The Bruins made their presence known at the 2008 Oklahoma State School Boards Association and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration 2008 Conference and Exposition last weekend.
The Bartlesville Public School District saw Sandra Kent, of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, honored as the Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principals' 2008-09 National Distinguished Principal while Richard Kane Elementary School was recognized after being approved for a substantial technology grant.
“It was a great event,” said Dr. Gary W. Quinn, the BPSD superintendent who attended the Aug. 22-24 conference and exposition in Oklahoma City and made a well-received presentation as well. “We had great representation from Bartlesville and really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with other board members and administrators from throughout the state.”
Kane principal Beth Cook and several teachers were on hand at the Cox Convention Center – where the event was held – to accept a plaque acknowledging the $40,000 grant their school had received. The grant was courtesy of the Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust, which has a stated mission to equip Oklahoma common schools and CareerTech students with the technology and technological skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. The BPSD's Wayside Elementary School received an OETT grant last year.
“The Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust grant will prove to be a great asset for the Kane students and staff members,” said Quinn. “We couldn't be more pleased about it.”
Kent was among a group honored on Saturday. She earned her honor during the spring and is now in the running for the national award, the winner of which is scheduled to be revealed during the 2008 National Distinguished Principals program, which is set from Oct. 16-17 in Washington D.C. Kent plans to be in attendance.
“Being honored at events such as the one last weekend always reminds me of the sense of pride I have in my school and the people with whom I work,” said Kent. “I really love my job, and it's nice to be honored for something you love to do.”
The 2008 Oklahoma State School Boards Association and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration 2008 Conference and Exposition offered three days' worth of insight for the board members and administrators in attendance. Discussions, meetings and forums were held throughout each day. The event offered ample opportunity for interaction among peers throughout the state as well.
“It broadens your perspective of school boards,” said Marta Manning, the president of the Bartlesville Board of Education and a regular at the annual event. “It lets you know you're not alone.
“You're meeting people from all over Oklahoma, from the smallest schools to the largest.”
Among those who were part of the Bartlesville contingency were Bartlesville Board of Education clerk Jim Grillot, Bartlesville Board of Education member Doug Divelbiss, BPSD executive director of secondary instruction Janet Vernon, BPSD executive director of elementary instruction Dianne Martinez, BPSD executive director of financial services Tim Green, BPSD director of federal programs Trudy Green, BPSD director of special services Vicki Walker, former BPSD executive director of human resources Dr. Richard Rosenberger, Quinn, Kent, Cook and Manning.
“Besides attending a number of sessions which broadened my perspective on current educational topics, we had two outstanding speakers who caused me to do some thinking about their subject matter,” said Grillot, also a regular of the event. “Oliver Thomas – a lawyer, law school professor and an ordained minister – talked about the timely topic of religion in schools. Billy Riggs gave us a lot to think about with respect to ‘misguided attitudes that prevent leaders from producing spectacular results.' In his talk, Mr. Riggs emphasized the importance of high expectations in order to get great results from students, among other things.
“Both keynote speakers provided very practical information which really made us put our thinking caps on in terms of the educational practices which we engage in.”
Speaking to approximately 100 people on Saturday, Quinn focused his presentation on raising test scores, which the Bartlesville Public School District has done to great aplomb in recent years. In January, both Hoover and Jane Phillips elementary schools received coveted 2007 Academic Achievement Awards from the Oklahoma State Department of Education for their fine showings in the Academic Performance Index state testing series.
Former Oklahoma governor George Nigh spoke during a final breakfast meeting on Sunday.
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School principal Sandra Kent (pictured third from the left) was among those recognized during the Oklahoma State School Boards Association and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration 2008 Conference and Exposition which was held Aug. 22-24 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.