It has been almost a month since we had our bond election and I’m still excited for the message our community sent about the direction of Guthrie Public Schools. My office has a storage closet near my desk. Shortly after I became Superintendent, I went through the contents of the closet and found a collection […]
On Tuesday, April 2nd, voters who reside inside the boundary of the Guthrie school district will vote on a bond issue that could provide the next segment of needs identified to continue providing a quality education for our community. The priorities laid out were proposed by the most recent long range planning committee as well […]
You would be hard pressed to find a school district or community in Oklahoma that has had a tougher sixty days than Guthrie. We have endured the tragic death of four students as well as others that were taken far too soon. January 27th is always a difficult day for me as I lost friends […]
I’m thankful that mother nature has been kind as the spring semester has gotten off to a smooth start. This Sunday, January 27th, we will host a public open house for the community to tour Charter Oak Elementary School from 2:00 until 3:30 p.m. We will have a short ceremony at 2 p.m. in the cafeteria […]
Just recently, I attended a public event at Charter Oak Elementary where a group of Guthrie High School students called the Pied Pipers performed for younger children. It was the first truly public event to be held in the building. This group normally performs at Central Elementary but on this day, they chose Charter Oak. […]
To say we have undergone some changes with Guthrie Public Schools this fall would be a drastic understatement. We changed the configuration of our elementary education delivery for Pre-K through fourth graders from grade centers (all students of each grade attend school in the same place) to attendance zones based on where you live. Additionally […]
In the summer of 2013, the Guthrie Public School’s Long Range Planning Committee delivered a list of priorities to our Board of Education. The list was the culmination of nine months of meetings and study to ultimately improve our school district. Some of the priorities involved improving facilities which many of you have noticed. It […]
The Oklahoma Association of School Administrators (OASA), a member organization of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA), announced Guthrie’s Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson has been selected as the OASA District #3, Superintendent of the Year for 2018.
I am a person who enjoys a routine. Needless to say, the last three weeks have been anything but routine for a parent, school employee, legislator or just someone driving around Guthrie at 7:45 a.m. on a weekday.
I had originally reserved this column for commentary on what I hoped would be a fully funded pay raise so desperately needed for our teachers. After last Monday, it appears the political gridlock that has become our state government will continue. It appears such gridlock has become business as usual in our state. I had […]
In the next few days, parents of our students will receive a sheet of paper listing test results for their child. The results are from the mandatory Oklahoma School Testing Program assessments administered last spring. Given in grades 3-8 and 10, these tests measured knowledge and skills from the new and comprehensive Oklahoma Academic Standards, […]
Normally, I try to write a column each month about issues significant with education in our community. You may have noticed that I skipped last month. I was waiting and hoping for some resolution from our state legislature which has been in special session since September 25th. Sadly, we continue to wait as government gridlock […]
I was reviewing some old documents when I ran across a column I wrote in the spring of my first year in Guthrie. I find it as relevant today as it was then. Because of the timely relevance, I’m choosing to re-print it with minimal editing.
Meridian Technology Center employees and Guthrie community leaders gather to celebrate the purchase of a 20-acre site that will serve as a future Guthrie campus.
The Meridian Technology Center Board of Education has purchased property that will serve as a future campus in Guthrie and expand services to residents in the southern part of its district. The 20-acre site will be home to a future expansion of the school’s Stillwater campus. “Meridian Technology Center has a long history of working […]
Several years ago, I was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System. This was before the days of paperless meetings.
Last Sunday morning, while the kids were getting ready for church I was reading yet another dismal forecast for revenue to education in our state. It detailed lower than planned tax collections for this fiscal year and the effects to core services in our state. I must admit, I’ve gotten fairly proficient at tuning out […]
In October, I wrote about the challenges we face as a state to recruit and retain the best possible teachers for the classroom.
Since coming to Guthrie in 2012, I’ve learned to appreciate the vastness of the Bluejay Nation. Also, with improved travel, internet and social media, the world today is much smaller than the world of generations past. I continue to be reminded of this through occasions where people I’ve known for many years also have a Guthrie connection.
Superintendent of Guthrie Public Schools Dr. Mike Simpson shares his monthly column.
When I think of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving has always been at the very top. I’m not sure if it is the meal or the time away from school. Maybe the chance to eat the meal, followed by football or even an opportunity to eat leftovers later that day.
As I watch the Summer Olympic Games, I’m reminded of two things: success normally follows intentional preparation and time doesn’t stand still. Both of these principles are alive and well at Guthrie Public Schools as we continue to prepare our students for the world ahead.
