As the calendar rolls around to the a new year, many of us try to determine ways we would like to improve ourselves. From there we develop New Year resolutions to try and accomplish these goals. At Bartlesville Public Schools we face the new calendar year with the excitement of some important goals accomplished and the challenge of goals yet to be met.

Five years ago, the Long-Range Facilities Committee set goals to construct state-of-the-art high school science labs, an auditorium that would hold our student body, and band, orchestra, art and drama classrooms, and a new gymnasium.

As 2005 dawns, after hard work, determination and patience, many of these goals have been achieved. Currently, Bartlesville High School students are utilizing those science labs, and practicing and performing in the premier Fine Arts Center for Oklahoma public schools.

Some of those goals are still in progress. Construction is underway on the High School Field House. This facility will offer 2,200 seats for Bruin fans to fill to support our basketball teams. In addition, it will offer weight and training rooms, locker rooms, and trophy display cases to showcase the Bartlesville athletes of the past, future and present. We anticipate the completion of this building in early 2006. In addition, designs for the new High School Media Center are being revised; it will go to re-bid very soon. A future goal that will begin in a few years will be to renovate the current historic High School, including new heating and air conditioning systems.

These are some examples of Bartlesville School district goals that have been successfully reached, with the help and support of many people, organizations, and companies in our community--including the continued generous support of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation. The outstanding facilities offer our students the best atmosphere to enhance their learning.

While these are facility goals, at each school site, principals work with staff to set educational goals for our students. At this time of year, each site principal has been reporting their school goals and their progress in achieving them to the Board of Education. It is exciting and rewarding to see many of the goals set by our principals and teachers have come to pass through their leadership and through the diligence of the BPS teaching staff.

Some of these site goals include assisting students to read on grade level, improving student attendance, targeting students who are struggling with additional help and support, and helping students perform the mathematics skills as required by Oklahoma State Department of Education requirements. Principals and staff determine numerous methods to attain these goals. Some of the methods they use include adding tutoring sessions before and after school, hosting Family Literacy or Family Math Nights where parents can work with their children, coordinating volunteer efforts, and dividing the students into smaller groups for more individualized learning. To inspire students to attend school, principals develop unique rewards for perfect attendance ranging from certificates and pizza to fifty dollars awarded to students at the Mid High.

It is the vision of Bartlesville Public Schools to be the best school system in the United States . This may seem a lofty goal, however, we are firmly committed to achieving it within the best of our abilities. Through teamwork of committed teachers and staff, continued community support, the focus of our school board and administrators, and bright students willing to learn, we will reach our goals.

Let's resolve together that we will continue to provide the very best education possible for our children. Bartlesville Public Schools are “Striving for Excellence!”