When the incoming kindergarten students at Hoover Elementary arrived for the first day of school on the morning of Aug. 13, they found the gingerbread men who were supposed to be there to greet them had escaped.
So, their respective teachers gathered up the youngsters, and everyone went in search of the wayward gingerbread men. Marching through the halls of the school, they found various clues, such as lost buttons as well as some tasty crumbs. After walking throughout the building in their search, the trail of clues ultimately led the students to the office of new principal Rene Beisley, who had given the gingerbread men temporary refuge after they had wandered off from the kindergarteners' classroom and gotten lost.
“The hunt for the gingerbread men allowed our kindergarten students to get acquainted with our building,” said Beisley. “It was a lot of fun for them.”
Beisley is quickly becoming acquainted with the staff members and students at Hoover and is certainly enjoying herself. When the 2008-09 academic year officially opened on Wednesday morning, she was one of two new principals within the Bartlesville Public School District . Beisley had spent the previous two years as the principal at the Will Rogers Early Childhood Center, which is home to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students within the district. When Beisley left Will Rogers to take on the principal's reins at Hoover , Tammie Krause, formerly the reading facilitator and Summer Boost program director at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, eventually filled the vacated position.
Like Beisley, Krause enjoyed a fun first day of school on Wednesday.
“I think we only had two criers out of around 300 kids,” said Krause of her young student body at Will Rogers. “They were excited and smiling about the first day of school.
“And, there weren't too many teary-eyed parents. Everything really went really well.”
Throughout the district, the first day of school seemed to go very smoothly. Last year, the first day of school at Bartlesville High School had to be delayed as work was being completed on several campus projects including the new connecting link, heating/air conditioning system and Library/Media Center. This year, all of that work has long since been completed and the Bruins enjoyed a calm first day.
“We had an outstanding day,” said BHS principal Chuck McCauley. “Everything went very well.”
Wayside and Ranch Heights elementary schools each received several updates this summer thanks to funds set aside for such work through the $29.95 million school bond issue, which passed last year. The buildings received new heating and air conditioning systems, new ceiling and floor tiles, and revitalized restrooms and gymnasiums. In addition, classrooms and hallways have been repainted in a bright, creative and inviting fashion.
Though the final work is still being completed at Wayside and Ranch Heights – in the areas of painting, tile work and air conditioning – it has not delayed the beginning of the school year. The work is expected to be finished soon.
“Cosmetically, the work here at Ranch Heights is pretty much done,” said principal Dave Mueller. “But, there is still some air-conditioning and tile work that has to be completed.”
As has been the case with Beisley, Krause has been welcomed warmly in her new surroundings. According to both principals, they each walked into very good circumstances which should lead into terrific 2008-09 academic year.
“It's an unbelievable staff here at Will Rogers,” said Krause. “They have everything down to an art form here. They have incorporated me into the building very well.
“I feel like I've been a part of this school for years. It's been a great transition.”
Jane Phillips Elementary music teacher Donald Stambeck oversees his class on Aug. 13, which marked the first day of school for the 2008-09 academic year throughout the Bartlesville Public School District.