Danielle Nagel announced as 2020 Teacher of the Year
Posted on 01/24/2020
Danielle Nagel wins Teacher of the Year(SPS) - The 2020 Sapulpa Public Schools District Teacher of the Year is Danielle Nagel.

That was the announcement made by Superintendent Rob Armstrong at the annual Teacher of the Year Banquet Friday night at First Baptist Church Sapulpa.

“I’m truly honored to be chosen,” said Mrs. Nagel. “I’m super excited going forward and representing Sapulpa as District Teacher of the Year.”

The banquet was packed with community members, legislators, school administration, past District Teachers of the Year as well as family and friends of the eight site Teachers of the Year.

Mrs. Nagel is an English and Science teacher in Special Education at Sapulpa Junior High School. She said that she loves teaching Special Education because of the challenges it brings but also for those times when her students understand a lesson and how important it is to her students.

“I feel like what I’m doing is making a difference,” said Mrs. Nagel when we spoke to her in early January. “I want them to believe in them just like I believe in them.



Each of the eight Teachers of the Year were recognized with a personal citation from the district's three legislators, Senator James Leewright and Representatives Mark Lawson and Kyle Hilbert. 

Determining the District Teacher of the Year is the culmination of a two-month process that started with each school selecting its Teacher of the Year. From there the eight TOYs prepared a portfolio about their background and teaching philosophy and submitted it to the Teacher of the Year Committee. The committee reviewed each of the portfolios and narrowed the list down to four finalists. Those four teachers were then called in this week for a 30-minute interview with the 13-member committee.

Based on a rubric, the teachers are scored on their responses and the teacher with the highest point total is determined the District Teacher of the Year. Again, the 2020 District Teacher of the Year is Danielle Nagel of Sapulpa Junior High School.

During the banquet, the Sapulpa Public Schools Support Employee of the Year was announced. This was a change in years past when the winner was announced in the final days of the school year. The three finalists were Renee Adkins of Sapulpa Middle School and Cindy Tyler and April Reyna, both of Liberty Elementary STEM Academy.

United Sapulpa Educators President Carla Cale announced April Reyna as the 2020 Support Employee of the Year.



Thank you to SeneGence International, American Heritage Bank, and Sapulpa Public School Foundation for the generous monetary awards given to each of the site Teachers of the Years and Support Employee of the Year finalists.

Congratulations to both Danielle and April.

More photos link