The Bryan County Teacher’s Association had its annual teachers meeting Aug. 30 at Bloomer Sullivan Arena where awards were presented.
KD Carter of Silo was named the Bryan County Elementary Teacher of the Year and Gina Simon, also of Silo, was named the Bryan County Secondary Teacher of the Year. Gregg Thralls, Calera 4th-8th-grade principal, was awarded administrator of the year.
Other candidates for Bryan County Elementary Teacher of the Year were: Raychel Day, Achille; Bridggette Hambrick, Bennington; Courtney Johnson, Caddo; Chrissy Shepard, Calera; Sarah Sinor, Colbert; Shaunda Usry, Durant, and Autumn Whitaker, Rock Creek.
Secondary Teacher of the Year candidates were: Keenan Ervin, Achille; Kaitlyn Kavoossi, Bennington; Jason Truett, Caddo; Julie Brown, Calera; Magan Osborne, Colbert; Guy Burkhalter, Kiamichi Tech, and Karlena Davis, Rock Creek.
Administrator of the Year candidates were: Lora Stanglin, Achille; Mary Pierce, Bennington; Jill Burns, Caddo; Thomas Evans, Colbert; Tori Culley, Kiamichi Tech; Rob Frederick, Rock Creek, and Stormy Lewis, Silo.
The following educators were honored for 35 years of service: Vicki Collman, Calera; Kathy Cagle, Colbert; Angelia Marr, Colbert; Deborah McGee, Colbert; Stormy Reynolds, Durant, and Glenda Haddock, Silo.
Gerry Brooks was the speaker and he is a veteran educator from Lexington, Kentucky. He is a passionate public speaker whose focus is on encouraging and helping teachers improve their instructional abilities, as stated on his website.
Many of his videos have been posted online.
Brooks spoke of people who are not educators not understanding what educators have to deal with.
“If you have friends and loved ones that are not educators, I call those people others,” Brooks said. “They don’t get what we’re going through and it’s really stressful to go home and talk to a loved one about your day, or what what they’re saying on Facebook, or how politics has stepped into our job, especially in this state, and it’s very stressful to be able to go home and talk to somebody about how stressful your job is and get a blank stare.”
He said many think that what educators are going through today is the same as it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago.
“They think it’s the same as when they were in school in the 70s, 80s and 90s and nothing could be further from the truth,” Brooks said, emphasizing how much the world has changed since COVID.
“Our non-educator friends do not get that,” he said. “I am always amazed with what my non-educator friends will say to me.”
Brooks said it is important for educators to focus on what they all have in common, not on differences in politics or religion.
“Let me remind you of something,” he said. “Sitting around you are people that are exactly like you and let me remind you of something very important: Your kids are watching you. Your kids are watching you the day after election day knowing you have to go to work with someone that didn’t vote like you.
“Your kids are watching you on Monday morning walk down the hallway with the teachers talking about how great the worship service is knowing you didn’t go to church on Sunday morning and you have to make sure that you are a role model to your kids, that you can love and accept everybody because that’s what we need out of our kids.”
Brooks reminded educators that the children are babies to the parents and he said he has put a pacifier in the middle of the table when meeting with parents to remind him of that, which is something that should be remembered even if the child is in trouble.
“The bottom line is, everybody is dealing with someone’s baby,” Brooks said.
Retired Durant educator Jon Hazell, who was the 2017 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, spoke during opening ceremonies. Boy Scout Troop 615 presented the colors and the Silo Middle School Choir performed the National Anthem and also other songs.
Other speakers were: Southeastern President Thomas Newsom, Stephanie Davison, executive director of SE Alumni and Career Services, and Shelly Key named SE scholarship recipients. First United Bank sponsored the recognition ceremony.
