with administration to discuss innovative
ideas. This is a school where the administration
respects the faculty and staff enough to hear what
we suggest. This is a school where the faculty and
staff respect the administration. This is a school
where the English department spends lunchtime
talking about new ideas and sharing wisdom from
both young and old.
Come have lunch with us. Visit us at Booker T.
Washington.
As a TCTA building representative, I can promise
you that our meetings are not about how to get
away with bad teaching. Rather, we share what
we do best and learn from one another. Our
district level meetings are filled with professional
development offerings. The focus is not on how to
make more money or manipulate the legislature to
let us keep bad teachers. We aren’t the bad guys…
really.
Come to any classroom at BTW to be humbled
by what bright and creative students do in spite of
the hardships their "home" world throws at them.
Allow them to have smaller class sizes so teachers
can give them the attention they deserve. Don't let
March 9, 2011 - Page 2
the sanctity of the classroom experience be sullied
by the over eagerness to find scapegoats. Come
meet the students who need you.
Oops. I just told you what to do. Sorry. After all,
I am a teacher.
—Claire Robertson
When I first read Claire’s letter it definitely brightened
my day. I immediately asked for permission to share
it with all of you. We indeed have great schools and
it is time that people recognize how hard all of us are
working to insure our kids receive a good education
and they are given a fair chance in life. I know at times
it seems like such an uphill battle when we do not
receive support and when outsiders do not understand.
I am so proud to be a member of the TPS team. We
may be a large family but we are a family and her
letter made me feel closer to the classroom teachers
who are absolutely on the front lines every day.
It has been a great weekend for TPS and extracurricular activities. The area basketball tournament
concluded Saturday night and TPS swept in for the
state finals next week. TPS captured all eight spots
from the eastern half of the state as we qualified
four teams in the girls’ bracket and four in the boys’
bracket. It is a phenomenal accomplishment! I offer
congratulations to:
• Central boys coached by Eli Brown,
• BTW boys and girls coached by Shea Seals and
Annette Kennedy respectively,
• Edison boys coached by Michal Parish,
• Memorial boys and girls coached by Eric Savage
and Rabu Leyva respectively,
• Rogers girls coached by Josh Berry, and
• East Central girls coached by Samy Mack.
Not to single out any one school, but this is the first
qualification in 15 years for the Will Rogers girls’
team!
Additionally, Booker T. Washington won the 5A state
championship in the Academic Bowl. Congratulations
to theses excellent students and their coaches, Jayme
Howland and Diana McGinnis.
Extra-curricular activities for the body and mind are
very important to the health of a school. These student
athletes and scholars and their coaches represent
themselves, their schools and their district well.
I am thrilled with the announcement of 2011 Academic
All-State Award winner Jonathan Michael of Booker T.
Washington. Michael was one of only 100 Oklahoma
Superintendent’s Bulletin
students to win this award.
I would also like to congratulate Cindi Hemm on
winning the 2011 Oklahoma Medal for Excellence
for Elementary Administrator. Cindi is the principal
at Eugene Field Elementary. She is well known for
having an incredible impact on her school community
and also for her joyful attitude she brings to each day.
Cindi is incredibly devoted to her students and she
really enables her outstanding staff to accomplish
great things. Behind every recognized leader is a
cohesive team of dedicated and talented workers;
congratulations to them all on this recognition.
Cindi’s staff, students, families, community members
and all of us at TPS can vouch for her as the obvious
choice for this honor.
I wish for everyone to have a great week and Spring
Break. Remember that even the little things you do
can make a great difference.
Hale wins state Culinary Cup
Students from the Hale culinary arts program won
the Oklahoma State Culinary Cup. Team members
Elaina Velasco, Ismael Mora, Corey Clariett, Grover
Canseco-Lopez, and Jake Colvin won the ninth annual
ProStart Culinary Cup March 4 in Norman. With
help from local restaurant owner Tuck Curren and
teacher Carly Austin, the students completed a prizewinning three-course meal using no electricity and
only two butane burners. The students will represent
Oklahoma at the ProStart Culinary Nationals in
Overland Park, Kansas on April 29 - May 3. TPS is
very proud of these Hale students and staff.
Food and fun for everyone
Better nutrition results in better grades. The OSU
Extension Service is scheduling nutrition education
classes for third and fourth graders. Students will learn
about healthy eating practices, portion distortion,
fantastic fruits and veggies, and more while meeting
Oklahoma PASS requirements. For more information
contact Nancy Niemeyer at 918-746-3600 or nancy.
[email protected].
Tulsa Art Center offers art scholarship
The Tulsa Art Center will hold open house on
March 25 and 26. The center will offer an advanced
art program for children who would like to advance
further in art than the time in the classroom permits.
Tulsa Art Center is holding a contest for children's
essays in which they describe why they would like to
become artists and what benefits art provides them.
March 9, 2011 - Page 3
The winner of the contest will receive a scholarship
for the children's program.
For more information contact Marie Sullivan at 918694-9110 or [email protected].
Urban education series continues at TU
Charles M. Payne, author of “So Much Reform So
Little Change: The Persistence of Failure in Urban
School Reform,” will speak at The University of Tulsa
on March 22 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to
the public. The presentation, which will be held in 219
Helmerich Hall, is part of the Urban Education Speaker
Series sponsored by TU’s School of Education.
Payne is the Frank P. Hixon Distinguished Service
Professor in the School of Social Service Administration
at the University of Chicago. He is studying how
school reform dialogue in other countries compares
with the United States. Payne is founding director
of the Urban Education Project in Orange, N.J.; cofounder of the Duke Curriculum Project and the
John Hope Franklin Scholars; and a founder of the
Education for Liberation Network. His other books
include “Getting What We Ask For: The Ambiguity
of Success and Failure In Urban Education” and “I’ve
Got the Light of Freedom: The Organizing Tradition
in the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement.”
For more information contact Professor Daniella Cook
at 918-631-2718 or [email protected].
Monthly employees paid early in March
The March pay day for all monthly paid employees is
earlier than usual. For teachers, due to Spring Break,
it is Friday, March 11. This includes librarians and
counselors – basically anyone paid like a teacher. The
pay day for all other monthly paid employees, including
principals, is Tuesday, March 15. If you have any
questions about when you will be paid, please contact
the Payroll Department at 918-746-6232 or payroll@
tulsaschools.org.
Memorial High School presents GREASE
Experience Greased Lightnin’ at the upcoming
Memorial High School presentation of everyone’s
favorite rock and roll musical, GREASE. This
professionally staged musical will be held Friday and
Saturday, April 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday,
April 17 at 2:30 p.m. in the Memorial auditorium.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and
seniors. For ticket information call 918-693-8461.
The annual Memorial all-school musical (in its 48th
Superintendent’s Bulletin
March 9, 2011 - Page 4
year) is regarded as one of Tulsa’s finest. This year’s
musical is a highly anticipated event by current and
former Memorial patrons and the Tulsa community.
March 14-18
Spring Break
No classes
For more information contact Tresa Waggoner at
918-894-8752 or [email protected].
March 21, 7 p.m.
Board of Education Meeting
Eisenhower Gym
Thank you from the Stewart family
On behalf of the Tommy Stewart Sr. family, we would
like to express a sincere thank you to everyone for all
of the love, comfort, understanding and support you
have given to us at this very difficult time.
Mr. Stewart passed away in February. He worked
for TPS for 43 years, most recently as building
and grounds site supervisor in the Adult Education
department.
CORRECTION - United Way
The March 2, 2011 edition of the Superintendent’s
Bulletin included an article titled United Way honors
TPS. Emerson was also a Golden Hammer United
Way school but was not included in the original
article.
Approved for distribution
East Tulsa Trojans – Tackle Football Sign Ups
Mabee Red Shield Boys and Girls Club – T-Ball &
Lady Diamonds
Memorial Baptist Church – Cross Timbers
Children’s Camp
North Tulsa Sports Association – T-Ball & Baseball
Salvation Army North Mabee – Day Camp
Sick leaves
The following employees were
approved for sick leave donations:
Goralczyk, Gina M.
Irvine, Valerie A.
Roberts, Terry D.
Sizemore, Juan M.
Smith, Rose M.
Thompson, Lester (Jr.)
If you would like to donate a day of your sick leave, please
request the appropriate form from your site secretary.
You can locate sick leave donation forms online at www2.
tulsaschools.org. Look under the “quick links” section.
Participation is voluntary and confidential.
Tulsa Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, genetic
information, veteran status, marital status or age in its employment, programs and activities. The following person has been designated to
handle inquiries regarding the Tulsa Public Schools' non-discrimination policies:
Dr. Pauline Harris, Human Rights Coordinator
Tulsa Public Schools Human Capital Department
3027 South New Haven Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114-6131
918-746-6517