Student Reading Skills Grow with Help of Specialists   Many Putnam City Schools teachers travel room to room to improve students' reading skills by working with them in small groups. Is That My Teacher?   Kirkland Elementary School’s Jordan Hawkins, age 9, is the youngest "student teacher" in the district. Hawkins teaches 1st-graders each week as part of a Kirkland program in which older students teach younger students. Bond Election Set for March   Putnam City voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, March 6, to consider a $32 million bond proposal. Here are details. Hear a Podcast on Putnam City West Mentorship Classes   Putnam City West student don't just think about what career they want to pursue – they actually try it out. Putnam City Schools Wins Excellence Award   Putnam City Schools was one of five school districts to receive a national award for excellence for use of data to improve teaching and learning. Putnam City High Named State Champs   Putnam City High School has been recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as "State Champion" for having the most Oklahoma’s Promise-OHLAP graduates in 2006. A Good Year for Yearbooks  Yearbooks from Putnam City High School and Putnam City North High School were honored by the Oklahoma Interscholastic Press Association. Singing their Praises   District high school choral students have been singing their way to honors. Read about their triumphs. Student and Staff Accomplishments   From the best at giving investment advice to delivering an expert presentation on teaching Latin, Putnam City students and staff are earning praise. Art Educators Honored   Two Putnam City art educators have been honored by the National Art Education Association. Golden Apples Awarded   Five people were awarded Golden Apples by the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation in December. Learn how these honorees make our district better. Especially for Parents Do You Want Your Child to go to School in a Different District Next Year?   For parents who wish to transfer their children into or out of any Oklahoma school district for the 2007-2008 school year, state law says the time to act is between January 1 and April 1. Play is a Simple Joy of Childhood ... and Much More   An American Academy of Pediatrics study says what children really need for healthy development is more good, old-fashioned playtime. Play builds imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.  The Dollar Value of Education   According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, adults age 18 and older with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $51,554 in 2004, while those with a high school diploma earned $28,645. Especially for Staff Let’s Hear Some Applause   This month's applause goes to a Putnam City West teacher for communicating so well with parents. Is there someone you want to publicly thank for the help they provided or the good things they do? Here’s your chance. Fund for Teachers   Applications are now available for Pre-K through 12th-grade teachers across the state of Oklahoma to apply for grants intended for self-designed summer professional development opportunities. More information is available on the websites of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence and Fund for Teachers. The application deadline is Tuesday, Jan. 16. Last summer Putnam City teachers used these grants to travel to Australia to participate in a comparative study of health and physical education; study the ecology of New Zealand; and attend workshops in lighting, sound and scenic design. Send Us Your News   When you have news to share in Putnam City Now, please send information to slindley@putnamcityschools.org

Putting Their Best Food Forward   Overholser Elementary School was one of many district schools that conducted food drives in November and December. Led by Ms. Kysar’s kindergarten class, Overholser students and their families collected 2,701 items. The food was given to the the Oklahoma Food Bank for distribution to people in need. Reading for a World Record   More than 100 3rd-grade students at Northridge Elementary School took part on Dec. 13 in an effort to break the Guinness World Record™ for the "Most People Reading Aloud Simultaneously in Multiple Locations." The students read aloud at the same time a passage from Charlotte's Web along with children and adults in schools, hospitals, libraries and community centers across the country – and 26 other countries. Hilldale Students Learn the Write Stuff   Hilldale Elementary School students were shown the process of writing and publishing a book by author Tammi Sauer during a visit on Dec. 13. Sauer is author of Cowboy Camp, a story for early elementary children about a boy who feels out of place at a summer cowboy camp but finds out just how valuable his non-cowboy skills can be. Sauer's appearance was paid for by the school's library media department and the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation, using a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation. A grant from Sarkeys Foundation enabled 62 students to receive free autographed books. Mural Making   Six Putnam City Academy students took part in the creation of an Oklahoma Centennial mural on a building at N.W. 10th and Penn. More than 100 students from across the state took part. Knotty Problem   1st-grade students at Overholser Elementary rolled and shaped dough in late November as part of a unit on cultures and food.