State Quality Team Award Goes to Oklahoma School for the Deaf
SULPHUR, Okla. – With 74 strong various state agency competitors, the Oklahoma School for the Deaf’s (OSD) “Blazes New Trails,” a national, biennial conference for the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC), won a Commendation for Excellence as well as the specialty award, Motivating the Masses, not to mention also being a finalist for the specialty award, Going the Extra Mile.
Through the fun county western theme, OSD developed a program that strove to ensure the development and continued support for deaf children’s education by bringing together families, professionals and members of the community along with a special focus on the newest research and trends happening in deaf education.
According to the OPM website, each year Oklahoma Personnel Management hosts Quality Oklahoma Team Day at the state capitol to recognize successful projects completed by agency work teams. These projects demonstrate employee initiative, collaboration, and accomplishment. Since the first Team Day in 1993, 638 agency work teams have exhibited projects resulting in over $410 million in total savings to the state of Oklahoma
“A commendation for excellence is a special honor that anyone would be proud of, but to also be given one of the six specialty awards is exceptional,” Mike O’Brien, DRS director said. “I know that everyone at the school really worked hard making this conference a huge success and I am really proud of them.
“I really appreciate that Larry (Hawkins) and his crew wanted to do this, it shows our commitment to the students’ education. Parental involvement is paramount to student success and their quality of life.”
OSD committee chairs who worked on the conference included Larry Hawkins, Carolyne Paradiso, KaAnn Varner, Ruth Ann Shores, Brent Behrens, Jack Tucker, Starla Allen, Arlene Mink, Thomas Thompson, Darliene McClellan, Trina Ellis, Betty Stephens, Traci Prince, Harvey Stinson, Jason Hargis, Gary Mink, Gary Almon, Lauren Lawer and Kathy Stroyick. One hundred percent of OSD staff members were involved in the event.
“The conference was also a finalist for another specialty award, the Extra Mile Award. This proves how impressive this event truly was,” O’Brien said.
The school is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), the state agency that assists Oklahomans with disabilities through vocational rehabilitation, education, employment, independent living programs and the determination of medical eligibility for disability benefits.
OSD has been located in Sulphur since 1908. OSD provides residential and day school educational services at no charge for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The school provides a range of outreach programs, including pre-school programs and onsite consultation for public school students, their families, public school districts and communities statewide.