Oklahoma School Board Journal Summer 2015

Volume XIII • No. 2 • Summer 2015

2015 LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

Special Section! The Conference 2015 Get the Most out of YOUR Annual Conference • The Conference 2015 Sneak Peek 2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament A Publication of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association

What is the most important way OPSUCA has helped your district?

99%

of respondents would recommend OPSUCA to non-member districts

www.opsuca.org • 405.528.3571

• Immediate answers and legal direction.

• Fighting our battles for us, leaving us more time for other things.

• OPSUCA does all the leg work for us and does so in a timely manner.

We have had great success with OPSUCA!!!

Thank you for all your help with Oklahoma Schools.

• Our district has been well represented by OPSUCA at hearings and with other legal issues.

• Taking the paperwork out of our offices.

• Your knowledge of law and the system saved us many hours, and I know it saved us money.

• OPSUCA staff has worked diligently to keep our district informed regarding our unemployment claims. The assistance we receive from OPSUCA is necessary to the success of keeping our unemployment cost under control.

Volume XIII • No. 2 • Summer 2015

Planning for Success............................................................. 3

Nuts and Bolts of the New Charter School Law.............. 19

Presidential Ponderings........................................................ 5

OSSBA Partners................................................................... 20

Keep Those Books Open!..................................................... 7

Longtime Claremore School Board Member Saw Many Changes................................................................................ 22

Onboarding: Enitce and Retain New Employees.............. 8 It's Policy: Disciplining Students for Electronic Communications................................................................. 10 Once More Denied.............................................................. 12 Of character: Time Has Not Drained Frances Percival's Willingness to Serve Millwood Public Schools............... 15 2015 Legislative Highlights................................................ 16

Special Section: The Conference 2015 Get the Most out of YOUR Annual Conference........ 24 The Conference 2015 Sneak Peek................................ 27 The Conference 2015 Registration Form.................... 30 2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Golf Tournament............................................................ 31

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2015

Officers and BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr. - President Clinton Mike Mullins - President-Elect Sand Springs

Roger Edenborough - First Vice President Goodwell Don Tice - Second Vice President Oologah-Talala

Willa Jo Fowler - Immediate Past President Enid John D. Tuttle - NSBA President Kellyville

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association offers services that support, safeguard and advocate for Boards of Education in order to improve public education.

OKLAHOMA SCHOOL BOARD JOURNAL 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.

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Region 1 Mike Ray, Guymon Roger Edenborough, Goodwell Region 2 Terry Graham, Burlington Wesley Crain, Fargo Region 3 Willa Jo Fowler, Enid Cheryl Lane, Frontier

Region 4 Mike Mullins, Sand Springs Ruth Ann Fate, Tulsa Cheryl Kelly, Broken Arrow 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 Region 9 Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr., Clinton James Smith, Leedey Region 10 Beth Schieber, Okarche Jackie McComas, Anadarko Region 11 Donna Ronio, Lawton Karol Haney, Cache

Region 12 Ed Tillery, Whitebead Joe Don Looney, Pauls Valley Region 13 Roy Justice, Mannsville Tony Hawkins, Madill

Region 14 Dee Lockhart, Haworth Kevin Blake, Battiest

Region 15 Dr. Joe Williams, Meridian Tech. Center Dustin Tackett, Caddo-Kiowa Tech. Center

In my career as an educator, the idea of summer break as a long, leisurely vacation was always much more dream than reality. There was always planning to do, training to pursue and reading to catch up on.

The off-season became an important indicator of how well prepared I was

Unfortunately, we didn’t get what our schools most need: a long-term funding plan for education. A flat budget for K-12 schools is not much to celebrate given growing enrollment and fixed costs, and we are concerned about the cut to CareerTech. However, education could have fared much worse, and I have confidence schools will do all they

at the Capitol and place outsized importance on legislative outcomes.

That’s not the only place school leaders – administrators and board members -advocate for children.

School leaders need to work together as an education community with Oklahoma’s colleges of education on teacher recruitment.

We need to work collectively to create research-based mentoring programs to support and retain teachers.

SUMMER IS AN IDEAL TIME FOR FRESH THOUGHT ABOUT HOW TO THE MEET THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS for another year’s opportunities and challenges. That’s true for school leaders at all levels.

The end of a legislative session brings a collective sigh of relief for all involved.

The same happens at schools when most students have scattered for the summer.

It’s time to take a deep breath, reflect on the year past and ready for the year ahead. It’s our off-season.

Education had a better-than-average session at the state Capitol. We took a solutions-oriented approach to our advocacy efforts and walked away with some new laws I believe will help schools address the teacher shortage.

Sweeping changes to the charter school law that OSSBA supported give new authority to local school boards and increases accountability and transparency for charter operators.

At the district level, leaders must SHAWN HIME, OSSBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR school provide professional development that goes beyond required can to protect classrooms as much as training on blood-borne pathogens and possible from the impact of cuts.

CPR. Just like our students, different schools and different teachers have Rooney Virgin, OSSBA’s director of different needs. One size fits all doesn’t legislative services, has provided a work any better when it comes down review of the major education-related from the district administrative office legislation beginning on page 16. than it does when it comes from the statehouse.

We’re already thinking about what needs to happen between now and the start School leaders must keep working with of next session to successfully advocate community leaders to build support and on behalf of school board members trust in local schools and find solutions and the students in your communities. for those challenges that are barriers to I’d ask you to do the same, and it’s our student learning. plan to provide members information to help lay that important groundwork This off-season time when legislators on key issues. We simply can’t wait for and students are home for the summer February to talk about the importance is an ideal time for fresh thought about of a long-term funding plan and ideas how to the meet the challenges in your like replacing the high school end-oflocal schools and who should be part instruction tests with ACT. of the discussion. A little time spent planning now could reap big rewards for It’s easy to get swept up in activity children in the future. n 3

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Presidential Ponderings

Dr. Floyd Simon, OSSBA President and Clinton Board Member

I’d venture to guess many of us had little idea the sort of commitment and responsibility we’d have when we first decided to run for school board. Along with approving a budget, hiring a superintendent is one of our primary responsibilities.

But perhaps even more important than hiring a superintendent is building and maintaining the board-superintendent relationship. National research shows that the average urban superintendent lasts only three years in a district. For suburban and rural districts, the average is six years.

I asked two veteran Oklahoma superintendents -- Comanche Superintendent Terry Davidson and Altus Superintendent Roger Hill -- for their perspectives on the board-superintendent relationship. Roger Hill is superintendent of Altus Public Schools and President of the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators. Terry Davidson is superintendent of Comanche Public Schools and former Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year.

What are the three most important characteristics of a school board member?

DAVIDSON: Open-mindedness, confidentiality, and shared vision.

HILL: A person of integrity, open and fair mindedness, and being approachable are the three characteristics that I believe are the most important ones of a school board member. These characteristics are necessary for developing professional and trustworthy relationships with the superintendent and staff, other school board members, and patrons in the community. School board members are the eyes and ears for the community, and collectively as a board, they provide the accountability and oversight to the overall operation of the school system.

What is one thing school board members might not know about the superintendency that is important for them to know?

DAVIDSON: My board members regularly express appreciation for the time and commitment required to accomplish the job as superintendent. Those expressions convince me that they understand that it really is a 365 day a year job. It is very important that board members are aware of the toll that this constant diligence takes on the superintendent and his/ her family. My board gets it. I'm not sure that is true in all cases.

HILL: The one thing that school board members might not know about the superintendency is that the job has become much more challenging than in the past.

Increased accountability on student performance, less funding and resources for school operations and government mandates, and a shortage of highly qualified teachers have contributed to making it more difficult to fulfill our responsibilities to our students.

What is the education-related issue that should keep school board members awake at night?

DAVIDSON: The continuing erosion of financial support for education in Oklahoma.

HILL: School safety is paramount to all that we do in the field of education. In today's society, anything is possible and no school district is immune from school violence or any other kind of tragedy. Providing a safe environment at all times for our students is an awesome responsibility. Thinking about that responsibility can cause sleepless nights for everyone involved in education.

What are the most meaningful ways school board members can show their appreciation for a superintendent?

DAVIDSON: Regularly expressing their appreciation privately and in public.

HILL: The most meaningful ways come in the form of kind words. A simple "thank you" goes along way with making people feel good about themselves and the jobs they perform. Instilling trust in the superintendent to do his/her job and giving the superintendent the space to do the job without micromanagement is a characteristic of a good school board and something that superintendents don't take for granted. That's an excellent way to show appreciation to the superintendent. n

Dr. Floyd Simon, Jr. was elected as President of OSSBA at the Delegate Assembly, Aug. 23, 2014.

He is a board member from Clinton Public Schools and serves as the District 9 Director for OSSBA.

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Stephanie Mather, OSSBA Director of Legal Information and Staff Attorney

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After June 30, there is a lot of pressure on school districts to close out their accounts to start the new fiscal year with a healthy fund balance.

However, many school districts may be out of compliance with the law requiring them to keep their books open until Sept. 30 for unpaid claims properly incurred in the previous fiscal year.

In this regard, for the fiscal year July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, school districts must keep their books open until Sept. 30, 2015, to pay claims incurred July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, unless school districts publish notice they are closing their books earlier.

It is important for school districts to understand this requirement and follow it. The law, found at 70 O.S. § 5-187, states (emphasis added): “All unencumbered balances, if any, as shown by the officer charged with keeping the appropriation and expenditure records of the school district on hand at the close of day June 30, may remain as a credit for said fiscal year up to the close of day September 30. If a date earlier than September 30 is established, the encumbrance clerk shall publish, on the district's web site for two consecutive times if also published in a daily newspaper and once if published in a weekly newspaper of general circulation in the school district, notice of the date set by the board of education for the submission of all claims against unencumbered balances of the prior fiscal year in the following form: PUBLIC NOTICE All having a claim against the ____ Public School District are notified that all invoices and required documentation

pertaining to an approved purchase order for services rendered or goods or materials delivered pursuant to that purchase order must be recorded with the encumbrance clerk of the district on or before the ____ day of _____, 20__, covering all debts now unpaid and incurred during the period of the prior fiscal year beginning on July 1, 20__, and ending on June 30 20___, or the claim upon which the invoice or purchase order is based shall be void and forever barred. __________________________ District Encumbrance Clerk This section shall not permit the incurring of new indebtedness chargeable to the appropriation account of the immediately preceding fiscal year.”

Why do schools have this law? One obvious answer is to give vendors and suppliers time to submit a proper invoice for services rendered in June.

However, there is another important aspect of this law. This gives school districts time to rectify mistakes. After all, we are all human, and people do forget things.

As an example, perhaps there was an emergency repair in May when the air conditioning went out, and the encumbrance clerk failed to enter an encumbrance and the vendor failed to send a bill until July 3. This was a

necessary expenditure, authorized by the superintendent. It should be paid. If the books are still open, an encumbrance could be paid and the 2013-2014 fiscal year obligation could properly be paid from 2013-2014 fiscal year funds.

Another situation occurs when the board of education has voted, at a meeting, to approve a contract for services, and yet no one notifies the encumbrance clerk to set up an encumbrance for the approved expenditure. The services are provided in June, and the invoice comes to the school in mid-August. Again, under the above law, the “claim” could be paid from fiscal year 2013-2014 funds because it was a necessary expense properly approved by the board of education.

Finally, we occasionally see a situation where it is discovered after June 30 that an employee has been underpaid for the year because of a miscalculation or being placed on the wrong pay scale step. Assuming this is caught before Sept. 30, the amount could be corrected and the employee paid the difference instead of forcing the employee to sue the district for the underpayment.

This is a good law which allows school districts to properly pay for services and items previously and properly incurred and used by the school district. However, it does not authorize the school district to incur a new obligation after June 30, 2014, and then pay for it with 2014-2015 fiscal year funds. n 7

Jessica Sherrill, Director of OPSUCA and OSSBA Staff Attorney

ONBOARDING entice and retain new employees “Oh, on Fridays, we can wear jeans.” This is what I was told on my first Friday of a new job. It certainly wasn’t a big deal but “Jeans Friday” can be a major personnel perk. I still remember how I felt when I was all dressed up that particular Friday – unnecessarily. I wished someone had told me.

There’s a term called “onboarding,” which describes, among other things, office cultural training for new employees. It includes taking time to introduce them to not just your policies, rules, and their job description, but also to other cultural expectations they may face.

The process of onboarding is something to value and promote. Not only can it help retain employees, it can help with recruitment. Applicants are looking for a workplace where he or she can succeed.

Knowing what to expect up front helps do just that.

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Recruit with Onboarding For any employer, including a public school, a great deal of time, energy, and money is spent searching for the right hire.

You hope to attract a promising candidate; the applicant wants to find a great, new work home. When interviewing, remember this is the first impression the individual might have about your school. Schools aren’t competing against just other schools but also against other industries.

Put your best foot forward and consider what impression the interview will have on a potential employee. For instance, even the way the questions are worded can emanate the culture at your school site. Consider who will conduct and sit in on interviews. If you have a negative nelly who might normally sit in the interview, think about giving him or her some guidance on their outlook going in or even suggest which questions they would be good at asking. Keep in mind you’ll want to talk up your workplace, including the training available, any unique perks and work atmosphere. You want the applicant to want you even if you end up not wanting this particular applicant.

One incredible but often overlooked recruitment tool is promoting the onboarding plan. Imagine you interview for a similar position but for two different employers. One is very positive and spends some time going over the typical day, special events and expectations. The other is more interested in weeding out candidates through tough questioning. One talks about its mission and strategic plan and how it would affect that applicant in the particular position of interest; the other asks generic questions (i.e. Why do you want this job? What do you stand to offer us? Why should we hire you?). Who would you want to work for? The applicant may walk into either interview hoping for a job; we want the applicant to leave the interview feeling excited about the opportunity to work for your school.

Given Oklahoma’s financial situation and the teacher shortage, one way to lure new employees to schools might just be promoting these kinds of perks. Sure, everyone knows most school employees get excellent breaks! Think about what other incentives go alongside working for your school district that might attract potential employees. Perhaps the employees get together after school one day to go for a jog together. Maybe the break room was redesigned by a local group so it’s more relaxing and convenient with new appliances. These things seem small, but they really matter.

Retain with Onboarding Once you get that incredible new employee, retention is critical! Spend some time getting to know the employee: what are his or her interests, skills, struggles and expectations?

Set your new hire up to do well. Consider a new employee orientation. The initial time to get it organized will be well worth it in the long run. It is more efficient for employers to set out expectations up front rather than following up after each potential incident along the way.

I remember when my sister-in-law began teaching a few years ago. She was tossed into chaos. She was hired without so much as an interview because it was early August. She was shown her classroom, but there were not enough desks for her students.

The computers weren’t set up. She didn’t even have a trash can. She called me in a panic wondering if she’d made a major mistake. This broke my heart. She asked for help and found the custodian and other teachers who showed her around and explained what she needed in her classroom. I’m happy to say she loves being a teacher, and she is now a team mentor for her grade group.

One common complaint I hear from administrators about new teachers is a weakness in classroom management. Each summer, we see many, many unemployment claims for teachers who were on a temporary contract that expired.

They just weren’t a good fit. This is concerning given how expensive the unemployment can be ($10,600). What could have been done earlier in the school year to turn this around?

Perhaps a mentoring program or weekly meeting as a group with other teachers in the same grade would help. Shadowing an experienced teacher is beneficial. Each of these can be an inconvenience and time-consuming, but it might just be something schools as employers need to implement.

Other areas in which onboarding could be helpful: • Employee dress code • Typical day expectations • Before school, lunchtime, and after school duty assistance • Special event preparation • Mentoring and/or shadowing opportunities with experienced teachers • Lesson plan deadlines and format • Resources available through local businesses, PTA, or activity groups • Discounts for teachers Without proper onboarding, we allow employees to slip away, or worse, do our schools harm. We give our students clear instruction, and we should do the same for our employees. Get excited about how best to promote your school district and also each school site. Each has so much to offer, but we need to do a better job of promoting it! n 9

It’s Policy

DISCIPLINING STUDENTS FOR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

A student badmouths a teacher on Facebook.

Another student retweets a post with racial undertones on Twitter. Yet another student’s Instagram account is full of scantily clad photos of herself making obscene gestures. What’s a school administrator to do?

outside school hours, content matters. School administrators should investigate further before imposing punishment. Some communications may constitute bullying and justify punishment.

Other communications, while distasteful and probably unwise, may be protected.

When it comes to disciplining students for electronic communications, there are two key considerations for administrators:

State law requires school districts to have a policy that addresses “bullying by students at school and by electronic communications, if the communication is specifically directed at students or school personnel and concerns bullying at school.” In making the determination as to whether discipline can be imposed, administrators must gather information to establish whether the out-of-school behavior is connected to the school district.

• •

When was the post/communication made?

Does the post/communication interfere with educational services (i.e., is it bullying)?

Administrators should legally obtain a copy of the communication (but beware of looking at communication that could be criminal in nature), noting the time and day. If communications are made during instructional time, students can be disciplined for not being “on task” during class without regard for the content of the communication.

In the case of electronic communications made 10

Whether or not the communication concerns bullying occurring at school is key as to whether the bullying law can be used to administer punishment. Typically, there will be a “alleged victim” and an “alleged bully.” All involved students should be questioned and asked to provide a written statement. The alleged victim also should be encouraged to complete an incident report. School employees should be

Julie L. Miller, OSSBA Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel questioned regarding the interaction at school between the involved students to determine whether there are issues between the students and/or what type of interaction occurs with regard to the students in question during classes, in the lunchroom or during school activities.

Students have constitutionally guaranteed free speech rights. However, those rights are not absolute. The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that the constitutional rights of students in public schools aren’t the same as adults in other settings. Time, place and manner restrictions can be imposed upon the right of free speech.

In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969), the U.S. Supreme Court determined the school district’s policy banning the wearing of armbands at school violated students’ free speech rights.

The court ruled there was no evidence leading the district to reasonably believe the wearing of armbands would interfere or disturb school activities.

Using the Tinker standard, a school district cannot prohibit a student from having a Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter account or other form of social media. Such a broad prohibition against using social media, even for students involved in extracurricular activities, is outside the ability of a school district to regulate. However, school districts can regulate individual social media posts concerning bullying occurring at school that is impacting educational services received by a student or students.

The issue is complicated. Each situation must be investigated and addressed on its own merits. A school district cannot “require” all students be nice to each other 24/7, nor can a school district discipline a student for every mean thing said by a student about another student or a teacher.

Free speech rights cannot be disregarded.

However, if a situation rises to the level of “bullying” the school district will be able to take disciplinary action if the bullying that occurs electronically also concerns bullying that is occurring at school. n

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Once Mor Teachers, the key to effective instruction, have once more been denied a raise in compensation. It’s been eight years since the last raise was granted to the state’s 33,000-plus teachers. Year after year, I have written columns about the low pay of our teachers, especially as compared with the regional average, where we are last, and the national average, where we rank 49th. Recently, I pointed out that in my 47-year career in education, teachers have never ranked better 44th. So, why write about this issue again? Because I don’t want to give up on the needs of our state’s teachers, and also because it’s a matter of fairness. We ask so much of our teachers, more and more each year; yet our state leaders fail to recognize the needs of our individual teachers and the needs of our local districts to find qualified teachers to hire and then to maintain their employment in the face of regional competition.

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister proposed a $5,000 raise in pay over a five-year period, so why wasn’t that enacted by our Legislature? That amount, which came with a five-day increase in the work year, was really a modest proposal given the magnitude of the problem. I recently met a teacher whose spouse was transferred to Oklahoma for his job, and she took a $17,000 pay cut to teach in Oklahoma as compared with her Dallas metro-area teaching position. The problem is acute from every angle, so why won’t our legislature and governor act?

Those in charge of our state government have a simple answer. They know teachers deserve a raise. They understand that we are ranked near the bottom regionally and nationally. They can see the teacher shortage statewide and in their home districts, but the money is just not there in the state budget, they explain. But why is it not there? The monies don’t exist because the legislature and governor have caused a severe budget deficit through their own actions. The tax cuts enacted over the past several years have created an over $600 million hole in our budget, and the stated goal of the governor and legislative leaders is to keep cutting our tax rates until they bottom out at zero.

A zero tax rate has been touted as the panacea for competing with Texas and its zero rate in attracting business to the state. However, Texas and other low-to-no tax rate states have, out of necessity and an understanding of basic economics, replaced the income tax with other taxes, while our legislature has not. I recently had a friend visit me who lived in Houston. His property tax, on the same priced home as mine, was $27,000 per year, over five times what I pay in Edmond. Basic economics 101 provides that during times of surplus a taxing entity can safely cut tax rates without replacing the revenue, but during times of deficit, a replacement tax is needed if a basic tax, such as an income tax, is reduced. Our legislature has been cutting income taxes for years,

Michael Barlow, Barlow Education Management Services

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while we repeatedly faced a budget deficit.

Let’s look at what the impact of finishing last means to a teacher’s quality of life.

The state minimum teachers’ salary schedule moves teachers a from a starting bachelor’s degree salary of $31,600 to a maximum doctorate degree salary of $46,000, after a 25-year career.

Of the 527 school districts, teachers at approximately 330 local districts earn salaries based upon only the state minimum, with most Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro area teachers earning only a few thousand dollars more.

Let’s take a look at a mid-range teacher with 15 years experience and a master’s degree. Their total compensation, salary and insurance fringe benefits, would be $39,700. What can those teachers do with their fiscal lives? Can they buy a home? Can they send their children to college? A recent article in The Oklahoman business section indicated that the starter home price range of homes selling in the state was $150,000 to $175,000, with the next fastest selling homes priced between $225,000 and $250,000. Would our 15-year teacher qualify for sufficient loans to purchase one of these homes? The cost of attending a state school such as the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University is about $16,000 per year. An out-of-state school such as the University of Arizona or Indiana University will run a parent about $45,000 per year, with an Ivy League school heaping thousands more on top of that figure. Will our 15-year teachers be able to send their children to college?

Of course, there are always student loans available, and recent media reports indicate that many students graduate from college with debts in the $70,000 range. How long will it take for a beginning teacher earning in the

re Denied $32,000 range to pay off that kind of student debt?

pressure was placed upon the legislature and governor were over in one day.

in the 1 percent than a teacher with an Oklahoma salary?

If the problem is with the legislature and the governor, what can we as educators, parents and business leaders do to get their attention and overhaul the teachers’ pay scale so that we are at least at average levels both at the regional and national levels? Well, for the past two years, we have held one-day rallies, bringing about 20,000 participants to the Capitol in 2014 and about 10,000 this year. We did this with some degree of criticism because we rallied on school days with many districts canceling student classes and busing participants to the rally. In any event, the rally and resulting publicity, and whatever

Maybe our severe problem requires severe actions. Maybe, to eliminate some of the criticism of a rally, we should not use a regular school day. Why not begin the rally on the first day of spring break, with teachers demonstrating that they are willing to use their own vacation time to bring the issue to the Capitol? If we are really thinking outside the box, maybe we don’t leave after one day. We could set up an encampment and stay all week, kind of an occupy the Capitol activity. This is not so far-fetched since it’s taking a page out of the occupy Wall Street playbook, which is all about the 1 percent vs. 99 percent, and who is more

I’m not trying to be a radical (I’ve been there before); rather I am just saying that something bold must be done. If not by educators themselves, then the legislature and governor must stop the political rhetoric and act to bring teachers to at least the regional average.

At least the legislature did us a favor this year by not cutting our budget, as they unfortunately had to do to other state agencies, but holding us to a flat appropriation, left our funding at 20072008 levels. With the job educators do, and responsibility they have, they deserve a better wage. n

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Frances Percival got to the point.

Of Character: Time Has Not Drained Frances Percival's Willingness to Serve Millwood Public Schools

Frances and her husband, Bill, bought property in the Millwood school district in 1952, before they had children.

But within a few years of making the move, the couple had a daughter and a son.

So, Frances Percival made a commitment to the district. That commitment continues today.

Percival showed up at Millwood school in 1958 and proclaimed, “I’m here to volunteer.”

“I did whatever they needed me to do,” she said.

“I ended up serving on the PTA for several years, was a homeroom mother and helped with activities whenever needed. I was one of four candidates for school board in 1970, and I won.

“I’ve had opponents a few other times but have been on the board ever since.”

“Ever since,” as in Percival is 86 and still a member of the school board. She is one of the longest-serving board members in the state, according to the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

School board recognition January is designated as School Board Recognition Month in Oklahoma.

When Percival began serving on the board, Millwood didn’t have a high school, she recalled.

“The children of our community were scattered to different schools for high school,” she said.

“It’s really amazing what our children have access to now. Our high school students can get college credit — that was absolutely unheard of when I was growing up. We have so many courses and learning experiences we can offer our children now. Our proximity to the OU Health Sciences Center has resulted in many great learning opportunities for Millwood students. Technology has made a difference and opened up so many possibilities for our students.

Bryan Painter, The Oklahoman

This article originally appeared in the Jan. 21, 2015, edition of The Oklahoman.

Reprinted with permission.

“We also know how important it is to treat students as individuals and try to meet their unique needs and appreciate their differences.”

Through the years, Percival has gone from volunteering with the school to being part of the school.

What’s the difference in the two?

“I can walk down the halls of Millwood’s high school, and there are many students who are larger than me,” she said. “If I see them doing something they maybe shouldn’t, I just touch their shoulder and suggest maybe that’s not a good idea. They put their arm around me and hug me, and they look at me like I’m their grandmother.

“They appreciate that I care about them and want what’s best for them. I look at them as a grandparent would a grandchild.”

Dedication to Millwood In addition to her dedication to Millwood, Percival has taught the youth group at her continued on page 21 15

Rooney Virgin, OSSBA Director of Legislative Services and Staff Attorney

The first session of the 55th legislature officially adjourned “sine die” on May 22. The legislature managed to hold the budget for common education flat during a major budget crisis; passed laws to help recruit and retain high quality teachers; and maintained parental involvement in key promotion decisions about their children.

This review gives a brief recap of many bills discussed throughout the session but is not a complete list of bills.

The explanations of the bills are just “snapshots.” School board members are encouraged to look online (www. oklegislature.gov) for the bills in their entirety and call OSSBA if you have questions! The Conference 2015 Aug. 28-30 in Oklahoma City will include a comprehensive review.

Budget and Finance House Bill 2242 awarded common 16

education the same appropriation for FY 16 as FY 15: $2,484,873,132.

The Department of Career and Technology Education, unfortunately, received a 3.5 percent cut. HB 2244, a companion to the budget bill, capped the apportionment of motor vehicle tax paid to school districts and municipalities at the FY 15 level. It also moves revenue received in excess of the FY 15 level to the state’s general revenue fund for appropriation.

Ad valorem reimbursement for this past fiscal year is $28,28,724, and the flexible benefit allowance supplemental appropriation is $8,739,932.

Also of interest is HB 1407 dealing with ad valorem taxes and assessment ratios. It requires the county assessor to notify any governing board that levels ad valorem taxes upon any property within the county at least 90 days notice prior to

the date in which the assessor intends to cause the assessment ratio to be reduced.

Charters Charter schools were a hot-button issue this legislative session. HB 1034 allows a federally recognized Indian Tribe to sponsor a charter school as long as the charter school is located within the geographical boundaries of the reservation area or former treaty boundaries as recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

HB 1691 allows Oklahoma City and Tulsa public schools to contract with a public or private entity to provide educational and administrative services for that school district in one or more school sites or parts of sites. The providers, their employees and all the services are exempt from all statutes and rules to the same extent as charter schools.

Learn more about the 2015 Legislative Session • Attend the Legislative Review at The Conference 2015. Get more information on The Conference 2015 beginning on page 24.

• Watch our New Laws - 2015 webinar. Past webinars are always available at your convienence. Scan here to view all available past webinars.

SB 136 requires the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to make publicly available a list of supplemental online courses it has reviewed and certified to ensure the courses are high quality and aligned with state Board of Educationapproved standards. School districts are not required to select these online courses.

Last but not least is SB 782, which expands charter schools statewide with local school board approval. (Please see “Nuts and Bolts of the New Charter Law” on page 19.)

Teachers Some positive policy bills came out of this session for hiring and recruiting teachers. HB 1521 allows a local school board to offer one-time incentive pay and/or one-time retention pay to a teacher to recruit them to a school district and for returning a second year.

The law allows districts to offer this pay outside of collective bargaining and negotiated agreements.

SB 20 eases the process for experienced out-of-state teachers to teach in Oklahoma. It allows the state Board of Education to issue a certificate to a person who holds a valid out-of-state teaching certification to those individuals with five years of successful teaching as a certified teacher in an accredited school in the subject areas/ grade levels that are most aligned to the out-of-state certificate without the requirement of taking Oklahoma competency exams.

SB 29 also makes it easier for a teacher to renew their license or certificate. This bill requires the state Education Department to give notice by Oct. 1 to any person who held a license or certificate by the state Board of Education that expired on June 30. If those individuals renew by

Dec. 31, their certificate or license will be backdated to July 1 of that same year.

Employee Issues HB 1684 amends the professional development committee to include counselors or mental health providers every year. The bill also requires annual training on the recognition of child abuse, neglect and sexual abuse, and includes training on proper reporting.

SB 711 by Sen. John Sparks requires a school superintendent to notify the state Board of Education if a recommendation is made to not re-employ or to terminate a teacher and the basis could be for criminal charges. The recommendation is to be sent to the state Board of Education.

The teacher has an opportunity to also submit documentation on the issue. A school district that is seeking to employ the teacher or a district where continued on page 18 17

2015 Legislative Highlights continued from page 17 the teacher is currently employed may request a copy and the teacher will have an opportunity to present documentation as well. Finally, all records are otherwise kept confidential, and a teacher will be notified if the state Board of Education is subpoenaed for those documents so the teacher may have an opportunity to respond.

An employee is exempt from liability for using reasonable and necessary force to discipline and control a child under SB 5.

Under HB 1749, the intent is to prohibit state agencies including school districts from making payroll deductions on behalf of an employee for membership dues in any public employee association or professional organization that collectively bargains on behalf of its membership pursuant to federal law.

The bill takes effect Nov. 1, although there remains some uncertainty about whether the law as written accomplishes the intent. School districts should consult retained counsel if they have questions about implementing the law’s provisions.

SB 183 states that DPS shall disqualify any person from operating a class A, B or C commercial motor vehicle if found to be operating while using a hand held mobile phone. It is permissible to use the phone to communicate with emergency/ law enforcement; "operate" does not mean stopped and pulled over on side of the road where the vehicle is safely stationary.

SB 706 delays full implementation of the Teacher Leader Effectiveness system for one year. For the 2015-2016 school year, the school shall collect baseline data for the quantitative component, but the evaluation shall be based upon qualitative components only. The use of one composite score is eliminated in place of two separate scores; one for each qualitative and quantitative component. Full implementation for high-stakes employment decisions begins for the 2017-2018 school year.

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The bill also provides a mechanism, subject to due process, for dismissing or not reemploying a principal, teacher and probationary teacher who is rated as “ineffective” for two consecutive years. The TLE system will continue to be studied, and the state Board of Education is to develop a list of evaluation methods based upon reliable, research-based options. The law allows the Oklahoma City and Tulsa districts to proceed with full implementation without delay.

Curriculum The Oklahoma history requirement is waived under HB 1330 for those students whose parents are in the military and who have satisfactorily completed a similar state history class in another state. Agricultural education is extended to include junior high school students in SB 50.

Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are on an IEP can demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of financial literacy by showing they have had substantive and substantial instruction in life curriculum skills as well as through alternative measures as required by the IEP under HB 1268.

Reading Sufficiency Act/ Testing Children with the most significant cognitive disabilities may see additional testing relief under SB 162 which requires the state Board of Education to develop rules for providing exemptions from state-mandated tests. The law requires the Board to work with experts in the education and assessment of such students in developing the rules.

The student reading proficiency team will continue for three more years under SB 630. Key features of the law include: •

•

Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, students must score “proficient” instead of “limited knowledge” to be promoted to the 4th grade.

First- and second-grade students who are not reading on grade level

•

•

are entitled to an individualized remediation plan developed by a team consisting of the student’s parents, reading teacher in the current grade level and subsequent grade level and a certified reading specialist if one is available.

Third-grade students in 20152016 who score “unsatisfactory” and those who score “limited knowledge” in 2016-2017 and 20172018, may be promoted if the team choses to do so. The team must have a certified reading specialist, and promotion can only be made if all parties agree, including the principal and superintendent.

The third-grade reading test shall only be reading comprehension and vocabulary for purposes of determining reading capabilities.

Mandates Under HB 1685, tobacco use on school campuses that provide services to early childhood and K-12 is now prohibited at all times. This does not apply to career and technology centers.

Schools must now add a “military student identifier to the data collected, which identifies students whose parent is a member of the Armed Forces, reserve or national guard under HB 1331.

The “Chase Morris Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act” created under SB 239 is applicable to any sport sanctioned by the schools in grades 7-12. The state Education Department and the state Health Department are required to jointly develop and publicly post materials to inform and educate students, parents and coaches about the signs of sudden cardiac arrest. Prior to participation in the sport, students and parents are required to sign a form acknowledging the receipt of that information. During a sporting event, if a student faints without a concurrent head injury, that student shall be immediately removed by the coach and continued on page 21

Rooney Virgin, OSSBA Director of Legislative Services and Staff Attorney

One of the most sweeping bills impacting education to come out of the 2015 legislative session was Senate Bill 782, a charter school bill by Sen. Clark Jolley and Rep. Lee Denney. The bill, which takes effect August 20 of this year, resulted from collaboration between the authors and many education stakeholder groups, including the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

This bill marks some of the biggest changes to the charter school law since its initial passage more than a decade ago. OSSBA’s support of this bill centers on three topics: transparency, stronger local control and decisionmaking and accountability. Under the bill, local school boards can convert and operate existing schools as charter schools. It also significantly beefs up the application and approval process for districts to OK charter schools and provides for districts to shut down lowperforming charter schools.

I encourage you all to read SB 782 in its entirety. This recap only hits upon some of the changes to the Charter Schools Act. Under the new law, Charter schools can be sponsored as follows: • By a school district provided that the charter is located within the geographical boundaries of the sponsoring district; (new law) • By a technology center school district if the charter school is located in a school served by the center and the school has been identified as in need of improvement under ESEA; (current law) • By a technology center school district if the charter school is located in a school district served by that technology center in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties; (amended new) • By an accredited institution that is a member of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education or community college in Tulsa and Oklahoma counties; (amended new) • By an institution that is a member of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education in a district that has a site that has been identified

• • •

as in need of improvement under ESEA; (current law) By a federally recognized Indian tribe operating a high school; (current) By the state Board of Education when the applicant is the office of Juvenile Affairs; (current law) By the state Board of Education on appeal by the applicant after first being denied a charter by the local school district and denied again on reconsideration to the local board.

In counties (other than Oklahoma and Tulsa) the state Board of Education shall not sponsor more than five per year for the first five years, with no more than one charter school per district per year.

In order to sponsor the school, the state Board of Education has to find: o thorough and high-quality charter school application from the applicant based on the authorizing standards in the bill, o a clear demonstration of community support for the charter school, and o the grounds and basis of objection by the school district for denying the operation of the charter are not supported by the greater weight of evidence and the strength of the application.

The addition of conversion charter schools to the law could be significant for school districts. Local boards can create a conversion charter schools by converting all or any part of a traditional public school into a charter school allowing the converted school the same freedom from mandates and administrative requirements as charters.

The board can serve as the operator, or it can appoint an independent operating

board that answers to the school board.

For example, if there is a school in your district and the students are struggling with reading, the board could convert to a charter and focus mainly upon improving reading proficiency. Or the board could offer additional pay to teachers in high poverty schools or other collectively bargained items.

Under old law, a charter applicant had to show 10 items on their application.

Under new law, 35 requirements must be met before an applicant may submit a charter school application. New additions include provisions creating greater transparency and local control by requiring the charter school follow the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and Open Records Act, and that a majority of the governing board (outside of Oklahoma and Tulsa counties) are residents within the geographical boundaries of the sponsoring entity.

The charter school contract must show policies requiring the charter school be “as equally free and open to all students” as traditional public schools.

The last major change is an accountability measure creating a mechanism for closing chronically poor performing charter schools. Charter schools that rank in the bottom of all public schools and charter schools for the current year and preceding two years averaged together, are subject to closure. Additionally, if the state Board of Education closes a charter school, another sponsor cannot grant a charter.

Again, please read the bill in full. You may find the bill at www.oklegislature. gov by simply typing “SB782” into the “Find Legislation” box on the homepage, and clicking then on the “versions” tab and finally “enrolled”. n 19

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2015 Legislative Highlights continued from page 18

Frances Percival continued from page 15

cannot return until the student has been evaluated and cleared by a health care provider. It also requires the coaches to complete annual training, and they cannot begin coaching until the training is complete.

church, served on the Central High School Alumni Association board and on the Oklahoma Commission on Educational Administration.

Percival currently serves on the board of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.

Elections and Board Meetings The dates for calling a special election to fill a board seat vacancy have been modified under SB 312. Regular and special elections may be called on the second Tuesday in February every year; the first Tuesday in April of every year; the date of any regularly scheduled statewide or state federal election in even numbered years; the second Tuesday in September in odd numbered years; and the second Tuesday of November in odd numbered years.

Under HB 1032, a board may bring an extra person into executive session when discussing the appraisal or purchase of real property as long as that individual is operating under an agreement to represent the public body.

Weapons School boards have the option of allowing knives on school property if they choose to adopt a policy allowing such under HB 1460. School boards may also adopt a policy allowing certain people to carry a handgun on school property. The person must have a valid armed security guard license or valid reserve peace officer certification and be designated by the local school board, under HB 2014.

Students HB 2069 states that upon the request of a foster parent, the residence of a child in foster care for school purposes may be changed to the school district in which the child resided prior to being placed in foster care or the school district in which the previous foster family home of the child is located.

Legislation that did not pass Not all education bills discussed this year became law. All of these issues are likely to resurface next session: • •

•

• •

Teacher pay raises did not happen due to the budget crisis, and there was no change to the retirement system.

Vouchers and Education Savings Accounts (ESA) were hot topics again this year, and would have allowed a parent to use taxpayer money to send their child to a private school, but failed to get enough support to make it through the process.

Term limits for board members and filling vacancies in board seats on an at-large basis also didn’t gain much momentum, nor did changing election dates from February to April.

A bill that would have allowed Oklahoma City and Tulsa city councils to be charter sponsors did not come to fruition.

There was also a big push among education stakeholders, including OSSBA, to use ACT as an indicator of readiness to graduate high school in lieu of end-ofinstruction tests, but it lacked support among some legislative leaders. n

Percival says her home, church and community are the foundation of who she is and “I want to help provide that foundation for today’s children.

I want them to have the strong foundation I had.”

Having invested so much time in Millwood — where the Frances M. Percival Media Center at the high school was named for her a few years ago — Percival was asked what she would like students to take from their experience in the district.

“I want Millwood students to know about and appreciate life and show respect for humanity,” she said. “I want them to be well-educated so they can be successful citizens. Citizenship was always a priority when I was growing up, and I still believe it is very important. Our students carry that with them from home to school to the neighborhood and to work.” n

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Longtime Claremore School Board Member Saw Many Changes, regulations from the state and from the federal government.”

He thinks kids are over-tested nowadays and says that No Child Left Behind was the worst thing to happen to schools. But he also says that children are getting an overall better education now.

“The structure of the curriculum then was not as intense as it is now,” he said.

Advanced Placement courses, concurrent college classes and offerings such as Claremore’s preengineering program help students prepare for what’s to come after school, he said.

Photo by Stephen Pingry, Tulsa World NOUR HABIB, Tulsa World

CLAREMORE — Don Crutchfield remembers what led to his decision to run for school board.

This article originally appeared in the Jan. 18 edition of the Tulsa World. Reprinted with permission.

“We were at a bridge party and the incumbent had decided not to run, and we got to discussing it,” Crutchfield said. “And (my friends) said, ‘Why don’t you run?’ ” He did, defeating multiple opponents.

That was in 1965.

Next month, 50 years later, he will attend his final Claremore Public Schools board meeting.

Crutchfield’s years on the board make him one of the longest-serving school board members in the state’s history.

Claremore Superintendent Michael McClaren said Crutchfield’s service has been a big contribution to the community.

“He’s very dedicated to the proposition of making things better for young people,” McClaren said.

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Crutchfield also said that schools are a bigger part of children’s lives now then they were in 1965.

“In ‘65, you went to school and you came home,” he said. “It was probably six hours.”

After that, schools closed up for the day.

Now, with extracurricular activities and other events happening at school after hours, things are different.

“Now you go to school, then you come home, then you go back to school for different things at night,” he said.

He thinks the increased engagement is good.

In the 50 years he’s served, what he enjoyed the most about being on the board hasn’t changed.

“Being a part of the education of the kids and being able to kind of map, or at least set, things that might enable them to succeed in college or the business world,” he said.

Crutchfield said he’s enjoyed every minute of being on the school board. But he says much has changed in education since 1965.

Crutchfield retired from his job in the oil production industry in 1992 and said the years he’s served on the board since then have been more enjoyable because he has been more involved.

“There was a lot more home rule back then,” Crutchfield said. “Now, you’ve got too many

In the early ‘90s, he was elected to Oklahoma State School Boards Association and served as

the organization’s president in 2002.

During that time, he got a better understanding of education at a state and national level, he said.

technology, and has helped bring many programs to the school, including a Navy Junior ROTC. He was also at the table when discussions began about forming the district’s alternative

superintendent was a secretary. District expenditures were less than $1 million.

This school year, Claremore Public Schools has more than 4,000 students

Calls No Child Left Behind the Worst In the five decades that he has been on the Claremore board, the district has had five superintendents and numerous board members.

McClaren said Crutchfield has provided the district with stability.

As superintendent for 15 years, McClaren said he’s often asked Crutchfield for “history lessons.”

“I’d ask periodically, ‘What’s the background on this?’ Or ‘Tell me how you arrived at this,’ ” McClaren said.

McClaren said Crutchfield has always been open to new ideas and new

learning academy.

For Crutchfield, the most memorable moments came outside the boardroom, at the groundbreaking of every new building he witnessed.

“That to me has been the biggest thing that we’ve done as a board, pushing school bond issues and getting them passed,” he said.

When Crutchfield began his time on the board, the district had three schools and fewer than 2,000 students. There were less than a hundred teachers, and the only district administrator he remembers other than the

housed in four elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school.

More than 300 teachers are employed by the district, as well as 200 support staff.

Expenditures are at $25.5 million.

Crutchfield wants to see the district continue to grow.

Aside from the first race, Crutchfield didn’t face an opponent again until 2010. He decided not to run for reelection this year when his term ends.

“You know, I’d say, I’ve been there and done that, and want to give somebody else a chance,” he said. n

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Terri Silver, OSSBA Director of Board Development

Scan here to register online for The Conference 2015

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The Conference 2015 will be full of opportunities for school board members and administrators to learn and to network. As an attendee, taking time to attend the annual OSSBA/CCOSA conference may mean using vacation days from work, leaving family for the weekend, or some other personal sacrifice in order to attend. Getting the most out of the precious time attendees use to attend the conference will make the effort worthwhile.

PREPARATION First, bring comfortable walking shoes! Going from session to session or out to eat gives your feet a beating. Think about packing a lightweight sweater or jacket in case some meeting rooms are cool and outside in August is hot.

Read through the agenda after it is posted online at www.ossba.org. Think about what you most would like to learn about and mark those sessions. Some districts divide up the sessions among their attendees and then they share what they learned later.

Read the exhibitor list and decide who you especially would like to talk with and visit. Sure, you can look at all the booths, but this way you are sure to take home the information you needed.

Set a goal for what you want to accomplish by attending the conference. Achieving it may mean attending specific session, or it might mean meeting key people with whom you would like to talk. Having this in writing will assist you in making sure it is done.

LEARN Be on time to sessions so you can meet others at your table and be ready when the session begins.

Attend sessions that appeal to you, take notes, and ask questions. If you have a question for clarification, most likely others in the audience do also. Leaving with a clear understanding of the subject matter is important for everyone.

Write down three key takeaways you received from every session. You might use notes, an app, or whatever works best for you. If you want to learn more about a topic or speaker, note that, too, so you will have memory joggers when you get back home.

Feel free to doodle during sessions. Studies have shown keeping the hands busy while listening improves retention of what was said. Doodle away!

NETWORKING Some people think getting their required board credits is the reason to attend conference. They may be missing out in the best part! Utilizing your time during breaks, sessions, exhibit hall visits, etc., provides excellent opportunities to network with other attendees at conference.

Often, regular attendees comment one of the most valuable things from conference is the ability to converse with peers regarding school issues and how they handle them in their district.

Collaboration with colleagues stimulates new ideas for your students’ education and your district. If you have them, bring business cards to share with new friends and make continued contact easier.

RELAX and ENJOY Try to plan your conference trip without working 24/7, too. This is the time to focus on what can bring the biggest benefit to your school district and personal growth to make you a better board member or administrator. Sometimes, that means letting those emails wait a bit. Or putting down the cell phone. It will still be there later. Don’t let electronic devices be a barrier to connecting with other people at the conference.

POST CONFERENCE The best way to show your community the money to attend conference was well worth it is to share great information you learn at future board meetings. Remember those takeaway notes? Use those to create a board report for your next meeting. Share what you learned with others in the district that may find the information useful. If several of your board and administration attended conference, ask for time on a future agenda for everyone to share key points they learned.

We value your time at conference, too. You will receive a conference evaluation email after the conference ends. Tell us how we can improve or what you especially enjoyed so we can continue to provide learning experiences that meet your needs in the future. We are your association. n 25

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OSSBA Delegate Assembly Legal Roundtable Discussions Crucial Conversations About America’s Schools NEW! Pre-Conference and unConference Sessions

August 28-30, 2015 Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City

The Conference 2015

State schools Superintendent Joy Hofmeister took office in January with the goal of improving public education for all students. You won’t want to miss this chance to hear more about the superintendent’s vision for Oklahoma’s children and what she believes it will take to improve student achievement in Oklahoma.

Friday, Aug. 28, General Session begins at 9 a.m.

A former public school teacher and businesswoman, Joy has devoted her life to teaching students and promoting higher student achievement. Joy was appointed to the Oklahoma State Board of Education by Gov. Mary Fallin in January 2012 where she served through two legislative sessions.

In the private sector, she spent 15 years operating Kumon Math & Reading Centers of South Tulsa, which works through parent partnerships to ensure higher academic achievement for children. During that time she personally worked with more than 4,000 students to improve their educational outcomes.Joy graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Texas Christian University, and holds teaching certificates in English and Elementary Education.

Joy has actively participated in the Trends in International Math and Science Study research testing. She is earning her Master’s Degree in Education Administration with a specialty in Education Policy and Law from the University of Oklahoma.

Joy served as an officer for the Jenks Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors, the Select Committee for the Study of School Finance, and various other committees within the Jenks Public School District, as well as other civic and professional committees.

Joy has more than 19 years experience working with special education teams, parent advocates, and students on Individualized Education Plans.

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Crucial Conversations About America’s Schools Good News for School Leaders

John Draper has energized audiences of educators, school leaders and community members in more than 40 states. His presentations are marked by thoughtful analysis, engaging narrative and a refreshing passion for the mission of public schools. He makes research fun!

As the CEO of the Educational Research Service in Washington, D.C., Dr. Draper spawned conversations among school leaders nationwide on engaging staff and communities in active support of Saturday, Aug. 29, General Session begins at 1:30 p.m. our schools. His presentations are known for getting to the root of the research and translating it into focused, proactive leadership practices. He is now a nationwide consultant working with the National School Public Relations Association to expand support for public schools. NSPRA is a membership organization dedicated to helping educational leaders build community support for schools and school districts.

For decades, elected officials, business leaders, the general public, parents, and even school employees have been fed a steady diet of warnings about “declining schools”. In this presentation, Dr. John Draper steps back from the rhetoric and looks at the reality of what is really happening across America. He identifies some of the Talk, the Truth, and the Crucial Conversations that refute the urban myth of failing public schools.

Teachers, support personnel, and communities look to school leaders to provide information and direction for the conversations to improve public schools. What is the truth concerning drop-outs, achievement gap, pay-for-performance, charter schools, SAT scores, and international testing? This presentation will teach educators and school board members the TLC formula that will make them more effective with every audience.

In addition, Dr. Draper challenges all educators to commit to the Four Fundamentals of Public School Success: 1. Be positive—times are hard, but we are doing the most important work of our nation. Negativity brings us all down—stop complaining!

2. Never criticize any fellow educator in public—doing so only provides false credibility to those who would undermine our schools.

3. Share one positive story each week—miracles happen every day in public schools. Stories convince without confrontation.

4. Honestly evaluate yourself each week and, if necessary, re-commit to sharing one positive story each week. Together, we can change the way a community feels about our public schools.

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association’s legislative agenda and the successes that we have are due to the participation of our membership. Throughout the year, the OSSBA collects legislative goal recommendations from you -- our members. The recommended goals are compiled and received by the Government Relations Committee.

After the committee reviews the information, a slate of legislative goals, positions and resolutions are sent to the Delegate Assembly. The Delegate Assembly is held each year in conjunction with The Conference. This year’s assembly is at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 29 in Ballroom C. The OSSBA Delegate Assembly is an opportunity for you, as a member district, to take an active role in the creation, amendment, and adoption of the OSSBA legislative initiatives for 2016. At the Delegate Assembly, each member district will have one vote on the legislative business of the association, with each OSSBA Director having an additional vote. To be eligible for voting, each district must complete the membership renewal form, including a purchase order number, before the start of the conference.

This is an inclusive meeting and process which helps create a strong legislative voice to meet the needs of Oklahoma school districts and students.

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It’s Back! First Timer & New Board Member Orientation

The OSSBA legal team takes your calls and answers your questions all year! You won’t want to miss the chance to meet with them face-to-face about the most pressing issues facing your district and learn what’s happening in other similarly sized districts during Legal Roundtables on Sunday morning, Aug. 30.

An optional breakfast (additional $25 fee, no program) will be available for your convenience on Sunday morning before the legal roundtables begin. Tickets are available by pre-purchase only and will not be available on site. (Family members are welcome to purchase breakfast tickets as well.)

The unConference Sessions Unlike the traditional conference sessions, these sessions are flexible, participantdriven and favor discussion, debate and interactive participation on emerging trends, the latest issues, best practices and new projects. Interested presenters (sorryno business presentations, only registered delegates) will sign up for a time slot and anyone interested in that topic can attend and participate. Put your thinking caps on! unConference Sessions will follow Saturday’s General Session 2

The First Timer & New Board Member Orientation is 8:15 to 8:45 a.m.

Friday in Room 17. Get the most out of the entire conference by attending this information session. We will also answer questions you have about the conference or new board credit requirements.

New board members and incumbents elected or appointed since Jan. 1, 2014, will have the opportunity to obtain all 12 new/6 incumbent required credits at The Conference. Opportunities to earn your required finance, open meeting act, and ethics credits will be offered on both Friday and Saturday.

Out of the Box Experience Thursday, August 27, from 1-4 p.m.

Cox Convention Center, OKC $599 per person includes a new iPad Air 2 Limited to 60 participants Visionary Leadership is one of the key success factors linked to building and sustaining a successful digital initiative that increases student achievement and teacher efficacy. OSSBA and Apple are pleased to announce an exciting Pre-Conference opportunity - the Out of the Box Experience.

This professional development experience includes an iPad Air 2 for every participant to take home. Apple representatives will guide and personally assist each participant in setting up and learning to get the most from your digital experience, and how student achievement and teacher efficacy are benefited through digital initiatives.

Join OSSBA and Apple to discover more about how iPad is changing today’s classroom and how your visionary leadership is the key to unlocking a successful mobile learning initiative in your school district!

Register online at www.ossba.org/apple • Registration deadline July 31

This link will take you to a listing of available hotel rooms in Oklahoma City.

It’s easy to make your reservations this way!

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The Conference 2015 • August 28-30, 2015 • Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City

REGISTRATION FORM

Register online at www.ossba.org/the-conference-2015-registration School District Name • PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE • ONE ATTENDEE PER FORM Attendee Name (as it should be printed on the name badge) Board Member

Superintendent

Administrator

Other_____________________________________________________________

Attendee E-mail Contact Name E-mail address for person completing this form (required) CONFERENCE REGISTRATION Early bird member price through July 10 $225 $__________________ Member price July 11 - August 14, $250, after August 14 $350 $__________________ Non-member price $450, after August 14 $675 $__________________ (Exhibitors who wish to attend sessions must register as an attendee at the non-member price) State Officer and/or State Employee price $225

$__________________

OPTIONAL SUNDAY BREAKFAST Please include __________ breakfast $__________________ tickets at $25/ea for attendee and guests. Breakfast tickets will not be available on-site. No breakfast tickets are included in the registration price.

Total amount due Registration fee includes sessions and exhibit hall for the attendee.

Plan time to visit our exciting exhibit hall for fresh ideas.

$__________________

EXHIBIT HALL Name badge or wristband is required for exhibit hall entry. Complimentary wristbands are available for guests. (Circle one) 1 2 3 4 members of my family would like to tour the exhibit hall.

If you are interested in exhibiting, please contact Kelly Ross at 405.528.3571

METHOD OF PAYMENT Check Enclosed Purchase Order Number__________________________________________________ To pay by credit card, please call Jennifer Paschal at 405.528.3571.

Credit Card

Cancellations submitted July 11 - August 14 are subject to a $50 cancellation fee. No refunds or credits will be given after August 14. Cancellations must be received in writing. Please call Lisa Deaton at 405.528.3571 to confirm receipt.

12 hours of New School Board Member, Incumbent, and/or Continuing Education credits may be earned during the conference.

OSSBA and CCOSA are committed to making activities accessible to persons with disabilities or special needs. If you have special needs, please call 405.528.3571 at least 10 days prior to the conference to make arrangements.

Select one return method: Register online or email to register@ossba.org or fax to OSSBA at 405.609.3092 or mail to OSSBA • 2801 North Lincoln Blvd., Suite 125 • Oklahoma City, OK 73105 ALL REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4 P.M. FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015. AFTER THIS DATE ATTENDEES MUST REGISTER ON-SITE.

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2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Memorial Scholarship

August 27, 2015 • Lake Hefner Golf Club • North Course • Oklahoma City

OSSBA and CCOSA are proud to present the 2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament.

Throughout Mooneyham’s career, he served as an education leader, working as a teacher, coach, counselor, superintendent and professor.

His numerous contributions to Oklahoma education were recognized with honors including the Oklahoma Educators’ Hall of Fame, OEA Friend of Education, Keepers of the Dream Award, UCO Outstanding Alumni, Holiday Texas Outstanding Alumni, 75 Who Made a Difference in the OU College of Education, and Okemah Hall of Fame. Dr. Mooneyham became executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association in 1975 and advocated for Oklahoma public education from this position for 25 years. Mooneyham was a co-founder of the Oklahoma Education Coalition and served the National Rural Education Association until his retirement in 2006. He passed away Dec. 24, 2012.

All school board members, school administrators, exhibitors, partners, and other participants in The Conference 2015 presented by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration are invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament.

This event kicks off The Conference 2015 and is a fun and relaxing experience that provides an opportunity for school board members, school administrators and representatives from the business community to get together, network and establish relationships that will benefit public schools.

The tournament will be held Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, at the Lake Hefner Golf Club, 4491 South Lake Hefner Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. and the tournament will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The tournament will be a best ball scramble. Please note that sleeveless shirts are not permitted on the golf course or practice facilities.

The entry fee is $75 per person and includes golf cart, range balls, refreshment cart, and lunch. Rental clubs are available at an additional cost. You may register as an individual or as a team. Please include names and handicaps on all registrations. We must have your registration by Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Please send your entry fee with this form. Checks should be payable to OSSBA. Refreshment carts, lunch, trophies, and prizes will be provided through the courtesy and sponsorship of our partners. Trophies and prizes will be awarded to the 1st place team and prizes will be awarded to the 2nd and 3rd place teams. Other prizes may be awarded during contests at the tournament, including a longest drive, closest to the pin and putting competition.

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2nd Annual Dr. Bob Mooneyham Memorial Scholarship

August 27, 2015 • Lake Hefner Golf Club • North Course • Oklahoma City

Register online at www.ossba.org/golf-tournament-2015

Entry Deadline – Wednesday, August 19 fax to Kelly Ross (405) 528-5695 or mail to OSSBA • Kelly Ross 2801 N. Lincoln Blvd., Ste. 125 Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Contact______________________________________________________________Phone____________________________________

School/Company______________________________________________________________________________________________ Please send entry fee with this form. Individual player $75.

To pay by credit card, please call Jennifer Paschal at (405) 528-3571. Credit cards WILL be accepted on-site.

Please include names and handicaps for all players.

Player 1 – payment enclosed o

Player 3 – payment enclosed o

Name________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________

Billing Address_____________________________________

Billing Address_____________________________________

Phone_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Handicap____________________________________________

Phone_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Player 2 – payment enclosed o

Handicap____________________________________________

Name________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________

Billing Address_____________________________________

Billing Address_____________________________________

Phone_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Handicap____________________________________________ 32

Player 4 – payment enclosed o

Phone_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Handicap____________________________________________

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.

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

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID OKLA. CITY, OK PERMIT NO. 1049