The District of Choice

Tami Marler, Director
Public Information
(918) 746-6298

News Release: Tuesday, September 29, 2009

TPS on a Roll: Kendall-Whittier Teacher is Early Childhood Educator of the Year 

9/29/2009

Jill Davis, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Kendall-Whittier Elementary School, is the 2009-2010 Oklahoma Early Childhood Educator of the Year. The award is given by the Early Childhood Association of Oklahoma.

“Tulsa Public Schools is on a roll,” said association president Susan Illgen. “First you have (Brian Grimm) as Teacher of the Year and now Jill is Oklahoma Early Childhood Educator of the Year. This is another highlight showing the good things that are going on with the district.”

Davis is nationally board certified, a graduate of Northeastern State University and a former top five candidate for TPS Teacher of the Year.

Davis recently offered her thoughts on teaching and its rewards.

“When you’re an early childhood teacher you have to have a lot of energy, but it’s the only job I know of where you get paid for playing with Play-Doh and having fun with little kids,” she said.

“The early years are the most important years and what teachers do every day in the classroom builds the foundation for all other learning,” said Illgen. “Our winner this year exemplifies early childhood education’s finest: she has a playful and exciting classroom, engages families and the community to be a part of their teaching, and shares her expertise with other professionals.”

A state selection committee of early childhood experts representing higher education, mental health fields, public school and child care selected the winner. Davis will receive $1000 in gifts from the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Foundation, the Early Childhood Association of Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma.

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