McKenzie Hodge is Okla City Public Schools 2023 Teacher of the Year

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teacher of the year

OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — Wheeler Center College trainer McKenzie Hodge was named 2023 Trainer of the 12 months for Oklahoma Metropolis Public Faculties throughout a digital program Thursday.

Hodge is a fifth-year science trainer who earned her Bachelor in Science in 2016 after which started instructing in OKCPS first at Linwood Elementary after which at Wheeler Center College.

She mentioned in a YouTube video of her work that she has discovered her area of interest instructing fifth Grade Science.

Once more, The Basis for Oklahoma Metropolis Public Faculties supplied this system, awards, and prizes for Trainer of the 12 months finalists and different honorees.

Response

Hodge was just about dwell in the course of the announcement of the winners and was effusive.

“I’m so shocked,” Hodge mentioned at first. Then, she complimented the opposite contestants.

“I simply wish to give an enormous shout out to those high 9 finalists as a result of they’re unimaginable and labored so onerous.”

She thanked her “Lord and Savior” for giving her the eagerness to show and thanked her dad and mom for his or her help. Then she thanked her Fifth Grade group at Wheeler.

“It’s the delight of the south aspect and I like them a lot,” mentioned Hodge.

She thanked OKCPS saying, “that is the perfect district to show” and that “we have now unimaginable college students.”

“We now have unimaginable college students,” mentioned Hodge in regards to the district.

Then, she addressed her college students this yr: “I wish to thank my college students as a result of with out them, I might not be the place I’m at. And they’re unimaginable. So thanks all a lot.”

As a result of fundraising and help the Oklahoma Metropolis Public Faculties Basis places in every year, because the districts Trainer of the 12 months, Hodge shall be given a brand new watch donated by B.C. Clark Jewelers. Additionally, she shall be given a brand new automobile to drive for a yr from Fowler Automotive Group.

Every of the finalists made a video about their instructing. Right here is the one about Hodge:

Finalists

The opposite eight finalists have been:

Chara Patterson, Douglass Excessive College
Don Stephens, Southeast Excessive College
Kendra Whitman, John Marshall Excessive College
Sally Hoch, Belle Isle Enterprise Center College
Alicia Hunt, Cleveland Elementary College
Cynthia Johnson, Nichols Hills Enterprise Elementary College, Second Runner Up
Dana Chambers, Quail Creek Elementary College, First Runner Up
Rachel Farmer, Arthur Elementary College

teacher of the year
The 9 finalists for the 2023 Trainer of the 12 months Award. (supplied)

“A calling”

At a drive-thru parade of finalists on the district administration constructing earlier within the afternoon, Superintendent Sean McDaniel talked to Free Press in regards to the significance of going all out to honor academics and principals of the yr.

We requested him what it means to a district to honor academics of the yr.

“It’s simply an enormous morale increase for everyone,” mentioned McDaniel. “I’ve all the time felt like Lecturers of the 12 months do two issues. One, they signify themselves individually — what sort of trainer they’re — however, additionally they signify all of our academics. In Oklahoma Metropolis specifically, we simply have greater than than our share of unbelievably proficient academics.”

“It’s our expression within the celebration that you’re representing different academics at your faculty and throughout the district, who do an outstanding job for our children each single day.”

We requested what the Trainer of the 12 months honors does for the general public’s notion of academics.

“It’s been a troublesome time for them, you realize. They don’t receives a commission like they need to for my part. They don’t get valued like they need to for my part, but they’ve the most important impression on the world,” mentioned McDaniel.

“I’ve all the time felt instructing was extra of a calling than a vocation. So, if you get to learn these biographies and get to know them somewhat bit higher, it simply provides you a higher appreciation for who they’re and what they’re doing and the worth they carry to a college district.”

teacher of the year
The welcoming/cheering group who greeted the TOY parade 5-6-21. (BRETT DICKERSON/Okla Metropolis Free Press)

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Final Up to date Could 6, 2023, 7:10 PM by Brett Dickerson – Editor

The submit McKenzie Hodge is Okla Metropolis Public Faculties 2023 Trainer of the 12 months appeared first on Oklahoma Metropolis Free Press.

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