February 11 - Muskogee Public Schools

january, 2011 • volume 3 • issue 4

page 1 - table of contents
Notice of Non-Discrimination:
Muskogee Public Schools provides equal opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender,
age, qualified disability or veteran status in its educational programs and activities, in access to them, in treatment
of individuals with disabilities, or in any aspect of their operations. This includes admissions, educational services,
financial aid, and employment. This notice is provided as required under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
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regarding ADA, Section 504, Title VII/ADEA and/or Title IX may be forwarded to the designated ADA, Section 504, Title
VII/ADEA or Title IX compliance officer, the site principal or other district administrator. Students and parents may also
bring complaints to the assistant principal, counselor, or a teacher. The administrator or staff member notified shall
immediately report the complaint to the site principal. The site principal will notify the appropriate compliance officer.
The following people at MPS will handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title II/ADA, 504 compliance,
and Title VII will be handled by the Director of Special Programs; Title IX will be handled by the Assistant Supt. of Curriculum
& Instruction; Title VII/ADEA will be handled by the Assistant Supt. of Personnel/Support Services, all located at
Muskogee BEST Center, 202 W. Broadway, Muskogee, OK 74401.
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Publisher
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Founder
Jermaine Mondaine
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Franklin Design Staff
Content/Photography
Muskogee Public Schools
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Jermaine Mondaine
Editing
Melony Carey
Muskogee Public Schools
january, 2011 • volume 3 • issue 4
Important Dates in February ............................................................................................................... 1
Superintendent’s Message .................................................................................................................. 2
Write On! Helping Children Learn To Write Well ................................................................................. 3
Shop With A Cop .................................................................................................................................. 4
Native American Student Advocacy Group ........................................................................................ 4
MHS - Advocacy Families Deck The Halls ........................................................................................... 5
Rougher Alternative Academy ............................................................................................................ 7
Seventh and Eighth Grade Center ....................................................................................................... 8
Ben Franklin Science Academy ........................................................................................................... 9
Creek Elementary ................................................................................................................................. 9
Grant Foreman School .......................................................................................................................10
Harris Jobe School ..............................................................................................................................10
Irving Elementary ..............................................................................................................................11
Pershing Elementary ..........................................................................................................................11
Sadler Arts Academy .........................................................................................................................12
Tony Goetz School ..............................................................................................................................12
Important Dates in February
February 10– Parent – Teacher Conferences,
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
February 11– Education Foundation of Muskogee Trivia
Challenge, advanced tickets only
February 11– Parent-Teacher Conferences,
9:00 – 12:00 a.m. (No School)
February 14– No School – Teacher Professional
Development
We want to hear from you!
Log on to www.mymagazinenow.com and take our survey.

Appreciation for Our
Board Members
As citizen leaders, individual school
board members face complex and
demanding challenges. Yet few people
fully understand the scope and far-reaching
implication of board members’ responsibilities.
All Oklahoma citizens should recognize the
vital contributions of these men and women
and focus attention on the crucial role these
elected officials play in the education of our
children.
Their job is to establish a vision for the
education program, design a structure
to achieve that vision, ensure schools are
accountable to the community and strongly
advocate continuous improvement in student
learning. That job entails an endless string
of meetings and school functions to attend;
reams of reports, agendas, proposals and
other information to read and study; and a
host of difficult decisions to make.
Although they wear many hats in the
workday world, school board members put
on a collective hat when they get down to
the business of leading their school districts.
Board members must pull together as a team
Mr. John Barton was elected to the office of
Muskogee Public Schools Board Member – Ward 1 on
February 14, 2006 and currently serves as President of
the Board. Mr. Barton is President of BancFirst and has
been with the bank for twenty seven years. He has
been married to his wife Sherry Barton for twenty four
years and they have two daughters. John’s hobbies are
reading and working out.
Mrs. Stacy Alexander was elected to the office of
Muskogee Public Schools Board Member – Ward 2 on
February 20, 2007 and currently serves as Vice President of
the Board. Mrs. Alexander has been a realtor for Remax for
eighteen years. She has been married to her husband Kevin
Alexander for twenty four years and they have two children.
Stacy’s hobbies are gardening and anything else outdoors.
Mr. Larry Leatherman was elected to the office
of Muskogee Public School Board Member – Ward 5 on
February 9, 2010. Mr. Leatherman is Vice President of Tonto
Construction and Sludge Technology Incorporated, and has
been for sixteen years. He has been married to his wife
Sandy Leatherman for seventeen years, and they have three
children, all in Muskogee Public Schools. His hobbies are
racing, football, basketball and livestock shows.
toward a common goal – helping students
achieve.
Board members contribute hundreds and
hundreds of hours each year leading their
districts. Whether it be crafting policies, hiring
top-notch administrators, listening to staff and
student concerns or recognizing outstanding
programs, board members always keep their
eyes on the goal of student achievement.
The time spent in board meeting as
represents just a small fraction of the hours
school board members spend leading in their
districts. They also work hard at seminars
and training sessions to keep abreast of the
latest trends in educational leadership, are
deeply involved in community activities and
spend many hours in the schools and at
extracurricular events. Their love for learning,
and concern and caring for students, staff and
community, drives board members’ desire to
lead so students can achieve.
In recognition of the dedicated service,
January is designated School Board Recognition
Month. This is a time to show our
appreciation and begin to better understand
superintendent’s message - page 2
Mike Garde
Superintendent,
Muskogee Public Schools
how local trustees work together to provide
a better future for our children. In January,
join with other from throughout our district
and state to salute the men and women who
provide grassroots governance of public
schools. Make a special effort to tell each of
our school board members (picture and bio
listed below) that his or her hard work has
been noticed and is truly appreciated.
Mr. Keith Biglow was appointed to the office of Muskogee Public
School Board-Ward 3 on September 11, 2007, and currently serves as Board
Clerk. Mr. Biglow has been the owner of Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors
Incorporated for fifteen years with three locations in Oklahoma and one in
Wichita, Kansas. He has been married to Shanda Biglow for ten years and they
have three children. Keith’s hobbies are basketball, football, collecting old cars
and spending time with his family.
Ms. Muriel Saunders was elected to the office of Muskogee Public School
Board – Ward 4 on February 8, 1994. Ms. Saunders is a College Professor
at several colleges in the Muskogee area. She has two children and two
grandchildren. Her hobbies are music and cross word puzzles.
“Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful, committed
individuals can change the world;
indeed it’s the only thing that
ever has.” —Margaret Meade

Write On!
page 3 - around the district
Parents Can Help Children Learn to Write Well
Source: U.S. Department of Education
American children must be ready to learn from the first
day of school. And of course, preparing children for
school is a historic responsibility of parents.
Should you help your child with writing?
Yes, if you want your child to:
• Do well in school
• Enjoy self-expression
• Become more self-reliant
You know how important writing will be to your child’s life.
It will be important from first-grade through college and
throughout adulthood.
Writing is:
Practical.
Most of us make lists, jot down reminders, and
write notes and instructions at least occasionally.
Job-Related.
Professional and white-collar workers write frequently--preparing
memos, letters, briefing papers,
sales reports, articles, research reports, proposals,
and the like. Most workers do “some” writing on the
job.
Stimulating.
Writing helps to provoke thoughts and to organize
them logically and concisely.
Social.
Most of us write thank-you notes and letters to
friends at least now and then.
Therapeutic.
It can be helpful to express feelings in writing that
cannot be expressed so easily by speaking.
Study after study shows that student writing lacks clarity,
coherence, and organization. Only a few students can write
persuasive essays or competent business letters. As many
as one out of four have serious writing difficulties. And students
say they like writing less and less as they go through
school.
Pointers for Parents
In helping your child to learn to write well, remember that
your goal is to make writing easier and more enjoyable.
Things to Do
Make it real. Your child needs to do real writing. It’s more
important for the child to write a letter to a relative than it
is to write a one-line note on a greeting card. Encourage
the child to write to relatives and friends. Perhaps your child
would enjoy corresponding with a pen pal.
Suggest note-taking. Encourage your child to take notes
on trips or outings and to describe what (s)he saw. This
could include a description of nature walks, a boat ride,
a car trip, or other events that lend themselves to notetaking.
Brainstorm. Talk with your child as much as possible
about his/her impressions and encourage the child to
describe people and events to you. If the child’s description
is especially accurate and colorful, say so.
Encourage keeping a journal. This is excellent writing
practice as well as a good outlet for venting feelings.
Encourage your child to write about things that happen at
home and school, about people (s)he likes or dislikes and
why, things to remember or things the child wants to do.
Especially encourage your child to write about personal
feelings--pleasures as well as disappointments. If the child
wants to share the journal with you, read the entries and
discuss them--especially the child’s ideas and perceptions.
Write together. Have your child help you with letters,
even such routine ones as ordering items from an advertisment
or writing to a business firm. This helps the child to
see firsthand that writing is important to adults and truly
useful.
Use games. There are numerous games and puzzles that
help a child to increase vocabulary and make the child
more fluent in speaking and writing. Remember, building a
vocabulary builds confidence. Try crossword puzzles, word
games, anagrams and cryptograms de- signed especially
for children. Flash cards are good, too, and they’re easy to
make at home.
Suggest making lists. Most children like to make lists just
as they like to count. Encourage this. Making lists is good
practice and helps a child to become more organized. Boys
and girls might make lists of their records, tapes, baseball
cards, dolls, furniture in a room, etc. They could include
items they want. It’s also good practice to make lists of
things to do, schoolwork, dates for tests, social events, and
other reminders.
Encourage copying. If a child likes a particular song, suggest
learning the words by writing them down--replaying
the song on your stereo/tape player or jotting down the
words whenever the song is played on a radio program.
Also encourage copying favorite poems or quotations from
books and plays.

around the district - page 4
Shop with a Cop
Pictured from left to right: Kevin White (Walgreen’s), Mike Ebert (Wal Mart), Matt White
(Yaffe Iron and Metal), Nancy Ellis (MCPA), Cpl. Kris Kringle (Cpl. Zardeneta, Muskogee
Police Dept.), Margaret Yarborough (MCPA), and Scott Stevenson (Arrowhead Mall).
On December 18 th several students from our district
experienced the thrill of riding in Muskogee Police
Department patrol cruisers during the Shop with a Cop event.
Officers helped students pick out Christmas presents for
themselves and their families at our local Wal Mart. Students
were then treated to a breakfast at McDonald’s before being
chauffeured back to their homes. The first ever Shop with
a Cop event in Muskogee was sponsored by Yaffe Iron and
Metal, Wal Mart, and Walgreen’s in conjunction with the
Muskogee Police Department, Muskogee Public Schools,
Muskogee Chamber of Commerce, Arrowhead Mall, and
Muskogee Citizens Patrol Association. Thanks so much to Cpl.
Pedro Zardeneta for playing Santa and organizing the event.
Native American Student Advocacy Program
Native American Student Advocacy is to be commended for raising
$1,300 for gifts for 30 students district wide during the Christmas season.
NASA also walked in the 2010 Muskogee Christmas Parade. They were
led by the United Keetoowah Band Veteran Honor Guard. The time and
efforts of the parents, students, and staff were greatly appreciated. Thanks
to Life Church for their generous donation of cookies and hot chocolate.
“We should be resolved to pause, appreciate this legacy of
our Native ancestors, and pass it on to our children by
exercising generosity.” — David Walkingstick, Director of Indian Education

page 5 - muskogee high school

Advocacy
Families
Deck The
Halls
As the Holiday Break approached, the
Advocacy program geared up for their most
anticipated event of the year – The Christmas
Party. Following in the shadows of the success of
last year’s event, sponsors knew they had a lot to
live up to. The cafeteria was decked in Christmas
décor, students wore lots of red and green and
Christmas sweaters adorned many of the teachers
present. As Christmas music played, families
gathered around tables to compete for building the
best gingerbread house. Using elaborate building
techniques and candy for decorations, the groups’
laughter echoed through the cafeteria.
page 5

page 7 - muskogee public schools
rougher alternative academy
Descriptive
Writing -
Students Jenna Massey and
Demeshion Jones are shown
here with their examples of
descriptive writing. The assignment
was to write about
Wind, Fire, or Water. These
students produced
outstanding work.
Character Club -
RAA Character Club student
volunteers are shown here with
the banner depicting the national
Promising Practices Award that
was received for their participation
in the “Serve to Learn” project.

muskogee public schools - page 8
Basketball and wrestling are
in full swing at the 7 th and 8 th
Grade Center. Come out and
support our young Roughers!
seventh & eighth grade center

page 9 - muskogee public schools
ben franklin science academy
creek elementary school
BFSA future scientists and
engineers are preparing for the
Science and Engineering Fair.
Students are excited about constructing
bridges and catapults.
BFSA students have successfully
competed in the fair for the last
2 years.
CE Mission:
Mr. Taylor’s am class was the first
mission crew, CE Mission 001, to
use the Jimmie Johnson Mission
Control Space Center. The class
divided into six member teams to
build and launch high powered
paper rockets.
Our students prove that recycling
can be fun as they use old newspaper
for art projects. We love
going green.
Building Rockets and Building
More Rockets:
Teams from Mr. Taylor’s class are
building paper rockets. The class
learned about problem solving
and aerodynamics building the
paper rockets from copy paper
and masking tape.
Ms. Robinson and our students
are working on a project
to control the cattails in our
pond. They have developed
several strategies they are currently
testing.
Before and After Awning:
The Jimmie Johnson Grant, PTO,
and Muskogee Public Schools
provided funds to complete the
entire project started with the
Jimmie Johnson Champions
Grant Proposal. The awnings and
Jimmie Johnson Mission Control
Space Center are complete
thanks to the grand and support
from our PTO and MPS.

muskogee public schools - page 10
Grant Foreman salutes its students who have received some our highest honors for not only having good grades in
the classroom, but also displaying high moral values inside and out of the classroom. The highest of all honors is the
“Rougher Pup” award which is only given to one student per class.
6 th graders work with Mrs. Johnson’s
Kindergarten students on
writing their letters to Santa.
On December 9 th students in
grades K-3 performed in our annual
Christmas Program.
Mrs. Shorb’s 5 th grade class
performs ‘Twas the Night
Before Christmas’ readers
theater for our student body.
As a schoolwide writing project, students
wrote and illustrated their very own book.
They created the book from cover to cover.
It’s right back to work for Harris Jobe students. Students in Mrs. Smith’s 4 th grade
and Mrs. Shorb’s 5 th grade classes work together on area and perimeter of 2D and
3D objects. Both teachers attended an exciting workshop on Monday January 3 rd
and couldn’t wait to get back in the classroom with their students to try the new
strategies.
grant foreman school
harris jobe school

page 11 - muskogee public schools
irving elementary school
pershing elementary school
Junior Achievement Leads to Real Life Achievement
Second graders at Irving Elementary learned a lot from the Junior Achievement team that visited our classrooms.
They started with discussions on communities. Students were shown a poster of a community and asked to identify
all the buildings, jobs and responsibilities. After that, they had a debate on which new shop would go into an empty
building in the community. The team defined the parts of the government and how it operates. This led into the
discussion on taxes. JA explained what taxes are, where they come from, and how they are spent. Students also were
put into groups to show how assembly line production is better than unit production in making donuts. The students
realized that by working as an organized group they produced a lot more donuts.
The members of KQLT enjoyed participating in the Muskogee Christmas Parade this year. The theme of the parade
was “Songs and Sounds of Christmas”, so many songs and characters were a part of their float, which was a radio
tuned into 101.7 FM. Dymin Purdin played Elvis, Remington Arnold played Frosty, Savanna Neale played the Grinch,
Miranda Berry played Grandma who got ran over by a reindeer, played by Istasia Brown. Amber Purdin threw snow
while Koala Bob waved at the kids. It was a lot of fun.

The Nutcracker
muskogee public schools - page 12
Sadler students were under the direction of Ms. Melissa Curtis, who artistically gleaned the best they had to offer.
Special thanks to the Phil E. Kirschner Trust for their ongoing support of Sadler Arts Academy and its annual production
of Nutcracker. Special thanks to Sadler PTA for their support and to the staff of Sadler Arts Academy for their unyielding
devotion to our annual Nutcracker production. And our gratitude to Muskogee Public Schools for their support.
All this is possible because of the children of Sadler Arts Academy. Thank you for lending us your talents and creative
genius, We admire your efforts and applaud your tenacity. May the special memories of Nutcracker live in your hearts
forever.
Tony Goetz Third Grade Rocks Christmas!
Mr. Lefler and the Third Grade from Tony Goetz presented Elfis and the Sleigh Riders on December 16 th . In this fun
and festive musical, the lead character, Elfis, played by Cole Mabrey and Brinton Foster is introduced to his new band
members. With help from Santa, Mrs. Claus and all of his helpers, the band learns the value of friendship and working
together. The show had an Elvis theme, with exciting songs and performances that kept everyone cheering for more.
The final song, North Pole Rock and Roll, was a throw-back to the fifties with “Elfis” sliding across the stage, playing
his guitar. The audience couldn’t get enough of the fun costumes and music. The program required weeks of practice
and included a total of about 60 students from three classes.
This article was prepared and submitted by Ms. Alred, Mrs. Cherry, and Mrs. McWilliam’s Third Grade Classes
sadler arts academy tony goetz school