The annual Teacher of the Year reception and celebration will be held on Tuesday, March 28, 2023.

A reception will be held at 6 p.m. in the Commons of Ponca City High School. A ticket must be purchased to attend the reception.

An awards celebration will follow in the Ponca City Schools Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Tickets are NOT needed to attend the Concert Hall celebration.

The Finalists

The three finalists this year are Darcey Austin from Garfield Elementary, Jeremiah Belt from West Middle School and Jill Klein from Ponca City High School.

Darcey Austin is a kindergarten teacher at Garfield Elementary. Her principal, Laura Glowacki, said, “Mrs. Darcey Austin is an exceptional teacher and leader at Garfield Elementary school. She is always the first to help in whatever capacity needs to be filled. She helps the new staff feel welcome and a part of the Garfield family. As a teacher she is very loving and cares about each student and their family. She exemplifies “Hold that Line” every day, by believing in all our students and supporting them to reach their full potential.”

Jeremiah Belt is a Geography teacher at West Middle School. “Mr. Belt is an exceptional middle school teacher who creates a warm and welcoming learning environment for his students. He has a talent for explaining complex concepts and is dedicated to his students’ academic and personal growth. His unwavering commitment to his students’ success makes him a valuable asset to West Middle School and our community,” said Stacey Sattre, principal of WMS.

Jill Klein is a Math instructor at Ponca City High School. Shane Dent, Po-Hi Principal, said, “Mrs. Klein is a special teacher who dedicates every minute to her students. She is always willing to go above and beyond when asked, but not during class time. That time is sacred to Mrs. Klein. That time is all about student learning. Mrs. Klein’s commitment to student learning and success makes her truly special. Outside of class time, you can find Mrs. Klein tutoring students in math or preparing for the ACT. You’ll also find her crunching data with colleagues, attending professional development, or helping numerous initiatives. However, when it comes to class time, Mrs. Klein holds the line! Her dedication to her students is truly special. No task, regardless of its value, comes between her and her students.”

Other Site Nominees

The other site nominees include Megan Brown from Liberty Elementary, Jackie Burden from Roosevelt Elementary, Molly Carter from Po-Hi, Jacqi Cole from Trout Elementary, Rachel Didlake from Union Elementary, Emily Greenhagen from the Washington Pre-K Center, Jan Mallory from Wildcat Academy, Diane Pendleton from Po-Hi, Beth Post from Lincoln Elementary, Ryan Taylor from East Middle School, Lindsey Wilburn from Woodlands Elementary and Jamey Wylie from West Middle School.

Megan Brown is a fifth grade teacher at Liberty Elementary. Lori Cox, Liberty Principal, said, “Megan Brown has exemplified “Hold that line!” since joining the Liberty staff during the 19-20 school year. Megan jumped in mid-year during her first year at Liberty. She got a total of one quarter with her students before we dismissed the year due to a pandemic. Since then, she has been holding the line by not allowing a pandemic to get in the way of her students’ learning. She is thoughtful and reflective with everything she plans and does with her students in order to “Hold that line” for student achievement. She is also a great support for her coworkers, always willing to help whenever and wherever needed. She is our technology guru and often trouble shoots and fixes techie messes we get ourselves into. As a great relationship builder, students adore her. Her previous students often show up after school to say hi when they get off the shuttle bus in the afternoon. I could not be prouder of Megan for representing Liberty Wildcat’s as our very own ‘Teacher of the Year!’”

Jackie Burden is a fourth grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary. “Mrs. Burden embodies what it is to be a ‘Roosevelt Roughrider Wildcat,’ She is always prepared, always ready for a challenge, and accepts responsibility for our successes and failures. She not only ‘holds the line’ by stepping in whenever she sees a need, but she moved us in the right direction by having high expectations for herself, her peers, and the students. She is always available with kind words, silly antics, and helpful tips. Roosevelt and PCPS are blessed to have her,” said Jera Kiespert, Roosevelt Principal.

Molly Carter is a Spanish teacher at Ponca City High School.

“Mrs. Carter is a servant leader who has a heart for Ponca and her students.

She inspires her students to serve others and to contribute to the school and community. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Spanish student, a Student Council member, or just an associate, Mrs. Carter treats everyone with kindness and respect. She is well respected by her students and colleagues and inspires us all to be our best,” said Shane Dent, Po-Hi Principal.

Jacqi Cole is a music teacher at Trout Elementary.

Her principal, Ann Neilson, said, “Mrs. Cole holds that line for our students by providing a place for kids to shine through the performing arts. Many students do not know their musical talents until they are exposed to it through her productions and class instruction. They find “their place” in singing, dancing and playing musical instruments and it becomes a lifelong pursuit and passion.”

“Jacqi is a leader. She not only teaches music for both Liberty and Trout but she also privately teaches six piano students. She facilitates Elementary Music PLC’s and is the treasurer for the Oklahoma ORFF Chapter. Jacqi goes above for the students of Trout Elementary by leading the ORFF Ensemble. Our ensemble consists of 20 students who performed at the Concert Hall earlier this month. Trout Elementary students and staff are proud to have Jacqi Cole as our Teacher of the Year.”

Rachel Didlake is a second grade teacher at Union Elementary. Her principal, Kara Anderson, said, “I am beyond delighted that Rachel Didlake is to receive the Teacher of the Year Award for Union Elementary. Rachel has been teaching second grade at Union Elementary for the last 4 years, and I have been fortunate enough to watch her shine as an educator for two years. Mrs Didlake has the most beautiful personality and her love for teaching is undeniable. You will always see Mrs. Didlake ‘Hold that Line,’ for her students and fellow colleagues. She loves to share with her teammates and is always willing to try new things to better her classroom experience. She spends countless hours building a fun and calming environment for her students. Her classroom is an amazing space for students to learn. Her students love her. Her team loves her.

“Rachel is one of those teachers you come across once in a great while. She is popular with students, families, and colleagues. Students love her because she is kind, loving, fun, and cares about them. Mrs. Didlake gets to know every student in her class as a whole person. She is able to see exactly what each child brings to the community, and her whole teaching approach involves finding and using children’s unique strengths to help them overcome their struggles and develop a positive self-concept.”

Emily Greenhagen is a prekindergarten teacher at the Washington Pre-K Center.

Tina Fisher, principal of the Washington Pre-K Center, said, “Mrs. Greenhagen ‘Holds That Line’ because no matter what it takes, she will make sure each of her students know they are loved, safe and capable of learning. She tells her students every day that her job is to teach them and keep them safe. In fact, students will often quote her and remind one another of her job. She starts each morning greeting each student at the door and ends the day with a hug or high five. Mrs. Greenhagen is an expert at making accommodations for students who need more tools or resources. Mrs. Greenhagen is a longtime early childhood educator but continues to seek opportunities to learn as much as she can to better serve her students and our school. We feel so fortunate to have Mrs. Greenhagen on our team, she will always Hold That Line for our Pre-K Cubs.”

Jan Mallory is an instructor at the Wildcat Academy.

Karla Streeter, Director of Alternative Programs, said, “Ms. Mallory is a worthy choice for site Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Mallory has been invaluable this year in creating a Lifeskills curriculum. She willingly took on the job of teaching basic skills to all of the Wildcat Academy students. This is indicative of her willingness to do whatever is necessary in order for her students to be successful. Mrs. Mallory develops meaningful relationships with each of her students. She genuinely cares about all of the kids at Wildcat Academy. The kids all describe her as someone who is loving, considerate and cares about them. Mrs. Mallory absolutely Holds that Line for all of us at Wildcat Academy!” Diane Pendleton is a SPED Language Arts teacher at Ponca City High School.

Her principal, Shane Dent, said, “Mrs. Pendleton is a rock! She is a cornerstone that many of our students and team members lean on. Her students know that she has high standards for them but is willing to stand with them when they need support. If you ever want to know which side of an issue is the ‘right’ side, just find Mrs. Pendleton and stand next to her.”

Beth Post is a first grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary.

“Beth Post ‘Holds that Line’ in her 1st grade classroom at Lincoln! She develops the drive to learn in her students’ hearts and minds and encourages them to strive to always do their best. She helps them raise their scores by having them track their progress in everything they do. They even run their own Dojo points! More importantly, Beth fights for her students by advocating in their best interest both at school and in their personal life. Thank you, Beth, for Holding That Line for education!” said Liz Hargraves, Lincoln Elementary Principal.

Ryan Taylor is a U.S. History teacher at East Middle School.

His principal, Keith C r o c k e r , said, “Ryan is intentional about building positive student relationships and making students feel valued for what they contribute. He is always willing to be there to support our team of teachers...including when he took a pie to the face when asked to help contribute to our annual United Way fundraiser. Ryan’s positive personality helps provide a fun and productive learning environment for our students! #HoldThatLine.”

Lindsey Wilburn is a Special Education teacher at Woodlands Elementary. Tim Williams, Woodlands Elementary Principal, said, “Lindsey embodies #holdthatine every day. I appreciate how she advocates for her students and works with the Woodlands team meet students’ academic, social and emotional needs. Every kid needs a champion, and Lindsey is that champion for her kids every day.”

Jamey Wylie is a Geography teacher at West Middle School.

Stacey Sattre, WMS Principal, said, “Mr.

Wylie is a highly dedicated and patient middle school teacher who is deeply respected and appreciated by his students and colleagues at West Middle School. He is always willing to go above and beyond to help his students succeed, and he never gives up on anyone who is struggling. His strong commitment to his students and the school community makes him an invaluable member of the West Middle School team.”