Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Donna Gradel proclaims 2018-2019 'Year of the Teacher'
OKLAHOMA CITY
(Sept. 25, 2018) – Donna Gradel, 2018 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, will
officially launch her yearlong tour of Oklahoma this week, vowing to visit
schools in all 77 counties by June 30.
Gradel has been speaking across the state since assuming her
full-time Teacher of the Year duties July 1, but with the new school year now
in full swing, her focus is connecting with teachers in their classrooms. On
Wednesday, she will visit Putnam Heights Elementary in Oklahoma City Public
Schools and Putnam City West High School in Putnam City Schools.
 “This is the ‘Year of the Teacher’ in Oklahoma,” Gradel said.
“Despite a shortage of funds for over a decade, there are so many tremendous teachers
in Oklahoma who remain devoted to providing the best possible learning
opportunities for their students. They deserve to be recognized and respected
for their hard work and commitment to excellence, and we must acknowledge the
power of teaching and the positive impact our teachers are having across the
state.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister applauded
Gradel on her initiative.
“It is no surprise that Donna Gradel, in her role as
Oklahoma’s ambassador of teaching, has chosen to focus on her colleagues this
year,” she said. “The best teachers always put others first, and we are
looking forward to learning about the amazing teachers Donna spotlights during
her Year of the Teacher.”
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 Gradel aims to celebrate exceptional teacher initiatives or
education projects through social media and to personally encourage teachers of
all grade levels and subject areas, especially emergency-certified teachers who
are new to the classroom.
“I hope to meet
as many educators as possible to express gratitude and appreciation for their
dedication,” said Gradel, who uses the hashtag #yearoftheteacherOK. “I want to
hear their concerns and highlight their achievements.”
An environmental science teacher from Broken Arrow High
School, Gradel has already visited a few schools in northeastern Oklahoma.
“One commonality I have found, regardless of grade level,
socio-economics or geographical setting, is optimism. There is an underlying theme
that the tide is changing and the needle is moving in the right direction,”
Gradel said.
The Oklahoma Teacher
of the Year remains in the classroom until the next school year. Becky Oglesby,
a Yukon elementary art teacher, was named the 2019 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
at a Sept. 18 ceremony at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. She will begin her
tour the state July 1.
Follow Gradel on Twitter @GradelBAHS. Read her blog at http://sde.ok.gov/sde/newsblogs/otoy.
To request a visit, email her at Donna.Gradel@sde.ok.gov.
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