OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Students for Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) head back to the classroom next week. Ahead of the new year, their superintendent Dr. Jamie Polk updated metro news outlets on a range of topics.
"What's going to be so special about the upcoming year?” Polk asked. “That we will be student outcomes focused."
It’s a new year and new superintendent for the district in Polk. She said Friday that they are 97 percent enrolled and 97 percent staffed, but they do have a need for special education teachers and support staff.
"I think I need about ten more bus drivers,” she said.
Polk is asking parents this year to have their kids remember their phone numbers, names and addresses and to go over building rallying points in case of emergency.
"If something were to take place, they know exactly where their child would be,” she said.
They’re planning on continuing to use their weapons detection system from last year as well. It’s used only to detect weapons and nothing else.
"It's not as intrusive,” Lt. Wayland Cubit, director of district security said. “It's much easier to come into our school."
Something new this year will be their writing to learn initiative.
"As students begin to write, they begin to utilize those skills that we teach in reading and in short, when students can comprehend what they're reading, they could write about it,” Shaun Ross, OKCPS executive director, secondary principal supervisor said.
About 17 schools will use it this year with hopes to incorporate the writing initiative in more instruction across all 31 elementary schools in the future. As for the state mandate to teach the bible in those same classrooms, Polk kept her answer simple.
"I will follow the law and policy,” she said. “Those are my guides."
Classes for the district start Tuesday, August 13.
