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OKCPS Names Nine Teacher of the Year Finalists!

The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation and Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) have named nine finalists for OKCPS Teacher of the Year. The following nine finalists for the award were selected from the district’s teachers of the year from each school site.

“Congratulations to our nine OKCPS Teacher of the Year finalists,” said Superintendent Sean McDaniel. “I also want to say ‘thank you’. Thank you for making us proud and being part of #TeamOKCPS. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and the difference you make in the lives of our young people every single day. You are seen and you are appreciated more than words can express.”

The 2023 finalists are: 

• Christopher Lance Cudjoe, Star Spencer Mid-High School

• Sherry Dew, Southeast High School

• Carrie Helm, Belle Isle Enterprise Middle School

• Judith Huerta, Taft Middle School

• Felix Linden, FD Moon Middle School

• Faisal Madni, Shidler Elementary School

• Carsen Moon, Classen SAS High School at Northeast

• Emily Riley, Kaiser Elementary School

• Lisa Ummel-Ingram, Wheeler Middle School

The selection process began last fall when each school site selected a Teacher of the Year candidate.  Each site Teacher of the Year was then able to submit a nomination packet to be considered for OKCPS Teacher of the Year.  A committee of OKCPS educators and administrators anonymously evaluated each candidate. The results from the evaluations secured the nine OKCPS Teacher of the Year finalists through specified rating criteria. Now that the nine finalists have been identified, the selection committee will review video filmed in their classroom setting and will also conduct personal interviews to select the winner.  

The finalists will be recognized at the annual Stars of Education celebration, where the 2023 OKCPS Teacher of the year will be announced. The event will be held in-person on May 4th at the Clara Luper Center for Educational Services. Finalists will receive cash awards, plus a number of valuable prizes donated by community partners. The winner will then serve as the district’s candidate for Oklahoma’s State Teacher of the Year. The Stars of Education event is held each spring to celebrate teachers and outstanding achievement throughout the district. In addition to the announcement of OKCPS Teacher of the Year, awards will also be presented to honorees for exceptional support staff, volunteers and Community Partners of the Year. Two outstanding OKCPS principals, one from an elementary school and one from a secondary school, will receive The Sam and Charolet Shirley Outstanding Principal Awards as well as cash awards.

“The Stars of Education ceremony is one of my favorite days of the year because we get to celebrate our amazing teachers, principals, support staff and volunteers,” said Mary Mélon-Tully, Foundation President/CEO of Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation. “OKCPS has such incredible and dedicated teachers. It is truly our honor to recognize them for the life changing work they do and for the difference they are making in the lives of our students every day.”

2023 OKCPS Site Teachers of the Year!

“I believe our district has the very best teachers in the state and I know it was difficult to select only one teacher from each school. Each day, we see our teachers choosing to put OKCPS students and families first and we know the work they do is commendable,”  Dr. Sean McDaniel, Superintendent of OKCPS said. “I first want to recognize all of our teachers, districtwide, and call out the invaluable work they put in with our kids each day. On behalf of the district, please join me in congratulating the teachers selected at each school site 2022-2023 OKCPS Site Teachers of the Year! We are grateful for you.”

“All of our teachers are amazing. We are proud to partner with OKCPS to recognize the incredible teachers in our school district who were selected as Site Teachers of the Year for their school building. These exceptional teachers have shown extraordinary dedication and commitment to the students they serve every day. This is a high honor and worthy of recognition,” Mary Mélon-Tully, President & CEO of the OKCPS Foundation added.