About

Teacher of the Year

Overview

Oklahoma City Public Schools honors those who do the day-to-day work of educating our city’s children through Teacher of the Year!

The community-wide celebration starts in the fall of each school year when District staff, students, parents and community members submit nominations.

Each school site also selects their “School Site Teacher of the Year” each fall. This gives the district’s top educators time to put together a comprehensive portfolio demonstrating the educator’s teaching philosophy, which is then reviewed by past district Teachers of the Year finalists, honorees and state Teachers of the Year. With a lot of hard work, these submissions are narrowed down to an elite group of finalists, who compete to represent the Oklahoma City Public School District in the State Teacher of the Year competition.

The celebration is usually held in the spring as site-based award ceremonies are held throughout the District celebrating the top partnerships, support staff and volunteers. As the school year draws to a close, the celebration concludes with the district Teacher of the Year announcement.

Previous Winners

• Felix Linden, FD Moon Middle School, 2023

• Kim Banz, Classen SAS High School at Northeast, 2022

• McKenzie Hodge, Wheeler Middle School, 2021

• Leslie Davis, Cleveland Elementary, 2020

• Christina Kirk – Rogers Middle School, 2019

• Anthony Chancellor – Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School, 2018

• Madison Wingate – Pierce Elementary School, 2017

• Rebecka Graffigna – Linwood Elementary, 2016

• Samantha Murch – Star Spencer High School, 2015

• Meredith Ziegler – Wilson Arts Integration Elementary, 2014

• Heather Meldrum – Stanley Hupfeld Western Village Academy, 2013

• Daniel Buckmaster – Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School, 2012

• Nikki Cowshow – Edgemere Elementary, 2011

• Meredith Wronowski – Capitol Hill High School, 2010

• Jennifer Robinson – Classen School of Advanced Studies, 2009

• Heather Sparks – Taft Middle School, 2008

• Michael Payne – Classen School of Advanced Studies, 2007

• Sanford Jackson – Taft Middle School, 2006

• Robyn Hilger – Bell Isle Enterprise Middle School, 2005

• Jill Scott – Andrew Johnson Elementary School, 2004

• Michael McGuire – Northeast Academy, 2003