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. 28, at the Oklahoma City Marriott, 3233 N.W. Expressway.

"I congratulate these 27 educators for being named teacher of the year in their schools. They are representative of all our dedicated and talented teachers who each day ensure that our students get the highest-quality education possible," 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 2004-2005 Putnam City Teachers of the Year are:

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. 28 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 2004-2005 Putnam City Teachers of the Year are (front row, left to right) Rickey Harvey, Putnam City Academy; Peggy Rooks, Putnam City North High School; Brooke Wilson, Northridge Elementary School; Cindy Watson, James L. Dennis Elementary School; Stephanie Wallace, Windsor Hills Elementary School; (second row, left to right) Jennifer White, Harvest Hill Elementary School; Mandy Hayward, Kirkland Elementary School; Sharon Burton Roberts, Lake Park Elementary School; Kay Spangler, Overholser Elementary School; Kay Jewell, Putnam City High School; Dionne Liebl, Putnam City West High School; Jackie Vaughan, Ralph Downs Elementary School; Debra Clark, Tulakes Elementary School; (top row, left to right) Christina Holland, Western Oaks Elementary School; Danyel Peterson, Central Middle School; Andrea Muse, Hilldale Elementary School; Judy Murnan, Hefner Middle School; Troyce Tate, Will Rogers Elementary School; Erica Fain, Central Intermediate School; Karen Williams, Rollingwood Elementary School; Stephanie Kanaga, Apollo Elementary School; and Sharon Hubbard, Central Elementary School. Not pictured: Dustie Bishop, Coronado Heights Elementary School; Frank Barone, Wiley Post Elementary School; Misty Reents, Kenneth Cooper Middle School; Joy Bowes, Mayfield Middle School; and Keely Frayser, Western Oaks Middle School.