 Members of a student panel from Jenks, Bixby and Union high schools with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister during this summer's EngageOK traveling conference.
Message from State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister: Thank you, Educators
Dear Teachers,
As we begin a new school year, I would like to send my personal thanks to each of you.
Thank you for your dedication to your students, for all the work you do to make an impact on their future and for your commitment to the only profession that creates all other professions.
I was so inspired this summer by all of the amazing educators I had the opportunity to visit with around the state. Last month, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) took our summer professional development conference, EngageOK on the Road, to schools in seven regions of our state. We began each day with a student panel and heard what students would like to see inside their classrooms. In visiting with these young people, I heard – loud and clear – what a tremendous impression you are making on their lives, and I am deeply appreciative.
There are many challenges before us. The federal COVID relief funding that Oklahoma received is helping us invest in some areas that have long needed attention. In addition to the ways in which your own districts are using these funds, the OSDE is working to address some of public education’s most pressing needs, including:
- Academic and mental health support – the creation of our School Counselor Corps has given 181 districts statewide the opportunity to hire counselors, mental health professionals and recreational therapists and helped us lower the student-to-counselor ratio.
- Funding for teacher classroom projects – we partnered with DonorsChoose to invest $6 million in classroom projects for Oklahoma teachers.
- COVID-disrupted learning in math – the creation of our Math Tutoring Corps is providing students in grades 7-9 with intensive, high-dosage virtual tutoring to close learning gaps. For more information, visit our Math Tutoring Corps webpage.
- COVID-disrupted early learning in reading and writing – the creation of our Oklahoma Science of Reading Academies is empowering kindergarten through third-grade teachers to improve student literacy through research-based professional development. This initiative will ultimately train up to 10,000 teachers. If you are interested in joining the next cohort, registration is open here until Aug. 19.
There is much work still to do, but I believe Oklahoma’s best and brightest days lie ahead, and that is largely thanks to you.
With respect and gratitude,
 Joy Hofmeister, State Superintendent for Public Instruction
New Legislation Impacts Schools
2022 Red Banner Book Available Now
While the 2022 legislative session is now behind us, its impact on schools, teachers and communities is only beginning. This year’s session saw the Legislature pass approximately 400 new laws, with over 50 relating to education in some way.
Although 2022 had fewer pandemic-specific bills, many looked to address perennial areas of concern exacerbated by COVID, such as the teacher shortage and student mental health. For example, to help facilitate teachers’ paths to the classroom, H.B. 3658 eliminates the requirement that teacher candidates pass the general education (OGET) portion of the teacher competency examination to become certified. Additionally, H.B. 3564 creates a higher education scholarship to incentivize college students to enter the teaching profession and stay in the profession for at least five years, offering up to $25,500 in scholarships and incentive payments. To support mental health, H.B. 4106 requires each school district to develop a protocol for responding to students in mental health crisis, created in partnership with local mental health treatment providers.
To help keep track of these new laws and many others, the Oklahoma State Department of Education is excited to provide the 8th Annual Red Banner Book. Like previous editions, this book is not intended to be all-inclusive nor serve as legal advice, but it offers a general overview of this year’s new laws and legislative actions affecting public education.
|
Message from Teacher of the Year Rebecka Peterson: Building back-to-school connections
 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Rebecka Peterson in her classroom at Union High School.
Fellow Teachers of Oklahoma,
It is the honor of my life to represent you this year. I believe teachers hold our democracy, so first and foremost, thank you for your commitment to Oklahoma’s future.
Here are a few “teacher hacks” for building connections during back-to-school. If something resonates, fantastic. If not, go read the next section of the newsletter. There’s no one way to be an amazing teacher — the most important thing is that we stay true to ourselves.
Greet students. Introduce yourself at the door or at students’ desks and allow them to tell you how to pronounce their name. Keep your roster with you, and write their name phonetically if needed. Shake their hand if you’re comfortable with it and welcome them with warmth and enthusiasm. Now attendance is done for Day 1, and we didn’t have to try to pronounce names like Kermanshahi (my maiden name)! Additionally, I like to hand out a little “sweet treat to start the year off right.” We only get one chance to make a first impression.
Learn names quickly. Sometimes our class sizes are overflowing. If you have lots of names to learn, consider handing out a blank seating chart and let each student write their name where they’re sitting. Ask them to stay in those seats for a few days. Then, during those first days, carry that filled-in seating chart with you (I use a clipboard). If you’re unsure about a name, consult the chart. Many students will be touched — and impressed — that you’re using their name on the second day with no name tags.
Connect to parents and guardians. I love sending a short survey to parents at the beginning of school. To respect their time (and mine), the survey has only two open-ended questions: 1) “I’m proud of my child because…” and, optionally, 2) “One thing I want you to know is…” Because attendance to Meet the Teacher is not always stellar, I use this opportunity to attach a short video about my class as well.
Connect to your colleagues. Be sure to find peers you can connect with — who will hold you on the hard days and remind you of the good and important work you do day in and day out. After all, “Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.”
I’m wishing you a year full of connection and joy. Please reach out if you try one of these strategies or if you want further clarification. I’d love to hear from you: rebecka.peterson@sde.ok.gov.
News in Brief
Hofmeister launches Imagination Library expansion
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister recently announced the expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to all 77 counties in Oklahoma. The OSDE is investing $2.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to provide a 1:1 match of all funds raised by local community partners. The initiative will give as many as 264,000 Oklahoma children from birth to age 5 access to free, high-quality, age-appropriate books that will be mailed to their homes on a monthly basis.
|
First group of educators completes safety and security micro-credentialing programs
The first round of teachers and administrators enrolled in the OSDE's Office of School Safety and Security (OSSS) micro-credentialing programs have earned professional designations of School Safety and Security Professional and Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management.
Created by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister in 2018 through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the OSSS strengthens school safety by providing Oklahoma public schools with the resources and aid needed to develop comprehensive, high-quality emergency operations plans.
School Safety and Security Professional micro-credentialing began in April 2020 and requires 15-20 hours to complete. More than 130 educators are currently enrolled in the program. The Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management training program, launched in January 2021, requires approximately 16 hours of training. For more information about the Office of School Safety and Security, visit sde.ok.gov/school-safety-and-security.
ShapED My Life
Mike Boettcher, former foreign news correspondent for NBC and current professor at the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma, discusses how a Ponca City Public Schools political science teacher inspired his current teaching practice. See the latest story in the ShapED My Life series here.
|
Empire for Education
Empire Slice House is continuing its Empire for Education initiative, initially launched during the 2018 teacher walkout. Empire's Oklahoma City and Tulsa area locations will give teachers and a guest a 25 percent discount for dine-in orders. Teachers interested in pizza parties for their classes also can receive a discount by contacting Steven Schuster at sschuster@84hospitality.com.
|
|
