Education
OC appoints new Honors Program director
EDMOND — Dr. Scott LaMascus will serve as director of Oklahoma Christian University’s Honors Program starting with the 2009-10 academic year.
LaMascus, an OC graduate himself, has taught in the Department of Language and Literature for the past ten years. During that time, he chaired the department during a phase of growth from 37 majors to 117. In addition to a focus on strategic planning and academic excellence, he championed the establishment of the McBride Center for Faith and Literature, which brings to campus high-profile speakers such as Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. Marilynne Robinson and former U.S. Poet Laureate Dr. Robert Pinsky.
Dr. Allison Garrett, vice president for academic affairs, said, “Along with other faculty in the Language and Literature Department, Dr. LaMascus has worked closely with OC students to bring national prominence to the department through the presentation of papers at national conferences and the recent recognition of OC’s student literary journal as the top journal of its type in the nation. He will bring tremendous experience, as well as a great love for OC and its students to this new role.”
During his tenure as chair, the department also redesigned its facilities, built a model assessment and planning process, established the Community Literacy service project, and expanded the OC Writing Center.
As an active teacher in the OC Honors Program while it has been under the direction of Dr. Bailey McBride, LaMascus repeatedly taught in the Western Thought and Expression courses. “I always have enjoyed the Honors students and one of the highlights of my career has been the chance to co-teach with colleagues such as Dr. Cami Agan, Dr. John Maple, and Dr. McBride,” LaMascus said. “I am looking forward to getting opportunities to champion the program and to work with these amazing students who come to study at OC.”
McBride has led OC’s Honors Program since 1996. During this time, the program has grown both in numbers of students and in quality. Since inception, many OC students have gone through the Honors Program and had the opportunity to work closely with him. McBride will work closely with LaMascus during the transition period and will remain involved in teaching Honors and Language & Literature courses.
“The Honors Program is a significant step toward preparing the best students from all departments for leadership and scholarship,” McBride said. “Dr. LaMascus has a record of success in developing significant projects from planning to implementation. He will be sensitive to the development of all students.”
- Education
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Summit puts finishing touches on new construction
Summit Middle School students settled into their new surroundings the first day of school in the fall, and this week finishing touches are being added to the Fine Arts classrooms of the new wing.
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Schools set makeup dates for snow days
Edmond Public Schools will make up the two additional snow days taken this week by eliminating a teacher in-service day scheduled for Feb. 15, and tacking on one extra day to the end of the school year.
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School nutrition pilot program to expand
The scorecard is in and Edmond Public Schools Child Nutrition pilot program earned high marks.
- 2-6 School calendars
- 2-6 School menus
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Edmond joins ‘Race to the Top’
The Edmond Public School District is joining other districts across the state in pursuing a Race to the Top federal discretionary grant.
The U.S. Department of Education’s voluntary grant competition between the states is designed to foster education, innovation and reform that will lead to dramatic gains in student achievement. Nationally there is $4.5 billion available for this program, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality 2009 State Teacher Policy Yearbook. -
UCO Educators’ Leadership Academy set to begin
The University of Central Oklahoma-based Educators’ Leadership Academy is accepting applications for it’s 2010-11 academies designed for education professionals in Oklahoma.
ELA customizes each academy for the specialized needs of education professionals, and currently offers a Combination Academy for K-12, CareerTech and Higher Education Administrators, a Professors Academy, a Principals Academy, a Teachers Academy and a Higher Education Department Chair Academy. -
1-30 Calendar: Edmond schools
Memorial High School
Sunday
5-8 p.m.: Baseball Banquet, commons/cafe
Monday
8-9 a.m.: National FCCLA Week, Rooms 225 & 227
9:30-10 a.m.: Freshman Winter Sports Assembly, gym
9:40-10:10 a.m.: Key Club meeting, Room 283 -
1-30 Education: in brief
OSSM recognizes students of the month
Several students from Edmond made the Oklahoma School of Science and Math’s Students of the Month list in recent months.
Junior Grant Schleifer was recognized in October.
Matthew Stewart and Jing Zhang were recognized in November. -
North basketball clinic to benefit BALTO Week
Seventeen years ago, the Edmond North High School Student Council Leadership Class wanted to begin a charity week.
Swine Week at Edmond Memorial High School was already established, and some would argue that North copied their tradition, but the students began BALTO week, a week all their own.
“The name ‘BALTO Week’ is an acronym quite fitting to our school,” said North student Callie Heerwagen. - More Education Headlines
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