Bonds and School Improvements   On Tuesday, March 6, Putnam City voters will go to the polls to vote on a $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. Can You Hear Me Now?   That's not a necklace teacher Katherine Bishop is wearing. It's a microphone. Students at Lake Park Elementary are hearing lessons more clearly since microphones and speakers were installed in several classrooms. Read about the success to teachers and their students are experiencing with sound amplification systems. Features Three District Students Named Academic All-State   Two Putnam City West students and one Putnam City North student are among the top 100 in the state. Hefner Dominates Quiz Bowl   Hefner Middle School quiz bowl teams finished first, third and fourth at the Cougar Challenge at Highland East Junior High in Moore. Principal for a Day   30 community leaders spent half a day in mid-February visiting classrooms, talking with teachers and students, touring schools and discussing challenges schools face.  Art Educators Honored   Two Putnam City art educators are being honored by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) for exemplary contributions, service and achievement. Three Schools Receive Grants   Central Elementary School, Western Oaks Elementary School and Capps Middle School have been awarded grants from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Visit Putnam City's Online Art Museum   See art by district students.   Staff Accomplishments   Putnam City personnel are honored for their accomplishments.  Golden Apple Award Nominations  The deadline for spring Golden Apple Award nominations is Wednesday, April 4. Let’s Hear Some Applause   Is there someone you want to publicly thank for the help they provided or the good things they do? Here’s your chance. Especially for Parents Facts You Should Know Most of the jobs that will be available (about 70 percent to 80 percent) in about 15 years haven’t even been invented yet, and the only way to prepare for an unknown future is to get a strong academic foundation. Doing homework in high school can increase annual wages by 35 percent. Completing a math sequence that ends at Algebra I gives a student only an 8 percent chance of earning a college degree. Grades of Cs and Ds produce only a 50-50 chance of earning even one college credit. A college degree can increase earnings by $23,000 or more annually over a high school diploma. Source: www.learndoearn.org Especially for Staff .pc Makes Your Life Easy   Putnam City employees can now effortlessly access district e-mail, create and record absences, and access their H drive from home – or anyplace in the world with an Internet connection. The site holding all these features and more is Putnam City’s new Intranet, ".pc." To get there, go to any page of the district website, then click on "Staff Log-in" at the bottom right corner of the page. You’ll then be able to log in to use a range of new features. Try it out! Student Council Finds Funding for Plan   The Putnam City High School student council is helping the school and school district tackle the problem of high school dropouts. Students researched and developed a 16-point plan to reduce dropouts, then sought and received a $78,886 grant from the State Farm Insurance Youth Advisory Board. Lieutenant Governor Visits   Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins made her first visit to a school as lieutenant governor when she visited Wiley Post Elementary School in mid-February. Askins talked with teachers and took questions from students.  Remember to vote in the Putnam City bond election on Tuesday, March 6. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dionne Liebl Named Teacher of the Year   Putnam City West High School teacher Dionne Liebl is the district's teacher of the year. Loud and Proud   Academic  awards assemblies in early February at Kenneth Cooper Middle School had the flavor of a pep rally as teams of students roared and cheered. Students received awards for grades, attendance, citizenship and reading, and judges chose teams that showed the best spirit. Read-In   More than 200 Putnam City North High School students and teachers took part in African American Read-In Day in the school's library in early February. The nationwide event, sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English, is designed to make celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities. Guest readers at Putnam City North included teacher Marie Page (above), Athletic Director and head football coach Bob Wilson, and assistant principals ReJeana Payne and John Murphey. Young Art Students Give Notice   Students at Western Oaks Elementary School are drawing birds, shoes, hands and other objects as practice in the skill of noticing. When students pay attention to detail and notice fine differences, their art improves. Learning to notice also helps students in other classes and with other assignments. Grants Go to Schools   Lake Park Elementary teachers Catherine Bishop (left) and Kelli Chastain (right) receive a grant from Putnam City Public Schools Foundation Director Caroline Gist (second from left) and board member Priscilla Cude in late February. The Foundation presented grants totaling $20,000  to 10 schools. Telling Tales   Storyteller Jo Jo Michatakie visited Cooper Middle School during Black History Month to tell traditional African folktales. Michatakie, an area youth minister, believes appreciation and understanding of other cultures and traditions promotes peace. Scholarship Opportunities   Putnam City's strong academics result in more than $5 million in scholarships being offered each year to graduating seniors. Athletic excellence also brings scholarship offers. In early February alone, 18 Putnam City athletes signed letters of intent to play in college. For the entire year last year, 55 district athletes were awarded college athletic scholarships. Send Us Your News   When you have news to share in Putnam City Now, please send information to slindley@putnamcityschools.org