It was a special moment for Granger Meador.
Seated on the stage in the Fine Arts Center auditorium, he heard his named called. He was the Bartlesville Public School District's 2008 Teacher of the Year. The other 11 candidates for the crown – all of whom like Meador represented a school which helps to comprise the district – congratulated him as he made his way to the podium.
A heralded physics instructor at Bartlesville High School, Meador could do the math. With his latest honor, he was the BPSD's first-ever two-time winner of the Teacher of the Year crown. He had carved out a nice piece of Bruin history for himself.
“To be selected again for the district honor as I finish my second decade of teaching has been an unexpected pleasure,” says Meador, who earned his first TOY crown in 1998. “This is confirmation of what we know from physics: Lightning can indeed strike twice.”
The Fine Arts Center will again crackle with life on Monday evening as the Bartlesville Public School District's 2009 Teacher of the Year Ceremony is set to unfold. Free and open to everyone, the event will kick off with a reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center lobby – complete with complimentary cookies and punch – before the ceremony unfolds in the auditorium. During the ceremony, the district's newest teacher of the year will be crowned.
This year, there will be 13 candidates in all vying for the title. Twelve will represent their respective schools within the district while a “satellite group” has been added as well which is comprised of certified educators who aren't assigned to work at a particular school. The complete list of candidates includes Ayngela Elmore (Will Rogers Early Childhood Center – music teacher), Jennifer Winters (Hoover Elementary School – pre-kindergarten), Cindy Garrett (Jane Phillips Elementary School – pre-kindergarten), Sheila Martin (Oak Park Elementary School – reading facilitator), Laura Salzyn (Ranch Heights Elementary School – fourth grade), Vicki Cabler (Richard Kane Elementary School – fifth grade), Missy Brewer (Wayside Elementary School – second grade), Vanessa Wallace (Woodrow Wilson Elementary School – fourth grade), Karen Venamon (Central Middle School – math), Cheryl Puryear (Madison Middle School – special education), Warren Neff (Bartlesville Mid-High School – math), Linda Shipley (Bartlesville High School – speech, debate and English), and Kathryn Quick (Satellite Group – psychologist).
“Our district is fortunate to have so many incredibly talented dedicated teachers,” says Shelly White, a fourth grade teacher at Wilson and the 2009 Teacher of the Year Ceremony chair. “This event allows us to take the time to honor our colleagues and our profession.”
The BPSD named its first Teacher of the Year in 1981 when Mary Brock, of Limestone Elementary School, was recognized with the honor. Of the district's 28 TOYs who have been selected over the years – including Meador twice – BHS has the most representatives with 12. That total includes Robert Touchstone, the district's Teacher of Year in 1983 who represented both BHS and the Bartlesville Mid-High School.
While the 2009 Teacher of the Year will be revealed on Monday evening, the 2009 Kurt Schmoldt Teacher Appreciation Award recipient will named as well. There are 26 nominees for that distinguished honor, a district tradition since 1996.
The theme of this year's Teacher of the Year Ceremony is “Teaching to the Beat of a Differentiated Drum – A Celebration of Bartlesville Teachers.”
“The focus is on honoring all of our teachers and how they differentiate their instruction in order to meet the various needs of all of their students,” says White.
“This celebration will be interactive and fun. We hope to have everyone there.”%201.jpg)
The candidates to be the Bartlesville Public School District's 2009 Teacher of the Year are (from left) (seated) Karen Venamon, Kathryn Quick, Laura Salzyn, Michelle Brewer, Sheila Martin, (standing) Cheryl Puryear, Cynthia Garrett, Vicki Cabler, Warren Neff, Ayngela Elmore, Jennifer Winters, Vanessa Wallace and Linda Shipley.