At its regular meeting on April 20, the Bartlesville Public Schools Board of Education will consider the appointment of Kelsey Bridges as the next Principal of Hoover Elementary effective July 1.
Bridges would fill the position vacated by Tiffany Holmes as she transitions to Executive Director of Teaching and Learning.
Bridges has dedicated her career to Bartlesville Public Schools, joining the district in 2015 and building an exceptional record of service across multiple campuses and roles. She has taught 6th grade mathematics and served as a school counselor at Madison Middle School, taught 8th grade Earth Science, and served as a 4th grade teacher and team lead at Ranch Heights Elementary. Her broad classroom experience spans elementary and middle school settings, giving her a comprehensive understanding of the learning journey of BPS students.
Since joining Wayside Elementary as Instructional Coach in August 2023, Bridges has led school-wide data analysis, coordinated Professional Learning Communities, organized staff development, and served in an administrative capacity as needed. She also served as a Summer School Teacher and Leader for Bartlesville Public Schools from 2022 to 2024.
Bridges has been recognized as one of the district’s most outstanding educators. She was named the BPS District Teacher of the Year for 2023–2024, an honor preceded by being named Ranch Heights Elementary’s Teacher of the Year that same year. Earlier in her career, she earned both the Madison Middle School Rising Star and the BPS District Rising Star awards for 2017–2018, recognizing her early promise as an educator. Bridges was also the very first Lowe Family Young Scholar — now Young Scholars of Bartlesville — graduate.
Bridges holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Oklahoma State University and is completing her Master of Education at Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville. She holds an Oklahoma State Teaching License in Elementary Education K–8 and received her Elementary Principal Certification in April 2018.
If approved by the board, Bridges will begin her new role as Principal of Hoover Elementary for the upcoming school year.