We aim to be the first model secondary school in OK. We had a barbeque lunch, courtesy of JM staff on the grill and lots of good company! We had a fantastic day of learning!

How interesting is that? I plan to revisit this in a couple of weeks.

I just looked at the geotechnical report for Nichols Hills Elementary and it shows the Gym to be on the west side. The geotechnical investigation and report are completed prior to the structural plans. The geotechnical investigation was authorized on 3/14/2008! The report was issued on 5/27/2008. If you follow this link: http://www.okc.gov/agendapub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=63818, you can look at some of the plans and the geotechnical report (especially the “Plan of Borings” page) in Addendum 1. I don’t know what the people on Glenwood were told, but as far as the architect and the City is concerned (Building Permit was issued on 11/28/2011), that Gym was always going to be on the west side, right up against their backyard fence.

If you could ask the leader of Oklahoma City Public Schools anything, what would you ask?

Well, actually, you can ask the superintendent anything.

NewsOK is accepting questions for Superintendent Karl Springer from the public through noon Tuesday, July 24. Reporters will choose the best questions for a special back-to-school Q&A with the leader of the state’s largest school district.

Here’s how to submit a question:

- Post a comment on this story or on NewsOK’s Facebook page.

- Tweet @NewsOK or @carriejacobs.

- Email ccoppernoll@opubco.com.

And you can leave a comment here on this blog if you have a question as well. I’ve already received a couple of really good ones, so don’t be shy! I know there are more out there!

“OK my babies, OK my darlings, OK my sweetie pies.”

John Marshall High School math teacher Billie England settles down her class and starts in on her lesson.

Students calculate volume on the marker board as part of a state test review. It’s a game England plays. Each corner of her room represents one of the multiple-choice answers on a state practice test. Students work the problem and then move to the corner they think represents the right answer. The class is almost always divided.

England weaves around the desks, peeking over students’ shoulders. She pats a few on the shoulder. Her goal is to call on or physically touch every kid every hour.

“Kids have a tendency to melt into the wall,” England said. “You can’t just let those kids go unnoticed.”

England wants her students to do well on state tests, but she also wants to prep them for life. Some of her students come from loving homes; others don’t. She works at John Marshall because she wants to help them.

“They need me,” England said. “I don’t know what to say. I guess I need them, too.”

Just as the students debated the answer to an equation, the bell rang.

“Clean it up,” she said. “Go away. Love you. See you Monday.”

It includes only things of $100,000 or above. I didn’t include things previous ratified. I didn’t include things lumped together that totaled more than $100,000 that had multiple contractors. I didn’t include things that didn’t have specific contractors/sellers, such as the board giving the district the right to pay for things as they arise within a certain budget. Everything’s rounded to the nearest dollar.  If you’d like to read the full list of all 10 bajillion contracts, just click here. Easy as pie.

So, without further adieu …

-          Oklahoma Roofing and Sheet Metal, roofing and repairs, $15 million.

-          PATCO, electrical repair, $15 million.

-          Schuler Enterprises, plumbing repairs and service, $15 million.

-          Hardesty Team Heating and Air Conditioning, chiller repair, $14 million.

-          Commercial Roofing, roof repairs and replacements, $10 million.

-          Oklahoma School Assurance Group, worker’s compensation insurance, $5,062,294.

-          Apple Computer, technology and service, $4 million.

-          Dell Computer, technology and service, $4 million.

-          Ace Transfer and Storage, moving and storage, $3 million.

-          Hiland Dairy Foods, milk, $2.6 million.

-          Cooks Fencing, repair and replacement, $2.5 million.  

-          Buddy’s Produce, produce delivered to schools, $2.2 million.

-          Pearson Agreement, professional development, $2 million.

-          Independent Insurance Agents of Greater Oklahoma City, property and casualty insurance, $1,861,628.

-          Sodexo, food service, $1,428,655.

-          SAP, software, $1,249,142.

-         RobertsTruckCenter, bus parts, $1.2 million.

-          Core Knowledge, elementary school reform supplies, $1 million.

-          Great Expectations Institutes, professional development, $1 million.

-          Siemans Industry, heating and air repairs and maintenance, $1 million.

-          Hunzicker Brothers, electrical supplies, $800,000.

-          Office Depot, office supplies, $750,000.

-          Voss Lighting, lamps, $750,000.

-          Chartwells, child nutrition, $585,000.

-          Edusoft, benchmark assessments, $532,837.

-          Connections Learning Virtual Learning Programs, full-time virtual education program, $500,000.

-          Johnson Controls, heating and air repairs and maintenance, $500,000.

-          Oklahoma Department of Central Services, various vendors, $500,000.

-          Central Oklahoma Winnelson, plumbing supplies, $500,000.

-          Johnstone Supplies, heating and air supplies, $450,000.

-          Fuzzell’s Business Equipment, toner cartridge supplies, $410,000.

-          Woods Labor and Staffing, temporary landscaping labor, $380,000.

-          MetroTech educational services dropout recovery and prevention program, $360,000.

-          TransPar Group, transportation, $358,720.

-          Marzano Research Laboratory, professional development, $357,500 atCentennialHigh Schooland $175,000 atDouglassHigh School.

-          MASSCO Maintenance, custodial supplies, $350,000.

-          Waste Management, trash service, $350,000.

-          Allied Steel, crane service, $300,000.

-          Federal Corporation, boiler repair, $300,000.

-          MASSCO Maintenance, copy paper, $300,000.

-          AT&T, hosting of SAP, $296,984.

-          Center for Education Law, basic legal services, $250,000.

-          Hardesty Team Heating and Air Conditioning, repairs and maintenance, $250,000.

-          Harris House Moving Contractors, moving services, $250,000 and $150,000.

-          Shannon Construction, building repairs, $250,000.

-          Youth Cornerstone, truancy program, $192,000.

-          EMC Hardware, network storage, $168,958.

-          Dell, backup hardware, $167,820.

-          Gates-MacGinitie, student tests, $164,585.

-          Life Excelerator – Assessment of Personal Skills, teacher training, $163,250.

-          Presort First Class, mail service, $160,000.

-          ACT, testing supplies, $150,000.

-          Filtertec, air filters, $150,000.

-          R&R Delivery, courier mail, $125,000.

-          Discovery Education, web and video service, $115,000.

-          Smartweb Technology Programs, license, $106,061.

-          Reliance Medical Sales, medical supplies, $106,000.

-          American Eleveator Service, inspection and repair, $100,000.

-          Hardesty Team Heating and Air Conditioning, boiler repair, $100,000.

-          Magic Services, cafeteria laundering, $100,000.

• Broken Arrow: 2 granted, 4 denied, 15 dismissed
• Catoosa: 1 dismissed
• Choctow: 1 denied
• Lawton: 1 denied
• Mannford: 1 denied
• Marlow: 1 denied
• Norman: 1 denied
• Oklahoma City: 1 granted, 1 denied
• Schulter: 1 dismissed
• Strother: 1 denied
• Tahlequah: 1 denied
• Tulsa: 2 denied
• Tulsa Union: 2 granted, 1 denied
• Wagoner: 1 denied

And here’s a list of how the vote has gone by meeting. 

Results from the June 5, 2012 Oklahoma Board of Education Meeting

Granted, Extenuating Circumstances: 1 (Broken Arrow) 

Granted, Accepted into a University: 1 (Broken Arrow) 

Postponed until June 28: 1 (Oklahoma City)

Denied: 7 (four from Broken Arrow, two from Tulsa, one from Wagoner)

Dismissed: 16 (one from Catoosa, 15 from Broken Arrow)

Results from the June 28, 2012 Oklahoma Board of Education Meeting

Granted, Extenuating Circumstances: 2 (Tulsa Union) 

Granted, Accepted into a University: 1 (Oklahoma City) 

Denied: 9 (Choctaw, Lawton, Mannford, Marlow, Norman, Oklahoma City, Strother, Tahlequah, Union)

Dismissed: 1 (Schulter)

Total Results from Oklahoma Board of Education for 2012

Granted, Extenuating Circumstances: 3 (one from Broken Arrow, two from Tulsa Union) 

Granted, Accepted into a University: 2 (one from Broken Arrow, one from Oklahoma City) 

Denied: 16 (four from Broken Arrow, one from Choctaw, one from Lawton, one from Mannford, one from Marlow, one from Norman, one from Oklahoma City, one from Strother, one from Tahlequah, two from Tulsa, one from Union, one from Wagoner)

Dismissed: 17 (one from Catoosa, 15 from Broken Arrow, one from Shulter)

Ingram worked as the executive director of federal programs and then the chief accountability officer for Oklahoma City Public Schools. He worked under John Q. Porter, the controversial superintendent who resigned after less than a year in the position. Ingram announced that he was a finalist for superintendent positions in Putnam City and Tacoma, Wash., though he was hired shortly after as the superintendent for schools in Springfield, Mass.

The main complaints against Ingram in Springfield, Mass., have been poor English proficiency, stagnant graduation rates and a surprise signing bonus, according to a story on The Republican.

The good news is that building is getting torn down. The school board is getting the heck out of dodge for the next year while a new administrative building goes up. So, meetings will be in the city council chambers starting Monday. Here are the details from a district press release:

The Norman Public Schools’ Board of Education will begin holdings its bi-monthly meetings on June 4 at the City Council’s Chambers at the city’s municipal complex at 201 W. Gray. Agendas will be posted there, at 131 S. Flood and online, www.norman.k12.ok.us.

The change of locale for Board meetings is necessary because of construction scheduled to commence at NPS’ administrative and curriculum offices at 131 S. Flood as part of the 2009 bond projects approved by city voters. This is the last of NPS’ 2009 bond projects and includes demolition in June of the Board’s current meeting space, as well as its curriculum offices.

NPS Superintendent Dr. Joe Siano said he and the Board are very appreciative of the willingness of the City Council, City Manager Steve Lewis and Mayor Cindy Rosenthal to allow the Board to use the City’s facilities for its meetings for the next year at no cost to the district.

“We are very grateful; they have been most helpful and accommodating. This partnership with the City will help contain costs with the bond project, while also continuing to provide citizens and NPS faculty and students a safe, comfortable forum for Board meetings.”

In December 2009, voters approved making structural repairs to the district’s Administrative Service Center and construction of an addition. The addition is to replace four, non-foundation metal buildings that currently house the Board of Education (see picture), special services and curriculum staff, as well as athletics, counseling and NPS Foundation offices.

The Board announced earlier this month special services staff would be relocated to 222 E. Eufaula, Suite 120, and curriculum staff would be relocated to 500 W. Main, Suite 300, until the work to the campus is completed in August 2013. A temporary building housing athletics, counseling and the Foundation is to remain on campus during construction.

 The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools created this video for their annual campaign. They go to many schools and interview all kinds of people – students, volunteers, teachers, administrators. I saw several faces I recognized from spending a week at John Marshall High School. One of those was Ashley Bahtahou. (You can see her at about 1:35 into the video.) I didn’t interview her, but I saw her so many times throughout the week. She’s one of those students who is involved in everything, and you can tell that she’s respected and admired by other students. She was phenomenal during track practice. She was fast, sure, but she was so encouraging of her other teammates. She’s a neat kid.

What she said in the video was so striking to me because it’s the same thing I’ve heard over and over from students and teachers throughout the district: our reputation doesn’t reflect reality. Set aside the reputation and whether you think it’s deserved. To me, the saddest thing is that those kids all know what the city thinks of them. They know what the community says about Oklahoma City Public Schools. Children shouldn’t feel like the world around them expects them to fail. They should feel like everyone expects them to succeed.