Steve Hale, BPS 2005 Teacher of the year poses with Hans Schmoldt, Sr. and his wife Jimmy. The Shmoldt family generously make a financial donation to the Teacher of the Year as a way to honor teachers for their contributions to students.
Teaching children is one the most difficult, yet most rewarding, professions. Unfortunately, by today's standards, teachers are not respected nearly enough for the tremendous work they perform shaping our future generations. Almost every person, regardless of age, can look back on his or her life and pinpoint a time when a teacher had an impact on them. Teachers do so much more than just teach the fundamentals of education, their influence shapes the future lives of their students. It is this calling that motivates teachers to continue teaching, striving to learn new teaching methods and bringing new ideas into their daily lesson plans.
When teachers look at their students in their classrooms, they see the future version of these students and then rise to the daily, sometimes overwhelming, challenge of shaping these students into future successful citizens and adults. Bartlesville Public Schools is fortunate to have approximately 450 certified teachers, each committed to bringing the best to their craft. Our teachers work many hours beyond the classroom in preparation for lessons, grading assignments, and supporting students in extra-curricular activities. Many BPS teachers spend their summer improving their education by earning advanced degrees or receiving professional training. They spend countless hours researching projects to bring into the classroom, applying for grants to aid in their teaching, and improving their teaching skills, not to mention the time they spend one-one-one with the students who need extra help.
An annual tradition for Bartlesville Public Schools is to honor the Teacher of the Year in February. This year, Steve Hale, Madison Middle School Geography teacher was chosen as the 2005 Teacher of the Year. Mr. Hale has been teaching the past eight years with Bartlesville Public Schools after a long standing career with Phillips Petroleum. After more than twenty years in that career, he determined he wanted to make a career change and that he truly wanted to be a teacher. He brought that enthusiasm and love of students into his classroom and the Madison students have benefited ever since. Whether working on the Geography Bee, emceeing school events, or creating a new teaching concept, Mr. Hale brings excellence to the classroom daily.
Mr. Hale is just one of the 450 BPS certified staff dedicating their lives to teaching children. BPS currently has 17 National Board Certified Teachers.
This national recognition program sets rigorous standards for educators seeking the certification. The process generally requires about 500 hours of work and must be completed in approximately nine months. It involves preparing a four-component portfolio that includes two unedited 20-minute videotapes of classroom work, documentation of professional development and community involvement activities. There are teachers currently working to earn this achievement throughout the district.
BPS also honors teachers who continue to pursue their education by earning advanced degrees, those who earn grants to utilize in the classroom, and teachers who continually find interesting ways to stimulate the minds and learning of their students.
Obviously, the strength of Bartlesville 's teaching staff is the key ingredient in the overall success of our school and our students. Behind our All-State choir and music students are committed middle school, mid-high, and high school music teachers who bring their heart and soul to their craft. Coaches provide training and inspiration for our student athletes to be successful. It is through the commitment of our Advanced Placement teachers from U.S. History to physics, that our senior students earn college credit before leaving BPS. Our Special Education teachers help students overcome varying disabilities to learn and experience life to its fullest. Elementary school teachers build close relationships with the students in their care, nurturing their learning and building the foundation of a good education for the next year.
At this time of year when we honor teachers for their accomplishments, we want to thank all of them for what they do. Please take the time to pat a teacher on the back and send them a note of how you appreciate the honorable work they do for our future—our children. Through their diligence, Bartlesville Public Schools are: Striving for Excellence!