Oklahoma education briefs for Feb. 7

A Putnam City Schools administrator will be the head of the new downtown John W. Rex Charter Elementary School. Joe Pierce was the executive director of curriculum and instruction for Putnam City Schools. He was replaced Monday night by Patricia Balenseifen, a longtime Putnam City administrator, according to the school district. The school is expected to be constructed by mid-2014.

STILLWATER

OSU student is chosen for forum

An Oklahoma State University graduate student is among 30 college students nationwide selected to attend the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2013 Agricultural Outlook Forum. The forum will be Feb. 21-22 in Arlington, Va. Jeremy Bennett was selected for his response to the essay prompt “The Greatest Challenge Facing Agriculture over the Next Five Years.”

ALVA

NWOSU singers plan trip to China

A group of singers from Northwestern Oklahoma State University will tour China next month, performing American music. The University Singers will spend eight days in China on the group's first tour abroad. The tour is expected to draw about 6,000 attendees. Two dozen students will take the trip to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. They are Keyton Byrd, Shelby Carpenter, Shanae Joachims, Tyson Joachims, Isi Ofiu, Latasha Thrash and Riley Wiebener, of Alva; Shayna Hamilton, of Arnett; Maggie Linville, of Beaver; Dagan James, of Boise City; Alex Skinner, of Burkburnett, Texas; Aaron Ford, of Cheyenne; Morgan Biaggi, of Dalhart, Texas; Kenneith McIntosh, of Del City; Scott Bartley, of Enid; Erin Hopkins, of Fairview; Jordon Little, of Greensburg, Kan.; Daniel Cano, Drew Faulkner and Josh Faulkner, of Hooker; Naicee Gugelmeyer, of Kiowa, Kan.; Jorge Romero, of Laverne; Rachel Lugendo, of Lewisville, Texas; Dalton Lamberth, of Sharon; Dustin Cox, of Texhoma; Michael Brown, of Watonga; Hanson Long, of Waynoka; and Sara Acosta and Lauren Turner, of Woodward.