Board Approves Calendar for 2009-2010 - Putnam City Schools

Board Approves Calendar
for 2009-2010
The board on Monday night approved the district calendar for the 2009-2010 school
year. The calendar calls for classes to begin on Thursday, Aug. 20, and end on Tuesday,
May 25. The year will run later if snow days are necessary. The full calendar is below.
Friday, July 3
Monday, Aug. 3
Monday, Aug. 3 - Wednesday, Aug. 5
Friday, Aug. 14
Thursday, Aug. 20
Monday, Sept. 7
Friday, Oct. 2
Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16
Friday, Oct. 23
Wednesday, Nov. 25 - Friday, Nov. 27
Monday, Dec. 21
Monday, Jan. 4
Friday, Jan. 8
Monday, Jan. 11
Monday, Jan. 18
Friday, Feb. 19
Friday, March 12
Monday, March 15 - Friday, March 19
Tuesday, May 25
Wednesday, May 26
Thursday, May 27
Friday, May 28
Monday, May 31
Day after classes end
Thursday, June 3
Wednesday, June 9
Thursday, July 1
Independence Day holiday
196-, 200- and 216-day employees
return
New teacher orientation
Teachers report
Classes begin
Labor Day (no school)
Elementary/Middle School conferences
(no elementary/middle school classes)
Fall break (no school)
End of 1st quarter (44 days taught)
Thanksgiving break (no school)
Christmas break begins (no school)
Classes resume
End of 2nd quarter (42 days taught)
Professional day (no classes)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)
Elementary, middle school and high
school conferences and pre-enrollment
(no elementary, middle school or
high school classes)
End of 3rd quarter (43 days taught)
Spring break (no school)
Last day of classes
End of 4th quarter (47 days taught)
Snow day (if needed)
Snow day (if needed)
Snow day (if needed)
Memorial Day
Professional Day
Last day for 196-day employees
Last day for 200-day employees
Last day for 216-day employees
Dec. 1, 2008
Board members thanked Dr. Ann
Millerborg for her service to the district.
They congratulated Putnam City North
High School graduate Sam Bradford on
his accomplishments as quarterback for
the University of Oklahoma. They also
thanked Martha Michaels and Danny
Swopes of Educational Development and
Instructional Team for their presentation.
Jerry Cramer congratulated district
students, teachers and administrators for
their efforts to raise funds for cancer
research, and in particular thanked the
three schools that had the greatest
number of participants at the recent
Putnam City Cancer Classic.
Becky Haliburton reminded those
present that Thursday morning is the
annual PTA Principals’ Brunch. She also
thanked district families and staff, along
with community partners, for their
generous efforts to brighten Christmas
for district students through CareShare.
Gail LoPresto thanked Putnam City
High School for recently hosting the
Airmen of Note, an Air Force band.
(continued on page 3)
Meeting Date: Monday, Dec. 1, 5 p.m.
Location: Administration Building
Roll Call: All five members of the board were
present: Julie Jenison, president;
Jerry Cramer, vice president; Mark
Bledsoe; Becky Haliburton; and
Gail LoPresto. Also present were
Paul Hurst, superintendent; and
Debbie Baldwin, board clerk.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, Dec. 9, noon
Putnam City Schools does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin,
age, marital or veteran status, or disability.

Dec. 1, 2008
Last year’s PANTHER TRACKS yearbook – Just Us Panthers – received the Chuck
E. “Colonel” Savage Sweepstakes Award and was named best yearbook in the state in
the Class 6A division during the Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association’s fall
convention at the University of Oklahoma. The book also received Highest Honors
and was named All-Oklahoman. Editors and staff members won 11 first-place awards,
three second-place awards, 19 third-place awards, and 12 honorable mentions. 2008
graduate Jency Johnson was the editor, and fellow graduate Hunter Ligon and juniors
Katie Close and Jessnie Jose were assistant editors.
Putnam City West High School students also brought home honors from the
Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association fall convention. Lauren Strom, Nichole
Haney, Markie Stevenson, Elizabeth Flores, Bridget Stephenson and Vishu Patel all won
individual awards. The yearbook Patriot Profile also won Highest Honors and
All-Oklahoman.
Congratulations to Jacob Jones, a first-year debate student at Putnam City High
School, who recently competed in a regional competition. Jacob placed fourth out
of 54 contestants.
Hefner Middle School students fared well against hundreds of Oklahoma students
in the state TIVY math tournament on Nov. 19 in Moore. TIVY is a math board game
that requires strategy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Hefner’s 6 th -grade
and 7 th -grade teams each won first place. There were individual winners as well.
Hefner’s 6 th -graders Jacob Jameson, Jordan McCoy, and Justin Miles won first, second,
and third place respectively. 7 th -graders Mason McLemore and Breanna Wilkins won
first and third place as did 8 th -grade students Conrad Walcher and Alec Kersey.
Congratulations to all the participants and to coaches Ann Chesney and
Barbara Fowler.
Capps Middle School 6 th -grade science teacher Karen Rice received an $825 grant
from the Zoo Fund for Kids. The grant will allow all the 6 th -grade students to attend a
program called “Dinner and Diners” which will teach how energy passes through the
food chain and show the impact humans have on ecology and endangered species.
At the Nov. 17 th board meeting I noted that seven district middle school students
and 32 district high school students had earned spots in the Central Oklahoma Honor
Orchestra. As a follow-up to that announcement, I’m pleased to tell you that Hefner
Middle School had more participants in this honor group than any school in the state.
I know that for those of you who had an opportunity to attend the district’s Art
Specialists Art Exhibit on Nov. 14, you share our appreciation for the wonderful talent
exhibited that evening. The art will remain on display in the West Conference Room
through mid-December.
There is a special Board of Education meeting scheduled for noon on Tuesday,
Dec. 9, to conduct the sale of bonds in the amount of $12,140,000. Stephen McDonald
from McDonald and Associates is monitoring and analyzing the bond market as we
approach our meeting date.
Dr. Ann Millerborg’s long and distinguished career with Putnam City will be
celebrated during a come-and-go reception from 3:30 until 5:30 p.m. on Thursday,
Dec. 11, in the district’s administration building. There will be a special presentation
at 4 p.m. We hope that everyone can join Ann that day as we mark the retirement of
this fine educator after 27 years of service to the Putnam City Schools.
Putnam City Cancer
Classic Results
Reported
The Putnam City Cancer Classic,
the district’s first-ever 5k and 1-mile fun
run to raise money for cancer research,
brought in around $7,000, event
chairperson Patricia Hocker told the
board Monday night.
Hocker said the event, held Nov. 15th
at Stars and Stripes Park, drew more than
700 registered runners. Schools winning
trophies for most participants were James
L. Dennis Elementary School, Western
Oaks Middle School and Putnam City
High School.
Proceeds from the event will go to
the Oklahoma Medical Research
Foundation (OMRF) as part of the
district’s annual cancer fund drive
donation. Since 1975 Putnam City
students, teachers and administrators
have raised more than $2.7 million to
support OMRF’s cancer research efforts.
Putnam City’s donations have
purchased a vast array of sophisticated
laboratory equipment, including
centrifuges, microscopes and incubators,
and also established an endowed chair
at OMRF, the Putnam City Schools Chair
in Cancer Research. The Putnam City
Schools Chair is held by OMRF scientist
Linda Thompson, Ph.D.
The Board
Approved ...
...a contract with Chestina Moore for
provision of sign language interpreting
services for the remainder of the school
year. The cost of the services, to be paid
for from the general fund, is not to exceed
$10,500.
... the designation of Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Melani Mouse to handle
duties of the superintendent in case of
the superintendent’s absence.

PAGE 3
Dec. 1, 2008
Board Hears Report on Advanced
Placement
Students at Putnam City’s three high schools last year earned 2,147 hours of college
credit and saved $513,133 in college costs by taking advanced placement (AP) courses and
passing AP tests, Dr. Melani Mouse, Putnam City’s assistant superintendent for Secondary
Education, told board members Monday night.
Mouse said that most of the nation’s colleges and universities have an AP policy
granting incoming students credit, placement, or both for qualifying AP test grades. For
institutions that grant credits, every hour of college credit earned in high school is an hour
that students don’t have to take or pay for while attending college, Mouse told board
members. The cost-savings figures for Putnam City students were arrived at by multiplying
the total credit hours earned by AP students times the per hour cost of attending the
University of Oklahoma.
Mouse told board members that Putnam City currently offers 18 AP classes to
students. Next year, two new AP classes – AP Environmental Science and AP Computer
Programming – will bring the total to 20.
Mouse said enrollment in AP classes is increasing, too, having gone from 1,350 AP
enrollments in the 2005-2006 school year to 1,469 during the current school year.
A total of 821 AP tests were given to Putnam City students in 2008, Mouse said.
Mouse also noted the costs of taking AP tests, saying that taking an AP test costs
students $83. However, for students who take two or more AP exams, the State of Oklahoma
helps cover costs, reducing the student fee to $58 per exam for two or more exams. By
contrast, tests offered by the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), which when passed
allow students to earn college credit, cost $70 per test.
Schools Performing Well, Board Told
Martha Michaels and Danny Swopes of Educational Development and Instructional
Team (EDIT) told board members Monday night that Putnam City Schools is several
years ahead of many other districts in terms of school improvement, professional
development and other aspects that make schools effective places for learning.
Michaels said EDIT has closely observed school improvement efforts while working
in 450 sites in Oklahoma in past years.
“Putnam City rocks. It’s absolutely awesome what you’ve done,” Michaels said.
Michaels said the district can be particularly proud of interventions in place to
help struggling students. She also noted that Putnam City received national attention
by virtue of being noted in a book published in 2008: Revisiting Professional Learning
Communities at Work; New Insights for Schools.
Board Comments
(continued from page 1)
She said it was a great night for the
community, and that she was also pleased
to hear the band compliment the high
school on the beauty, size and capabilities
of the auditorium. She also thanked
Dr. Millerborg for her explanation about
criteria used to develop the district
calendar.
Julie Jenison said her family is one
of many district families that reaped the
benefits of the district’s AP program. She
wished a merry Christmas and happy new
year to all.
Board Highlights is not a comprehensive review
of every item that takes place at board of education
meetings. Its purpose is merely to provide information
about items that seem of most interest to district
employees and patrons. Complete board meeting
minutes may be found at
http://www.putnamcityschools.org/
BoardofEducation/BoardMeetingMinutes/tabid/
565/Default.aspx