Champions of Change
Christine Harrison is the principal of Millwood Arts Academy and Freshman Academy in Oklahoma City, OK. She received her undergraduate degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, her master’s from Langston University, her administrative certification from the University of Central Oklahoma, and is pursuing a Doctorate of Education at the University of Oklahoma. A lifelong Oklahoman and faithful member of Holy Temple Baptist Church, Christine is known for her strong leadership and her ability to motivate the unmotivated. She and her husband, Rev. Kenneth Harrison, have two daughters, Ebonie and Kiya, one son, Khristofer, and one granddaughter, Serenitee. Christine’s seventeen years as a classroom teacher garnered many awards, including being selected as Millwood Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year on multiple occasions. She has spent the past 15 years polishing her skills as a top-notch principal-facilitator. Other roles at Millwood have included assistant principal, special education director, district tests coordinator, gifted and talented teacher/coordinator, founder of Soaring High (students’ test preparation program) and curriculum director. In 2006, Millwood Public Schools’ board and Superintendent Gloria Griffin envisioned a new approach for success for students: Millwood Arts Academy. Under Christine’s dynamic leadership, Millwood opened its doors to the school-within-a-school, supported by the Potts Family Foundation, focusing on arts integration in the classroom. Due to recurring results of academic gains and a continuous decrease in student suspensions, the school was a 2009 recipient of the One Nomination Award. Christine credits the partnership with the Oklahoma A+ Schools network and its support as a crucial piece of the school’s success, along with a creative staff. In 2009, Christine was selected to participate in Leadership Oklahoma City, Class Twenty-Seven. She uses her transformational leadership skills and knowledge to get the best out of teachers, students, and parents. Wearing many hats, Christine is also the director of Millwood’s award-winning Parent University. This program allows parents to build parenting skills and learn effective ways to partner with the school in the child’s academic success. Parent University promotes parental involvement and participation in the advancement of social, emotional, and academic growth of children. As her latest accomplishment, Christine started the OCMABSE (Oklahoma City Metropolitan Alliance of Black School Educators) Principals’ Network. Christine believes that collaboration and reflective practices are fundamentally effective tools in education, and that an education devoid of the arts is not an education at all. Christine plans to, one day, open a professional development business for teachers.