Justin Martino
EDMOND — For a group of 23 teachers in Edmond, being named the teacher of the year at their school is just the beginning. The teachers will now put together portfolios and prepare for the Edmond Public Schools’ district teacher of the year competition this spring. For most, though, being named teach of the year at their school will be enough.
“If I get nothing else beside this, I’d be just fine,” said Anne Henry, a fifth-grade teacher at Northern Hills Elementary School, who was named teacher of the year at her site.
A large portion of the honor comes from the fact that the teachers are named by their own peers at the school.
“I think that they consider it a huge honor to be chosen at your school,” said Brenda Lyons, associate superintendent for Edmond Public Schools. “It really is special that your peers will name you teacher of the year at your building. They know what you’re doing on a daily basis.
“I think we have the best teachers across the state,” Lyons said. “By the time you get to be a finalist, and if you’re chosen as the Edmond teacher of the year, that’s a huge thing.”
Another factor in the recognition is the high respect teachers in Edmond have for each other.
“It was really an honor at my school because we just have great teachers here,” Henry said. “I’ve been here a long time, and it was just really special for me.”
Sarah Knoles, a fifth-grade teacher at Cross Timbers Elementary School, said she was a little surprised to be named teacher of the year for her school.
“There were quite a few good people that I thought might be more deserving than I was, so I was kind of surprised I was chosen,” she said. “It was a great honor. It’s wonderful to be recognized in a district that is so highly thought of, and especially to be recognized by my peers.”
Lyons added the Edmond teachers of the year have a good track record of becoming finalists for the Oklahoma teacher of the year, named each fall at the Oklahoma State Fair in Oklahoma City. Raylene Harrison, a reading recovery teacher at Orvis Risner Elementary School and last year’s district teacher of the year, was a finalist in the state competition.
Each school’s teacher of the year will now create a portfolio that will be reviewed by a professional development committee, and the top seven will be finalists for the district teacher of the year. The district winner will be named on April 3.
Each school’s winner will receive a day off and $100. The seven finalists will receive another $100, and the district teacher of the year will receive an additional $300.
(Education Reporter Justin Martino may be reached via e-mail at jmartino@edmondsun.com.)
Elementary Schools
Marilyn Jones, third grade, Angie Debo
Dianna Clark, fourth grade, Charles Haskell
Sarah Vermillion, first grade, Chisholm
Jane Moody, first grade, Clegern
Sarah Knoles, fifth grade, Cross Timbers
Sandy Cook, pre-K, Ida Freeman
Cindi Hodges, enrichment, John Ross
Anne Henry, fifth grade, Northern Hills
Linda Stevens, Title I, Orvis Risner
Sharon K. Moore, media specialist, Russell Dougherty
Jan Pezant, fifth grade, Sunset
Sarah Holbrook, fourth grade, Washington Irving
Rhonda Martin, third grade, West Field
Peggy Galloway, Title I, Will Rogers
Middle Schools
Susan Sawyer, seventh grade math/pre-algebra, Central
Susan Ivey, AISP, Cheyenne
Shannon Toney, science, Cimarron
Vicki Keller, publications/I-Teach, Sequoyah
Sherry Bond, eighth grade english, Summit
High Schools
Steve Bowlware, math, Memorial
Ruth Kimsey, science, North
Luann Tucker, special education, Santa Fe
Joanna Strum, social studies/alternative education, Boulevard Academy, Special Services
