Teachers of the Year Honored
Teachers of the year for each of Putnam City’s 27 schools will be honored at the annual Teacher of the Year reception at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25, at NEWCHURCH, 9201 N. Rockwell.
“I congratulate the teachers of the year from our 27 schools. They represent all Putnam City teachers who inspire students to achieve at increasingly higher levels and work to ensure that every child is successful in the classroom. These extraordinary teachers are creative, talented, dedicated people with caring hearts who work every day to change lives for the better,” says Dr. Jim Capps, superintendent of Putnam City Schools.
Each school’s Teacher of the Year is chosen by the school’s teaching staff. The 2007-2008 Putnam City Teachers of the Year are:
• Apollo Elementary School, Star Gomez
• Central Elementary School, Sue Sanderson
• Central Intermediate School, Amy Harmon
• Coronado Heights Elementary School, Christine Carroll
• James L. Dennis Elementary School, Shera Steinhoff
• Ralph Downs Elementary School, Kaye Brogden
• Harvest Hills Elementary School, Michele Fields
• Hilldale Elementary School, Joy Glenn
• Kirkland Elementary School, Janet King
• Lake Park Elementary School, Judy Daniel
• Northridge Elementary School, Deborah West
• Overholser Elementary School, Cynthia Cagle
• Rollingwood Elementary School, Larissa Peters
• Tulakes Elementary School, Sarah Jones
• Western Oaks Elementary School, Megan O’Briant
• Wiley Post Elementary School, Robin Shockey
• Will Rogers Elementary School, Theresa Pingelton
• Windsor Hills Elementary School, Kerry Rice
• Capps Middle School, Eloise El Qacemi
• Kenneth Cooper Middle School, Jill Folsom
• Hefner Middle School, Margaret Purifoy
• Mayfield Middle School, Gail Tillett
• Western Oaks Middle School, Thea Lanier
• Putnam City Academy, Nancy Ervin
• Putnam City High School, Kathy Judge
• Putnam City North High School, Karen Morgan
• Putnam City West High School, Luccas McDonald
Each of the 27 honorees is also a nominee for Putnam City Schools District Teacher of the Year. The winner of that award will be announced at the Feb. 25 reception, and then become one of many teachers across the state to be considered for state teacher of the year.
To choose the district’s top teacher, each year the district’s professional development committee, which includes teachers, parents and administrators, combs through teacher portfolios and makes a selection. To qualify for the district award, applicants must be judged by the committee to be exceptionally skillful and dedicated classroom teachers, demonstrate vigorous, creative and imaginative teaching on a day-to-day basis and have the high esteem of students, parents and co-workers. They must also be active in their communities.
The Teacher of the Year reception, sponsored by the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation, is free and open to the public.
The 2007-2008 Putnam City Teachers of the Year are (front row, left to right) Cindy Cagle, Theresa Pingelton, Jill Folsom, Joy Glenn, Judy Daniel, Megan O’Briant and Sue Sanderson; (second row, left to right) Michele Fields, Sarah Jones, Deborah West, Kathy Judge, Kerry Rice, Christine Carroll; (third row, left to right) Kay Brogden, Shera Steinhoff, Eloise El Qacemi, Robin Shockey, Larissa Peters, Amy Harmon; (top row, left to right) Margaret Purifoy, Thea Lanier, Luccas McDonald, Nancy Ervin, Karen Morgan, Star Gomez and Gail Tillett.
Not pictured: Janet King, Kirkland Elementary School