Arrowpoint - Broken Arrow Public Schools

ARROWPOINT}
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF BROKEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
VOLUME 38, ISSUE THREE • WINTER 2012
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SEE INSIDE
Superintendent’s Message
BAPS Event Streaming
Site Teachers of the Year
National Merit Semifinalists
Rumor Has It

ARROWPOINT
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF BROKEN ARROW PUBLIC SCHOOLS}
VOLUME 38, ISSUE 3 | WINTER 2012
Publisher
Communications Department
Broken Arrow Public Schools
Editing/Content/Photography
Tara Thompson
Public Information Officer
Layout/Design/Photography
Adam J. Foreman
Graphic Artist/Publications Specialist
Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Jarod Mendenhall
Board of Education
Cheryl Kelly, President
Steve Allen, Vice President
Jerry Denton, Clerk
Shari Wilkins, Deputy Clerk
Steve Majors, Member
The ARROWPOINT is published by the Communications
Department of Broken Arrow Public Schools and is
distributed to approximately 45,000 households in the Broken
Arrow school district. The ARROWPOINT is printed at
Printed Products, Inc., and is the official communication
tool for parents, students, staff and patrons of Broken Arrow
Public Schools. Any information, content and photos
contained herein are property of Broken Arrow Schools and
are to be used by outside sources only with permission of the
Communications Department. All contents are copyrighted.
Broken Arrow Public Schools (BAPS) does not discriminate
on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, or age in its programs and activities
and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other
designated youth groups. The following people at BAPS
have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the
non-discrimination policies: The Executive Director of
Human Resources should be contacted for all non-student
and/or employment related issues at 918-259-5700 or at 701
South Main Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. The Assistant
Superintendent of Instructional Services should be contacted
for all student issues except those related to Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 at 918-259-5700 or at 701
South Main Street, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. The Director
of Special Education should be contacted for all student issues
related to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 at
918-259-5700 or at 701 South Main Street, Broken Arrow,
OK 74012. Inquiries concerning non-discrimination can
also be made to the United States Department of Education’s
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
{a message from the}
SUPERINTENDENT
The new A-F Grading System has been the subject of a number of news stories in recent months,
and there is still much to be learned about this new system. In late October, the State Board of Education
approved the new system, despite the concerns expressed by parents, more than 300 superintendents, and
a number of other educators.
The schools within our district received B’s and C’s, and the district’s overall score is a B. You can access
the report cards for each of our schools and the entire district by visiting https://sdeweb01.sde.ok.gov/
Transparency/ReportCards/ and typing in the words Broken Arrow. As district administrators break down
and understand each score, more information will be shared, and you can expect to see an article on this
topic in the February issue of this magazine.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the system, the A-F Grading System replaces the one used
under the No Child Left Behind Act. Instead of each school receiving an Academic Performance Indicator
(API) score of 0-1500, schools will receive an A-F letter grade. I am very much in favor of an easy-tounderstand
system; however, the problem with the A-F Grading System is in the details. The system
contains errors, utilizes poorly derived formulas, and is based on systems that have proven to be flawed in
other states, namely Florida.
If you read last month’s issue of Arrowpoint, you know that multiple grading scales are used in the
calculation of each letter grade, and what most people would consider an A – 90% and up – isn’t necessarily
an A according to this new system. A large percentage of each school’s grade is dependent upon small
subgroups of specific students, and even the calculation that determines “average growth” is not what you
and I would think of as an average. As a former quarterback, I’ll use this analogy. In football, average yards
per carry is calculated by including yardage gained and lost on every carry and dividing by the number of
carries. By omitting the losses, the SDE is inflating growth numbers. This distorts the grades and directly
impacts the amount of support some parents and students receive, including options for school choice
I believe in accountability and assessment. I believe that schools should constantly seek opportunities
for improvement at all levels. I believe in a grading system for schools; however, I am opposed to a system
that is inaccurate, political, and harmful to the students of Oklahoma. Lawmakers have assured us this
topic will be revisited during the 2013 Legislative Session, and I am hopeful they will be true to their
word. I encourage you to continue to educate yourself on this issue, as it will impact our entire community.
Broken Arrow Public Schools
Education Service Center
701 South Main Street
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
(918) 259-5700 | F: (918) 258-0399
www.baschools.org
Sincerely,
Dr. Jarod Mendenhall, Superintendent of Schools
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE TWO

RUMOR
HAS IT
rRumor has it that full-day Pre-K will be a requirement
next year.
“No. Next year, we will open three of the Early Childhood Centers
that the patrons approved in the 2010 bond reallocation: Park Lane
and the new Indian Springs and Westwood facilities – all of which
have yet to be named. The fourth Early Childhood Center at Arrow
Springs will not open until the 2014-2015 school year. Full-day
Pre-K will be offered at each of these sites; however, it will not be
a requirement. Parents will have access to a free program in which
their child will have a class size of no more than
20 students, a certified teacher and an aide,
but the parents will decide whether or
not the student is enrolled in half-day
of full-day services. A committee
is currently meeting to create the
Pre-K schedule and curriculum,
and before-and-after care services
will be provided at the sites.”
Rumor has it the district
doesn’t recycle.
“Not true. Recently, the district
did have to remove the green Abitibi
bins due to a lack of a contract with
the company, but we are in the process of
securing new recycling services. I would like
to work with a company that accepts recyclable
materials other than just paper, and I also want to
make sure the company we select is at no cost to the
district, or will provide our sites with a percentage of the
profits generated from our recycling efforts. Being good
stewards of the environment should not have to come with a
high monthly fee. We put out a request for services, and have
received responses from three different companies. Right now,
we are reading through each proposal to determine which will best
meet the recycling needs of our district.”
Rumor has it that the sophomores are moving to the high
school.
“Maybe. Right now, we have two committees that will be looking
at that possibility: the Long Range Planning Committee and the
High School Transformation Committee. The staff members and
parents serving on these committees are asking questions like, can
the sophomores be contained in one building on the High School
Dr. Mendenhall
shares the scoop
on the rumors
concerning BA schools
campus, taking core classes in that space with access to upper level
classes in other buildings? Can juniors and seniors leave campus more
frequently through the Career Exploration Program, concurrent
enrollment, technical school or online courses? Can the High School
be configured more like a college campus, where students attend classes
based on their ‘major?’ I don’t have a simple answer, but movement of
the sophomores to the High School is being openly discussed.”
Rumor has it that all 9th graders are moving to South
Intermediate and North Intermediate will be closed.
“Not exactly. I like the idea of a Freshman Academy
concept in which all ninth graders are at a site
composed entirely of ninth graders, but we would
first need to deal with the inequity of facilities.
South is currently under construction, and
North is in dire need of construction
– a lot of construction. If we created
freshman academies at both sites, we
would need to place all ninth graders at
South for at least one year in order to be
able to remodel North and bring it up to the
standard established at South. Any movement
of students would likely not happen until the
2014-2015 school year. ”
Rumor has it that the district will run
another bond issue in 2013.
“No. If we run another bond issue – and I do
believe we need to – it would not be until the
fall of 2014. The $295 million bond that was
passed in 2009 helped remove portables and
make much needed repairs and replacements,
but it will take another bond issue to finish what
we’ve started. For example, the 2009 bond issue did not
meet the needs of North Intermediate or Sequoyah, nor did it address
some of the annual maintenance needs at the newer sites. Another
bond issue would take care of these items, in addition to allowing us
to plan for the future. We constantly need to add technology, we must
build a new elementary school in the next few years to keep up with
growth, and I am hearing increasing talk of the community’s desire to
build a pool. We will need to pass another bond issue to fund these
and other projects, but it will not be in 2013.”
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE THREE

TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2013
SHININGSTARS
District announces Site Teachers of the Year
On behalf of Broken Arrow
Public Schools, the Professional
Development Committee is proud
to announce the 2012-2013 Site
Teacher of the Year Recipients.
“While our district is full of
phenomenal educators, each of
these 25 individuals were elected by
their peers as outstanding educators
who have continually displayed
innovation and leadership at their
sites,” said Dr. Jarod Mendenhall.
“The Professional Development
Committee faces a very tough
assignment in the coming months,
because only one of these educators
can be selected as our District
Teacher of the Year.”
Now that all the Site Teachers
of the Year have been announced,
the Professional Development
Committee will conduct an
informational meeting to discuss
the District Teacher of the Year
process.
“The Site Teacher of the
Year recipients will have until
February to submit portfolios to
the Professional Development
Committee,” said Diana Beaulieu,
BAPS Director of Professional
Development. “As a committee, we
will then thoroughly review each
portfolio, interview the candidates,
and eventually arrive at the person
we believe to be the best candidate
for the District Teacher of the Year.
It’s an arduous process for both the
candidates and the committee, but
it’s incredibly rewarding.”
The District Teacher of the
Year is announced every spring at
the Teacher of the Year Gala. This
year’s annual reception will be held
on Thursday, April 4, 2013. The
District Teacher of the Year will
then go on to represent Broken
Arrow Public Schools at the State
Teacher of the Year Competition
later in the summer of 2013.
“I hope every employee
will join me in congratulating
these individuals on their
accomplishment,” Mendenhall
said. “Each of them is an example
of the high-quality professionals
who work to make our district
great, and I am excited to see which
one will represent our district at
the state level.”
Terrill Hendrix
Broken Arrow Academy
Debbie Pettus
Broken Arrow High School
Gina Rackley
North Intermediate High School
Michael Bromiley
South Intermediate High School
Janice Airhart
Margaret Hudson Program
Barbara Hinkle
Centennial Middle School
Bill Zellers
Ernest Childers Middle School
Greg James
Haskell Middle School
Jenny Smith
Oliver Middle School
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE FOUR

Kelley O’Brien
Sequoyah Middle School
Kathy Seymour
Arrow Springs Elementary
Kendra Dose
Arrowhead Elementary
Sarah Schade
Country Lane Primary
Lea Ann Flint
Country Lane Intermediate
Stacy Durbin
Highland Park Elementary
Kayte Weinacht
Indian Springs Elementary
Mendy Schanck
Leisure Park Elementary
Kelli Collins
Liberty Elementary
Brenda French
Lynn Wood Elementary
Tera Landrum
Oak Crest Elementary
Cindy Brixey
Rhoades Elementary
Jennifer Adams
Spring Creek Elementary
Kurt Baugess
Vandever Elementary
Haley Evans
Westwood Elementary
Jana Williams
Wolf Creek Elementary
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE FIVE

(L-R)
Bottom row: Alex Harper
and Brian Haiduk
Top Row: Brennen
VanderVeen, Marissa Griffin
and Andrew Abbott
NationalRecognition
Five BAHS students recognized as National Merit Semifinalists
tThe National Merit Program is an
academic competition for recognition and
scholarships that began in 1955. Out of 1.5
million entrants in the United States there
are only 16,000 students who qualify as
semifinalists.
Broken Arrow Public Schools is proud
to recognize the following five seniors as
National Merit Semifinalists, and as the
students go on to compete for positions as
finalists, great things are expected from each
of these Tigers.
Andrew Abbott is the son of Scott and
Elizabeth Conrad. He is a member of
the National Honor Society, Mock Trial
Team and is an AP scholar. Andrew plans
to major in Accounting and Economics
while attending Baylor University. Upon
completing his college degree he hopes to
become a certified public accountant and/or
a lawyer.
Marissa Griffin is the daughter of the
late Ms. Sharon Griffin and granddaughter
of Judy Carr. She participates in National
Honor Society, Key Club, Environmental
Science Club and the French Club. Marissa
is also an AP scholar and has been awarded
the certificate of Achievement from the
Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of
Science and Technology.
She would like to attend one of the
following schools: Carnegie Mellon,
University of Michigan, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Columbia University
or Rice University. She aspires to be a
scientist, but currently is leaning toward
becoming a chemical engineer.
Brian Haiduk is the son of Mark and Julie
Koble. He is a member the Pride of Broken
Arrow and has been recognized as an All
District and All State musician. He would
like to be a mechanical engineer and attend
the University of Tulsa.
Alex Harper is the son of Jack Harper and
Shelley Mashburn. He is a member of the
Broken Arrow symphonic band. He plans to
attend Rochester Institute of Technology and
obtain a Bachelors and Master’s of Science
in Video Gaming. He aspires to be a lead
designer or programmer for a major gaming
company.
Brennen VanderVeen is the son of Mark
and Laura VanderVeen. He is a member
of the Mock Trial Team, Academic Team,
Latin Club and the National Honor Society.
Currently Brennen is undecided on the
university he plans to attend, but believes it
will be an Ivy League school. He is interested
in becoming a lawyer, judge or economist.
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE SIX

MASSMEDIA
BAPS goes global with internet
streaming, radio coverage
iIn both academics and athletics, Broken
Arrow has seen a steady rise in success over the
past few years, and with this success comes the
desire to continue to do things bigger and better
than ever before.
This fall, the Broken Arrow Athletics
Department partnered with KXBL Big Country
99.5 FM for football radio coverage. This
powerful, 100,000 watt station will give Tiger
football fans the ability to catch the game just
about anywhere in the state of Oklahoma.
According to BAHS Athletic Director Ken
Ellet, “This is the strongest signal ever for a
Tiger football broadcast. For the 2012 season,
Steve Scott did the play-by-play for the 19th
consecutive season, while Mark Frie added the
color commentary. These guys do a great job on
our games, and making the move to a station
with a more powerful signal allowed more of our
fans to tune in to games. ”
In addition to the upgrade in radio coverage,
Broken Arrow fans also have the opportunity
to follow numerous athletic events that are now
being streamed live in high definition on the
web. The site is www.brokenarrowtigers.tv, and
by visiting this website, fans will be able to watch
a variety of live sporting events. In its pilot year,
brokenarrowtigers.tv will carry more than 40
different athletic events throughout the school
year including football, boys and girls basketball,
boys and girls soccer and wrestling.
“The addition of our own streaming channel
through GameView TV really brings us to
the forefront in athletic coverage,” said BAPS
Director of Technology Brian Daley. “Fans can
watch on their smart phones or tablets while at
the game or sitting at home, and the more we
experiment with the program, the better the
game coverage becomes.”
One of the challenges of streaming athletic
events is the manpower needed to run the
system. A crew of BAPS staff members work in
a rotation to cover the games – both home and
away – but also keep up with the responsibilities
of their day jobs.
“We wanted to begin utilizing the program
with just a small number of sports to become
familiar with the way the system operates, but
I foresee us expanding to streaming a number
of other sports in the future,” Daley said. “The
Technology and Athletic Departments are
collaborating with the BATV Program at the
High School, and eventually, our goal is to have
student crews running the show, gaining
academic credit and real-world
experience in sports media.”
In addition to a variety
of sporting events,
patrons who visit www.
brokenarrowtigers.tv will
also find a section for
educational videos and
other district projects
being produced by the
BATV Program at the
High School.
“As we continue
to utilize this type
of technology, the
possibilities are
endless,” Daley
said. “We’re
already
discussing
ideas like
streaming
graduation, because
we believe it’s just one more
way we can give our Broken
Arrow fans, parents, and patrons
access to the incredible things
happening in our district.”
ONLINE STREAMING:
brokenarrowtigers.tv
Photo courtesy of
Ruth Kelly Studio
ARROWPOINT MAGAZINE • PAGE SEVEN

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