Tuesday, February 22 Marietta principals announced the teachers of the year from their respective sites.
High School
The high school teacher of the year is Amanda Faulkenberry, a 1998 graduate of Stratford High School and a 2002 grad of East Central University with a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis in Education.
Faulkenberry began at Marietta in the fall after her college graduation and is currently in her 20th year as the district’s FFCLA teacher/advisor.
“For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher,” she said, “and in the 8th grade, I fell in love with my home ec class and FHA and knew that was what I wanted to do. Growing up, I had some amazing teachers who impacted that decision.”
According to Faulkenberry, the best parts about teaching are being able to help students accomplish their goals and working with other amazing teachers.
“Mrs Faulkenberry is one of the best teachers I’ve ever worked with,” High School Principal Adam Sherfield remarked. “It would be next to impossible to name all the things she does for our students and staff. She works so hard to ensure the success of her program and her students, and she’s such a good role model for our students. We are lucky to have her on our staff.”
Faulkenberry and her husband Bobby have two daughters, Emily and Bella, both Marietta students.
Middle School
Principal Carrie Tucker announced that sixth grade reading and English teacher LeeAnn Hicks has been selected as the Middle School’s Teacher of the Year.
“Mrs. Hicks is just a fabulous teacher,” said Tucker. “She handles everything like the professional she is, and she’s certainly deserving of this honor.”
Hicks graduated from high school at Yukon in 1988, and then attended Oklahoma City University and the University of Central Oklahoma, earning her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught school for three years out-of-state before returning to Oklahoma.
Since 2000, Hicks has taught in Turner and Thackerville, and is currently in her second year at Marietta.
Because she teaches both reading and English, she sees some of the same students multiple times a day.
“This is my favorite position I’ve ever had!” exclaimed Hicks. “I love the sixth graders’ sense of humor, how they can cut up and then get to work, how they’re still young enough I can show them that learning can be fun, but there’s a purpose for what we’re doing.”
As much as Hicks enjoys her students, Tucker insists they feel the same way.
“She loves her kids, and they know it, and love her, too,” Tucker said. “Mrs. Hicks is willing to do what it takes to help her kids succeed.”
Hicks and husband Jamie enjoy spending time with their family, including son Alec (a 2013 MHS graduate) and wife Chelsea; son Tyler, a 2021 Marietta grad; daughter Madysen, who’s a junior this year; son Caden, a freshman; and grandchildren Blakelyn and Kyler.
Elementary
Robin Mayes is the elementary teacher of the year. The 33-year veteran is the district’s Library Media Specialist.
A 1985 graduate of Turner High School, Mays earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1988. She taught elementary classes at both Leon and Turner for 15 combined classroom years before receiving a Master of Library & Information Science degree from East Central University in 2004 and moving from the classroom to the library, where she stayed until moving to Marietta in 2011.
“I have always loved children and reading,” Mayes said. “I went into education because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing a student learn to read and watching them grow academically is so inspiring.”
Mayes enjoys encouraging her students experience success in learning, discover their passions, and persevere to reach their goals.
“Mrs. Mayes touches the lives of our students by encouraging their love of learning and reading,” said elementary principal Dana McMillin. “Her lessons start conversations about topics that teachers often follow up with in their classrooms. She inspires our kids to learn and our teachers to teach. She is truly a gift!”
Reading, playing the piano, and travel are listed as Mayes’s favorite things to do, along with spending time friends and family, especially husband Mike and her children Mariah and Joshua Tessin and Trey and Gentry Mayes.
Primary
The primary teacher of the year, Glenda May, is a 1977 graduate of Turner High School and a 1996 grad of Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and an Early Childhood endorsement.
After beginning her career in education as a teacher’s aide, May felt that teaching was her calling, so she went to school to get the necessary training and degree. She has been in the classroom for 24 years, 14 of those at Turner and the last 10 at Marietta in the first grade classroom.
Primary Principal, Ann Rutledge, had this to say about May:
“Mrs. May is a wonderful teacher who is willing to go the extra mile to help all of her students succeed. She is a great team player who is always sharing ideas and strategies with her colleagues. She leads by example in all that she does.”
Daily, May has one goal, to make a difference in the life of at least one of her students.
“I give the Lord praise for allowing me to become a teacher,” she said. “I would not be where I am today if not for Him.”
May and her husband Jim have two daughters, Tiffany and Kristi, two sons-in-law, Daniel and Montre, and four granddaughters, Aubrey, Kaylee, Kaiya, and Jade.
One of the four – Faulkenberry, Hicks, Mayes, or May – will be selected as the district teacher of the year, to be announced in a ceremony on March 21.