Latest news with #StillwaterPublicSchools
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
SHS mathematics teacher named SPS District Teacher of the Year
Stillwater Public Schools named Stillwater High School mathematics teacher Michael Porter as its District Teacher of the Year, according to a district press release. The district made the announcement in a special May 2 ceremony that honored 10 other site-level Teachers of the Year. Porter was selected by a district committee and chosen by a vote among his colleagues. Porter will have a chance to represent SPS in the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year competition, according to the release. Porter is an alumnus of Oklahoma State University and has been teaching mathematics for 34 years. He is a club sponsor and a former coach. SHS Principal Walter Howell said Porter is a pillar of the high school and SPS. 'He's a trusted colleague who means so much to so many people at SHS,' Howell said in a statement. 'He's a huge supporter of our students and cares deeply that his students are well prepared for their next step, whatever that may be.' Howell said the thing that he admires most about Porter is his positive attitude. 'I have never, and I repeat, never seen him in a bad mood,' Howell said. 'He exudes the attitude that we all want in a teacher. He loves his job and he loves our students. I am honored to work alongside him.' Porter said he is blessed to be a part of the SHS family. 'I am surrounded by outstanding teachers and principals. The entire staff truly cares for each other,' Porter said. 'It is a remarkable culture we have built.' Porter focused on the achievements of Stillwater students instead of the honor he received. 'The real stars of the show are our amazing students,' Porter said. 'Stillwater is famous for academics. We have an entire trophy case full of academic state championships. But it's not limited to just excelling in the classroom, these kids are good at everything.' He pointed to the wrestling team bringing home another state championship, SPS musicals, the FFA program, the SHS aviation program, the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America program qualifiers, the Pioneer Pathfinder program and Stillwater Makes A Change. 'At Stillwater High School, the standard of excellence is set very high,' Porter said. 'I am honored to be a part of it, and as I say all the time … It's a great day to be a Pioneer.' At the May 2 ceremony, the Stillwater Public Education Foundation awarded site-level honorees $200 through the Larry Gish Memorial Fund, and each honoree also received a gift basket with items and gift cards from local businesses. 'The Wilson Auto Family presented Porter with the keys to a new Chevy Equinox, which he will drive for two years,' the release reads. 'Wilson also contributed $1,000 to each site Teacher of the Year and $4,000 to the district winner, a portion of which covers insurance and vehicle registration.' Other site-level SPS Teachers of the Year honorees include: – Courtney Parks, Library Media Specialist, Highland Park Elementary – Zach Boydston, Physical Education, Richmond Elementary – Hannah Day, Kindergarten, Sangre Ridge Elementary – Annie Ortiz, Enrichment, Skyline Elementary – Caleb Davis, Fifth Grade, Westwood Elementary – Karen Holman, Third Grade, Will Rogers Elementary – Rebekah Jimenez, ELL, Stillwater Middle School – Madeline El Ouarraqe, Special Services, Stillwater Junior High – Carmen Ryan, Virtual Secondary, Stillwater Pioneer Virtual Academy – Scott Petermann, Social Studies, Lincoln Alternative Academy
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SPS construction projects may be affected by tariffs
President Donald Trump's tariffs may affect ongoing construction projects at Stillwater Public Schools, but the district is poised for anything, said 505 Architects Coordinator Brian Thomas. Thomas updated the SPS Board of Education on district construction projects at the Board's regular meeting Tuesday. Deferred maintenance projects funded by the 2017 SPS Bond have included replacing roofs and updating HVAC systems at Sangre Ridge Elementary and Stillwater Middle School and replacing HVAC systems at the Stillwater High School Field House and Performing Arts Center. 'We're having ongoing conversations as we're trying to – in this crazy world that we're living in – (nail) down all those equipment delivery dates ... and have a plan A and a plan B, so that we can go into the summer knowing exactly when, where and what,' Thomas said. As the tariffs are imposed, some equipment gets 'held up in court,' Thomas said. He said another construction job that 505 Architects has been working on has a four-month wait on deliveries. On Wednesday, Trump called for a 90-day pause on most of his tariffs, but hiked them for China. Thomas said his team is monitoring expectations for when certain equipment will be delivered within a certain timeframe. '(We're considering) when and how do we want to (handle) that the best to make sure we have the least disruptions to the students when they return in August,' he said. The district is in Phase 1 and Phase 2 with the new high school construction. The project is divided into six sections. Thomas said there are some concerns for the tariffs affecting delivery of light fixtures for some district projects, but about 90% of materials have been ordered and are already in warehouses or stateside. He said when tariffs hit the price at the dock, if a tariff is set at 20%, that cost could then be passed on to consumers. 'We've been very fortunate that this product has just been ahead of all these challenges,' Thomas said, regarding the new high school construction. Board member Marshall Baker said he anticipated that the tariffs would "have real impacts on our ability to build." "What should we be expecting?" Baker said. "That's like a real thing happening, and I'm nervous, I don't know what to expect." Thomas said he didn't know what to expect, either. "My guess is as good as yours exactly where it's going to land," Thomas said. He said budgeting for unexpected costs due to tariffs is like trying to predict what a household would spend for Christmas. But other districts who passed a bond at the same time as Stillwater's district are struggling to build, and that's not the case here, Thomas said. Even though some concerns arose around interest rates, the district's forecasting around lease interest loans has positioned them in a good place. What he doesn't know is if the SPS Bond 2023 funds would need to offset costs for the high school construction, and selling off bonds could be tricky. The district's bond advisor encouraged selling bonds while balancing inflation with interest rates. "I think the key is – what we're being to advised to (do) within the budget - is to keep a contingency," Thomas said, which he said in Oklahoma would be 10-15% of the budget. Thomas said at the next Board meeting an agenda item would be added, called an amendment, that would allow the Board to vote whether some dollars would be removed from the current project and added to a contingency fund.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SPS kicks off MVP campaign nominating favorite educators and employees, funds will support special education students
The Stillwater Public Education Foundation launched the '2025 Most Valuable Pioneer Campaign' to honor Stillwater Public Schools teachers and staff and support students with special needs, according to an SPS news release Thursday. Funds will directly support the SPS' Special Services program, 'ensuring that all students at Stillwater Public Schools receive the care and attention they deserve,' according to the release. The initiative is sponsored by Oklahoma Community Credit Union, and anyone in the district or in the community may nominate any SPS teacher or employee 'who has made a lasting impact in the classroom and beyond.' Nominations are open now and will run through April 25. To nominate a favorite SPS teacher or employee as MVP, donors may visit and select a nominee. Nominations cost $25, or $100 for five nominees. The SPEF Allocation Committee will select MVP winners, who will be awarded at the districtwide Teacher of the Year celebration on Friday, May 2. 'Stillwater Public Schools take great pride in offering top-notch special education services to children ages three through (22),' said Austin Hula, SPS assistant special services director, in a statement. 'The history of excellent education for all students, including those with disabilities runs deep in our district.' But the cost of providing these services 'continues to increase at an alarming rate,' he said. The equipment required for students with unique medical and/or physical limitations is expensive, and the district purchases all necessary equipment, regardless of the cost, as needed for students to learn and grow. 'One piece of equipment can easily cost in excess of $5,000, and sometimes must be updated due to growing bodies,' Hula said. 'Along with an increase in operational cost, the number of certified special education teachers is decreasing across the state.' To better support the current SPS staff, as well as supporting new staff in the district, Hula said SPS is expanding its mentorship program. 'These mentors are able to work beside our certified special education staff, providing assistance with instructional delivery, classroom management, and the legal documentation that is required in special education,' Hula said. 'These mentors are a pivotal component in the success of our certified special education staff, and we are excited to grow in this area.' Special education is partly funded through the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Hula said, but the funds from IDEA cover less than 20% of the cost for the district. The remaining cost is covered by the district's General Fund. 'Our partnership with SPEF is such an important one,' Hula said. 'We deeply appreciate any and all financial assistance we can receive to help us continue to provide the best possible education to our most vulnerable student population.' SPEF Executive Director Emily Lewis said the MVP campaign provides an opportunity for the community to celebrate teachers while making a difference for students with the most needs. 'We hope that this campaign will not only highlight the incredible work of Stillwater teachers and staff but also provide essential funding to Special Services programs that help our students thrive,' Lewis said in a statement. Lewis thanked SPEF's title sponsor, Oklahoma Community Credit Union, presenting sponsor, Mayes Contracting and community sponsors C-Star Property Management, Central Rural Electric Cooperative and Lucas Grounds – State Farm for their support. 'They make this program possible,' Lewis said. To find more information about the campaign, visit
