ELMWOOD - An Elmwood teenager - who vanished from her home last Wednesday evening - returned early Saturday morning unharmed, according to Beaver County Sheriff Reuben Parker, Jr.

Eighteen-year-old Rebecca Skipper, who will be a senior at Beaver High School this fall, walked into her home early Saturday morning. After being interviewed by officers, Skipper told them she had been in the area the whole time and that she saw people looking for her - even late Friday night when a barking dog - one the owner said only barks at other people - put authorities on a high alert.

"She said that she saw the people looking for her when the dog was barking but she went north down the road and hid under a tree," Parker said. "She also said that God told her to go home, so that’s why she came home."

The ordeal began around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday evening when Rebecca left her home after an argument with her mother. Her parents thought she would come home after a while because she is afraid of the dark.

Deputies started a search for her around 11 p.m. and looked until 4 a.m. Thursday. An all out search started later Thursday with 171 people searing the area on four wheelers, horses and even a helicopter.

At dark, an airplane from the OSBI - armed with infrared technology - tried to find her with no success.

On Friday, another search was launched with approximately 151 people searching for Skipper. Again, the search ended at dark with her still termed missing.

"I personally want to thank all of the people from Beaver County, Texas County, Harper County and others from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and the Red Cross, Panhandle Baptist, the flight team from Woodward who came and flew with the helicopter - and anyone who I may have forgotten - for all of their help and donations with food and drinks," Parker said. "We could not have been able to do this without all of the help. Again, I want to say thanks to all of you for your help and prayers through all of this ordeal."

OKLAHOMA CITY - House Speaker Pro Tempore Gus Blackwell, a Goodwell Republican, recently led the Southern Legislative Leadership Conference in Taiwan to promote positive international relations.

Blackwell, appointed by House Speaker Lance Cargill to lead the delegation, spent July 8-13 in Taiwan meeting with foreign leaders and businessmen.

"This was a way to promote Oklahoma internationally while exchanging ideas and getting a fresh look at how other countries run their governments as well as their political, social and economic stances," Blackwell said. "We were able to come back with positive insight on building strong foreign relations and boosting Oklahoma’s global market."

Blackwell was accompanied by state representatives Dan Sullivan (R-Tulsa) and David Derby (R-Owasso) and House Chief of Staff Chad Warmington. They were also joined in this enterprise by state representatives from Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

The group met with many Taiwan dignitaries including the minister of foreign affairs, vice president of Taiwan’s legislative branch of government and the CEO of Taiwan’s fifth-largest cement factory. He is also CEO of another company with a business presence in Oklahoma.

Blackwell said the group also visited with the Environmental Protection Agency, and Taiwan Transit Authority followed by a tour of an aircraft manufacturing plant.

"The trip to Taiwan will be one I will never forget," Blackwell said. "They showed us so much hospitality that I hope one day we can return when they visit Oklahoma. It was an honor to meet so many key people creating the success of Taiwan’s economy. It was a wonderful learning experience that could positively impact our state’s future as well."

Beaver Schools start August 6 - Classes start August 10

Beaver Public School will begin the 2007-08 school year with teacher in-service on August 6.

Classes for students will begin on Friday, August 10. This will be a full day of classes with buses running and meals being served. Beaver School will continue with the seven-period day this year. School will take up at the 8:05 a.m. warning bell with classes beginning at 8:10 a.m.

Lunch schedules will remain the same. Primary and Elementary students will be dismissed the same as last year with the JH and JH dismiss bell to ring at 2:48 p.m.

There will be a pre-enrollment date for all students in Pre-K through sixth grade on Monday, August 6 from noon until 4 p.m. Parents are required to come to this to enroll their children and sign all required forms and meet their teachers!

Teachers in these respective grades will be on hand to inform parents about the coming year and any other things that their child might need for classes. Support personnel will also be on hand to aid in filling out all forms, including any bilingual needs that parents may have.

"Please attend on this date so the school will have all necessary forms ready on students starting the first day of school, August 10," Beaver Superintendent Scott Kinsey stated.

Free and reduced lunch applications will be available at enrollment and parents are encouraged to fill out these forms if they feel they would quality. Junior high students are reminded that the lunch period is closed campus for them, and all junior high students will go to the lunchroom to eat.

A supplemental accident insurance program is offered for parent’s convenience. Neither the school, nor any school officials is compensated by the insurance company.

"We have selected an insurance company that provides supplemental accident insurance through approximately 400 school districts in Oklahoma," Kinsey said. "The school system assumes no financial responsibility for medical cost of an accident occurring to a student while on school grounds, participating in a sport or other school activity.

"The school serves as the middle man in making the forms available to parents. The school has no role in claims and other correspondence with the company. The school highly recommends that parents check into the possibility of this supplemental insurance for their children."

The district has completed regular maintenance items throughout the summer including cleaning desks, chairs, finishing floors, cleaning bathrooms, hallways and normal upkeep and maintenance. New air conditioners/heating units were installed in the auditorium thanks to a donation from Donna and Ray West.

Summer helpers have been putting a new coat of paint on much of the outside of the buildings that were needed. Also new paint jobs in the Field House and other rooms are being completed. Work has also been done to keep water from entering the basement of the junior high.

Regular maintenance of gas lines and fire extinguishers are also being done. The Field House and old gym floors will be refinished in September as usual.

Patrons and other non-staff persons should be aware that beginning with this school year, all regular entrances to the main school buildings will be locked when school is in session. Visitors and patrons will need to call ahead before coming to the school for entry. We plan on having a ring or buzz in system on those occasions when notice is not given ahead of time. All visitors will have to sign in at the office in the Junior High, Elementary and High School before making contact with students or staff members.

"These procedures are intended for the safety and security of our students and staff," Kinsey said.

Another way the district will stress safety among students staff is our policy where no book bags/carry bags are allowed in grades 7-12.

The 2007-08 school calendar should be delivered to patrons in their post office box toward the end of July. Parents and students should not any new changes in the handbook rules. School officials also encourage parents to make sure that students are following dress code requirements and are appropriately dressed when coming to school to avoid being sent home to change.

Patrons and students are also reminded to please observe speed limits when school starts to avoid any accidents involving student or other vehicles.

Several new teachers will be on the staff this school year. Helena Plett will teach second grade. She is a recent graduate of NWOSU in Alva. Also employed are Becky Becker to teach in the fifth and sixth grades and Shelley Noble will teach fourth grade. Employed as teacher aides are Ashley Jamison and Amy Bradley. And Trudi Brown has rejoined the lunchroom staff.

"We welcome these new additions to our staff and family here at the school," Kinsey said. "Administrators, teachers and support staff are looking forward to another successful year of working with and educating your children."