Riverwind Team Members Become Principal for a Day

Here at Riverwind, we take great pride in supporting the community in which we live. During this season of giving, we wanted to take a day and put ourselves in the shoes of a few of the hardest-working men and women in Norman.

A few weeks ago, as part of our partnership with the Norman Public School Foundation, members of our team participated in the organization’s Principal for a Day program, shadowing individuals at two local elementary schools. Our first stop was Eisenhower Elementary, which boasts a student population of nearly 600 and offers opportunities like Student Council, Book Club, Orchestra and Cougar Chorus. Riverwind’s team was particularly impressed with the advanced use of technology in the classrooms.

“There was one classroom that was able to record activities for their parents to see. It was awesome,” said Matthew T., operations manager.

Other activities and learning opportunities at Eisenhower Elementary include learning foreign languages like Chinese and Spanish and utilizing technology like MacBooks and iPads in the classroom.

“I was so impressed with the teachers,” said Marcy T., marketing manager. “I sat in a classroom with a teacher and three kindergarten students. They were counting with rods and blocks. They had to write the number first, then use the rods and blocks to count out the numbers. When they succeeded, the teacher was so happy that it brought goosebumps to her arms. She was just so happy to see all of her hard work paying off. It was a special sight to see.”

After our trip to Eisenhower, we dropped by Kennedy Elementary for our next visit. We quickly realized that many of the same learning opportunities and core structures were present at this school.

“To see two schools in different locations with the same phrasings and social cues for the children to help them integrate and react with other students was so impressive to me,” said Holden H., player services manager.

The innovation of each teacher’s individual teaching style captured our team’s attention during their visits to the schools.

“The teachers are so creative and make the best out of what they are given,” said Heather R., project manager. “It was a very neat experience getting to see inside the classrooms and gives me much hope for our future!”

After a full day of visiting schools, one thing was clear to the Riverwind team, and it’s the reason why we are so passionate about our partnership with the Norman Public School Foundation. The teachers that educate our students are integral in the cultivation and development of our community’s future.

Justin Y., general manager, put it best: “These teachers have a passion and goal to make each student thrive and be successful, and they are willing to help and assist each other. I look forward to more visits to Norman schools, will be encouraging all teachers to submit grants to the Norman Public School Foundation and, most of all, will be looking forward to handing out those grants to the teachers. That alone is the best part about partnering with the Norman Public School Foundation.”

If you would like more information on the Norman Public School Foundation or get involved, visit http://www.npsfok.com/.