a scholastic success story
ENGLISH
There’s a quiet revolution taking place in East Tulsa, but this is a revolution free from politics or social upheaval. This is a revolution in how public education responds to children who are too often sidelined and disenfranchised, Latino kids, immigrant kids, and kids with big dreams but whose families can’t afford to send them to private schools.
ENGLISH Rising up to lead this revolution is Tulsa Honor Academy, an independently operated charter school under the umbrella of Tulsa Public Schools. Applications for 5th, 6th, and 7th graders to attend THA in the 2017-2018 school year are now being accepted, with a deadline of January 31.
La Semana had the privilege of visiting Tulsa Honor Academy (THA) last week, and what we found there was an atmosphere of eager learning on the part of the students and enthusiastic engagement on the part of the teachers.
Pervading the school from the classrooms to the hallways are THA’s core values of respect, enthusiasm, determination, integrity, and team, guiding principles that are evinced by the students’ exemplary behavior, the clean and well organized classrooms, and the school’s early academic successes. Although just in its second year of operation, THA can boast test scores that would be the envy of any school.
At Tulsa Honor Academy the instructors do more than just lecture their students – they also teach by example. At the entrance to every classroom there are signs listing the books that teacher is currently reading, books that may be far afield from the teacher’s official subject matter.
“We love literacy and we know that the only way that we can increase literacy within our children is if they are invested in it and they think it’s fun,” THA Lead Founder and Head of School Elsie Urueta told La Semana, “and so we model for them that we are readers as well and that we love it too.”
Where other schools have “walk-athons” to raise funds, THA holds “reada-thons” where sponsors contribute based on the number of books students complete.
As a public school Tulsa Honor Academy, located at 2525 South 101st East Avenue, is completely free of charge, but space is limited. The only requirement is that you live in the Tulsa Public Schools district.
For the coming school year there are 112 spots open for incoming fifth graders, but with an 85% student retention rate there are far fewer spots open for the sixth and seventh grades.
THA staff and volunteers will be canvassing targeted neighborhoods on Saturday, Dec. 10 to hand out and accept applications and provide information about the school. If you would like your house to be included, please call (918) 833-9420 and leave your name and address.
You can also apply online. Applications in both English and Spanish are available at www.tulsahonoracademy.org. Just click on the “enroll now” button.
Tulsa Honor Academy has an “open door” policy and provides tours of the school to interested members of the community. At a time when most news about public schools is far from positive, call the school and take the tour to see how a small group of teachers, staff, and students are part of a big and important change. (La Semana)