Year-end reflection is a common occurrence and something I’ve included in each late December column over my past decade with the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation. This year feels different as I prepare to leave a role I have cherished to embark on a new chapter.
The past 10 years have been transformational for the OKCPS Foundation, and it has been the most rewarding and challenging work of my career. We’ve developed key focus areas that: Provide innovative support to teachers/classrooms/schools; support efforts to recruit and retain urban ready teachers and leaders; and build advocates for OKCPS. This may sound simple, but it is anything but. We recently executed Memorandums of Understanding with OKCPS Superintendent Jamie Polk that codifies our work, further solidifying our innovative approach working together as partners.
The programs developed within each focus area continue to create measurable impact and none were created without significant collaboration and partnerships. Below is a snapshot of just a few of our programs. Much more about our work can be found at www.okckids.com .