Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?   Putnam City has launched a pilot project in which classes are offered to parents about how to give their young children the best start in life. Features Voters to Decide on School Improvements   On Tuesday, March 6, Putnam City voters will go to the polls to vote on $32 million bond proposal intended to allow the district to maintain and improve school buildings and ensure that students attend classes in well-equipped, up-to-date facilities. Read the details here. Voter Registration Deadline Near for Bond Election If you're not yet registered to vote, you must turn in your registration to the Oklahoma County Election Board  by Friday, Feb. 9, if you wish to vote in the March 6 bond election.  Teachers of the Year   The faculty at each of Putnam City’s 27 schools has named a "Teacher of the Year" for the current school year. The teachers will be honored at the annual Teacher of the Year reception on Monday, Feb. 26. 11 Putnam City Teachers Earn National Distinction   The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced in early January that 11 Putnam City teachers earned National Board Certification. Read comments from the teachers! District Science Teacher Wins Award of Excellence   Christy Brown, a science teacher at Putnam City Academy, has been chosen as winner of the Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching Award from the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.  Grant Aimed at Improving Science Teaching   Putnam City Schools will team up with three other school districts to train 50 elementary teachers in more effective ways of teaching science, thanks to a recently awarded grant. Staff Accomplishments   Putnam City teachers are honored for their accomplishments. Student Achievements   Putnam City students stand out in academic competitions.  Putnam City North Cheerleaders Win Nationals Again   Putnam City North High School’s cheerleaders won their second national championship in a row in late December, bringing home a first-place trophy from Dallas. Welcome to Oklahoma’s State Capitol: Putnam City   97 years ago, Putnam City was the intended site of the Oklahoma State Capitol. Read how and why Putnam City lost out on page 5 of Info Magazine from the Metropolitan Library System. Podcasts Activities Integrating Mathematics and Science   Putnam City 3rd-grade teachers are attending training this year on the use of AIMS (Activities Integrating Mathematics and Science) materials. Take a look at this video podcast to see the high-quality and engaging curriculum and staff development. Elementary Science Fair   Students at James L. Dennis Elementary School presented science fair projects on everything from what batteries last the longest to what toothpaste keeps teeth the cleanest. Hear students explain their projects and learn why one teacher calls them "super scientists." Especially for Staff Let’s Hear Some Applause   This month, applause goes to a Coronado Heights teacher and the director of Child Nutrition. Is there someone you want to publicly thank for the help they provided or the good things they do? Here’s your chance. State Helping Teachers Move into Special Education   A new program offers tuition reiumbursement to full-time Oklahoma general education teachers to help them become fully certified in special education and employed as an Oklahoma special education teacher.  Especially for Parents Binge Drinking Common Among High School Students   Binge drinking is common among high school students in the United States and is strongly associated with sexual activity, violence and other risky behaviors, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visits to Doctor for Asthma Increasing   A new report on childhood asthma released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that doctor visits for the condition have more than doubled over the past decade. How to Talk to Your Kids   Raising a child is probably the most gratifying job any of us will ever have. In an increasingly complex world full of disturbing issues, it's also one of the toughest. The website Talk With Your Kids offers practical, concrete tips and techniques for talking easily and openly with young children ages 8 to 12 about  tough issues such as violence, sex, drugs and alcohol. Send Us Your News   When you have news to share in Putnam City Now, please send information to slindley@putnamcityschools.org

Colonial Days   Hilldale Elementary School 5th-graders and their teachers spent Feb. 2 at the State Capitol for the annual Colonial Day. Hilldale was one of nine schools in the state to participate. Before leaving for the Capitol, more than 80 Hilldale students dressed in Colonial garb. To see more photos of students preparing, click here. Families Learn and Have Fun   Overholser Elementary families visited the school in late January for Family Fun night, using the schools’ computers, instructional software, Smartboard and other technology to help their children with reading and math skills. Board games, snacks and educational websites also were available and combined to bring in about 75 families with about 150 children. Exchange Students   5th-graders from James L. Dennis Elementary School, Ralph Downs Elementary School and Will Rogers Elementary School have been taking part in "Exchange City." During the eight-week curriculum, students engage in economics, government, math, social studies and career education as they play roles as citizens of their very own mini-town. The program involves a trip to Exchange City, an area at The Omniplex sponsored by Junior Achievement. It's a Webquest   7th-grade science students at Western Oaks Middle School used laptop computers and the school's wireless network on an innovative assignment on genetics. Students conducted online research to help a fictional young boy locate his biological parents. Science teacher Kelli Fuqua says use of webquests increase student comprehension and learning. The set of laptop computers used by the students for the assignment were purchased with a grant from the Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust. Camp Readalot Turns 15   A Central Elementary School student and his father were among the hundreds of students and parents who gathered in early February for the school’s 15th Annual Camp Readalot. The event emphasizes parent involvement in literacy by bringing families to the school for a meal, a book fair and an evening of reading in front of tents and trees set up in the school gymnasium. Author, Author   Mayfield Middle School English teacher Scott Allen will soon have his first book for sale. He wrote Survival Op: The Fear in the Wilderness, to appeal to middle school males. The work of fiction tells the story of teenagers forced to take part in an island experiment that tests their endurance and ability to survive. Allen says his students have extra confidence in his teaching because he is now an author.