BPS Teachers of the Year, support staff honored at evening ceremony
The students and staff of Bartlesville Schools are having our first normal spring since 2019. Students are experiencing field trips, assemblies, and other end of year activities. It has been a pleasure having parents and volunteers back in person helping our students and staff.
We currently have about 2% of our students enrolled in virtual learning options. Bruin Virtual uses Bartlesville teachers at Richard Kane Elementary, Central Middle School or Bartlesville High School. We have learned that Bruin Virtual School is a great fit for some families. Students enrolled in Bruin Virtual School can still participate in all athletics, activities, fine arts programs, and student organizations in the district. Many elementary students come to school for music, art, or P.E. classes. Recently, I was thrilled to showcase our outstanding Bruin Virtual School housed at Richard Kane Elementary to State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister.
Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, Bartlesville Public Schools will be adding additional 7th grade/middle school athletic opportunities. 7th grade teams will be added in football, girls basketball, and boys basketball. Middle school teams (7th & 8th combined) will be added in girls soccer, boys soccer, and baseball.
Tonya Knollmeyer, who teaches AP and Inquiry Physics and Active Chemistry at Bartlesville High School, was named the district’s 2022 Teacher of the Year on April 21 at Rigdon Field at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium. The event was organized by the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation and the district PIC Committee, and honored the Teacher of the Year from each of the nine district schools. Ms. Knollmeyer received a $2,500 cash award from the Schmoldt Foundation for Education and two free round-trip airline tickets via the 14th Annual Chuck Spears Memorial Teacher of the Year Travel Award, presented by Gary Spears of Spears Travel.
The evening’s ceremony included the presentation of the 2022 Kurt Schmoldt Teacher Appreciation Award to Todd Rhoades, a Gifted and Talented Education teacher serving elementary students across the district.
Heidi Lischefski, who teaches Environmental Science at Bartlesville High School, was named the district's 2022 Rising Star Teacher, an award for teachers with one to four years of experience, and received $500 from the Schmoldt Foundation for Education.
The district's Elementary Schools Rookie of the Year was Larissa Hale, a fifth grade teacher at Wilson Elementary, and the Secondary Schools Rookie of the Year was Christina Rigdon, who transitioned this year to the certified role of counselor at Central Middle School.
This year the event expanded from honoring teachers to honoring the district's support staff as well, incorporating the annual Classified Person of the Year award. Candace Biggerstaff, the attendance secretary at Wilson Elementary School, received that recognition for 2022.
I am also very proud of Aidan Howze, who has been selected as this year’s Jim Thorpe High School Player of the Year in Girls Swimming by the Oklahoma Coaches Association in partnership with the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
I hope you will join me in attending the Bartlesville High School Fine Arts Department’s 2022 Spring musical MAMMA MIA! on April 29 and 30 at 7 p.m. or May 1 at 3 p.m. Go Bruins!
Chuck McCauley is the superintendent of Bartlesville Public Schools.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: BPS Teachers of the Year, support staff honored at evening ceremony
