SSPS presents Word of Life Church with Sandite Spirit Award

Left to right: Limestone Principal Karen Biggs, Board of Education President Rusty Gunn, Word of Life Children's Pastor Alexis Glaze and husband Grant Glaze, Angus Principal Angelia Noel. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

The Sand Springs Board of Education presented Word of Life Church with a Sandite Spirit Award Monday evening in recognition of their recent contributions to the school district. 

In August the church held a work day at Limestone Technology Academy, painting the gymnasium and cafeteria, and cleaning up and improving the landscaping. They held another work day at Angus Valley Elementary in October and painted the gym, a classroom, and bathrooms.

SEE RELATED: Word of Life church paints, cleans up Limestone Elementary

"Word of Life first came to Limestone, and when I heard people were doing free work I called them immediately," joked Angus Principal Angelia Noel. "I can't even say enough nice things about them. They continuously ask 'what are your needs? What do you need us to do?'.

"They contacted us back in May," said Limestone Principal Karen Biggs. "They showed up, there's eighty-plus people. It's just been awesome. They come every month and ask what else we need, 'what else can we do for you?'"

"They even collected paper for us," added Noel. "A thousand reams of paper, which is just amazing. There's nothing that I've said to them that they aren't willing to help us with. It's just such a blessing to have people that understand that our jobs are difficult and they want to make it easier for us."

Bill Knight Lincoln donates $8,000 to Sand Springs Education Foundation

Bill Knight Lincoln presented the Sand Springs Education Foundation with a check for $8,000 Tuesday morning at Angus Valley Elementary as part of the "Driven To Give" campaign begun in October.

For the fifth year, Bill Knight brought out several brand new Lincolns to Charles Page High School for an afternoon of test drives. For everyone who turned out to drive a Lincoln, the dealership donated $20 to the SSEF. The day generated more than $8,000 worth of test drives. 

School officials used the presentation as a teaching moment for a group of kindergarten students to see if students could read the date and amount. They also talked to them about the Foundation and how donations like this affect them directly. 

The Education Foundation recently delivered $70,000 in grants to Sand Springs schools and teachers shortly before Thanksgiving. 

 

CPHS Winter Fine Arts Showcase set for this Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Charles Page High School will host the 2017 Winter Fine Arts Showcase this Thursday evening, featuring performances by the Sand Springs Community Band and the High School Choir, Band, and Drama Departments.

The evening will start with a $5.00 Spaghetti dinner at 5:00 p.m. and the Community Band will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. There will also be a basket raffle taking place throughout the evening.

Governor Fallin Issues Executive Orders to Shrink Government, Consolidate Schools

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today took steps to address bringing more efficiency in state spending, as was listed in her recent special legislative session call.

The governor issued two separate executive orders dealing with the administrative costs consolidation of college campuses and public school districts.

A third order calls on agencies to stop spending state money on swag and unnecessary promotional items, which could save the state up to $58 million a year.

The governor’s special session call asked for the state to address the need for more consolidation and other efficiencies in all areas of state government. To help jump-start ideas, she provided the budget committee chairpersons in the Senate and the House of Representatives a list of efficiency proposals she had made during the past seven years as governor.

During the special session, many legislators who opposed a bipartisan, compromise bill to address Oklahoma’s repeated budgetary shortfalls and fund a teacher pay raise defended their “no” vote by claiming waste exists in state government, with some calling for agency audits. (Lawmakers have that authority based on 74 O.S. 450.1)

“While I have always and will continue to support eliminating waste and inefficiency in state government, I strongly believe that we need to continue these efforts while solving Oklahoma’s structural budget problem and fund a teacher pay raise,” Fallin said. “These two goals are totally compatible.

“As governor, I have requested the state auditor and inspector audit different state agencies 22 times. I have provided the Legislature with dozens of proposals to streamline state government and save our taxpayers money. While some of these proposals have been signed over the years into law, many never made it to my office for approval.”

Executive Order 2017-39 directs the state Board of Education, with the assistance of the state superintendent of public instruction, to compile a list by Sept. 1, 2018, of every public school district that spends less than 60 percent of its budget on instructional expenditures. School districts designated for administrative costs consolidation or annexation are to be notified by July 1, 2019, with the districts required to submit plans for administrative costs consolidation, such as human resources, purchasing, accounting, technology and maintenance, or annexation by Jan. 1, 2020. Implementation will begin with the 2020-21 school year.

“Oklahomans support additional dollars going into the classrooms, and we have to make sure those dollars make it there,” Fallin said. “According to a 2014 report, Oklahoma ranked sixth among states in the percentage of funds spent on district administration. This is unacceptable.

“The most important component of successful educational outcomes is an effective teacher in every classroom who has the instructional materials and technology needed to enhance student learning. It is important to send a greater percentage of taxpayer dollars to support classroom learning rather than non-instructive costs. It’s time we get serious about reducing administrative overhead.”

Executive Order 2017-38 directs Oklahoma’s higher education chancellor and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to develop a plan for the administrative costs consolidation of universities, colleges, centers and branch campuses by December 2018. The plan should be executed by December 2019. The governor’s executive order is compatible with efforts underway by the state regents’ Task Force on the Future of Higher Education    

“Administrative costs consolidation will allow for a more effective distribution of resources and educational programs throughout the state to better serve students,” Fallin said. “It also will allow higher education to focus on the areas that will strengthen career pathways and result in fewer dropouts and more students graduating on time. Administrative costs consolidation will also lead to significant administrative savings, such as personnel, payroll, purchasing, maintenance, IT and energy efficiency savings.”

“These two education reform directives will lead to better education outcomes and wiser use of existing resources,” Fallin said. “We owe it to our taxpayers and students to be good stewards of their money.”

Executive Order 2017-37 directs that directors of state agencies and departments not purchase nonessential items, or so-called swag items, such as pens, cups, trophies, bumper stickers and book bags. A bill proposing to eliminate such items was introduced during the past special session, but failed to win final legislative approval.

Fallin said it’s frustrating for citizens when suggestions aren’t considered or improvements aren’t made in a timely manner. Part of the problem is the hundreds of advisory boards, commissions and agencies that were created by law over the past several decades, and the lack of power given to the governor in the state constitution ties the governor's hands to make timely and needed changes.

“As a result, we’re left for the most part with an inefficient, slow-responding form of government,” Fallin said. “It’s difficult for constituents to find out who serves on a board of commission.”

Fallin said she will again ask lawmakers next year to pass legislation allowing voters to give more power to future governors by putting them in charge of appointing key agency directors.

“As it is now, Oklahoma’s governor appoints board members, and in most cases the House and Senate make board and commission appointments, too," she said. "The majority of these are staggered terms, and it can take many years before a governor can get a majority of appointments on a board or commission. A governor ought to be able to hire a director, and have the authority to fire that director. Let’s put more accountability in our state government.” 

CPHS Gold Pride performs in Tulsa Veterans Day Parade, 3 Sandites make All-District

The Charles Page High School Gold Pride marching band participated in the 99th Annual Veterans Day Parade in downtown Tulsa on Friday, November 10th. This year's theme was "Generations of Service." 

After marching in the parade the band returned to school before loading up to travel to Midwest City to support the football team in their first round play-off game. 

The band recently ended their competition season with an "Excellent" overall rating at the OSSAA East Regional Marching Contest. Over the course of the season the Sandites also placed fourth at the Southwest Missouri Regional in Branson, and took home first prize at the Pryor Band Day.

Additionally, three band members earned First Chair honors at the Northeast Oklahoma Band Directors Association (NDBA) All-District Auditions. Kristin Shipley made the Symphonic Band for Oboe, Josh Stuckey made the Symphonic Band for Tenor Saxophone, and Jake Thompson made the Wind Ensemble for French Horn. Those three will advance to the All-State tryouts on December 2nd. 

 

Photos by Tristia Watson.

SSPS Board of Education discusses district finances, state testing, and use of adjunct teachers

Board of Ed member Jackie Wagnon presents Joselynn Parrott with the Sandite Spirit Award. (Photo: Scott Emigh).

Click here to view full meeting photo gallery.

The Sand Springs Board of Education met in a regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the Charles Page High School Fine Arts Center. The Board presented a series of awards and discussed district finances, state testing, and personnel. 

Carson Griggs, the OSSAA 6A State Runner-Up, was recognized for his exceptional golfing abilities as well as his dedication to the classroom and awarded the Sandite Spirit Award. He recently signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Denver. 

Joselynn Parrott was recognized for her effort to instill positivity in her school by leaving messages of affirmation in the restrooms. Lori Wilkerson received the Pacesetter award for a similar project. Laura McGehee a SSPS librarian, also received the Pacesetter Award for being willing to step up and help out wherever needed, including teaching a kindergarten class recently. 

"The time that it takes these folks just to do their ordinary job, for them to take time to help give these students some positive esteem is incredible," said Superintendent Sherry Durkee.

The Sand Springs Home and Webco Industries were recognized with the Pacesetter Award for their recent donations to the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative in Sand Springs. The Home donated $10,000 for the second-straight year, and Webco donated $20,000.

The district is now $30,000 away from their goal for STEM program building and Webco CEO Dana Weber has penned a letter to other area business, asking them to contribute as well.

A representative from Sanders, Bledsoe, and Hewett gave a report on their recent audit of Fiscal Year 2016-2017. He said the district was well in line with all best practices and there were no problems with any of their financial accounting. 

Superintendent Durkee unveiled the new district website redesign and a promotional video on the home page produced by Joey Johnson Photography. 

Durkee discussed State testing and how Sand Springs compares to other districts. "As long as these reports are plastered all over the Tulsa World, we're going to be pushing to make ourselves look better...as long as those A-F report cards are going out, our teachers are going to be teaching to the test."

"People are pretty amazing in terms of our community." Durkee. "People are noticing good things. The district is working really hard to make sure we're communicating better."

The new district security officer is in his third week on the job. In addition to providing security, he is also expected to build relationships with the students and be a positive influence. 

He said he has plans to visit a group of fifth grade boys at Pratt who have been accused of bullying, and will be bringing some high school athletes and coaches to talk to them as well. "You have a class full of fifth grade boys that eventually are going to be out in the community, you want to get them on the right path early in life," he said. Rob Miller mentioned that the officer's relationship-building capabilities are one of the primary features they liked about him during the interview process.

Durkee discussed the recent loss of a speech pathologist to the private sector where she's reportedly making much more money. The Board also approved the hiring of three paraprofessionals for Pratt Elementary and Clyde Boyd Middle School.

The Board discussed the ongoing use of adjunct teachers and plans to use more in the future. Adjunct teachers are usually experts in their field from the private sector who are hired to teach a specific subject despite not having certifications or backgrounds in education. State rules recently expanded to allow an adjunct to teach three periods a day, whereas they previously could only teach one. Durkee wants to look into hiring adjuncts to teach marketing and physical therapy in the future. All adjuncts must be board-approved before teaching. 

The board also spent thirty minutes in executive session for a routine review of Durkee. "The superintendent has been evaluated and we still have one," joked Board President Rusty Gunn.

Famed journalist, Disney voice actor Michael Wallis visits Northwoods Academy in Sand Springs

Famed Route 66 historian, journalist, and Disney voice actor Michael Wallis visited students at Northwoods Fine Arts Academy Wednesday morning. The Cars star spoke to second-grade classes about the many paths of creativity he has pursued in life and shared highlights of his career.

Some of Wallis's works include David Crockett: The Lion of the West, Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride, and Route 66: The Mother Road. He has also had works published in Time, Life, People, Smithsonian, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. 

Wallis is the recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award, the Will Rogers Spirit Award, and numerous others. He was the first inductee into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame and is a member of the Writers Hall of Fame of America, the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. 

Wallis's popularity as a historian and journalist earned him the opportunity to voice Sheriff in the Disney-Pixar Cars franchise. A native Missourian, Wallis currently lives in Tulsa with his wife, Suzanne Fitzgerald Wallis. 

Wallis spoke about his early writing experiences and the time he wrote a story about a school-patrol boy for a contest. He was featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper and got to meet the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team when he was a kid. After riding in a limousine to a Cardinals-Cubs game and watching from the dugout, he decided that writing was a career worth pursuing.

After finishing college and a stent in the U.S. Marine Corps, he began his career as a journalist and correspondent. After a few years in the field he got to interview famed pop artist Andy Warhol, who the Northwoods kids have been studying in recent weeks. Wallis spent several days shadowing Warhol and getting to know him. 

"My expectations of him were wrong," said Wallis. "I wasn't quite sure how he would be, but it turned out he was very much like I was when I was eleven years old. He was very shy, and he was already a famous artist...It happened for him, just like me, when he was a little boy."

Wallis also talked about how he first visited Tulsa on a work trip and staying in the Mayo Hotel penthouse before it closed in the early 1980s. During the trip he fell in love with the Arkansas River, the downtown art-deco architecture, and Route 66.

Speaking about the Cars franchise he told the kids "We taught Lightning McQueen that it's okay to be a race car, but sometimes you also need to slow down, to get off the highway and visit the small towns."

Students from Jennifer Barretto's art class gifted Wallis with drawings and art they created with Route 66 themes.

CPHS grad Scott L. Palk named U.S. District Judge for Western Oklahoma

Charles Page High School graduate Scott Lawrence Palk was recently confirmed by the United States Senate to the position of U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma in a bipartisan 79-16 vote with five abstaining. 

Both Oklahoma senators, James Lankford and Jim Inhofe, voted Yea. Of the 16 Nay votes, fifteen were Democratic Party members and one was independent. 26 Democrats, one Independent, and 52 Republicans voted in affirmation. 

“Scott is a great candidate to serve as a federal judge for the US District Court for Oklahoma because of his dedication to uphold the rule of law,” said Lankford. “Scott’s years of work in Oklahoma make him exceptionally qualified to serve as one of Oklahoma's federal judges, and I applaud President Trump for nominating a strong candidate that will represent our state and nation well.”  

Palk was nominated in May by President Donald Trump on advisement from Senator Lankford. He was previously employed as Assistant Dean of Students and Assistant General Counsel at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman since 2011. He acquired his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University in 1989 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1992. 

Palk worked in maintenance and landscaping for the Sand Springs Public School District during the summers of 1989 through 1991 before becoming a law student clerk at Terrel B. DoRemus & Associates in Tulsa. He began an internship at the District Attorney's Office for Cleveland, Garvin, and McClain Counties in 1991, spent four years as the Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force Coordinator, ten years as an Assistant District Attorney, and five years as the First Assistant District Attorney.

In 2002 he moved to the the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma where he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division before moving to the University of Oklahoma in 2011. 

In 1993 Palk was named the Oklahoma Narcotics Enforcers' Prosecutor of the Year. He was the Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association Prosecutor of the Year in 2004. He received the Director's Award for Superior Performance from the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys in 2004. He has also received certificates of appreciation for Assistance to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and Outstanding Contributions in the field of Drug Law Enforcement.

Palk is a current member of the National Rifle Association and the University of Oklahoma College of Law Second Century Annual Giving Society. He was previously nominated for his new position by President Barrack Obama, but his nomination expired with the end of the 114th Congress.

Sand Springs elementary students study aeronautical engineering at Angus Valley

A student in Stephanie Forister's STEM Club test flies a glider. 

Second and third grade students at Angus Valley Elementary are hard at work studying aeronautical engineering and designing their own gliders as part of Project Lead The Way's STEM Club. 

Sand Springs Public Schools has a heavy focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and students begin working on their own designs and projects at an early age.

Stephanie Forister's STEM Club designs gliders. 

The students in Stephanie Forister's STEM Club are learning about drag, lift, thrust, and fixed-wing aircraft. They utilize Computer-Aided Design, or CAD, with their own personal iPads to plan their projects then put together gliders to test their understanding. Each student can customize their wing shape, angle, and number of wings so each plane is unique.

After each test flight the students would brainstorm ways to make their plane go farther faster and with a more subtle landing at the end. They then altered their wings and stabilizers and tried again till mastering their design.

Two students in Janet Johnson's science class show off a scale-model wardrobe with functioning doors and drawers. 

Angus STEM students have constantly been ahead of the curve in recent years, experimenting with robotics, MinecraftEdu, 3D printing, even balloon-powered cars. They just completed a lesson series on civil engineering.

Mrs. Forister recently received the Fall 2017 Flight Night Science of Flight Classroom Grant from the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance for ten Elf Owl Drone kits. They are also trying to raise money for supplies to build their own Mini Vibrating Robots. At press time they are $293 away from their $792 goal. Click here to donate or read more about the project. 

You can follow along with the students' progress on Facebook at this link. 

An important part of SSPS's goal is seamless transition from one grade level to the next, and the district is working to build additional STEM programs at all of their school sites.

Oklahoma Teacher of the Year finalist Janet Johnson's class at Clyde Boyd Middle School doesn't even have traditional desks. Each student has a computer and work station where they can engineer projects such as heat shields and even a functioning prosthetic hand. 

One of the neatest tools in Johnson's class is a pair of virtual reality goggles that allow students to explore inside the human body and interact with it in 3D. 

Superintendent Hofmeister announces winner of ‘License to Educate’ contest

2018 License to Educate License Plate Contest Winner, designed by Latta High School's Sarah Skaggs. Proceeds of the specialty plate will benefit teacher recruitment. 

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 1, 2017) – In an online vote, Oklahomans selected a Latta High School student’s watercolor painting of a vintage schoolhouse at sunrise as the design of a new specialty license plate to support education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced Wednesday.

Sarah Skaggs, a high school junior, based her artwork on the Jones Chapel Schoolhouse in Wintersmith Park in Ada. The historic one-room structure was built in 1907 – the same year Oklahoma became a state.

“The early schoolhouse is a strong visual reminder of Oklahoma’s time-honored commitment to free public schools for all children, which is enshrined in our state constitution,” Hofmeister said. “The results of the online vote demonstrate the enduring power of this image of a rural institution on the prairie. Sarah tapped into an inspiring subject and executed it beautifully.” 

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) received nearly 800 entries from students across the state for its License to Educate art contest, then narrowed the entries to six finalists. A total of 16,549 votes were cast online in the two-week contest period.

Sarah, who plans to pursue a career in forensic art, created several versions of her painting before she submitted it to the contest.

“This was not my first draft, trust me. It takes time to be better, and I learned it won’t always be right the first time,” she said.

Beginning today, the specialty tag (plate code LE) is available for pre-order at tag agencies across the state or by visiting here

The license plate sells for $35 (plus an additional $3 mailing fee), with most of the proceeds helping to recruit and retain teachers in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Tax Commission must receive 100 pre-orders by May 1, 2018, to put it into production. The plate is the result of a recent state law authored by Sen. Stephanie Bice and Rep. Ryan Martinez aimed at curbing the state’s teacher shortage.

Jenny Salter, who has taught art at Latta for seven years, urged Sarah to enter the contest because she thought her 11th-grade student had the talent and determination to create a work of art that would resonate among voters.

“Sarah takes her art extremely seriously; she works on every piece with time and care, often undertaking project ideas that require meticulous effort,” Salter said. “I cannot wait to see how she uses her talents in the future. She truly has a gift.”

In addition to working with watercolors and graphite, Sarah is the graphic design editor of the school’s online newspaper.

Hofmeister applauded the efforts of participants.

“It was such a delight to see hundreds of pieces of original student artwork flood into the Oklahoma State Department of Education,” Hofmeister said. “Thank you to all of the students who shared their creations and every teacher who provided encouragement and guidance.”

For more information on the License to Educate contest, visit http://sde.ok.gov/sde/licensetoeducate

Special Session Budget Agreement Reached

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz and House Speaker Charles McCall today reached an agreement adjusting the 2018 fiscal year budget that, among other things, helps fill the $215 million budget hole and puts Oklahoma on a more stable budget path, as well as provides a needed teacher pay raise.

If passed by the Legislature, the agreement would:

  • Place a $1.50 tax on a package of cigarettes.
  • Provide for a 6-cent fuel tax increase.
  • Revise taxes on alcoholic beverages.
  • Restore the Earned Income Tax credit.
  • Provide for a $3,000 teacher pay increase, effective Aug. 1, 2018.
  • Provide for a $1,000 increase for state employees, effective Aug. 1, 2018. It does not pertain to higher education, legislators or constitutional officers, such as statewide elected officials and judges.

“This agreement is the result of countless hours of discussions and meetings,” said Fallin. “I appreciate President Pro Tem Schulz and Speaker McCall working to provide a long-term solution to our state’s continuing budget shortfalls. It is apparent that rapid changes in our economy have created unsustainable and unpredictable revenue collection patterns. We need to seek long-term sustainability and stability as opposed to unpredictability and volatility. This agreement makes more recurring revenue available, helps us stop balancing our budget with one-time funds, and provides a teacher pay raise as well as a raise for our hard-working state employees, who have not had an across-the-board pay increase in eleven years. And, most importantly, it provides sufficient revenues to meet the basic responsibilities of state government, such as education, health and public safety. We must deliver services that work for the people, and put people over politics.”

Schulz said: "The Legislature has a tremendous opportunity with this deal to solve our immediate budget crisis, put the state on more solid financial ground moving forward, and deliver on a much-needed and much-deserved pay raise for classroom teachers and most state employees. As Senate leader, I’ve stressed to senators the importance of long-term thinking and planning. This deal gives us the chance to deliver on that, and institute reforms that will have a tremendous impact on our state for years to come. I appreciate Governor Fallin and her staff, Speaker McCall and his team, and the members of the Senate leadership team for their hard work in bringing this deal to fruition.” 

 McCall said: “We believe this plan gives us the best opportunity to pass the House and Senate, and provide the state with needed revenue to stabilize mental health and substance abuse programs, keep rural hospitals open, and provide a pay raise that would make Oklahoma teachers the highest paid in the region for starting pay. This plan also provides recurring revenue for transportation infrastructure and restores the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income Oklahomans, which more than offsets any increased consumption costs for low-income earners.”

BancFirst rewards outstanding Sand Springs teachers with monthly donations

BancFirst of Oklahoma is partnering with the Sand Springs Public School District to reward outstanding teachers at each of the district's many school sites. Each month, a teacher in the spotlight from each school site will receive a thank you gift such as gift cards, diner, etc.

BancFirst is Oklahoma's largest state-chartered bank with locations in more than fifty Oklahoma communities. BancFirst has two locations in Sand Springs, one on each side of the river. The north-side location is at 301 East 2nd Street and the south-side location is at 102 West 41st Street. 

Students and parents/guardians can write letters of recommendation and turn them in to the school offices, where they will then be passed on to BancFirst. 

 

Bill Knight Auto partners with Sand Springs Education Foundation in Driven to Give Day

For the fifth time, the Sand Springs Education Foundation (SSEF) will partner with Bill Knight Auto for "Driven to Give Day." 

The event will be held on Saturday, October 7th, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Charles Page High School parking lot at 500 North Adams Road. This is a FREE event.

Participants, 18 years or older, can come and test drive a new Lincoln. For each test drive, the SSEF will receive $20. Participants are asked to fill out some basic information before the drive and immediately after the drive to complete the process and help secure the donation. NO obligation, NO sales, NO return contact unless the participant agrees.

What an easy way to come help the SSEF raise $8,000! All Sand Springs teachers are also encouraged to stop by and do a test drive and put their name in the drawing for $500 to use in their classroom. This year the SSEF will give away $500 to two district teachers. 

Sand Springs Education Foundation Golf Classic raises $40,000 for Grants to Teachers

The Sand Springs Education Foundation held their 21st Annual Golf Classic on Monday, September 18th at Tulsa Country Club. 92 golfers competed during the day as participants in “Teed Off for Education,” raising upwards of $40,000; funds of which will go towards the SSEF Grants to Teachers Program. 

The 4-Man Scramble format allows the golfers to participate in 2 Flights.

Winners of Flight A were:

  • 1st Place-Gene Case Team with golfers Gene Case, Harold Neal, Brandon Biles and Regan Streck.
  • 2nd Place-Keystone Insurance with golfers Guy Griggs, Jason Ward, Doug Haddock and Mike Ward.
  • 3rd Place-Direct Energy Team #2 with golfers Allen Rachel, Leslie Brackett, Chance Ross and Chris Miller.

Winners in Flight B were:

  • 1st Place-Mohawk Materials with golfers Lance Elliott, Megan Elliott, Matt Waller and Bob Bivens.
  • 2nd Place-Air Solutions Sand Springs with golfers Keith Hilligoss, Josh Copeland, Eli Tallent and Mike Bartlett.
  • 3rd Place-Sand Springs Home Team with golfers Ron Weese, Jason Charles, Mike Hixon and Erik Stuckey.

Honorable Mention was Sand Springs Public Schools with golfers Sherry Durkee, Rob Miller, Kristin Arnold and Laura Hamilton. Contest Hole winners were, Closest to the Pin on #6—Eric Davis and Closest to the Pin on #14—Tyler Sullivan. Raffle Prize was won by Brent Mackey.

A major Thank you goes out to this year’s Flagship Sponsor Sand Springs Meter Company, Adam Dudley. 22 area businesses and individuals participated as Hole Sponsors and Bill Knight Auto sponsored the Hole-in One Challenge on #9. Financial Advisors Paul Bizjack and Rocky Walters were the Logo Golf Ball Sponsor, Arvest Bank was the Lunch Sponsor and Direct Energy & Mr. & Mrs. Mark Boyd were the Dinner Sponsor. The SSEF also wishes to thank Bubble Town Car Wash, American Heritage Bank, Sand Springs CVS, TTCU, Tulsa Tech and Sherry Durkee for providing items for the Golfer Goodie Bags.

Funds raised at the Golf Classic go toward the Grants to Teachers Program, awarding of grants submitted by Sand Springs Schools teachers and principals.

Senator Mike Schulz releases Senate GOP budget plan

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz on Monday released the Senate Republicans' plan to address the $215 million hole in the Fiscal Year 2018 state budget.

“This plan not only addresses the immediate need of $215 million for critical health care agencies that was struck down in court, but it also provides recurring  revenue streams to help us address the long-term stability of the budget and prevent further cuts to core government services,” said Schulz, R-Altus.

“Oklahoma Senate Republicans have proven our willingness to address the state's long-term budget problems by passing a similar revenue package during the regular session. The elements of this plan for special session were fully vetted by the Senate during the regular session, and all received the necessary votes to pass constitutional muster. I’m confident Senate Republicans, if given the chance, again will put Oklahoma’s interests first and will be able to pass this responsible revenue plan that ensures education, public safety, transportation and other core services avoid further cuts.”

The Senate plan is as follows:

  • $1.50 per-pack increase in the cigarette tax, which generates $128.9 million in Fiscal Year 2018 and leaves $122.4 million for FY’18 appropriation;
  • a six-cent increase in the motor fuels tax, which generates $71 million in FY’18 and leaves $67.45 million for FY’18 appropriation; and
  • the elimination of the wind manufacturer sales tax exemption, which generates $10.97 million in FY’18 and leaves $9.87 million for FY’18 appropriation.

Because FY’18 collections are for less than a full fiscal year, the Senate plan also calls for a drawdown of $15.2 million from the Rainy Day Fund to entirely plug the hole in the FY’18 budget.

The governor’s call for special session included other issues like a teacher pay raise and finding more efficiency in government spending. Schulz said while the immediate need is addressing the FY’18 budget hole, Senate Republicans were open to considering those issues during the special session.

“Senate Republicans have said all along we must first address the short-term budget issues before acting on a teacher pay raise plan. Once we take care of the budget, Senate Republicans would consider a teacher pay plan that includes a permanent funding source,” Schulz said. “Additionally, Senate Republicans will keep working on making government more efficient and effective. We’ll keep pouring over agency spending and look at options like consolidation to improve the quality and delivery of services. There’s no doubt agencies can be more efficient in spending taxpayer dollars, and Senate Republicans will keep working on behalf of Oklahomans to make sure that happens.” 

State Party leaders comment on upcoming Special Legislative Session

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin issued an executive order last week calling for a special session of the Oklahoma Legislature for lawmakers to address the shortfall in the current fiscal year budget as well as develop long-term solutions to government inefficiencies and fund a pay increase for public school teachers. The legislature will convene Monday, September 25th. 

Oklahoma Senate Prop Tempore Mike Schulz issued the following statement last week.

"All along, I've encouraged lawmakers to put Oklahoma's interests ahead of their own political interests. I'm encouraged by the ongoing work of the Senate and House toward reaching a budget agreement. I'm also encouraged by the public comments of the House Minority Leader who indicated ample members of his caucus would support a cigarette tax bill. I hope he is serious and that he can deliver. If given the chance, I'm confident the Senate can pass a cigarette tax bill. This is the clearest option available to address the $215 million budget hole. It's an idea that's been thoroughly vetted and one that could be considered quickly during the special session to help shore up funding for three important health care agencies. Additionally, the cigarette tax would improve health outcomes by reducing smoking rates and stopping young Oklahomans from ever lighting up - two things that will save money in the long run. The Senate continues to prepare for the special session and is ready to get to work to solve these problems."

Falling today issued the following statement on the upcoming session:

“This special session is an opportunity for lawmakers to solve lingering, critical structural problems in our state budget. I am hopeful lawmakers will consider thoughtful, realistic solutions in a timely manner. Many ideas have been fully vetted over the past couple of legislative sessions, so it really should be a matter of taking care of unfinished business.

“Certainly, the most pressing need is to address the immediate budget shortfall created by the loss of the $215 million cigarette fee revenue. The cigarette tax alone will not fill this year’s hole because it would be implemented much later in the fiscal year than originally proposed. We will need to identify other revenue sources to make up the difference. If we do not, additional cuts to core government services will occur.

“Additional cuts to agencies will further harm state services. I will veto a proposal that calls for cuts to state agencies. Also, sending the cigarette tax to a vote of the people is not an option. The earliest the issue could be decided by voters is June, the last month of the current fiscal year. It doesn’t fix the budget hole because it would not generate any revenue for this fiscal year.

“I hope lawmakers do provide a long-term solution to the state’s continuing budget shortfalls. It is apparent that rapid changes in our economy have created unsustainable and unpredictable revenue collection patterns. We need to seek long-term sustainability and stability as opposed to unpredictability and volatility. Our legislators must work to make more recurring revenue available, stop balancing our budget with one-time funds and come up with a teacher pay raise.  Because of the use of one-time funds to balance this year’s budget, we are anticipating a $500 million shortfall next year. The limited focus and attention of a special session can allow us to address these long-term structural issues.

“My staff and I have been talking for many weeks with legislative leaders from both parties, and I will continue to work with them until an agreement is reached. Our challenges in front of us are difficult, but I am hopeful that, with great resolve and statesmanship, we will succeed.”

The Oklahoma Senate Democratic caucus issued the following statement through Senator John Sparks.

“The Senate Democrats have spent the last several weeks meeting with those involved in the upcoming special session of the legislature as well as those affected by the decisions made in this special session.

“Members of our caucus have held meetings with constituents concerned about potential cuts to core services or regressive taxes which will burden them disproportionately, we have engaged in negotiations with the Governor and her staff, Senate Republicans and House Democrats, and we have held a caucus meeting where we heard from the heads of the healthcare agencies facing the possibility of running out of money before the end of the year and being forced to cut services to some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable people.

“After all these meetings, we are more sure than ever that this special session of the legislature needs to be swift and certain with real plans for recurring revenue for our state. Now more than ever, we know that the numbers don’t lie. We cannot simply show up on Monday, decide that finding hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue is ‘too hard,’ waste hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money on a special session with no plan and no direction, and settle on across the board cuts that affect millions of hard working Oklahomans and their families.

“Now more than ever, we are certain that this is the time for a plan of action, actual compromise, true accountability and real results. This is the time for leadership and a long-term plan for our state and its people.

“We owe it to our constituents to focus on a long-term budget solution which protects the most basic, core government functions and services without balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and the vulnerable. This is what our constituents demand of us and what they deserve from each and every one of us, with no exceptions and no excuses.”

Oklahoma ACT participation increases to 100% with average score of 19.4

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 7, 2017) – Oklahoma increased its ACT participation by 29 percent in one year – the largest gain of ACT-tested graduates in the country. Oklahoma joins the collection of states identified by ACT as having 100 percent of 2017 graduating seniors taking the national college entrance exam. Of those states, Oklahoma tied for 10th place for the top average composite score. Accompanying the dramatic influx of test-takers, Oklahoma’s average ACT score dropped only one point, from 20.4 to 19.4.

In 2017, participation grew to 42,405 students from 32,854 in 2016. This change reflects efforts of a statewide 2016 pilot program in which the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) gave all high school juniors an opportunity to take the exam free of charge. The graduating class of 2017 was the first to participate in the voluntary program.

“By opening up the college entrance exam to all students, including those who otherwise might not have had access to the ACT, we are not only providing them an on-ramp to postsecondary education, we are gaining valuable insight into the skills gap we must overcome for our young people to be competitive nationally,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said.

Achieving a benchmark score in an ACT subject area indicates a student has a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B or higher or a 75 percent chance of earning a C or higher in a corresponding course in college. The four ACT benchmark areas are English, reading, mathematics and science. Subject-area benchmark scores range from 18 to 23.

The 2017 data reveals that 42 percent of Oklahoma graduates did not meet any of the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, while 16 percent met all four.

“This is the first time we have had a complete picture that can predict graduates’ readiness to compete in the global marketplace. Before now, our state ACT scores did not measure the needs of the ‘hidden’ student – be it a low-income student who could not afford a college entrance exam or a rural student who could not reach a testing site. Now we can pinpoint which students need help to bolster their skills before graduation,” Hofmeister said.

Hofmeister said the more comprehensive Oklahoma Academic Standards in mathematics and English language arts, which were implemented last school year, will help boost student achievement. More complex assessments measuring those new standards were first given to students last spring, and results are expected later this fall.

The state’s new standards and assessments are part of OSDE’s strengthened efforts to ensure students are nationally competitive and able to achieve academic excellence, one of four overarching pillars in the state’s eight-year strategic plan. The strategic plan is a central element of the consolidated state plan OSDE will submit next week to the U.S. Department of Education, as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA.

In addition, one of the goals of the state plan is to reduce the need for college remediation in math and English language arts by 50 percent. Currently, 38 percent of all first-year college students in Oklahoma require remedial courses before earning college credit, costing Oklahoma families an estimated $22.2 million each year.

“We must prepare students for the next step once they graduate from high school. We are confident those efforts will be reflected in higher numbers of college and Career Tech enrollments and in reduced college remediation numbers,” Hofmeister said.

Oklahoma’s average composite ACT score of 19.4 was identical to Arkansas, which also had 100 percent participation. Colorado and Missouri were higher-scoring regional states with 100 percent participation.

Nationwide, the average composite ACT score increased slightly, from 20.8 to 21, while the number of test-takers dropped by about 60,000 students.

In Oklahoma, nearly half (47 percent) of the test-takers expressed an interest in science, technology, engineering and math careers.

State Superintendent announces student contest to design new license plate

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister recently announced a student art contest to design a new specialty license plate benefiting education. Proceeds from the purchase of the specialty plates will be used to bolster teacher recruitment efforts in Oklahoma. 

In the License to Educate contest, students in Pre-K through 12th grade may submit original artwork, with the winning design ultimately selected by Oklahomans in an online vote.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) will accept education-related artwork for the plate through Sept. 22. Students may submit entries digitally through the OSDE website or by mail. Entry forms are available on the OSDE website.

The agency will narrow down submissions based on creativity, aesthetic appeal and relevance to public education in Oklahoma. Finalists’ submissions will be posted online Oct. 9, and the public will be able to vote for their favorite through Oct. 20.

Hofmeister kicked off License to Educate at a Tuesday news conference at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. 

“It seems only fitting that our schoolkids be the ones to design the specialty plate that benefits the very education system in which they are learning. We are excited to see their submissions and are confident the judges will have a difficult choice selecting the finalists,” Hofmeister said.

“The arts are vital to a well-rounded education, and there is a proven correlation between art and academic achievement. A child who spends even a few hours a week on art projects is exercising creativity and self-expression, building critical thinking and problem-solving skills and fine-tuning motor skills.”

The Oklahoma License to Educate license plate was created through legislation authored earlier this year by state Sen. Stephanie Bice and Rep. Ryan Martinez. The license plate will cost $35 and be available for pre-order shortly after Nov. 1.

For more information, visit the License to Educate web page.

21st Annual Sand Springs Education Foundation Golf Classic set for Sept. 18

The Sand Springs Education Foundation is looking for team sponsors, hole sponsors, and participants for the upcoming 21st Annual SSEF Golf Classic. The fundraiser will be held on September 18th at the Tulsa Country Club.

The SSEF is a non-profit 501c3 organization formed in 1989 with the goal of collecting and distributing contributions from the private sector for the benefit of the Sand Springs Public School district. 

For more information, contact the SSEF at 918-245-6779 or email ssef@att.net. 

Senate candidates discuss education and budget concerns at community forum

Left to right: R.Jay McAtee, Phil Nollan, Brian O'Hara.

Five of the seven Republican candidates for Senate District 37 spoke at a community forum event hosted by the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce Monday afternoon. Held at the Tulsa Technology Center campus in Sand Springs, the event offered each candidates a five minute platform, followed by a question and answer session.

The recurring trend of the conversation was heavily education and State budget focused. 

"What I'm hearing is, we need to get our schools better funding," said Rick Hardesty, 56. "We need to get more money into our education system. To me that makes sense as a small business owner in needing to have a viable workforce and things like that...The reason I started running, the main reason, was I sat and watched...and they have practically closed every school over there and it kind of got me angry."

Nicole Nixon, 31, added "three of my community schools were consolidated." She blamed Tulsa Public Schools for the closures, alleging failure to properly utilize their funding.

For Sand Springs Municipal Judge R. Jay McAtee, 60, the primary issue was the State budget. "The legislature needs to take the budget and make it their number one item on day one, February 8-9, 2018 and they need to not attend to any other business until that budget is addressed...We can't pay our teachers until we figure out how to do the budget."

Nicole Nixon (left), Rick Hardesty (right).

Two Sand Springs City Councilmen are in the race, though one declined the invitation to speak. Ward 6 Councilman Brian Jackson, 34, who previously ran in the regular election last November, issued a statement.

"My campaign for Senate District 37 is a silent protest against the blatant disregard of the people’s voice through the elected official, who quit one year into his term. Too much time and too much money-to the amount of a half million dollars-have been wasted when we went through this political process a year ago. We are tired of the political nonsense we are bombarded with during elections. When will enough be enough? I will not raise one more dime, post one more sign, or campaign on any platform. Those that want to donate to my campaign, I ask you to find a local public school teacher and give that money to his/her classroom for supplies, as public education is still my number one priority. The choice of Senator for District 37 should be left to the people on voting day, not political games and influence.”

Ward One Councilman Phil Nollan, 59, spoke of his personal qualifications, his ties to Sand Springs, and his experience of working behind the scenes with his wife, House Representative Jadine Nollan. Jadine Nollan is in her seventh year at the Legislature, and previously served on the Sand Springs Board of Education for eleven years. 

"I'm a nationally-certified project manager. I think during my process of my early years I learned how to manage projects and programs, I learned how to lead teams...learned how to deliver things as promised - on time and under budget...My recent employment with EMC, I had to work with Fortune 100 customers...What I found in working with those companies is, they had big demands like I know this job has. Like I know the job that my wife has to do. Meeting those demands is not going to be easy, but you've got to keep your word. You've got to keep your promises, and you have to do the best you can do to make it happen."

Following their speeches, the candidates each responded to three questions from the audience. The first question regarded school vouchers, which allow parents to receive a tax refund to send their students to private schools. 

Hardesty declined to answer the question, citing a lack of knowledge on the subject.

Nixon expressed support for school vouchers in an ideal world, but said that our society and government isn't to the point yet that they would work. "We need to make sure that no children slip through cracks, ever. We need to find a good system."

Brian O'Hara, 56, touched heavily on vouchers during his opening remarks, and referred back to his earlier comments. "We're struggling, the schools are struggling...You make a choice if you want home school or private school and I respect that choice. I encourage that choice if that's what's best for your student...But that doesn't mean that tax payer money has to follow that student."

Nollan pointed out that proponents of vouchers often cite "school choice" as a major concern. "We already have school choice now...When we raised our kids in Sand Springs Public Schools, we could transfer our kids to a different school if we wanted to. We could ask for certain teachers for our kids to go through. If we didn't feel like public school was doing its job, we could home school our kids...You can send your kids to private school. If you don't live in the district, you can move into the district. In a sense, we really do have school choice now...Sending funding with the kid through a voucher system is not the solution."

"Lawyer answer, no," joked McAtee. "We need to fund our teachers, we need to fund our classrooms, we need to make it where we don't have to go out as a church, buy the supplies for all the teachers. We need to concentrate the money where it needs to be."

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The second question asked "Will you increase the tax on oil and gas?"

"Yes, absolutely," said McAtee. "I don't want to put the tax burden on the citizens of Oklahoma until we have looked at every other alternative."

"It's an incentive tax, what's in place now," said Nollan. "The national average is 9.5%, in Oklahoma we average 3.2%. In Texas it's 8.3%. The research says that we probably need to take another look."

"Millions of dollars goes into drilling a well, which they may not get a dime out of if that well is dry," said O'Hara. "I've talked to a couple of companies, not the big guys, the guys that are just starting up. Their concern is that they can go elsewhere and drill...My position is, I don't support a gross production tax at this point. Only because the information I've received indicates that there would be a loss of wells if that were the case."

Nixon stated she would have liked to have seen the percentage increased to 4.5% during the last session, and that her biggest focus would be on getting Oklahoma away from a dependence on oil revenue. 

"It's really not raising a tax, it's taking away a tax incentive," said Hardesty. "The oil companies are well diversified. When they say 'if you take away our tax incentive we're going to cut back on drilling' that's a load of bull. That's how they make their money, they're not going to cut back. I have people in my family that own oil companies, and I have a lot of people in my family that work for oil companies. But that doesn't mean I want to sit and give the oil companies special treatment."

The final question asked for solutions to the ongoing budgetary problems.

"Take away the tax incentives that aren't working," said Hardesty. He also discussed consolidating State agencies and commissions. 

"Definitely want to look at incentives. I think that's a great start," agreed Nixon. "I think audits, very necessary. Anybody who's getting our tax dollars should be held accountable."

"I've told you where I think we need to start, and that means at the very beginning," said O'Hara. "The first month and a half, two months, if it takes the whole session we should be working on the budget. We don't need to throw bum legislation out."

"We need to do more on capping our incentives. Maybe some of the incentives stay, but we need to cap them," said Nollan. 

"We need to make Oklahoma a 21st-century state," concluded McAtee. "We have agencies that were created 150 years ago still in existence."

Grady Grant, 62, is also running for the Republican nomination, but did not participate in the event. Democrat Allison Ikley-Freeman, 26, filed unopposed and will take on the winner of the Republican nomination in November.

The Republican primary will be held September 12th. The voter-registration deadline is August 18, and the deadline to request an absentee ballot is September 6th.

Click on the candidates' images below to read their full statements.

Rick Hardesty.

R.Jay McAtee.

Nicole Nixon.

Phil Nollan.

Brian O'Hara.