Fall 2016 Journal

Fall 2016 Volume XIV • No. 3

A Publication of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association

Fall 2016 Volume XIV • No. 3

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Shawn Hime: Caring for our Teachers and Students

Keeping it Positive in Tough Times

Kim Bishop Joins OSSBA

Oklahoma Schools Struggle with Teacher Shortage Despite Cutbacks

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Oklahoma Library of Digital Resources Launched to Assist Oklahoma Teachers

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Shawn Hime Executive Director and Editor Christy Watson Director of Communications and Marketing and Editor Kelly Ross Marketing Coordinator and Design Editor Official publication of Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Inc. 2801 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Ste. 125 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105 (405) 528-3571 • (888)528-3571 toll-free (405) 528-5695 fax www.ossba.org ISSN 0748-8092 The Oklahoma State School Boards Association, publisher of The Oklahoma School Board Journal, reserves the right to accept or reject any material, editorial or advertisement submitted to the Journal for publication.

Advertisements appearing in the Journal do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the OSSBA of the advertised materials or services.

It’s Policy: The Open Meeting Act and Executive Sessions

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E-Mail Like Everyone is Watching

What to Know about State Question 779

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Unintended Unemployment Consequence: Underemployment

Learning about the New Member Portal

How HB 2784 Changed Student Records

2016 Delegate Assembly and 2017 OSSBA Goals

OSSBA Partners

Notes from OSSBA

2016 OSSBA Award Winners 1

Roger Edenborough - President Goodwell Don Tice - President-Elect Oologah-Talala Ed Tillery - First Vice President Whitebead Mike Ray - Second Vice President Guymon Mike Mullins - Immediate Past President Sand Springs John D. Tuttle - NSBA Board of Directors Kellyville

Region 1 Mike Ray, Guymon Roger Edenborough, Goodwell

Region 9 Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr., Clinton James Smith, Leedey

Region 2 Terry Graham, Burlington Wesley Crain, Fargo

Region 10 Beth Schieber, Okarche Jackie McComas, Anadarko

Region 3 Ernie Currier, Enid Cheryl Lane, Frontier

Region 11 Jared Turner, Flower Mound Karol Haney, Cache

Region 4 Mike Mullins, Sand Springs Ruth Ann Fate, Tulsa Cheryl Kelly, Broken Arrow

Region 12 Ed Tillery, Whitebead Joe Don Looney, Pauls Valley

Region 5 Don Tice, Oologah-Talala Rodney Schilt, Adair

Region 6 Dr. Dan Snell, Norman Frances Percival, Millwood Ron Millican, Oklahoma City

Region 7 John D. Tuttle, Kellyville Keith Sandlin, Shawnee

Region 8 Brenda Barney, Wagoner W. Scott Abbott, Fort Gibson

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Region 13 Roy Justice, Mannsville Mike Mathis, Madill

Region 14 Brent Bolen, Idabel Darrell Ward, Denison

Region 15 Glen Cosper, Moore Norman Technology Center Dustin Tackett, Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center

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Inspiration and affirmation can originate anywhere – even social media.

Leadership is not about being in charge.

Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.

When I came across this quote from author Simon Sinek while browsing Twitter, I immediately thought about the daunting challenges facing the leaders of our state, the leaders of our schools and the leaders in our classrooms.

Nothing makes that more clear than the results of the teacher shortage survey OSSBA conducted in August.

Schools have eliminated more than 2,100 teaching jobs in the last two years and yet still started this school year with more than 500 teaching vacancies.

People who have never trained a day as a teacher are now responsible for teaching elementary school students how to read and do math. We have high school students who can’t take Spanish because their school can’t find a teacher. We are hemorrhaging teachers to Texas, Arkansas and Kansas. This is what it looks like when a state fails its schools and its children.

fundamental responsibility of a state and its people.

It’s not just a constitutional responsibility; it’s a moral obligation.

Here’s the silver lining: I trust that Oklahomans understand what a high-quality education system means for our children. Oklahomans like myself are listening when state leaders tell us the future requires a better-educated workforce.

Teachers love, nurture and educate our children on a daily basis, but in too many of our communities, teachers are leaving or opting out of education faster than we can replace them.

I can find the positive in any situation – I’m a little like Winnie the Pooh that way. But if leadership, as Sinek says, is about taking care of those in our charge, how might one assess the current reality for education?

Teachers love, nurture and educate our children on a daily basis, but in too many of our communities, teachers are leaving or opting out of education faster than we can replace them. The level of care for our teachers is insufficient.

Then there are our children. Can a state claim to have exercised proper care for its children when it can’t even guarantee a fully certified teacher in every classroom? The answer seems obvious. Providing for the education of Oklahoma’s children is a

SHAWN HIME, OSSBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

School board members and administrators are doing their best to deliver that future, not just to fill a workforce quota but because they want children to lead happy, productive lives filled with the choices open to those who are well educated and well prepared for adulthood.

And our teachers? Those who stay are putting forth heroic efforts in overcrowded classrooms with fewer resources, and we should celebrate them at every opportunity. But we can do even more than that.

State Question 779 is an opportunity for Oklahomans to acknowledge the hard work of our state’s teachers.

It’s our chance to invest in our children and in them create a legacy that will last a lifetime. It’s a chance for all of us to lead at the ballot box and take care of those in our charge.  5

Roger Edenborough, OSSBA President and Goodwell Board Member

Keeping It Positive in Tough Times It’s easy to let the negative rule. Our schools have challenges, but all hope is not lost.

As school board members, the students in our communities are depending on us and other leaders and educators to keep hope alive and celebrate progress. I was reminded of that listening to 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Shawn Sheehan speak recently as the annual OSSBA/CCOSA Conference.

I know we all take a deep breath when talk turns to the budget. I don’t know of any schools that have every resource on their wish list. But I am so grateful to our state leaders for their hard work to protect our schools as much as possible from budget cuts. While other agencies and core state services received drastic cuts, common education took a lesser hit. As bad as things might seem when school board members are reviewing the monthly financial report, it could be worse. I’m grateful.

Our voices matter at the state Capitol. We must use them to fight back bad policy, but also support good policy.

If you’re wondering what there is to celebrate, keep reading!

The state Education Department has embraced a partnership mentality. Why does that matter? There’s so much truth in the phrase that it takes a village to raise a child. The success of any school or school district will be limited without strong support from the education department.

Schools are highly regulated. That’s a fact. That means a lot of boxes have to be checked as a matter of compliance. But what schools also need—and are receiving from today’s state education department— is expertise, leadership and encouragement to keep pursuing excellence for all students. That’s worth celebrating!

A great example of that leadership and partnership is the reduction in state testing students will enjoy this year. Teachers will have more time and more flexibility to meet the individual needs of students – a change that has far greater value than a test.

For two years, lawmakers have faced tremendous pressure to establish school vouchers and education savings accounts, which would weaken public education. But they have listened to their constituents and resisted that pressure. Our voices matter at the state Capitol. We must use them to fight back bad policy, but also support good policy.

Our voices also matter at the ballot box. On Nov. 8, we have a chance to cast a vote for strong schools.

We can vote for candidates who will support public education. And we can vote for State Question 779, which will make Oklahoma more competitive in hiring and retaining teachers and provide added support to improve student achievement.

Above all, we must keep celebrating our schools, our students and our educators. As school board members, our job isn’t limited to voting on a budget or hiring a superintendent. We are ambassadors who should be proclaiming the accomplishments of our schools, our students and our teachers.

Shawn Sheehan encouraged conference attendees to lead with vision and shine a spotlight on educators.

That’s a challenge we should all accept. 

Roger Edenborough was elected as President of OSSBA at the Delegate Assembly, Aug. 27, 2016. He is a board member from Goodwell Public Schools and serves as the Region 1 Director for OSSBA. 6

Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

Kim Bishop Joins OSSBA To better meet the needs of school board members and school districts, the Oklahoma State School Boards Association has added to its legal team.

Kim Bishop, formerly a senior staff attorney for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, joined OSSBA in August.

position where I can help schools understand and implement those laws,” Bishop said.

OSSBA Executive Director Shawn Hime said Bishop’s experience will be an asset to the association’s members. “Kim worked on nearly every Oklahoma education law that’s been written in the last two decades. Her legal experience, her historical knowledge of education law and her familiarity with the legislative process make her an extraordinary asset to the OSSBA team and our members,” Hime said.

Bishop lives in Edmond with her husband Teed and son Benjamin. Teed works in Recreational Service Operations at Tinker Air Force Base. Benjamin attends Edmond Central Middle School and is active in soccer, football and Boy Scouts. Kim spends her free time going to Benjamin’s soccer games and football games and volunteering at the Oklahoma City Zoo. 

“After years of working with the Legislature writing laws that effective schools I am excited to be in a

S T U D E N T F O C U S E D D E S IGN W W W .K K T A R C HIT EC T S.C OM

TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE

W W W. B A N C F I R S T. C O M 7

Oklahoma school districts were trying to fill more than 500 teaching vacancies as a new school year began despite eliminating more than 1,500 teaching jobs since last school year, according to a new survey from the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

The combined impact of budget cuts, too few prospective teachers and teachers opting for other careers or out-of-state teaching jobs is even worse than a year ago when schools had about 1,000 vacancies after eliminating 600 teaching jobs. This year’s vacancies do not include positions filled by teachers holding the more than 300 emergency teaching certificates state education officials approved in May, June and July.

School districts also have eliminated more than 1,300 support staff positions since last school year. That includes teaching assistants who helped schools deal with a difficult double whammy: inexperienced teachers and growing class sizes.

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Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

“People who have never trained a day as a teacher are now responsible for teaching elementary school students how to read and do math. We have high school students who can’t take Spanish because their school can’t find a teacher. We are hemorrhaging teachers to Texas, Arkansas and Kansas,“ said Shawn Hime, executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

“This is what it looks like when a state fails its schools and its children.“ OSSBA conducted the survey during the first two weeks of August. Districts representing about 83 percent of the state’s public school enrollment participated. The key findings:

Hime said solutions for the state’s teacher shortage crisis remain unchanged from previous years.

Oklahoma needs a long-term funding strategy for public education that meets three key goals:

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Districts reported 542 teaching vacancies as of Aug. 1.

Districts reported eliminating 1,530 teaching positions since last school year.

Districts reported eliminating 1,351 support positions since last school year.

More than half of school leaders say hiring teachers was more difficult this year compared to last year.

Half of districts expect to increase class sizes.

The vacancies are widespread, regardless of the district’s size and location and the subject area.

More than half of districts anticipate needing to seek emergency teaching certifications to fill vacancies.

Thirty-four percent of school leaders said their schools likely will offer fewer courses this school year.

Special education, elementary, high school science, high school math and middle school math are the most difficult teaching positions to fill.

School leaders are deeply worried that the overall quality of teaching applicants is having a detrimental impact on student achievement.

Nearly all of the state’s largest school districts are projecting class sizes of 26 or more students in middle and high school.

More than half of school districts are projecting elementary school class sizes of 23 or more students – above the 20-students-per-class limit in Oklahoma law that’s been waived because of the state’s budget struggles.

Enables a meaningful increase in teacher compensation that’s regionally competitive and empowers schools to hire and keep outstanding teachers.

Budget cuts were the primary factor in districts’ decisions to eliminate teaching positions. Even if that hadn’t been the case, many district leaders expressed doubt at their ability to find certified teachers to fill the positions because not enough new teachers are seeking to fill jobs vacated by more experienced teachers who are leaving the profession or leaving for work in another state.

The state Board of Education approved 926 emergency certificates through September.

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Teacher Shortage

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Provides resources schools require to meet the needs of today’s students and students of the future.

Rebuilds the teacher pipeline so it’s filled with capable, passionate educators, possibly through the launch of a bold, statewide scholarship or loan forgiveness plan for future educators.

“With every year that goes by, we make it more difficult for educators to do the job that we’ve hired them to do – provide every child with a high-quality education,“ said Mike Mullins, OSSBA immediate past president and a longtime school board member for Sand Springs Public Schools. “I’m humbled and grateful that Oklahoma’s educators continue to rise to the challenge, but there’s no doubt our failure as a state to properly invest in our children and their education has consequences.“ Sand Springs has struggled to find certified teachers in core subject areas and described finding special education, high school science, middle school science and high school math teachers as very difficult. The district is projecting 23-25 students in elementary school classes and 26 or more students per class in middle school and high school.

The story is similar in Ponca City, where Executive Director of Human Resources Shelly Arrott said the district struggled to fill all its vacancies but likely was successful because the district cut 24 teaching positions at the secondary level and sought emergency teaching certificates to fill 10 teaching slots.

The district moved six paid days of teaching training from the summer to the school year to reduce costs.

Arrott said the change resulted in a financial hit to support employees who now have fewer contract days. Support employees are being encouraged to take on other extra duty assignments like becoming a crossing guard to help bridge the financial gap.

School leaders offered mixed experiences with emergency teaching certificates, noting such teachers typically require more support than other new teachers and many are not returning for a second year. Amber Fitzgerald, executive director of human resources and communications for Enid Public Schools, urged the state to improve its alternative certification process by focusing more on classroom readiness.

Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

the alternative certification process focuses on earning a piece of paper, not preparing for the job in an expedited way.“ Gregg Garn, dean of The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma, is no stranger to Oklahoma’s teacher shortage crisis. He struggles with recruiting students into the profession.

Making the problem worse is the fact that fewer students who graduate from the college are staying in Oklahoma to teach. And as enrollment in colleges of education declines and an increasing number of teachers seek alternative paths to the classroom, he said K-12 students are shortchanged.

OU has continuously raised its standards for admission to the college of education and now the average ACT for students entering the college is a 25, Garn said.

“We want to ensure students will have the best and brightest leading classrooms,“ he said.

“When the emergency certification pipeline is so wide, it has consequences for student learning. So many of those who come to the classroom through alternative paths are in and out in the blink of an eye. We want people who are going to be great and make a positive impact on thousands of students over their career – not just people who are going to be there for a semester or a year.“ School districts bordering other states face a particular challenge with recruiting and retaining teachers. Seventeen teachers have left Miami Public Schools in northeastern Oklahoma over the last year, leaving first-year Superintendent Jeremy Hogan scrambling to fill vacancies. The district eliminated 11 positions, has increased class sizes and is offering fewer courses.

Dozens of students typically take a third-year Spanish class, but Hogan eliminated the class because he couldn’t find a teacher. The inability to offer a competitive salary and to provide teachers with adequate classroom resources are major recruiting challenges, he said.

“We’re having to put a puzzle together with pieces that don’t match. We have missing pieces,“ Hogan said. “We love kids, and when you can’t give what you feel is your best, it hurts. We’re doing a disservice to students.“ 

“We are approached by a plentiful number of people with bachelor’s degrees who are interested in teaching,“ she said. “Right now, 11

Oklahoma Library of Digital Resources Launched to Assist Oklahoma Teachers The Oklahoma State School Boards Association announced the launch of the Oklahoma Library of Digital Resources, an innovative, collaborative and cost-saving effort to help schools improve student achievement.

The new online library contains free and low-cost, high-quality digital resources and tools teachers and families can use to cater to students’ individual academic needs and take technology use in the classroom to the next level. The resources range from audio interviews with Oklahoma historical figures to apps that contain virtual science lab experiments to online tools including a Pythagorean Theorem calculator and a variety of digital textbooks.

“Our classrooms are filled with digital natives who thrive on interactive learning experiences guided by an outstanding educator,” said Shawn Hime, OSSBA’s executive director. “We want to help our schools embrace true integration of technology in our classrooms and ensure our students are ready for a digitally-driven workplace.”

Former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Heather Sparks, Mid-Del Public Schools, speaks during the launch event.

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The library includes resources for algebra, algebra 2, geometry, English, English 2, biology, chemistry, personal finance, Oklahoma history and United States history. Resources for middle and elementary schools will be added early next year, and then additional high school resources will be added. Future plans include allowing students and teachers to create digital textbooks and house them in iTunes U.

Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

Outstanding Oklahoma teachers vet and select digital resources in their respective grades and subject areas.

They choose resources and tools that are high-quality and aligned to Oklahoma’s new academic standards.

Through a collaboration with Apple, the library is housed in iTunes U and can also be accessed at www.okdigitalresources.com. All of the resources are accessible on any internet-connected device, including non-Apple devices. Express Personnel, American Fidelity and the Oklahoma Publishing Company/Auschotz Foundation are supporting the project as corporate partners.

coordinator for Midwest City-Del City Public Schools and a former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year who helped vet high school math resources.

“Curriculum will come alive when teachers access the dynamic tools and lesson resources and infuse them in their practice. Leveraging technology will not only actively engage students, it will also likely lead to teachers seeking additional digital resources for their courses.” 

“We are happy to support OSSBA and its various programs advancing education in our great state,” said Bob Funk, CEO and Chairman of Express Employment Professionals. “And we are particularly excited about the student-friendly platform and impactful outcomes associated with the Oklahoma Library of Digital Resources.”

“We want to make sure teachers have the tools and resources they need to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Wayne Ryan, American Fidelity’s Oklahoma State Manager. “There is no better investment than Oklahoma’s teachers and students.”

Oklahoma schools are quickly moving to technology to replace textbooks. A survey from the state Education Department found only 47 districts are happy with textbooks, but many schools are uncertain about how to proceed when it comes to digital resources. The Oklahoma Library of Digital Resources helps educators easily locate other resources they can use in their classrooms.

Kacey Boothe and Wayne Ryan, both with library partner American Fidelity, explore the library during the launch.

More than 100 Oklahoma school districts already have one-to-one technology initiatives to make sure every student has a device, according to the education department survey. That number is expected to double over the next two years.

Timing is critical because Oklahoma schools have larger class sizes and less money to provide classroom resources, Hime said.

“These digital resources will help teachers realize the power of technology and its positive impact on instruction,” said Heather Sparks, math and business

Rep. Todd Thomsen, District 25, and Pam Deering, Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Executive Director, review a library lesson during the launch.

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It’s Policy

It’s Policy

The Open Meeting Act and Executive Sessions At the annual OSSBA/CCOSA conference this year, it became apparent that many school districts have language on agendas that should be removed. Prior to the passage of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, a school board could meet privately to discuss matters.

As a result, many districts had a standard line written at the top of the meeting agenda that provided, “The board of education may convene into executive session at any time during the meeting when a topic is appropriate for executive session.“ This language is not appropriate and could lead to an inadvertent violation of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. The Oklahoma Open Meeting Act only allows a public body to convene into executive session for nine specific reasons, only eight of which apply to public school districts. The reasons listed in 25 O.S. Section 307(B) are as follows: 1. Discussing the employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of any individual salaried public officer or employee; 2. Discussing negotiations concerning employees and representatives of employee groups; 3. Discussing the purchase or appraisal of real property; 4. Confidential communications between a public body and its attorney concerning a pending investigation, claim, or action if the public body, with the advice of its attorney, determines that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the public body to process the claim or conduct a pending investigation, litigation or proceeding in the public interest; 5. Permitting district boards of education to hear evidence and discuss the expulsion or suspension of a student when requested by the student involved or the student’s parent, attorney or legal guardian; 6. Discussing matters involving a specific handicapped child; 14

7. Discussing any matter where disclosure of information would violate confidentiality requirements of state or federal law; 8. Engaging in deliberations or rendering a final or intermediate decision in an individual proceeding pursuant to Article II of the Administrative Procedures Act. THIS ITEM DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO NOT COME UNDER TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT; or 9. Discussing the following: a. the investigation of a plan or scheme to commit an act of terrorism, b. assessments of the vulnerability of government facilities or public improvements to an act of terrorism, c. plans for deterrence or prevention of or protection from an act of terrorism, d. plans for response or remediation after an act of terrorism, e. information technology of the public body but only if the discussion specifically identifies: (1) design or functional schematics

that demonstrate the relationship

or connections between devices or systems, (2) system configuration information, (3) security monitoring and response

equipment placement and configuration, (4) specific location or placement of

systems, components or devices, (5) system identification numbers,

names or connecting circuits, (6) business continuity and disaster

planning or response plans, or (7) investigation information directly

related to security penetrations or

denial of services, or f. the investigation of an act of terrorism that has already been committed.

Julie L. Miller, OSSBA Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel

In order for the board of education to be able to meet in executive session, the proposed executive session must be specifically listed on the agenda posted in accordance with the Oklahoma Meeting Act. The correct legal citation to the provision authorizing the executive session must also be listed on the agenda.

The correct legal citation will always start with 25 O.S. Section 307 (B)(followed by the enumerated number which identifies the allowed reason for executive session as listed above). It is important to note that the district should NOT have all of the language listed in one above in order to convene into executive session. The Oklahoma Attorney General has issued a formal and binding opinion that provides that the identity of the person must be listed if they are already employed or the position, if it is to review applications or interview, must be listed on the posted agenda. A.G. Opinion 97-61. So the appropriate way to convene into executive session to discuss an employee would be as follows: Proposed executive session to discuss the employment of Julie Miller, teacher. 25 O.S. Section 307(B)(1).

Please note that the executive session cannot include

an action item. Any action items must be listed separately following the return of the board to open session. The board cannot meet in executive session to discuss the employment of an auditor, contractor, attorney or other independent contractor. Nor can the board of education meet in executive session to discuss the financial condition of the school district.

If the board of education is going to utilize 25 O.S. Section 307 (B)(7), the law that provides confidentiality should also be listed on the agenda.

For example: Proposed executive session to review educational records of a minor student whereby disclosure of any additional information would violate FERPA. It is always wise to have agenda language reviewed prior to any executive session. If you have any questions regarding a proposed executive session, it might be wise to table the executive session rather than run the risk of violating the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. Your district may have a policy on executive session, if you utilize OSSBA letter codes, the policy would be at Policy BEC. Please review to make sure your policy has been updated in 2015 to ensure that you have the most up-to-date policy. ď Ž

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A quotation was recently posted by a school lawyer on the NSBA Council of School Attorneys message board: Dance Like No One is Watching; E-mail Like It May One Day Be Read Aloud in a Deposition This really resonated with me and echoed topics I discussed at our recent OSSBA/CCOSA conference.

One of the most striking cultural and social changes in the U.S. in recent decades has been the revolution in the ways Americans communicate. Until recently, humans were confined to communicating face to

HERE ARE SOME GOOD TIPS TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND: • •

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Compose each e-mail as if it were going to be read in the newspaper or by a jury.

Always double check that your e-mail is being sent to its intended recipients. E-mails often end up inadvertently being sent to the wrong recipient, which can sometimes be embarrassing and disastrous.

When attaching files to an e-mail, ensure that the appropriate document has been attached.

E-mailing an attachment could make that document public. Not to mention that it can be an embarrassing indication of carelessness.

Re-read each e-mail before you hit “send.”

Be very cautious about hitting “reply all” in e-mails.

ABOVE ALL, BE PROFESSIONAL.

face, through letters and the traditional landline phone. Now, computer and smartphone use has dramatically accelerated, and texting, cellphones and e-mail are the most commonly used modes of communication. As an example, I no longer have a landline telephone, and rely on my cell phone to communicate. As with many businesses, we at the OSSBA communicate with our office peers frequently through inter-office e-mail.

The use of this type of communication has been studied. According to a recent Gallop poll, texting, using a cellphone and sending and reading e-mail messages are the most frequently used forms of non-personal communication for adult Americans.

Between 37-39 percent of all Americans said they used each of these “a lot” on the day prior to being interviewed. That compares with less than 10 percent of the population who said they used a home landline phone “a lot.” Other studies of texting indicate that texting is the most widely used and frequently used app on a smartphone, with 97 percent of Americans using it at least once a day. (Pew Internet). People worldwide will send 8.3 trillion text messages in just this year alone. That’s almost 23 billion messages per day, or almost 16 million messages per minute (Portio Research). Over 6 billion text messages are sent in the U.S. each day (Forrester). Over 80 percent of American adults text, making it the most common cell phone activity (Pew Internet). Finally, Americans sent 69,000 texts every second in 2012 (CTIA).

Of course, board members communicate in the

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Stephanie Mather, OSSBA Director of Legal Information and Staff Attorney

same fashion. It is important that school boards understand the scrutiny that may be placed on these e-mails, texts and social media posts.

First of all, if the e-mail, text or post is concerning school business, it might be subject to disclosure under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Under the act, the public has a right to access and review records used or created by the public body. The Oklahoma Attorney General has properly held that all records, regardless of their form, are subject to this access and review. This includes e-mails, texts and any other form of record creation. Additionally, the Attorney General held in 2009 that records of government business belong to the public even if they are created or stored on a public official’s personal phone or laptop. In this regard, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit decided the case of Competitive Enterprise Institute v. Office of Science and Technology Policy in July of 2016. In this case, citizens had made a records request under the Federal Freedom of Information Act, which is the federal equivalent of Oklahoma’s Open Records Act, for copies of e-mails from a federal officer’s personal server. The Court ordered the e-mails released stating that it agreed that an agency cannot shield its records from search or disclosure under FOIA by the expedient of storing them in a private e-mail account controlled by the agency head.

resulted in claims and litigation against a school district and board members. The Ohio Supreme Court in May of 2016 sided with a now-former Olentangy school board member who said his colleagues violated open-meetings laws while exchanging e-mails on board business. In the Ohio decision, the court noted that private, prearranged discussion of public business by a majority of a public body’s members whether face-to-face, by telephone or electronic means violates the Ohio Open Meetings Act. Likewise, in Williamstown County Tennessee, a claim for damages was recently made by a student when confidential student information was sent via e-mail to board members concerning a fight between students. The e-mail was then sent to the media and read on a radio talk show. The claim was made that the confidential student communication was leaked by a school board member.

What lessons did we learn? The way we communicate has changed. When discussing school matters and school business, be cognizant of your responsibilities and position with the district. 

Further, if litigation is commenced against the school district, any and all e-mails relevant to the things alleged in the lawsuit are subject to discovery.

In federal lawsuits, there is an automatic discovery of virtually all types of electronically created or stored data that might be relevant. Attorneys will generally notify their clients at the beginning of a legal proceeding to not destroy any electronic records that might be relevant. The receipt of a litigation hold or preservation letter from the Board’s attorney requires all potentially relevant electronic information to be identified, located and preserved.

This includes all e-mail, e-documents, the tapes and servers of discarded systems and backup data stored elsewhere.

In my many years of representing school districts in federal lawsuits, I have had to turn over thousands of e-mails and there have been some that I wish I hadn’t had to turn over. A snide comment or even a joke that is on an e-mail can cause a case to deteriorate very quickly.

Finally, there are instances where e-mails have 17

What to Know about State Question 779 It’s an ugly truth that education funding in Oklahoma that our state invests less per student in education than every state in the region and nearly every state in the nation. On Nov. 8, Oklahoma voters will have the chance to say that’s not good enough.

State Question 779 would amend the Oklahoma Constitution and enact a one-cent sales tax dedicated

to public education. If approved, it is projected to produce $615 million annually. School districts would receive the majority of the projected revenue, but some money also would be set aside for early childhood, career tech and higher education.

A major focus on the state question is the state’s critical shortage of teachers. Of the estimated $427 million that would go to school districts, about $369 million would be reserved for a $5,000 teacher pay raise and to improve teacher recruitment and retention. The rest could be spent on new or expanded efforts to improve third-grade reading levels, college- and career-readiness and graduation rates. The consensus of OSSBA and other education attorneys is that every school district would receive SQ 779 revenue.

OSSBA’s Board of Directors – a group of 32 school board members from across the state – unanimously endorsed SQ 779 last fall. It is consistent with OSSBA’s long-stated legislative goal of seeking and supporting a longterm funding solution for public education.

OSSBA has compiled a variety of resources about SQ 779 on our website at www.ossba.org/779. For questions or more information, contact Executive Director Shawn Hime at shawnh@ossba.org or on his cell phone at 580.747.0179.

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Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions: State Question 779 Does the sales tax expire?

No. If State Question 779 is approved by voters on Nov. 8, the Oklahoma Constitution will be amended to create a recurring source of revenue.

If SQ 779 passes, when will the tax begin?

If approved, the state would begin collecting the sales tax on July 1, 2017. Raises would go into effect for the 2017-2018 school year.

Will the sales tax revenue be used to reduce/supplant other education funding?

The proposed constitutional amendment was crafted to prevent a reduction or shift in other education working and instead establish a new source of dedicated, recurring revenue. A portion of the proposed amendment reads: “A. Monies expended or distributed from the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund shall supplement, and shall not be used to supplant or replace, other state funds supporting common education, early childhood education, higher education, or career and technology education, including but not limited to the Permanent School Fund, the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund, the Education Reform Revolving Fund, the Common Education Technology Revolving Fund, the Higher Education Capital Revolving Fund, the Oklahoma Tuition Scholarship Revolving Fund, the Common School Fund, appropriations from the Legislature as provided in Article XIII, Section 1a of the Constitution, and any other appropriations from the Legislature used for educational purposes.

“B. The Legislature shall appropriate the monies from the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund solely to supplement other funds supporting common education, early childhood education, higher education, or career and technology education. The

Legislature shall not appropriate such monies to supplant or replace any other state funds supporting common education, early childhood education, higher education, or career and technology education.

“C. In order to ensure that the monies from the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund are used to enhance and not supplant funding for education, the State Board of Equalization shall examine and investigate appropriations from the Fund each year. At the meeting of the State Board of Equalization held within five (5) days after the monthly apportionment in February of each year, the State Board of Equalization shall issue a finding and report that shall state whether appropriations from the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund were used to enhance or supplant education funding. If the State Board of Equalization finds that education funding was supplanted by monies from the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund, the State Board of Equalization shall specify the amount by which education funding was supplanted. In this event, the Legislature shall not make any appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year until an appropriation in that amount is made to replenish the Oklahoma Education Improvement Fund.”

Will every school district receive sales tax revenue?

The consensus opinion of OSSBA and other education attorneys is yes.

Every school district – even those not on the formula – will receive sales tax revenue.

Do the revenue projections include enough to pay employer-related costs for the $5,000 teacher pay raise?

Yes. The full estimated cost of $5,000 teacher pay raise for all Oklahoma teachers is $300 million.

What happens if annual sales tax collections are less than or greater than the $615 million projected?

Appropriations to school districts will be based on collections. As a growth revenue, sales tax revenue should grow over time. If sales tax collections fall, the amount of appropriations to schools will fall. To account for potential fluctuations in school revenue, school districts should consider spending a small percentage of the sales tax revenue on nonrecurring expenses like technology.

What if my school district receives more than enough money to cover the teacher pay raise?

The proposed constitutional amendment divides the sales tax revenue for school districts into two categories: teacher recruitment/ retention and academic initiatives.

Here are the stipulations for each category: Teacher Recruitment/Retention – 86.33% • •

•

$5,000 teacher pay raise Address/prevent teacher and certified instructional staff shortages, including but not limited to differentiated compensation methods or performance pay.

Can’t be used for superintendent pay or to add superintendent positions.

Academic Initiatives – 13.67% •

•

Adopt or expand programs, opportunities or reforms to improve: ○○ Reading in early grades ○○ High school graduation rates ○○ College and career readiness Must be used for adoption of new programs or expansion of existing programs; can’t be used for maintenance of existing programs, opportunities or reforms. 

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Jessica Sherrill, Director of Oklahoma Public School Unemployment Compensation Account (OPSUCA)

UNINTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT CONSEQUENCE:

When an employee works less than 32 hours in a workweek, he or she is considered to be underemployed by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. What is amazing is an employee in this situation can double-dip by receiving wages from your school while also receiving partial unemployment benefits, which you also pay. Yes, you read that right: the employee could be paid wages and unemployment AT THE SAME TIME. With the budget crunch, many districts considered reducing support employee hours. Before settling on how many hours your support employees will work per week, please consider the unintended consequence of “underemployment.“ For example, let’s say your employee works on average 20 hours in a workweek at a rate of pay of $8 per hour. They would earn $160 in wages for the week. The first $100 earned in a work week is not deducted from unemployment benefits; $60 would be deducted from her weekly unemployment benefit. A rough estimate of her unemployment eligibility for working 20 hours per week at $8 per hour would be approximately $183 per week in unemployment benefits. Trust me, I did the math.

That means for each week the employee is underemployed, they could be eligible for up to $183 per week, even while still working and being paid for 20 hours.

How much will this cost your district per week?

Wages = $160 plus Unemployment ($183 – $60) = $123 Total weekly pay = $283

Wages = $280 (35 hours work) plus Unemployment $0 Total Weekly pay = $280

This means your district would pay $283 per week in wages and unemployment benefits for an employee who works 20 hours a week. Alternatively, you could pay the same employee to work 35 hours, or $280, and pay no unemployment because they would be working more than 32 hours per week.

How long could this go on? This would be the case for as long as the employee only works 20 hours per week.

OPSUCA represents over 370 school districts in the state and provides key information to reduce your school district’s unemployment liability. If your district is not a member of OPSUCA, you might be paying too much in unemployment. For more information, contact Jessica Sherrill at jessicas@ossba.org.

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Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

Learning about the New Member Portal The Oklahoma State School Boards Association has launched a new members-only section of its website so board members can update their contact information, easily check how many training credits they’ve obtained, register for events and update election information.

Superintendents and other district staff can also update contact information and register for events.

To access the member portal, click on the member portal link in the upper right corner of OSSBA’s website at www.ossba.org.

“Board members made clear in last year’s membership survey that they wanted easy access to information about their credits,” said OSSBA Executive Director Shawn Hime. “This new service to our members allows instant access to that information and streamlines the process of event registration.”

It is particularly important for board members to

“Make Their Day!”

update their contact information to receive accurate and timely information from OSSBA. Updated term date information also is critical to ensure board members are aware of deadlines related to credit requirements.

OSSBA emailed username and password information to board members and superintendents in late August. Board members and administrators who did not receive login information should contact Terri Silver, OSSBA’s director of board development, at 405.528.3571 or terris@ossba.org.

Superintendents can designate up to two employees who can check on board member credits and register board members for events. Contact Terri Silver for more information. 

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How HB 2784 Changed Student Records Is your school faced with rooms upon rooms filled with student records? If so, legislation passed during the 2016 Oklahoma Legislative session may help ease that problem. House Bill 2784, which became law on July 1, 2016, changes the requirements for the retention of transcripts and other student records.

House Bill 2784 amends Section 24-114 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. That law was first passed in 1971, well before the advent of electronic records, and had not been amended since 1993. Under the old law, school districts were required to prepare duplicate copies of individual student scholastic and permanent records. The duplicate copies had to be either filed in a building separate and apart from the building where the original copy was stored or filed in a fireproof vault designed to protect the permanent records. In addition, the law required schools to keep the original records permanently. This ambiguous language could literally be interpreted as forever.

In passing House Bill 2784, the Legislature recognized the fact that the world has changed in the last 23 years. Technology has changed how school districts create and store documents and information in student records. It also recognized that schools need flexibility in order to keep up with constantly changing technology and with future changes in document and information creation and storage practices.

Under the new law, school districts are no longer required to duplicate the scholastic and permanent records of each student and store them in a separate building or fireproof vault. Instead, school districts are given a choice on how they store documents and information in student records. They can store the 22

records either electronically or in paper format. The state Board of Education will develop standards and protocols for how those records are to be stored, backed up and secured. This way, the state Board of Education will be able to update the standards and protocols as needed as technology and practices change rather than waiting on the Legislature to amend the law.

The new law is more specific about the types of information that are in a student record. It differentiates between temporary records that do not need to be retained for a long period of time and permanent records that do need to be retained for a long period of time. The ambiguous language on how long to keep records is gone. The law now states exactly how long information in student records is to be retained by the school district.

Beginning July 1, 2016, schools will be required to maintain student transcripts for at least 80 years following a student’s graduation, transfer or withdrawal from the school district. The law defines transcript to mean: “the permanent academic record of a student which shall include the name, address, telephone listing and date and place of birth of the student, an inventory of all courses taken, all grades received, grade-point averages or class rank, all academic and extracurricular honors and awards received, all degrees conferred and extracurricular or after-school activities“ With the exception of student transcript records, school districts are now required to dispose of information in a student record at a time as

Kim Bishop, OSSBA Staff Attorney

determined by the district. However, the time set by the district must be between five and seven years after the student has graduated, transferred or withdrawn from the district. The State Board of Education will promulgate rules on how school districts will notify parents and students who are 18 years of age and older before the records are destroyed. Most likely, school districts will be required to allow parents and students an opportunity to look at and take any or all of the documents in the records before they are destroyed.

Although the law requires school districts to dispose of non-transcript records within five and seven years of a student graduating or leaving, there may be situations when a school district is required to keep certain documents or information in the records for a longer or different period of time.

For instance, if the documents or information are needed for pending litigation, an investigation or an audit the school should not destroy the documents or information until the litigation, investigation or audit is completed. Schools also should not destroy a student record if someone has already submitted a request to view the record. Under the federal IDEA law, student special education records must be retained for at least five years after the student

graduates or leaves the school. However, if a school bills Medicaid for any IDEA related services, the Medicaid program may require that the records be retained for a different period of time. Schools should check with the Medicaid program to confirm the length-of-time requirement.

The new law also takes into account that when student records are created and stored electronically, school districts will need to regularly monitor and update the manner in how they regulate access, disclosure and communication of the information contained in the records. The law states that the manner in how school districts compile, maintain and regulate access to both temporary and permanent student records must be consistent with state and federal laws. School districts are responsible for maintaining the privacy and security of student records that are created and stored electronically.

The changes made in the law in HB2784 reflect the reality of today’s technology centered world. It recognizes that the options for creating and storing student records will be constantly changing in the future. At the same time, it allows for the district to continue to compile, maintain and secure the educational records of students. ď Ž

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2016 Delegate Assembly and 2017 OSSBA Goals

Every year during the annual OSSBA/ CCOSA Conference, OSSBA holds Delegate Assembly where the OSSBA officers are elected by the delegates present and selects its legislative priorities for the upcoming year. The legislative priorities are derived from OSSBA Position Statements, OSSBA LongTerm Goals and input from OSSBA members statewide. OSSBA will not advocate in support of nor oppose any issue that is not in line with the longterm goals or position statements. Every summer, the OSSBA Board of Directors gets together and reviews the position statements, long-term goals and input they have received from other school board members to formulate their target goals for the next legislative cycle. Those goals are then presented at Delegate Assembly to be voted upon individually by the delegates. Questions and debate are welcome and encouraged at Delegate Assembly. Board members can even propose a new goal from the floor to be added to the target goals.

Who can be a delegate? Only school board members.

One school board member from each district can be a delegate and it’s up to that local school board to determine who. You don’t need to notify the OSSBA, you just need to be there for Delegate Assembly and sign in so your presence can be reflected in the minutes. All school board members are welcome to attend, but there is only one voting delegate per board.

This year’s legislative target goal priorities that were voted upon and approved are as follows:

State Legislative •

What is Delegate Assembly? What are OSSBA’s Legislative Priorities for 2017?

One of the great things about advocating for public education in Oklahoma is that the OSSBA has over 2,200 school board members statewide who are willing and ready to advocate for the best interests of Oklahoma’s children. OSSBA is able to advocate at the state Capitol and in Washington D.C. for education based upon goals approved by the OSSBA membership. It is crucial for every school board to participate in this democratic process, so that the OSSBA is representing the collective will of Oklahoma school districts. This is accomplished through Delegate Assembly.

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•

•

Ensure local control through continuing the option for a student’s parents, teachers and principals by making the student Reading Proficiency Team permanent so that every student is reading on grade level.

Develop and implement a long-term funding plan to equip schools with the tools and resources to improve student achievement and produce college and career ready students.

Support efforts to assess and alter all tax incentives and state revenue streams to ensure the state budget provides adequate funding for public schools.

State Board •

Adopt a statewide student assessment system

Rooney Virgin, OSSBA Director of Legislative Services and Staff Attorney

•

that includes the ACT for high school students and measures student progress in a way easily understood by teachers, parents and students.

Adopt and implement a statewide accountability system to replace the current A-F grading system that includes multiple research-based indicators of student growth and school effectiveness.

November Election •

Pass State Question 779 to give Oklahoma teachers a $5,000 raise and provide additional school funding to improve student achievement.

Federal • •

Reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to expand opportunities for college and career readiness.

Ensure the United States Department of Education rules and regulations retain flexibility and local control provided for under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

“Let’s Talk! Improving Communication with Legislators“ For the second year in a row, OSSBA has changed the way we provide grassroots advocacy information to school board members at the annual Leading with Vision Conference in August. Traditionally, school board members have been subject to PowerPoint presentations—by me. Last year, we decided to spice it up and try something new – letting school board members and legislators answer your questions and give their perspective on what is effective advocacy and what works the best for getting legislators to listen, respond and react favorably towards education. Both sessions received great reviews and will be included in next year’s conference. This year, we were proud to host a panel with Dustin Tackett, OSSBA Region 15 Board of Director moderating.

The panelists were OSSBA Legislator of the Year Award Senator Jim Halligan, House Minority Leader Representative Scott Inman, Representative Scott Martin, Karen Shuey, school board member for Moore Public Schools and Andy Sherrer, school board member for Moore-Norman Technology Center. 

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Get more information at www.ossba.org/partnership-opportunities 26

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Online Policy Program a service of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association

OSSBA is offering a reduction in the cost of placing your policy manual online. The first year fees have been reduced as follows: Policy Pages

Conversion Fee

Hosting Fee

Total Cost

<300

$1000.00

$700.00

$1,700.00

300 to 500

$1450.00

$1000.00

$2,450.00

501 to 700

$1,700.00

$1,300.00

$3,000.00

The reduced prices will save districts over $200 in fees associated with the placement of your school districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy manual online. In future years, all the district would pay is the annual hosting fee. Please contact Julie Miller at juliem@ossba.org or call 888-528-3571 for more information.

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Important Dates to Add to Your Calendar

OSSBA Accepting 2017 Award Nominations

It is time to add a few important reminders to your calendars. The annual school board member elections are rapidly approaching. Important dates to remember are as follows:

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association is accepting nominations for outstanding board members and community partners. Nominations for the annual awards will be accepted until Nov. 18.

December 5-7, 2016 – Board Member Filing Period.

December 9, 2016 – Deadline to withdraw school board candidacy and deadline to challenge the eligibility of a candidate that filed for a school board position.

In addition, don’t forget to get a copy of your school district’s regular meeting schedule for 2017 to the county clerk’s office by December 15. Please make sure that your staff understands that this is required to be done by this date and that there are no exceptions. The schedule must physically be in the county clerk’s office and stamped. It is wise to have your staff take two copies of the document to the county clerk so that one may be stamped and returned to the school office for filing. All too often, life gets busy in late November and early December.

Every year a school in Oklahoma fails to meet this deadline and then cannot have regular meetings. For the entire year, this oversight limits the board to only special meetings.

Julie L. Miller, OSSBA Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel

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OSSBA has changed the nomination timeline for the awards to encourage more nominations and so winning school board members can be honored as part of School Board Recognition Month in January. All winners will be honored during the 2017 Conference in August at the Cox Business Services Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

The awards include: Distinguished Service, OSSBA All-State Board of Education, Buddy Spencer Leadership and the Barbara Lynch “Community Partner“ Award.

All nominations must be made by school board members or superintendents. Those eligible to receive awards include board members of a school district or career-tech board of education and a community member or organization, in the case of the Barbara Lynch Award. The OSSBA Awards Committee will make the final selections. No member of the Awards Committee will be from a nominating school district.

For more information and nomination forms, visit www.ossba.org/awards.

Christy Watson, Director of Communications and Marketing

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2016 OSSBA Award Winners All-State School Board and Buddy Spencer Leadership Award

Kevin Clark, Stillwater Public Schools Nominator: School Board President Eric Gudgel In nine years on the Stillwater School Board and as the board’s longest-serving member, Kevin Clark has provided steady, dedicated leadership when the task at hand wasn’t flashy and in times of crisis.

“Whether it’s researching new legislation, contacting attorneys for clarification on specific wording, or coordinating with central office administrators on how policy changes affect their area, Kevin spends countless hours on the district’s board policy manual.

I don’t know the practices of all board members across the state when it comes to board policy work, but I can’t imagine any Oklahoma school board member spending more hours than Kevin in this area,” Stillwater school board President Eric Gudgel wrote in Clark’s nomination application.

Gudgel and fellow board member Debra Vincent also emphasized Clark’s willingness to perform extraordinary service. When a student passed away on school grounds, Clark assisted in the district and board’s official response but also personally helped usher other students safely from the site and went with school administrators to visit the boy’s family.

Clark also has been active in promoting the district, initiating two local media shows to highlight district activities.

All-State School Board

Brett Ramsey, Jones Public Schools Nominator: School Board Vice President Scott Smith Brett Ramsey and other members of the Jones school board met in the dark when a school burned down and board members had critical emergency decisions to make about both the

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building and how to keep educating students amid a crisis. His leadership resulted in local churches and businesses offering temporary classroom space while the school was rebuilt, said school board Vice President Scott Smith.

Ramsey is a local business owner, a Jones graduate, the father of two Jones graduates and is involved at the state level with Oklahoma FFA and the Oklahoma Youth Expo. Smith described Ramsey as a consistent decision-maker who is a fierce guardian of students and taxpayer resources.

“Brett looks at our local taxpayers and understands as a local business how our decisions may affect our townspeople. When making decisions using or asking for more tax money, he looks for the best plan for everyone. We want our taxpayers to be proud of our school but also to see their money being put to good use,” Smith said.

“Mr. Ramsey leads our small district with big district ideas. He continues to work tirelessly behind the scenes while staying up on the front lines of active involvement.”

Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

All-State School Board

Beverly Felton, Little Axe Public Schools Nominator: Superintendent Jay Thomas Beverly Felton has served on the Little Axe school board for 20 years, serving as a member, vice president and now president.

Felton serves as the board’s legislative liaison, tracking bills regarding education at the state Capitol and helping keep other board members informed. She also advocates for the school district and its student with legislators, helping them understand how proposed legislation would impact local students and students across the state.

Superintendent Jay Thomas said Felton has been instrumental in helping the district pass bond issues, including a recent one to build a new middle school and safe rooms at the elementary and high school. She’s also a forward-thinking leader who has encouraged the board to hold annual study sessions for the board to assess the school district’s past, present and future.

Felton previously served on the school district’s Native American parent committee and is involved in a variety of professional and community organizations.

“Mrs. Felton’s voting record is based solely on the

welfare of our students. Overall, the Little Axe community members, staff and teachers have a solid trust in Ms. Felton’s leadership as board president,” Thomas said.

All-State School Board

Chad Fulton, Mustang Public Schools Nominator: Superintendent Sean McDaniel “A superstar board member.”

That’s how Mustang schools Superintendent Sean McDaniel describes school board President Chad Fulton.

“Chad has three of his own children in the district but believes that his decisions should have an impact on all children. He expresses frequently that it is all of our responsibilities to provide as many opportunities for our students as we can,” McDaniel wrote in Fulton’s nomination application.

McDaniel described a threetier motto Fulton uses to make decisions: Is it good for students? Is it good for the district? Is it good for the community?

Fulton is known in the community for his open-door policy in discussing school district issues and as a studious, prepared board member and excellent leader who mentors new board members. McDaniel said Fulton’s willingness to ask challenging questions has been invaluable as the district has embarked on bond issues and construction projects.

“Chad is relentless about gathering information so that the space is exactly what Mustang needs.

One of Chad’s trademark characteristics is paying attention to the little things and because of that, Mustang has constructed some of the finest and most beautiful and practical facilities anywhere,” McDaniel said.

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Award Winners

Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing

All-State School Board

Dr. Lana Turner-Addison, Tulsa Public Schools Nominator: School board member Suzanne Schreiber Fierce. Passionate. Ethical.

Those are just a few of the words Tulsa board members and Superintendent Deborah Gist use to describe longtime Tulsa board member Dr. Lana TurnerAddison.

Turner-Addison, a Tulsa graduate and parent, joined the Tulsa board in 2005 and is currently serving as president.

“Dr. Turner-Addison is unmatched in her commitment to equity for Tulsa kids. She leads with an insistence that we consider those who have been left out of the equation for so long,” school board member Suzanne Schreiber wrote in Turner-Addison’s nomination application. “She does this work with inspiring persistence, and we are all the better for it.”

Turner-Addison has ably led the board as the community passed a $415 million bond issue, approved a comprehensive strategic plan and helped the district, board and community navigate crippling public education funding cuts.

“Dr. Turner-Addison is vigilant in ensuring that we are responsible stewards of every public dollar at our disposal, and that every investment we make is one that will benefit children and teachers in the classroom,” said Tulsa Superintendent Deborah Gist. “As a firstyear superintendent, I can think of no one I would rather have by my side as we’ve navigated Oklahoma’s historic budget shortfall.”

Distinguished Service Award

Mike Mullins, Sand Springs Nominator: Superintendent Sherry Durkee In the nearly two decades since he joined the Sand Springs Board of Education, Mike Mullins has become an example of strong leadership and a force for positive change in public education at the state and local level.

During his years on the Sand Springs board,

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Superintendent Sherry Durkee said Mullins has been a stabilizing influence as the board welcomed several new members.

“His knowledge, credibility, wisdom, stability and focus on continuous school improvement for students have been exemplary, especially as new governance leaders have emerged. When you consider the constant financial uncertainties along with this past year when our district had to make necessary current fiscal year cuts to the budget, Mr. Mullins’ solid leadership provided comfort in a stressful environment.”

Mullins has served on the OSSBA Board of Directors since 2003. He is concluding his year as board president, leading and overseeing a time in which the association has grown and improved its services to Oklahoma’s public schools. Mullins has lobbied for public education in Washington D.C. and also serves on the steering committee of the Yes for 779 campaign to provide more funding for public education.

“He is fearless in his willingness to speak out to make our state a better place for children,” Durkee said.

A stack of school board meeting information piled high on your desk is so yesterday.

Change the way your board does business with eMeeting, the Oklahoma State School Board Association’s user-friendly service that will bring your board meetings into the 21st century! eMeeting is a minutes clerk’s best friend! The service eliminates the need for the time-consuming and expensive work of printing and delivering board packets. It also dramatically reduces the time the clerk spends preparing meeting minutes.

A search feature also allows administrators and board members to easily locate information from prior board meetings.

With eMeeting, board meetings become a breeze, too!

During a meeting, board members can log-in to a password-protected site to:

• Make electronic notes related to any agenda; • Cast an electronic vote (if enabled for your district).

Designed especially for school boards, use eMeeting to: • Create a meeting agenda that’s accessible on any device or computer with an internet connection; • Develop and publish online board meeting notices, agendas, attachments, and minutes for meeting participants; • Automatically email board members when the online agenda and back-up materials are ready to review; • Post meeting info that is easily accessible to the public; • Build a searchable archive of meeting information.

• View the online agenda and attachments during the meeting;

For more information, contact Christy Watson, OSSBA Director of Communications and Marketing, at christyw@ossba.org or 405.528.3571.

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Award Winners

Barbara Lynch Community Partner Award Chad Dillingham and Jimmy Stallings, Enid Nominator: Enid Public Schools

On Feb. 9, 2016, Enid Public Schools celebrated an election victory that will change the education landscape for local students for years to come. Students will enjoy safe schools, better technology, more classrooms and reliable transportation. A new fine arts and gymnasium will benefit students for decades to come.

Local businessmen Chad Dillingham and Jimmy Stallings were critical to the bond issue’s success.

They served on the committee that developed the district’s strategic plan, which included a facility improvement component. They provided their time, talent and influence for more than five months to help make the bond issue a success.

They spent countless hours talking with local business owners about the schools’ needs, which helped provide funding for the campaign. They also gave freely of their time to talk with residents about the need to provide the best for Enid students.

Dillingham and Stallings are graduates of Enid High School.

“While other districts struggle with a lack of community involvement, Enid is fortunate to have Chad and Jimmy and their willingness to give of themselves for the betterment of each and every student in Enid Public Schools,” said board member Ernie Currier.

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With the recent state revenue failure, many Oklahoma schools are looking at eliminating positions through a reduction in force (RIF). With a RIF comes unemployment liability up to $10,900 per claim. OPSUCA membership can help your school district minimize potentially costly unemployment liability. OPSUCA is here specifically to help Oklahoma schools with unemployment claims! Not only is our primary goal to save your school money, but we also save time and frustration by doing the work for you!

www.ossba.org/opsuca 405.528.3571 â&#x20AC;˘ jessicas@ossba.org

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Calvin Canadian Valley Tech Caney Caney Valley Canute Carnegie Carney Catoosa Cement Central High Central @ Sallisaw Central Tech Chandler Chattanooga Checotah Chelsea Cheyenne Chickasha Chisholm ChouteauMazie Cimarron Claremore Clayton Cleora Clinton Coalgate Colbert Coleman Comanche Commerce Copan CovingtonDouglas Coyle Crescent Crooked Oak Cyril Dale Davenport Davidson Davis Deer Creek Denison Depew Dewar Dewey Dibble Dickson Drummond Duke Duncan Durant Eagletown Earlsboro Eldorado

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Grove (Delaware) Guymon Haileyville Hammon Hanna Hardesty Harmony Harrah Hartshorne Haworth Haywood Healdton Heavener Hennessey Henryetta

High Plains Tech Hilldale Hinton Hobart Holdenville Hollis Holly Creek Hominy Hooker Howe Hugo Hydro-Eakly Idabel Indiahoma Indian Capital Tech Inola Jay Jenks Jones Justice JustusTiawah Ketchum Keyes Keys Keystone Kiefer Kildare Kingfisher Kingston Kiowa Konawa KremlinHillsdale Laverne Leedey Liberty Sequoyah Lindsay Little Axe Locust Grove Lone Grove Lone Wolf LookebaSickles Luther Madill Mangum Marietta Marlow Maryetta Maud Maysville McAlester McCord

Medford Meeker Meridian Tech Merritt/ Carter Miami MidAmerica Tech Mid-Del Midway Milburn Mill Creek Minco Moffett Monroe Mooreland Morrison Mounds Moyers Mt. ViewGotebo Muldrow Mustang Navajo Newcastle Norman Northeast Tech North Rock Creek Nowata Oak Grove Oakdale Oaks Mission Oilton Okarche Okemah Oklahoma Union Oklahoma City Okmulgee Olustee OologahTalala Optima Osage Hills Panola Paoli Pauls Valley Pawhuska Pawnee PioneerPleasant Vale

Plainview (Ardmore/ Carter) Pocola Ponca City Pond CreekHunter Pontotoc Tech Poteau Prague Prue Pryor Purcell Putnam City Quapaw Quinton Rattan Ravia Red River Tech Reydon Ringling Robin Hill Rock Creek Rush Springs Ryan Salina Sallisaw Sand Springs Savanna Sayre Seiling Sentinel Shady Grove Shattuck Shidler Silo Smithville Snyder Soper Southwest Tech Spiro Sterling Stillwater Stilwell Stonewall Stratford Stringtown Strother Stuart Sulphur Sweetwater Swink Tahlequah Talihina Taloga Tecumseh

Temple Tenkiller Timberlake Tipton Tishomingo Tonkawa Tri County Tech Tulsa Tech Turkey Ford Turner Tushka Tuskahoma Tuttle Tyrone Union City Valliant Vanoss Varnum Verden Verdigris Vian Vici Wagoner Walters Wanette Wapanucka Warner Washington Watonga Waukomis Waurika Wayne Waynoka Webbers Falls Welch Wellston Western Tech Westville Wetumka Wewoka White Oak White Rock Whitefield Whitesboro Wilburton Wilson Wister Woodland Woodward Wright City Wyandotte Wynnewood Wynona Yale Yarbrough Zion

Oklahoma State School Boards Association 2801 North Lincoln Blvd., Ste. 125 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405.528.3571 • 888.528.3571 405.528.5695 fax • www.ossba.org

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IS YOUR DISTRICT LOOKING FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT? LET OSSBA HELP! As a school board member, you’ll do nothing more important than selecting a superintendent to lead your district, be an ambassador for public education in your community and ensure your local children receive a top-notch education.

Districts that choose OSSBA’s executive search services are backed by an entire team of dedicated professionals. Our team includes former superintendents who understand what to look for in recruiting applicants. OSSBA’s experts in school and employment law offer valuable guidance for boards throughout the entire search process. A talented team of marketing professionals will help highlight why your district is an amazing place to work and draw applicants who are a good fit for your district.

we’re ready to put our talent to work for you.

Contact Us: 405.528.3571 • shawnh@ossba.org • stephanieh@ossba.org