Dr. Stephanie Hinton serves as the Executive Director of Early Childhood for Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS). With over 15 years of experience in education, both as a teacher and administrator, Dr. Hinton has dedicated the last 7 years to leading early childhood initiatives within the district. Her role is pivotal in shaping the early learning experiences of young children in OKCPS, aligning with the district’s mission of providing equitable access to a world-class education.

Dr. Hinton is responsible for the comprehensive design, implementation, and monitoring of early childhood programs across the district. She utilizes her deep knowledge of child development to ensure that early childhood education is developmentally appropriate, evidence-based, and culturally responsive, fostering environments that support each child's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical growth.

Under her leadership, OKCPS has achieved high standards in early childhood education, Dr. Hinton emphasizes:

• Partnering with Families and Communities: Building strong, reciprocal relationships with families and community partners to support children’s development and advocate for their needs.

• Fostering Equity, Fairness, and Appreciation of Diversity: Promoting inclusive practices that recognize and celebrate diversity, ensuring all children have access to equitable learning opportunities.

• Developing High-Quality Curriculum and Instructional Practices: Leading the creation and implementation of a robust, evidence-based curriculum aligned with state standards to enhance student outcomes from an early age.

• Professional Development and Talent Management: Supporting educators through targeted professional development and mentorship programs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in teaching and learning.

Dr. Hinton's vision is to create a cohesive and supportive early childhood educational environment that prioritizes every child’s success, from Pre-K through second grade. She is committed to setting a solid foundation for lifelong learning by leveraging research-based practices, collaborating with families, and advocating for high-quality early childhood education in Oklahoma City.

Ariel O’Shields serves as the Attendance Advocacy Coordinator for Oklahoma City Public Schools. Ariel joined OKCPS in 2014 through a two year commitment with Teach For America. She spent four additional years in the classroom teaching Kindergarten and K-4th grade ELA interventions before moving to a district-level role as a School Climate Specialist. It was through these roles that she

discovered her strength and passion for systems work. Ariel strives to develop and implement systems that turn challenges into opportunities for predictability, reliability, and effectiveness.

While working as a School Climate Specialist in 2020, Ariel began to research attendance, chronic absenteeism, and how to respond to those specific challenges during the pandemic. She leveraged that extensive knowledge and background in systems work to move into her current role in 2022.

Ariel graduated from American University with a degree in communications, law, economics, and government, and never imagined being a teacher or living in Oklahoma. Fast forward ten years later, and here she is, still working in the school district her grandmother taught in and her parents graduated from, thinking she might just be in the right seat at the right time to make a difference for students and families in OKCPS.

Ms. Ellen Kraft serves as the Director of English Learner Services for Oklahoma City Public Schools. With 21 years of experience supporting English Learners and their families, Ms. Kraft leverages her professional background, educational qualifications, international experience, and tenure as a Human Rights Commissioner to address the unique needs and well-being of English learners.

Her work focuses on developing both short- and long-term plans, vision, and leadership for District policies related to EL programs, including Title III. She monitors compliance, ensures effective program implementation, and provides expertise to all stakeholders to promote equitable access to high standards and instruction for all EL students. Ms. Kraft also analyzes data to make informed decisions with a focus on student achievement.

As a former Fulbright/United States Department of State Teachers for Global Classrooms Fellow in Colombia, South America and a Qatar Foundation International Fellow in Jordan, Ms. Kraft draws on her knowledge of diverse educational models and learning styles to guide programming for English Learners. Ellen is trilingual and brings lived experience from more than 15 countries. Her deep understanding of how culture and language impact learning ensures that curriculum, professional development, and support are research-based and student-centered. Ms. Kraft is dedicated to embracing and highlighting the cultural and linguistic richness that English Learners and their families bring to our learning community and Oklahoma City.

Hayley Jones is the Interim General Counsel for Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS), where she brings her expertise in education law and commitment to advocating for students and staff. Hayley has over fifteen years experience in Oklahoma public education, with five of those years as a classroom teacher prior to the past decade of serving as legal counsel to Oklahoma public education institutions. Hayley began her legal career as a Staff Attorney and Lobbyist for the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma Public Schools Administration (CCOSA). She also contracted for three years as a Staff Attorney for the Organization for Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS) prior to joining OKCPS in 2018 as the Associate General Counsel.

In addition to her current role with OKCPS, Hayley leverages her extensive experience in school law to serve as an adjunct instructor teaching school law courses to graduate students at Southern Nazarene University. Hayley’s interest in First Amendment jurisprudence and the intersection of student speech led to her appointment by Chancellor Allison D. Garrett to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Oklahoma Free Speech Committee, where she utilizes her experience to review and recommend best practices for free speech policies and complaint procedures to Oklahoma’s 25 public colleges and universities.

With a strong background in legal counsel for educational institutions, Hayley is dedicated to ensuring that OKCPS operates within the legal frameworks that support a safe, equitable, and effective learning environment. Her collaborative approach and strategic guidance are invaluable as the district navigates complex legal challenges and strives to fulfill its mission of providing every student with access to a world-class education. Hayley is passionate about serving the OKCPS community and supporting the district’s vision of empowering students to succeed.

Nancy Perdomo serves as the Director of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for OKCPS. Since joining the district in 2019 as the Manager of Family Engagement, Nancy has been committed to building strong, meaningful connections between families and schools. In her current role, she leads initiatives aimed at empowering families to be active partners in their children’s education, ensuring equitable access to resources and support that foster student success. 

Born and raised in Honduras before immigrating to the United States, Nancy brings a unique perspective to her work. Nancy holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Relations and a Master's degree in Human Relations with a concentration in Equity and Strategic Impact, both from the University of Oklahoma. This academic background, combined with her personal experiences, enables her to develop and implement programs that enhance family and community engagement, promote cultural responsiveness, and bridge the gap between home and school.

In her role, Nancy is responsible for developing and implementing engagement initiatives that foster

collaboration, inclusivity, and community-building. Her efforts focus on:

• Providing families with the tools, resources, and knowledge to actively support their children's academic journey and overall well-being.

• Empowering families with the tools and resources needed to support student success both at school and at home.

• Building staff capacity to build and strengthen relationships with families.

• Cultivating partnerships with community organizations to enhance support systems for students and families.

OKCPS Principal Supervisor Dominic Barone and Adelaide Lee Elementary Principal Michelle Dominguez are pivotal in advancing the mission to deliver equitable education through the development of an OKCPS comprehensive dual language academy which will launch

in conjunction with the opening of our new elementary school that is currently being built on the Southside of Oklahoma City.

The new academy's mission is to foster educational equity through biliteracy best practices which are grounded in culturally responsive teaching.

Dominiguez and Barone are dedicated to meeting the needs of the district's significant Hispanic student population, which comprises 56% of our total enrollment. This initiative is particularly urgent given that 74% of OKCPS EL students are not on track according to World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) scores. Non-English speaking students often face challenges adapting to new norms and learning in English, resulting in a widening learning gap. The implementation strategy for the new academy includes a 50/50 bilingual model, utilizing resources from previous programs and hiring biliterate teachers and staff.

With this program, which is currently in development, Principal Dominguez will continue to focus on data-driven instruction, emphasizing collaboration in professional learning centers that targets intervention and continuous monitoring. Barone will support her in creating a data-driven culture and ensuring the equitable distribution of resources.The new academy's Adelante Coalition, composed of district-level and school site administrators, will also help to spearhead research, professional development, and securing staff and parent support. 

The vision for our new dual-language academy will be shared with our stakeholders through social media, community meetings, flyers, and events soon in preparation for the opening in Fall 2026.

“Dual Language: Your First Choice for a Bilingual Future!"

Wayland Cubit, Director of Security, is a retired Lieutenant from the Oklahoma City Police Department, where he served for over 26 years. He has always been dedicated to helping at-risk youth and has created programs that make a real difference. With a background in Criminal Justice and Family Studies, Director Cubit started his career as an undercover officer working on street crime and gang investigations. He later founded the OCPD F.A.C.T. Unit, a program focused on mentoring and supporting at-risk youth, which has successfully reduced juvenile delinquency. 

After retiring in 2022, Director Cubit now uses his experience to ensure the safety of students, staff, and families in Oklahoma City Public Schools. He is recognized as an expert in school safety and often speaks on the subject nationwide. To make our schools even safer, we’re adding video doorbells and secure entryways, ensuring only verified visitors can enter. Wayland recently did an interview with Tango Public Relations to inform families of our security measures.

Tamara Love has worked with public schools in Oklahoma for 28 years, the last ten with OKCPS as Administrator of Student Services and then Director of Student Registration and Records. Dr. Love earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism with a science-writing emphasis from the University of Kansas, Master's  and Doctoral degrees in Educational and Community Renewal, and Education Leadership, Curriculum, and Supervision from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to leading student enrollment for the district, her staff processes student enrollment applications and transfer applications, manages alumni and special education records, supports school office staff, and works with departments from throughout the district to help students and their families who often come to us with issues and concerns to connect to resources they need.

A first-generation college graduate, Tamara worked in non-profit writing, design, and public relations for ten years. At Moore Norman Technology Center, she developed a test prep program for parents receiving welfare benefits to qualify to enter training programs and the world of work. After teaching middle school computer applications, algebra, geometry, and yearbook for nine years, she became

assistant principal at a Title I school, leading in the areas of implementation of Positive Behavioral  Interventions and Supports, professional development, two technology integration grants, and interventions and instructions for struggling students. In 2010, her school received the district professional development award and was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School.