The Truity Education Foundation continues its loyal support of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation (BPS Foundation) with a generous donation of $100,000 to fund the addition of six school resource officers (“SROs”) to the three in place at the beginning of the school year. The Foundation also contributed $17,000 to support Bartlesville students’ participation in Junior Achievement.
Bartlesville Public Schools District (the “District”) continues to prioritize safety. To that end, the District is in the process of adding six SROs over the next ten months to the three SROs in place at the beginning of this school year. By increasing the number of SROs assigned to the District, each school campus will have its own SRO stationed primarily at that campus for the full school day.
SROs have a broad range of responsibilities. Their roles are defined by the National Association of School Resource Officers. SROs are expected to maintain safety, enforce the law, and keep the peace. They are also tasked with mentoring, serving as an informal counselor, and leading education discussions on topics like internet safety, stranger danger, safe driving, and due process. The District’s SROs take a proactive approach to policing. They strive to cultivate positive relationships with students, maintain open communication, and focus on character development.
The SROs are trained and employed by the Bartlesville Police Department and assigned to serve in the District, which is responsible for funding approximately seventy-five percent of the SROs’ salary with the remaining twenty-five percent covered by the police department. Therefore, community support for the SRO program, like that provided by the Truity Education Foundation, is crucial for the District to maintain the positions.
“The Truity Education Foundation is a valued community partner,” said BPS Foundation Executive Director Blair Ellis. “Each year, the Foundation’s contribution gives our schools the ability to expand and improve existing projects and bring in innovative programming for our teachers and students. This year’s contribution is no different – the Foundation is helping to ensure the safety of our schools, teachers, and students.”
In addition to providing support for the SRO program, the Truity Education Foundation is providing $17,000 to support Junior Achievement and the Junior Achievement BizTown experience that fifth graders participate in each year. BizTown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town. It allows students to operate banks, manage restaurants, write checks, and vote for mayor. The experience allows students to apply what they learn in school to the real world.
Community members are encouraged to contact Blair Ellis, the executive director of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation, for more information on how they can support school safety or other BPS Foundation programs. She can be reached at ellisb@bps-ok.org and (918) 336-8600 ext. 3523. Supporters can also donate through the Foundation’s website: bpsfoundation.org.