After months of anticipation, McAlester Public Schools has announced its Teacher of the Year finalists for 2025.
This year’s finalists for the prestigious Teacher of the Year award include Tamara Chlebik, Kelly Hampton, Ethan Prince, Rebecca McCabe and Claire Yott.
The Teacher of the Year winner will be announced during a ceremony in August.
In years past, candidates have been announced and awarded shortly thereafter in February. According to MPS, the Oklahoma State Department of Education has moved the time frame to announce the State Teacher of the Year, so the ceremony is now in August, according to Lori Few, MPS executive assistant and public relations director.
“Moving our ceremony will give us more alignment with the state’s timeline,” Few said. She said this is the first year for the change.
The teachers come from the following schools: Hampton, Will Rogers Elementary; Chlebik, Puterbaugh Upper Elementary; Yott, Parker Intermediate Center; McCabe, Randy Hughes Middle School; and Prince, McAlester High School.