Eastern Oklahoma State College, Press Release, Forty-Two Area Educators Attend FISH! For Schools Workshop

Forty-Two Area Educators Attend FISH! For Schools Workshop
(Press Release 05-18-07)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Imagine a place where the scent of sharpened pencils is more stimulating than coffee, a place where excited answers follow eagerly raised hands and where “caring” is defined not just by the dictionary, but by behavior.

This ‘imaginary’ place was made a reality when forty-two local educators, representing 18 area schools and Eastern Oklahoma State College, attended a two-day FISH! for Schools LIVE workshop on April 26-27 in Minneapolis, Minn.

The trip was sponsored by Eastern’s GEAR UP for a Brighter Tomorrow grant. The workshop was designed to create a richer, more effective learning environment by focusing on improving internal motivation and classroom management, learning how to use the FISH! for Schools curriculum to help build quality relationships, co–creating a safe and playful learning community for everyone and creatively applying the four practices of the FISH! philosophy.

Participants were greeted with a banner reading “Welcome back to the reason you became an educator!” Attendees participated in numerous activities, networked with educators from across the United States and received a FISH! for Schools expedition pack that contained curriculum and staff development materials.

FISH! for Schools is a powerful curriculum designed by educators for educators. It is a starting point to help them achieve the success they want — to create great places to learn where schools are productive, safe, kind, respectful and fun for both students and educators.

Attending were: Pamela Matthews and Kathy Smith, Antlers; Jerry Mathews and Stephen Yandell, Buffalo Valley; Tracy Matthews and Jeanne Lenox, Canadian; Cary Ammons and James Dominick, Clayton; Cindy Hollingshead and Janice Gray, Crowder; Bryan Adams and Cecil Hallmark, Haileyville; Jennifer Hunt and Iva Dawkins, Hartshorne; Delores Blessing-Hawkins and Emily Stone, Indianola; Debbie Jennings and Paul Jennings, Keota; Deborah Williams and Bonnie Strickland, McAlester; Becky Bryant and Deward Palmer, McCurtain; Jamie Booth and Wallena Dominic, Panola; Rosalinda McClary and Jayme Nixon, Quinton; Michelle Birchfield and Roseanna Sorrells, Rattan; Marlyn Coy and Suzanne Prock, Red Oak; Krista Curley and Flo Gillespie, Talihina; Loretta Farmer, Whitesboro; Mary Atkinson and William Back, Wilburton.

Also attending were Linda Morgan, GEAR UP Project Director; Ramona Buckner, GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator; Lorrie Russ, GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator; Dara Ward, GEAR UP Education Coordinator; and LaDonna Baldwin, GEAR UP Education Coordinator; Panola; Nicole Cook, GEAR UP Education Coordinator and Fenessa Little, GEAR UP Education Coordinator.

Eastern received a $6.7 million federal GEAR UP grant and is in its first year of implementation. Eastern has partnered with area schools to provide students with additional educational opportunities and teachers with professional development opportunities. The GEAR UP for a Brighter Tomorrow grant application was one of 27 selected nation-wide to receive funding.

Caption info:

Forty-two area educators attended the FISH! for Schools workshop on April 26-27 in Minneapolis, Minn. Pictured front row, from left, Jennifer Selke, facilitator; Debbie Jennings, Keota; Jamie Booth, Panola; Cindy Hollingshead, Crowder; Flo Gillespie, Talihina; “Pete the FISH!;” Loretta Farmer, Whitesboro; Suzanne Prock and Marlyn Coy, Red Oak; Jeanne Lenox, Canadian; Jennifer Hunt, Hartshorne; Cary Ammons, Clayton; Fenessa Little, GEAR UP Education Coordinator and Lorrie Russ, GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator. Second row, Paul Jennings, Keota; Linda Morgan, GEAR UP Project Director; Jayme Nixon, Quinton; Kathy Smith, Antlers; Deward Palmer, McCurtain; Emily Stone, Indianola; Mary Atkinson, Wilburton; Tracy Matthews, Canadian and Cecil Hallmark and Bryan Adams, Haileyville. Third row, Dara Ward, GEAR UP Education Coordinator; Rosalinda McClary, Quinton; Ramona Buckner, GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator; Roseanna Sorrells, Rattan; Pamela Matthews, Antlers; Michelle Birchfield, Rattan; Iva Dawkins, Hartshorne; Bonnie Strickland, McAlester and Delores Blessing-Hawkins, Indianola. Fourth row, Jerry Mathews, Buffalo Valley; Becky Bryant, McCurtain; LaDonna Baldwin, GEAR UP Education Coordinator; James Dominick, Clayton; Wallena Dominic, Panola; Krista Curley, Talihina; Janice Gray, Crowder; John Christensen, author/developer of FISH! philosophy; Deborah Williams, McAlester; Nicole Cook, GEAR UP Education Coordinator; Stephen Yandell, Buffalo Valley and William Back, Wilburton.

Created May 18, 2007 by Webmaster