Finalists announced for state Teacher of the Year

Educators representing the Deer Creek, Moore, Mustang, Putnam City and Yukon school districts are among those in the running for 2018 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year.

Twelve finalists for the award were announced Monday at Yukon High School during the state Education Department’s EngageOK On the Road summer conference.

The 2018 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year will be announced Sept. 19 in a ceremony at State Fair Park.

The finalists are Jill Andrews (Claremore High School); Neeli Boyd (Wiley Post Elementary School in Putnam City); Sarah Carter (Drumright High School); Rob Davis (Yukon High School); Betty Deen (Oologah Middle School); Donna Gradel (Broken Arrow High School); Chad Harper (Mustang High School); Janet Johnson (Clyde Boyd Middle School in Sand Springs); Dionne Liebl (Deer Creek High School); Shala Marshall (Jenks High School); Christine Mueller (Central Junior High in Moore); and Laura Smith (Byng Public Schools).

Each finalist is a district teacher of the year and was selected after review by a panel that included educators, members of the business community, legislators and nonprofit partners.

“Classroom teachers are the heart and soul of education, and research tells us they are the most important person in the schoolhouse,” said state Superintendent Joy Hofmeister.

“Each of these 12 men and women represents the best of the best of those who have devoted their life to among the most noble and lifechanging of professions.”

The education conference offers free teacher training. It continues Tuesday at Union High School in Tulsa, Wednesday at Enid High School and Thursday at Weatherford High School.

After a four-day break, the conference resumes July 18 at Durant High School, July 19 at Ada High School and July 20 at the fifth- and sixthgrade center in Cache.