NORMAN – Bennington Schools Superintendent Pamela Reynolds is the 2025 winner of the Olan Isbell Administrator Merit Award at the Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation’s 24th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Banquet.
More than seventy educators, support professionals and administrators were honored as finalists for the Excellence in Education Merit and Character Awards by the Professional Oklahoma Educators Foundation on Friday, April 11th in downtown Oklahoma City. As the Olan Isbell Administrator Merit Award winner, Reynolds received a $500 gift, a complimentary one-year membership to POE, commendations from Governor Kevin Stitt and Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell, and a crystal award.
The administrator merit award is named after Mr. Olan Isbell. In 1988, Professional Oklahoma Educators, also known as APOE, was founded by the late Mr. Isbell. Isbell served as the superintendent of Bennington Public Schools and was an outstanding educator and leader.
Reynolds was chosen by the POE Foundation Board of Directors after completing a thorough application and video process. In her application she summed up her philosophy of administration this way, “In addition to promoting student achievement, I would also list nurturing and maintaining positive relationships with students as our most important work in schools. Being effective in the classroom and promoting student achievement is certainly at the core of what we do, but we must also create and maintain an environment of strong relationships—I believe I have been effective in my role as a school leader because of this strength.”
One colleague described Reynolds as a dedicated professional with intelligence and leadership skills that make her uniquely able to handle the stress and demands of the job. “We always know that Mrs. Reynolds will act wisely on behalf of all our students, and we know we have the right person with the right moral compass leading our school.”
The Excellence in Education Awards Banquet recognizes and rewards Oklahoma educators who demonstrate a commitment to their students in teaching strength of character and excellence in the school or classroom. Award nominees must go through a rigorous application and evaluation process.
According to POE Foundation Executive Director Ginger Tinney, “These awards serve as an encouragement to not only Oklahoma educators, but also to the many businesses, organizations, and communities that have a stake in the character building and intellectual development of the children who will shape our state in the future.”
