Great Expectations Recognizes First-Ever 'Model District'

Norman, Okla. – Great Expectations, a non-profit foundation that provides intensive professional development to teachers and administrators, announces Bartlesville Public School District in Oklahoma, as a Model District – the first school district in the U.S. to hold the title. For the third consecutive year, every school in the district has been named a Model School.

To be named a Great Expectations Model School, over 90 percent of the teachers must successfully implement all of the classroom practices on a daily basis. The school’s principal must also model the classroom practices, and the school needs to serve as a standard from which other administrators and educators can learn.

“To become a Model School is very difficult for most schools, so being named a Model District is a testament to the wonderful work Bartlesville is accomplishing,” said Linda Dzialo, Ph.D, president and CEO of Great Expectations. “The leadership in the district had a vision for the schools, and we applaud all of the educators, students, parents and administrators who earned this recognition.”

The Great Expectations training model is guided by six basic tenets and 17 classroom practices. The tenets and practices provide guidelines for program training and implementation, and they serve as standards for evaluating Great Expectations schools.

The basic tenets include:

  • High expectations
  • Teacher attitude and responsibility
  • Building self-esteem
  • All children can learn
  • Climate of mutual respect
  • Teacher knowledge and skill

More than 50,000 educators have attended Great Expectations training since 1991, and more than 350,000 students are taught by Great Expectations teachers every year. There are currently trained educators in 18 states in America, the Virgin Islands, Mexico and Japan.

About Great Expectations
Great Expectations is a school transformation model that emphasizes a climate of mutual respect and academic excellence. Founded in 1991, the non-profit foundation provides intensive professional training to teachers and administrators that promote improved student self-esteem, attendance, discipline and parent participation –all of which result in improved student achievement. Great Expectations has a presence throughout Oklahoma and seven other states.

Featured

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • T&T Construction Management Group Completes Pasco High School Expansion

    Pasco High School in Dade City, Fla., recently announced that it has completed an expansion project in partnership with T&T Construction Management Group, Inc., Harvard Jolly Architecture, and Williams Company.