Homecoming arrives with exciting changes this year

A PUBLIC ATION OF BROKEN ARROW PUBLIC SCHOOLS
VOLUME FOUR, ISSUE 5 | SEPT. 30, 2013
It’s A Great Day
To Be A TIGER!
This week begins one of my favorite times of year
– the Teacher of the Year nomination process. We
will have 27 site teachers of the year, and one will
go on to represent our district at the state level. Our
current District Teacher of the Year, Tera Landrum,
has been a phenomenal representative of our
district, and whoever follows her as the next District
Teacher of the Year will join an impressive class of
educators.
The nomination process will begin at each school
site on Thursday, Oct. 3. All certified staff members
are eligible for nomination, and any employee can
make a nomination. Truly – any employee. If you are
a building custodian and you would like to nominate
one of the educators in your building for this award,
please do so. Each site Teacher of the Year is chosen
by the peers in their building, and that is part of what
makes this process so special.
After the initial nomination process, all school
sites will vote on Thursday, Oct. 10 to select their
top three candidates. The vote for each site’s final
candidate will take place the next day, Friday Oct. 11.
After all the votes have been tallied, site principals
will organize their building celebrations Oct. 14-16 to
announce their 2013 Site Teacher of the Year. Before
we leave for fall break, we will know the identity of all
27 Site Teachers of the Year.
Each of the 27 site recipients will be invited, along
with their families, to a dinner hosted in the Varsity
Club on Friday, Nov. 1, prior to the home football
game. This is a time when we recognize each of
our recipients and thank them for their service to the
students of our district. They will also be the guests
of honor at the Teacher of the Year Gala on April 3,
2014. It is at this event that we will announce our
2014 District Teacher of the Year.
I am so excited to begin this process, and I cannot
wait to meet the amazing candidates you will select
as your 2013-14 Site Teachers of the Year.
FEATURE
Homecoming arrives with
exciting changes this year
Homecoming 2013 has nearly arrived, and every day this week, students at the high school will be
donning some rather out-of-the-ordinary clothing to celebrate the festivities of this year’s theme: “Welcome
to the Jungle.” From their favorite sports gear on “Welcome to the Big Leagues” day to a mismatched outfit
on “Welcome to Fashion Disaster” day, everything leads up to Friday when students and staff alike don
their black and gold in preparation for the football game against Bixby.
In keeping with tradition, the Homecoming Parade will take place on Thursday, Oct. 3, but parade goers
should be aware of a few changes this year. The parade will begin at 6 p.m., and due to construction
on Main Street, the parade will begin at the Community Center and end with a pep rally at the Farmer’s
Market. There will be a contest for the Homecoming parade floats, and during the pre-game and the
first quarter of Friday’s football game, the community and student body will be allowed to vote for their
favorites. The price for one vote is one canned good, all of which will be donated BA Neighbors. The
winning floats will be announced at halftime, as will this year’s Homecoming King and Queen.
The 2013 Great Graduates will also be recognized at Friday’s game. This year’s Great Graduates
include: William Autry, Class of 1925; Robert Rosser, Class of 1959; Tim Lynn, Class of 1964; Dr. Jill
Steely, Class of 1968; and Dr. Denise Dutton, Class of 1990. Each of these individuals has exhibited
strong leadership in their years since graduation, and the Alumni Association is pleased to add them to
the ranks of Broken Arrow’s Great Graduates.
Once the Homecoming festivities have concluded on Friday, there is still one more event for families
to attend – the Community Health Fair on Saturday, Oct. 5. This free event is being hosted by St. John
Broken Arrow, and attendees will receive free health services and screenings such as blood pressure
checks, bone density tests, oxygen saturation readings, and physician and nurse consultations. Children
are invited to bring their favorite stuffed toy for a check-up at the St. John Teddy Bear Clinic.
“This health fair is a great example of the benefits that are produced from our district’s partnership
with St. John Broken Arrow,” said Superintendent Dr. Jarod Mendenhall. “The health services that will
be offered are a good opportunity for citizens to become more aware of their health status and also find
resources to make improvements.”
The St. John Community Health Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Creekwood Elementary,
which is located on 61st Street, between Lynn Lane and County Line.
Jarod Mendenhall, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Professional Development Corner
Collaboration is an important part of success in any endeavor, and elementary teachers in Broken Arrow
Public Schools will have an opportunity for collaboration during the district-wide Grade Level Meetings.
These meetings will provide teachers with an avenue for meaningful conversations about the innovative
teaching strategies happening across the district. Grade Level Meetings will give teachers a way of
sharing and celebrating achievements as well as gaining encouragement and recognition for each other’s
contributions. Topics will include: Resources to implement Oklahoma Academic Standards (CCSS);
classroom management/organization; ideas for intervention and enrichment; and math strategies. As
Henry Ford once said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
Broken Arrow Public Schools is an equal opportunity educational institution.