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First grade teacher, Aubrey Watts says, "Rachel is the kind of teacher everyone strives to be. She's the teacher that goes above and beyond to help anyone. She's the teacher that sacrifices the tiny amount of quiet time she has at lunch to eat with her students. She's the teacher that students never forget." Jason Welch also shared his observations, "Rachel has filled children's backpacks with food so she would know they'd have something to eat over the weekend. She's visited them in hospitals, gone to their sporting events and uses her own resources to buy supplies so the kids enjoy learning a little more. She does these things not for personal gain, but to let her kids know they are cared for and that school is not a place to dread, rather a place where learning is fun and they can be comfortable there."
Congratulations Rachel, we are proud to honor your dedication to students and learning!
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Glenpool School's Educators of the Year 2017-2018
Lower Elementary:
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Rachel Welch
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 Rachel Welch has taught for 10 years with the last four being in 1st grade at Glenpool Elementary. She was the 2013 Teacher of the Year at Chouteau Elementary in Tulsa and was the Glenpool Educator of the Month in October 2015 and September 2016. She has served on many committees including the K20 Grant Committee, Math Adoption Committee, Playground Committee, Technology Bond Committee, Reading Resource Adoption Committee, and Science Adoption Committee. She is also serving as the 1st Grade Team Leader. She is an avid grant writer and has received over 40 grants in her teaching career. Rachel lives in Tulsa with her husband and their black lab Zoe.
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Upper Elementary:
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Shelly Finney
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 Shelly Finney is the 4th grade science teacher for Team Surge. This year marks her 17th year teaching and 5th year at Glenpool Elementary where she has served on technology and reading committees, as well as serving as an ELA team leader for the grade level. She was the 2015-2016 Upper Elementary Site Teacher of the Year for Glenpool Schools. In her career, she has taught 3rd & 4th grades, 1st-6th grade At Risk Reading, and been an Instructional Reading Coach for grades 1-6. Mrs. Finney has a Business degree from Oklahoma State University and received her teaching credentials from West Texas A & M University. Mrs. Finney and her husband, Quint, have one daughter, Reghan, who lives in Arizona. When she's not at school, teaching remains her passion, as she serves as a youth leader and Sunday school teacher for First Baptist Church, Glenpool. She also teaches painting and craft classes with her sister at their store Sister-Sister in Keifer. |
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Middle School:
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Angela Trent
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Angela Trent has been teaching for close to twenty years, but her six years at Glenpool have definitely been her favorite. "Glenpool has amazing kids and teachers, and I'm proud to be a part of the team."
Angela and her husband have two children who are also Glenpool students.
She has spent most of her time in the middle school classroom, teaching 6th and 7th grade language arts and social studies. This year, she is teaching 7th grade geography and absolutely loving it. Angela says, "The only thing better than "visiting" places around the globe every day is getting to take students along with me on the journey!"
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High School:
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Gayla Mitchell
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 Gayla Mitchell is the Glenpool High School Art Educator of the year. She is a student-centered educator continually seeking to improve learning, recognizing the potential in each and every one of her students. Ms. Mitchell has an impressive educational background, with a Bachelor's Degree (plus 15) from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and an additional year in Visual Communications from Oklahoma University. Ms. Mitchell's dedication to promoting the arts in Oklahoma can be seen in her membership and participation in multiple Fine Arts organizations across the state. She is an active member of the Oklahoma Art Education Association and serves as the state art show chairperson for Young Talent in Oklahoma. Ms Mitchell has earned a plethora of accolades over the course of her career. Most recently, she was name the Oklahoma Secondary Art Educator of the year in 2016. She has been recognized by the University of Oklahoma as Oklahoma's Most Creative Teacher and in 2016 was selected to represent the Oklahoma Art Institute at the National White House Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with her artwork for the Oklahoma Tree. Ms. Mitchell has made a positive impact on her local community as well, serving on the Safe Schools Committee, the School Advisory Board and the Hospitality Committee. She has been the National Art Honor Society Sponsor for 26 years, leading students in a variety of community service activities. During her teaching career, Ms. Mitchell has also been a sponsor for Art Club, Sophomore, Junior and Senior Classes and created 20 years of proms. Ms. Mitchell believes art educators must remain active artists and has had work exhibited at he State Department of Education, the Lieutenant Governor's Office, Philbrook Museum of Art, OU, USAO, OSU, TU, Oklahoma Contemporary, Quartz Mountain Art Institute, and Posh Art (Naples, Florida). She has written over $30,000 dollars in grants for supplies, workshops and travel grants for her students. She currently teaches Art 1, Art 2, Advanced Placement Studio Arts and Art Concepts.
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