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Rosa Parks Elementary

Welcome to Rosa Parks Elementary School.  Rosa Parks is the 12th elementary school in Union and opened in August of 2006.  Our school serves more than 600 ethnically diverse students and includes children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Our mascot is the Trailblazer!

We are very proud of our name, Rosa Parks Elementary School.  The name was selected by a committee of patrons, educators and students and approved by the Board of Education in the spring of 2006.  Rosa Louise McCauley Parks (Feb. 4, 1913 – Oct. 24, 2005) was an African American seamstress and civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress dubbed the "Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement".  Her role in American history earned her an iconic status in American culture, and her actions have left an enduring legacy for civil rights movements around the world.

Rosa Parks Elementary School
13702 E. 46th Place South
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74134-5919

Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
School Hours - Monday-Thursday: 7:50 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. / Friday: 8:15 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

Main Phone: (918) 357-2757
Fax: (918) 357-6899

Union Student Safety HelpLine - 918-461-HELP (4357)

Principal Karen Vance

Administrative Intern Paige Lindemann

Community School Coordinator Erin Velez
Counselor Suzanne Schneider 918-357-6869

Resources - Clinic Schedule

Food Menu Buses Handbook Extended Day Grades

Test Scores Library/Destiny EBSCO Health Corner NCLB Annual Reports Title I Plan

Enrollment/School Supplies Community Programs Community News Monthly Calendar Summer School Education Oversight Reports

“To this day I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom." -- Rosa Parks

Our Philosophy

We believe that all children can learn and are entitled to quality instruction in an environment which is both safe and nurturing. We believe that educating our students is the responsibility of the family, school and community. 

Our Vision

We envision a school community which provides each student with the necessary skills to confidently meet a diverse and ever-changing world. We envision a school community where each student has a positive sense of self and respect for others. We envision a school community which encourages each student to believe they can positively impact and contribute to the world around them.

Our Mission

It is the mission of Rosa Park Elementary School to create a positive school culture that is conducive to learning; set high standards and accountability for learning; facilitate and implement an instructional program that maximizes student learning; and comprehensively engage parents and community in support of the school’s goals.

At Rosa Parks, we are interested in students, teachers and families developing long-term relationships to better meet the needs of individual learners.  We will be participating in multi-year relationships by having many teachers stay with the same students for two years.  For example, if a child is in kindergarten, he or she will stay with the kindergarten and first grade teaching team for two years. Teams of teachers will also loop from second to third and fourth to fifth.  We know that the relationship of teachers to student, to the parents, to other teachers, and to the curriculum, is critical throughout a child’s education.

Community Schools

Union Public Schools participates in the Tulsa Area Community Schools Initiative (TACSI.) The community school’s philosophy supports school personnel, parents, neighbors and community partners working together so our children can participate in a strong instructional program by living and learning in safe and supportive environments.

Core components of a community school are:

• Early childhood (0-8)
• Core instructional programs
• Health / health education
• Mental health / social services
• Family / community engagement
• Youth development / out-of-school time
• Neighborhood development
• Life-long learning

As a Community School, we are fortunate to have a health clinic in our school through the OU Bedlam Alliance for Community Health. To find out more information on how to access medical services at Rosa Parks you can go to http://tulsa.ou.edu/medicine/bedlam/index.htm. 

The relationships we have with other support agencies is crucial to our student success. 

Core Instructional Programs

• The school and classrooms are focused on developing and supporting a learning community through our Character Counts Program and Keystone Curriculum. We strive to promote a culture of respect for diversity and positive character development in a climate that is safe and encouraging. 
• Balanced, comprehensive reading instruction featuring a wide variety of literature resources and specific skills instruction, including the services of reading specialists and ELL staff. 
• Writing across the curriculum including writer’s workshop in every classroom.
• Technology incorporated as an integral part of each elementary classroom. Classrooms and labs have Internet access. Up-to-date hardware and software ensure that students benefit from technology resources.
• Media center which supports the total academic program through extensive collections of materials for students’ use.
• Science lab where inquiry-based science instruction endorsed by the National Science Foundation and designed to ensure students master national science standards.
• Social sciences integrated into the curriculum. Inquiry-based math instruction designed to ensure students maintain national math standards.
• Gifted/Talented services as well as enrichment opportunities for all students.
• Special Education services
• Fine Arts program including music and art education

Early Childhood (0-8)

• Linkages transition team
• Rosa Parks Early Childhood Center
• Full-day three-year-old program
• Home-based program
• Full-day pre-kindergarten
• Full-day kindergarten

Health/Health Education

• School nurse, R.N., daily
• OU Physicians Community Health Clinic
• Tulsa City County Health Department - It’s All About Kids program
• Dental, vision and hearing screenings
• Breakfast in a Bag
• Physical education program
• Open Airways - asthma education program

Mental Health/Social Services

• Full time counselor
• Anti-bullying program
• Family and Children’s Services, full-time therapist
• Love and Logic School
• Homeless support services
• Community resources and referrals

Family/Community Engagement

PTA After-school tutoring Southeast Rotary Summer School Klothes Kloset Literacy nights

Neighborhood development Girl Scouts Boy Scouts Camp Fire Global Gardens community nights

Hispanic parent meetings TACSI site team Junior Achievement Family resource materials Extended Day Program

Neighborhood Development

• Quail Creek Neighborhood Association
• OK Urban Design Neighborhood Development
• Partnerships with apartment complexes
• Member of East Tulsa Prevention Coalition

Life-long Learning

• Adult/Community Education
• Health Education programs
• Parent Resource information events
• Focus on Graduation for all students

Youth Development/Out of School Time

YMCA Go Club Trailblazer Choir Tutoring Global Gardens

Fine Arts Student Council Character Counts!

Peer Mediation Scouting Camp Fire

Principal Biographies

Karen Vance earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Oklahoma State University. She received two master’s degrees in elementary school administration and in reading, both from Northeastern State University.

Mrs. Vance has been principal of Rosa Parks since 2006; previously, she served as principal of McAuliffe Elementary School from 2000-2006. She has also served as principal of Washington Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona; as professional development director of Simon & Schuster Publishing, administrative assistant for Curriculum and Instruction, principal and teacher at Jenks Public Schools and as a teacher for Broken Arrow Public Schools. Mrs. Vance has been in the education field since 1978.

Mrs. Vance is married to Barry Vance; they have one son, Jeremy.  She enjoys spending a great deal of time at Grand Lake as well as reading and spending time with family - which includes a household of dogs and cats. Mrs. Vance also volunteers her support to benefit the abandoned animal population in Oklahoma.

 Paige Lindemann was named administrative intern for Rosa Parks Elementary School in the summer of 2012. Lindemann comes to Union from Jenks Public Schools where she taught fifth grade. She is pursuing a doctorate in education in school administration, curriculum and supervision at the University of Oklahoma. She earned her master’s degree in school administration from Northeastern State University and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa in elementary education with a minor in art.