Inola Independent 09/24/2014

September 25, 2014 3:07 pm /

Teachers and adminis-
trators are not surprised by
the A-F grades recently re-
leased. Te report card did
what it was intended to do:
label students and teachers
without providing addi-
tional funding, resources or
support to help schools im-
prove teaching and learn-
ing. To paraphrase the old
saying, Te bullying will
continue until morale im-
proves.
Were ready for elected
ofcials to stop grandstand-
ing and do something that
helps public education, like
restore the $200 million
in funding weve lost since
2008 while gaining 40,000
students.
Researchers from the
University of Oklahoma
and Oklahoma State Uni-
versity examined the A-F
Grading System last year
and found the methodol-
ogy to be so bad that we
should scrap it and start
over. But no changes were
made to the system.
Te grades are like
cooking with a bad recipe
and using bad ingredients.
You shouldnt be surprised
that what you cook up
tastes bad.
We support account-
ability and assessments.
However, assessments
should be used to inform
and improve instruction.
Tey should be relevant to
students, useful to parents
and educators, and free
from manipulation by pol-
iticians
Page 4 ~ September 24, 2014 ~ Inola Independent
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are the opinions of the contributor,
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the property of Te Independent.
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Fax: 918-543-8624
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Inola Public School District - Child Find
Child Find is a public awareness activity to locate, evaluate and iden-
tify children ages 3 through 21 years of age who may have disabilities
defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A
child with a disability means a child evaluated and determined eligible
for special education and related services in accordance with IDEA un-
der the following categories:
Autism, Deaf-Blindness, Deaf or Hearing Impairment, Emotional Distur-
bance, Intellectual Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impair-
ment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or
Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Visual Impairment, and
Developmental Delay.
Inola Public School District is responsible for locating, evaluating and
identifying children with disabilities who live within the district bound-
aries. All eligible children with disabilities beginning at age three (3),
who are residents of the Inola Public School District, have a right to a
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as mandated by the Individu-
als with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The specific special education
and related services for eligible children ages 3-21 will be determined
by the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team members based on
that particular childs unique needs.
If you have a preschool aged child or you are a parent of a child attending
a private school, and you suspect your child may have a disability or is
exhibiting delays in his/her development, and you are a resident of the
Inola Public School District, please contact Tracy Mootry, Special Educa-
tion Director, at (918) 543-3104.
If your child is already enrolled and is attending one of the Inola Pub-
lic School Districts sites, please visit with your childs teacher, school
counselor or the Special Education Director about your concerns regard-
ing your childs development, or that you suspect your child may have a
disability.
Collection of Personal Identifiable Information:
Educational records containing personally identifiable information col-
lected by schools in the identification, location, screening, and evaluation
of children shall be maintained in accordance with Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Policies and Procedures for Spe-
cial Education in Oklahoma. School districts develop and implement a
local policy regarding the collection, storage, disclosure, and destruction
of confidential student records. Parents may obtain a copy of the local
policy from their LEA.
The Rights of Parents and Children Regarding Personally Identifi-
able Information in Accordance with FERPA:
Before any major identification, location, or evaluation, schools shall pro-
vide notice to parents. Accommodations for other language or means of
communications may be provided upon request. Such notice shall occur
at least annually prior to conducting these activities and shall include the
rights of parents under FERPA.
Letter To Te Editor
Hello All,
THANK YOU for
making a difference in our
community!!!
Those of you that
helped with our last Inola
Volunteer Day of Caring
(My Inola Clean-up Day
in May)
I enjoyed working with
each one of you and your
families. For those of you
that have just signed up for
the first time to help out
with this up-coming
My Inola Fresh Paint Days,
I am looking forward to
working with you as well. I
am also sending this out to
some that havent signed
up, but I am hoping are
interested in helping out
again. We need your help.
We are in need of 25
volunteers each day.. You
can sign up for one or both
days as you wish.
S/Deb Williamson
2014 My Inola Fresh
Paint Days
Inola Health and Rehab
has a new smoking policy .
Te policy went into
efect the frst of September.
Te residents are classed
in three categories.Tey are
#1 Independent. A resident
can check out cigarettes
and smoke whenever they
wish in designated smoking
areas. After a smoking
session the resident must
return lighter and cigarettes
to the staf.
#2 Dependent. Te
resident must follow the
designated timed smoking
policy.
A staf member must
supervise and assist in the
lighting and handing out
the cigarettes. Smoking
must be in the designated
smoking area. Te staf
will keep the cigarettes and
lighter in their possession
at all times.
#3 E-Cigs are allowed
in residents room with
authorization from
roommates. Te smoking
assessments must be
completed to determine
ability to be independent
or dependent. Smoking
will no be allowed in the
dining room living room
and . Residents must
observe smoking times and
designated smoking areas.
All cigarettes are to be
checked in to the nurses
station. All the residents
or potential residents that
are smokers will be assessed
upon admission every three
months and as needed
by the social services
department.
Tere will be seven 15-
20 minute smoking times
during the day.
I have a love afair with
books. So it is not unusual
for someone to give me
a book as a gift. One
such book was entitled,
Amazing Bible Trivia: Over
5,000 Bible Questions and
Answers. It is interesting,
and challenging, and
sometimes embarrassing
to see how well you can do
answering the questions.
My problem is this: First,
since it is trivia that means
it is probably simple and I
should know the answer.
Secondly, my problem is
that fact that anything
that is recorded in the
Scriptures, the Sacred
Writings would be called
trivial. If it is from God
then it is important. Now I
would not say all Scripture
is all equal. I make it my
goal to read through the
Good Book each year, but
I must confess I struggle to
keep from getting bogged
down in the details for
the construction of the
tabernacle in the book
of Exodus or the rules
and regulations in the
book of Leviticus, or in
the list of genealogies in
I Chronicles. Truthfully,
probably the only game
of trivia where I have a
half way decent chance of
winning would be game
of Biblical Trivial Pursuit.
It is important to know
the Word of God, but it is
more important to know
the God of the Word. It
is important for you to get
into the Word of God, it is
more important for you to
get Gods Word into you.
Te Bible was not written
simply for our information,
it was written for our
transformation. God
wants us to come to know
Him in a real and personal
way. Nothing will change
your life like a growing
personal relationship with
God and His Son, Jesus
Christ. Jesus said, Now
this is eternal life: that they
know you, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ,
whom you have sent.
(John 17:3)
By Congressman
Markwayne Mullin
As Oklahomans, we can
never let down our guard
from whatever Mother Na-
ture sends our way.
September is National
Preparedness Month and
that is a great reminder for
us all that we need to get
and stay prepared.
From tornados, to
foods, earthquakes, wind
storms and ice, Oklaho-
mans must maintain a
constant level of prepared-
ness. Sometimes the hustle
and bustle of everyday life
distracts us from checking
the batteries in the fash-
lights or clearing the clutter
out of wherever it is we go
when the tornado sirens
sound. But ultimately it is
our responsibility to be pre-
pared.
By Rep. Ben Sherrer
Sometimes it seems like
our smartphones and mo-
bile devices are attached to
our hands. Its not hard to
understand why these de-
vices have become so much
a part of our lives. For
many, their smartphone
has virtually replaced their
desktop computer with the
power of information and
communication from the
palm of our hands. Most
of us instinctively reach for
our phones whenever we
hear a ring or a chirp, or
feel a vibration.
Most of the time, this
instinct is harmless. But
many people still feel that
compulsive urge to reach
for their smartphones even
when they are driving, and
that can lead to tragic con-
sequences. In fact, Ive no-
ticed that the driver with-
out a smartphone in their
hand is now almost the
exception, rather than the
rule. Tats why, on this
It Can Wait Awareness
Day, I want to plead for
our communitys collective
commitment to be smart
with our in-vehicle phone
usage.
While we know that
drivers of all ages text and
drive, it is important that
we, as parents and adults,
set an example by putting
away the cell phone and
model safe behavior behind
the wheel.
A recent study by
AT&T shows that Seven-
ty-seven percent of teens
have seen their parents text
and drive and nearly half
of commuters self-reported
texting while driving even
though more than 98% of
those surveyed said they
know it isnt safe.
We need to all work
together to commit to
distraction-free driving.
I encourage everyone to
visit www.itcanwait.com
and take the pledge to
never text and drive. Tis
eye-opening campaign goes
even further by asking par-
ticipants to not only join
the movement, but also
spread the word that when
you text and drive, you put
not only your life and those
in your car in danger, but
all others in your path.
Tat is simply a gamble
that no one can win.
Oklahoma is now one of
only 6 states that does not
have an outright ban on
all texting while driving.
Our law applies to learners
permit holders and public
transportation.
Tink about that last
text you sent. Was it worth
your life or another inno-
cent persons? Te simple
fact is that when it comes
to texting while driving, no
text is worth dying for. It
can and should wait.
Over 5 million people
have taken the It can wait
pledge and I urge you to
join me and do the same.
Until next time, God bless
you.
Inola Health And Rehab
Has New Smoking Policy
Goes Into Efect First Of September
Dr. Shaws Prescription
No Text is Worth Dying For It Can Wait
Check Your Emergency
Preparedness Plans
Bad Recipe + Bad Ingredients
= Bad Taste
Statement from OEA Vice President Alicia Priest
on the results of the A-F Grading Report
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